Medical Transcription

**Elektra6, ASN, BSN, RN** · Oct 7, 2008

I took a medical terminology course (this was before I was a nurse) and a medical transcription course at my local community college. They taught me how to format reports, how to look up info, etc. It was very helpful. I eventually landed a job where they sent the voice files through email. I played them on my computer via a program that came with a foot pedal. I did this as a second job for a few years but then I was laid off due to foreign outsourcing. I'm not the fastest typist and you really have to be to make money. It was very interesting though. Hope this was helpful.

Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 7, 2008

Hello! I'm a nurse who became a medical transcriptionist. I've been typing my fingers to the bone for 3-1/2 years now. I rather like it!

Anyway, I have three little daughters and can say that MT requires 100% concentration, which means that for the most part, to do MT and get the work done efficiently and right, it should be when kids are napping, sleeping, in school, or maybe even in front of Shrek on the TV. I've had many times working where I think I've been working for 100 hours, but then I remember that I've surfed the web a little too much or I tried to work with the kids awake and needing me.

Nursing will help you become a MT, but you are right--looking into training is a really good idea. Depending on what you want to do will be the determining factor in what schooling to do. If you are able to get some clinic work locally through word-of-mouth advertising, you may just be able to get by with receiving some of that clinic's formatted reports and references (I like Stedman's Word Books) for your clinic's specialty. However, if you want to work at home for a national company and you have no experience, going to a local community college isn't always the preferred route. Search online for Andrews School, M-TEC, or Career Step (although I went the Everett Community College route with Career Step for the financial aid and instructor support). Having the training from any one of those entities will nearly ensure that you have a job as a new grad. Oh, and M-TEC has a "tier" specifically designed for healthcare personnel that is cheaper than the regular program, since some of the information is what you've already learned. Do not skimp on the training, though, if you are looking to work for a national from home. PCDI grads and the like are normally not hired for these jobs. National employers like to see either experience in MT or a diploma in MT from specific schools.

MT, unfortunately, has a very steep learning curve, particularly if you work at home for a national doing acute care transcription. You will likely have hundreds of dictators in your pool, but you do eventually get used to them and what they mumble out of their mouths. With the learning curve comes the zinger about pay. The pay for starting MTs is generally poor and almost always (for any home-based MT) on production after the first couple of weeks as an employee, which means that you have to sit and get your lines in (if you are working by the line), no matter how long it takes. It has discouraged many a person, but that too does pass. It's not to scare you off, but a new MT on production may only make around $2 an hour because of that learning curve. I promise it does get better, but it is extremely frustrating.

For people who do not type very fast (like me!), there are expander programs that allow you to type a few letters to create bigger words and phrases. I have Instant Text, which allows me to program certain letters in for phrases, like "minf;" is "myocardial infarction." It cuts down keystrokes little by little, but it helps!

Anyway, if you do go the MT route, I hope you like it. I know I really like it. I've been very fortunate to have a really good job with a great company. It took me some time to get to that point, but I can say it was a very good move on my part. If you are a bit anal on getting little details right and have a really good command of English, you may have yourself a good idea on a side job. :up:

ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN · Oct 7, 2008

The best thing to do since you have never been a transcriptionist is to try to find individuals locally that have their own business so that they can take you under their wing. The nursing is a major asset because you already know so much terminology, but companies may be more stubborn about only wanting someone who has actually transcribed before.

Like the other poster said, it is hard making great money first starting out and getting your feet wet. If you type fast then you are a step ahead. But for any transcriptionist just starting a position, even if you know the terminology and type fast, it still takes that learning curve of getting used to what the physician says, etc. Try to work with a specialty that you are familiar with. If you type the same physician(s) every day then you will become faster because you can anticipate what they are going to say. I work for an individual lady who has the account for a very large urology practice in the area. I type everything online from home, into the electronic medical record. I have gotten a lot quicker at it because I have had the same doctors now for over a year. If you have the time for the learning curve and making not-so-good money while you get ramped up, then I say go for it. I'd stay away from those expensive medical transcriptionist programs. You don't need that.

Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 7, 2008

I'd stay away from those expensive medical transcriptionist programs. You don't need that.

If she is not lucky enough to find a local account to get experience, she likely will need the training to work for a national. Rarely do they let people with no MT training (nursing doesn't count to them as training) AND no experience work. All those ads for companies that require 2 years' experience generally will waive that requirement for a grad from one of the "right" schools.

However, I think the training depends on the route taken. My route was with nationals, and I was required to have the training to get my foot in the door. The route of going with local offices or word-of-mouth accounts certainly doesn't require anything more than what the employer/contractor/client wants. Nursing training is usually sufficient.

ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN · Oct 7, 2008

If she is not lucky enough to find a local account to get experience, she likely will need the training to work for a national. Rarely do they let people with no MT training (nursing doesn't count to them as training) AND no experience work. All those ads for companies that require 2 years' experience generally will waive that requirement for a grad from one of the "right" schools.
However, I think the training depends on the route taken. My route was with nationals, and I was required to have the training to get my foot in the door. The route of going with local offices or word-of-mouth accounts certainly doesn't require anything more than what the employer/contractor/client wants. Nursing training is usually sufficient.

Yeah, it all depends on who she wants to work for. The national companies would require transcriptionist training or prior work history as a transcriptionist. I worked for a company like that briefly but did not like it near as much as what I am doing now. I am sure there are some good companies out there, but I was not making any money and they had some silly rules which were money-making tactics for them. I am sure there are some good cheaper programs like through a community college maybe, but some of these online programs are absolutely astronomical in cost. I have only heard about the real expensive ones, so maybe there are some good affordable ones out there. Another thought too is that maybe she would have a lot of connections and know many physicians already from working as a nurse, and by word of mouth could land a good gig that way. :)

sockies · Oct 27, 2008

Hi Everyone,

Yes I have been curious about doing medical transcription. My mum has actually been a medical transcriptionist for many years.

I am an RN who worked in maternity previously, now I am back in school and I was thinking whether it was possible for me to do medical transcription. But it sounds like I would have to do a course for it. I cannot believe the amount of money some of these courses charge, its over the top! I mean some I saw were 4000 dollars, about as much as I paid for my first year tuition for nursing school (in canada). There also does not seem to be many legitimate online courses that are resonably priced in Canada. Has anyone from Canada taken any of these courses? Please let me know.

Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 28, 2008

Hi Everyone,
Yes I have been curious about doing medical transcription. My mum has actually been a medical transcriptionist for many years.
I am an RN who worked in maternity previously, now I am back in school and I was thinking whether it was possible for me to do medical transcription. But it sounds like I would have to do a course for it. I cannot believe the amount of money some of these courses charge, its over the top! I mean some I saw were 4000 dollars, about as much as I paid for my first year tuition for nursing school (in canada). There also does not seem to be many legitimate online courses that are resonably priced in Canada. Has anyone from Canada taken any of these courses? Please let me know.

Try Career Step. They have a course for transcriptionists in Canada with career placement. Career Step as a standalone program has no instructor support, but most of the company testing, when you get to that point of applying for jobs, will feel VERY familiar to you. This helps. It's considered one of the "big three" in MT training, at least here in the states. It would be #3 of the big three, though.

Consider that medical transcription programs are generally the equivalent to a diploma program in a college. The amount of money to learn this is not outrageous. I went through a community college using Career Step course material. This was the price they charged as well ($4000). After the first year and a half in MT paying my dues, I have made very good wages (IMO) working at home for nationals. The money paid for my course has been made up easily.

MAFDC08 · Oct 28, 2008

I've been a transcriptionist for the last eight years--a self-learner with no experience. I found an online website where you could purchase practice tapes, bought a recorder, and just practiced, practiced, practiced. Landed my first account by basically lying stating that I had a some experience, though I was a medical assistant and knew lots of meds and had a pretty extensive med terminology background, I still had that huge learning curve that everyone talks about.

The first month or so, as Apple said, I literally made 2$ an hour. From there I gained speed, utilized "auto correct" to make what I call briefs (word expanders) and now do pretty well as far as earnings.

I've been very fortunate and have two accounts and work for four doctors, I charge two docs by the line and the other two by the page. I make quite a bit more on the docs I charge by line, but I use a lot of briefs with this account. One of my docs has a very thick accent, which was (OMG:banghead:) so difficult at first. Took two or three months just to figure out what the heck the guy was saying. And though it's allowed me to stay home with my children, I'm now doing pre-reqs for nursing in addition (plan B) to transcribing just in case I'm phased out by technology. Hopefully not, but just in case.

Like anything else it's just persistence and patience.

Good luck!