Q&A
medical
Medical Transcription

Career in Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription can be a Viable Career for you

September 09, 2021

TanuKapoor
By Tanu Kapoor

Career Expert & Blogger

CareerinMedicalTranscription

Did you always dream of working in the Healthcare industry, but didn’t know how to go about it? Here’s your chance to learn and tread on a new path. Have you heard about Medical Transcription?

If you are someone who is inspired by doctors, then Medical Transcription could very well be the “right” career choice for you. By graduating as a Medical Transcriptionist (MT), you learn what a doctor does, how he handles patients, what medicines are prescribed for which ailments, and how he talks to patients. The best part is that you don’t have to be a nurse, and can even work from the comfort of your home!

IS MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION A VIABLE CAREER FOR YOU?

What exactly does a Medical Transcriptionist do?

A Medical Transcriptionist listens to the audio files stored in the voice-recording software that documents the doctor’s interaction with a patient including physical examination, results and discussion of any diagnostic tests, the prognosis, the treatment plan, and any instructions given to the patient. The Medical Transcriptionist then transcribes these recordings into the required document format and e-mails the medical record to the doctor for authentication.

Later, the doctor can refer to this transcript for his own research or even as a proof of providing treatment to his patients.

What else can an MT do?

Apart from simply converting the recorded voices and conversations into transcripts, an MT can also review and edit other documents. They can even interpret the medical terms and abbreviations for every patient’s record history, summary, and hospital discharge details.

How can I become a Medical Transcriptionist?

You must be a graduate to begin as a trainee in Medical Transcription. A degree in would suffice your eligibility to work as an MT. However, medical transcription training can add value to your educational qualification and boost your chances of getting hired.

You can pursue a certificate course that involves studying either full time or via distance learning, as offered by Career Step. You must obtain certification from the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) - Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) - in order to pursue medical transcription as a career. The same association also offers another option - you could consider becoming a Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS), which can get you closer to your career goals.

Can’t pay for the training? Why not consider starting as a freelancer?

If you have a basic understanding of the Healthcare world, a good hold over English, spellchecking skills, memory skills, and the ability to maintain records, you might find small clinics or private practitioners who are willing to give you work.

Eligibility Criteria for Pursuing Medical Transcription Course

It does not require any specialized skills but it only demands skills likes - good listening, excellent command over the English language, and knowledge of medical terminology and abbreviations.

The ideal qualification for a medical transcriptionist is Graduation with English comprehensive skill and preferably undergoing a training course in Medical transcription (MT). Most of the institutes do take 10+2 with English comprehensive as their minimum eligibility criteria to pursue a medical transcription course. Not only should this, throughout the career - the medical transcriptionist should be updated with changes in medical terminologies, medical procedures, medical jargon, and many other medical factors. The popular medical transcription colleges in India that impart the best medical transcription course to the students are SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRM IST) Chennai, Imperial Institute Of Management Mumbai, EduKart.com Agra, Vibha Info solutions Noida, and many more.

Type of Job and Average Salaries

Unlike becoming a doctor, becoming a medical transcriptionist does not require an advanced college degree nor does it require a huge investment to start your career. A medical transcriptionist is an emerging profession if you get adequate knowledge. The career may be technically challenging but it also offers a unique lifestyle. It also opens the opportunity to explore a career as an at-home medical transcriptionist but at the same time, it is important to find the right medical transcription school/institute.

The national average salary of a medical transcriptionist in India is around ₹275,268/ per annum as per the record of glassdoor.

Here are the different types of jobs with details like total years of experience required, designation, and average salary:

  • Medical Summarizer - 1-3 yrs. - ₹2.5-3.5 Lakhs Per annum
  • Medical Transcriptionist - 0-2yrs - ₹2-6 Lakhs Per annum
  • Sr. Representative Medical Recs Coding & Trans. - 2 to 7 yrs. - ₹3-8 Lakhs Per annum

Where is an MT Employed?

Medical transcriptionists are needed in a variety of healthcare-related industries. According to recent industry statistics, 35% hospitals and 25% physicians and their clinics, and other administrative healthcare providers require MTs for documentation purposes.

Many MTs work from the comfort of their homes and according to their convenience, as freelancers. By doing so, they get more time to with their family or studies, and generate extra cash to take care of their financial responsibilities.

Expected Growth in the Profession

Market analysts indicate that by 2023, the Medical Transcription sector will witness a growth of 8-10%. Thus, hands-on experience in converting critical voice data into documented information will be the next big thing in the future.

Helpful?
Comments
0
Write a Comment