A medical transcriptionist transcribes dictated material, such as medical procedures, patients' progress, medical histories, and autopsy or operative reports. This is usually done from recordings made by doctors, surgeons, therapists and others in the health field. The work can be done onsite or offsite--even in your home. A certified medical transcriptionist has had the same training as a standard medical transcriptionist but also has passed a special exam.
Instructions
1. Contact your local technical or vocational college to see if it offers a medical transcription training program. Depending on the college, this will be a six-month, one-year or two-year program. Try to enroll in one of the longer medical transcriptionist programs (as would be seen in the one- or two-year certification). This type of program is much more desirable to potential employers.
2. Register for the appropriate classes. Typically, you'll meet with an adviser to plan your educational goals through a selection of courses. These will usually include classes on composition and writing (with some emphasis on grammar, punctuation, spelling and structure), anatomy and physiology, medical and legal terminology and medical transcription training.
3. Pass the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity "Level 1" medical transcription exam to become a registered medical transcriptionist.
4. Work for two years in a variety of specialties requiring a transcriptionist to deal with a wide array of reports and formats.
5. Pass an exam offered by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity to become a certified medical transcriptionist. The certification is effective for three years.
6. Earn continuing education credits during the three-year period in order to be recertified.
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