Medical transcription involves converting
voice-recorded medical data from physicians to written reports or
documents. Online training programs in medical transcription are
available on the certificate and associate's degree levels. Areas of
study generally include medical terminology, anatomy of the human body
and business English.
Online Certificate in Medical Transcription Overview
Through an online certificate program, students learn the skills
needed to begin a career as a medical transcriptionist, such as how to
accurately spell and edit medical information and how to use
transcription equipment. Major areas of study typically include medical
office procedures, business correspondence and keyboarding. Online
medical transcription programs are common among community colleges and
are usually self-paced. Prospective medical transcription students
should be high school graduates with excellent punctuation and grammar,
above average typing skills and competent listeners.
Most online certificate programs are fully online, but some include a
mix of distance education and on-campus classes. Students typically get
their assignments, participate in discussions and submit their homework
electronically. Therefore, medical transcription students should have
computers with high-speed Internet, as well as access to common office
software programs such as Microsoft Word. Upon acceptance into the
program, students are given detailed information about how to log into
the school's secured education platform and begin reading and completing
class materials. Students should be comfortable working with computers
and be able to type at a rate of at least 45 words per minute.
List of Common Online Medical Transcription Certificate Courses
Certificate programs in medical transcription are designed to provide
students with an overview of the field and train them on tasks such as
coding medical insurance forms and transcribing physician recordings.
The classes in a certificate program give students a basic understanding
of the field, along with several science courses.
Beginning Medical Transcription Course
This online course provides an introduction to medical transcription
and includes the operation of word processing and transcribing
equipment, proper conversion of medical dictation and an overview of
medical terminology. Students learn the medical transcriptionist's role
in the medical reimbursement cycle and examine the meaning of
transcribed medical reports.
Pharmacology Course
The online pharmacology course presents the basic concepts of
pharmacology and the human body as it relates to medical transcription.
Topics of study include dosage calculations and medication
administration.
Business English Course
This course addresses how to construct business letters, forms,
client records and memos. Online certificate students learn how to
organize written medical office communication by understanding proper
usage of sentence and paragraph construction, grammar and punctuation.
Students with an online certificate in medical transcription can
pursue entry-level positions at hospitals, physician's offices and
clinics. Many medical transcriptionists also telecommute from their
home-based offices. According to
Payscale.com, as of August 2010, the national hourly rate for medical transcriptionists with a diploma is between $11.91 and 16.71 per hour.
Online Associate's Degree in Medical Transcription Overview
Associate's degree programs allow students to acquire new skills or
build on their knowledge of medical transcription. Some online programs
offer students the opportunity to explore one or more specialized areas
of study, such as medical law and ethics, advanced medical transcription
and medical office management. Students are often required to
participate in an internship or practicum to gain practical experience.
Most institutions require associate's degree candidates to complete
prerequisite coursework in subjects, such as English composition,
college algebra and communications. While this program is usually
offered online at public, non-profit schools, students may also find it
at private for-profit institutions.
Many associate's degree programs are conducted completely online,
aside from the required field experiences. Students are able to review
and submit assignments, complete tests and contact students and
instructors online. E-mail, chat and online forums are the most common
way for students to communicate when enrolled in an online degree
program. To help students get settled in their online program, some
schools provide technical support 24 hours, 7 days a week.
List of Common Online Medical Transcription Associate's Degree Courses
The course breakdown of an associate's degree in medical
transcription program typically includes general education, core and
elective classes. Undergraduate students also take courses geared
towards finding employment after graduation.
Medical Office Procedures Course
This online course provides students with a core understanding of the
administrative duties that are performed in a typical medical office.
Topics covered included coding and reimbursement, maintenance of medical
records and guidelines on the release of health information.
Medical Law and Bioethics Course
Undergraduate students taking this course examine the basic
principles of law, ethics and bioethics in relation to the field of
medicine. Areas of study include physician and patient relationship,
legal terms and contracts.
Medical Transcription Practicum Course
In this online class, students participate in a simulated experience
as a medical transcriptionist to understand the work involved, as well
as how to prepare for a career in the field. The course allows students
to work from home and to deal with a number of situations that are
common to medical transcriptionists, such as turnaround time and
accents.
Graduates with an associate's degree in medical transcription
typically begin their careers in entry-level positions but are generally
equipped for senior or managerial-level positions. The median salary
for a medical transcription supervisor was $50,535 in 2009, as reported
by
Salary.com. Supervisors assign medical transcription work and
see that they are completed accurately and on time. Some employers seek a
minimum of five years of experience in medical transcription before
hiring someone as a supervisor.
After completing an online medical transcription degree program,
graduates may opt for professional certification. While it is voluntary,
many employers seek medical transcriptionists with certification. Trade
organizations like the Association for Healthcare Documentation
Integrity offer a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) and a
Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMI) credential. Both
certifications require passing a medical transcription examination, but
CMT candidates must have a minimum of two years of acute care
experience, while prospective RMI's require less than two years of acute
care transcription work.
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