| Medical transcriptionists are still in great demand | | | | basic medical terminology course, but generally an |
| by hospitals, clinics, and any healthcare providers | | | | MT course is required. One good thing is that |
| that see patients and have chart notes. | | | | most of these courses can now be taken online |
| Although speech recognition technology, such as | | | | and can be completed at your own pace. |
| Dragon Naturally Speaking, has become more | | | | The actual job itself consists of listening to |
| popular, it is still a long, slow process for doctors | | | | recordings dictated by doctors and transcribing |
| and other healthcare providers to use efficiently. | | | | them into medical reports. There are several |
| Doctors dictate very fast and they have to train | | | | methods of dictation and transcribing that can be |
| the system to correctly transcribe that dictation. | | | | used such as cassette tapes, c-phones, and WAV |
| There are a lot of sound alikes and abbreviations | | | | pedals, etc. An MT will need to adjust to |
| in medical terminology and this makes it much | | | | whichever method a doctor is using to dictate. |
| more difficult than in other fields that are using | | | | The job of medical transcriptionists is the ability to |
| this technology. Even those that are starting to | | | | work in a clinic, hospital, or at home. Medical |
| use it still need to have it appropriately edited and | | | | transcription is very popular as a work at home |
| some still use medical transcriptionists to do the | | | | career that brings in a regular income. As more |
| editing. | | | | and more people want to enjoy the benefits of |
| Most healthcare providers want a trained medical | | | | working at home, becoming an MT is looking very |
| transcriptionist who has taken and passed a | | | | attractive. |
| course in medical transcription. It would be | | | | So, yes, this is a viable, legitimate career for |
| extremely hard for someone to transcribe | | | | someone willing to put effort into completing an |
| doctor's dictations without proper training. Some | | | | MT course and being an independent contractor |
| people who may have been in the medical | | | | with the option of working at home. |
| industry in other capacities might just need a | | | | |