Additional Information
Being a medical transcriptionist requires a high school diploma as well
as a specialized certificate of medical transcriptionist training from a business
school or college.
"They have to become a certified medical transcriptionist," says Carey
Silverstein. He's the director of operations for a medical transcription company.
"There are online courses available for this as well as college courses.
It typically takes one year and then they can begin doing this."
Some MTs also have a two-year associate's degree or a bachelor's degree.
Helpful subjects to study include anatomy, medical terminology, and English
grammar and punctuation. Many MT programs include supervised on-the-job experience.
After certification, medical transcriptionists must continue their education
to keep up with changes in the medical profession.
Fortunately, it's easy to get the necessary MT training -- and to do the
work after graduation -- no matter where you live. "One of the real advantages
now, because of the technology, is that people who live in more rural areas,
as long as they have a high-speed connection, can now do this from their home,
including the training," says Silverstein. "So they can become certified from
home with an online program and be able to work from home even if they're
in areas where typically there isn't a lot of employment or they would have
to travel quite far to the nearest major city to get employment."
As for courses that can be taken at the high school level to prepare for
a future as a medical transcriptionist, "Typing courses are essential, and
definitely if they can take science," says Silverstein. "Maybe basic chemistry
would be very helpful, and certainly if they have anatomy courses at school
or some type of physiology course. Biology is (also) very helpful."