When making a career choice, your search or inclination may bring medical transcription to your attention.
The healthcare field is the fastest-growing area of job growth, far outstripping most other career paths.
The future of medical transcription, however, has been affected by AI.
The result will be a 5% decline, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, over the next eight years.
In spite of this, there will be over 9500 job openings per year.
Steps to Become a Medical Transcriptionist
The first step is to graduate from high school or get a GED.
Look for a school where you can get the necessary education.
Apply to school to receive a certificate, diploma, or degree in Medical Transcription.
Complete the course and prepare to take a certification exam.
Certification isn’t required, but it will improve your chances of finding employment.
The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity offers two certificates for medical transcriptionists: Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) and Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS).
Look for an entry-level position to get the experience that you require.
Enjoy your career.
Licensing Requirements to Become a Medical Transcriptionist
No state has a specific license for medical transcription.
If one is needed by a particular employer, they will most likely make that known to the applicant.
Online Training Programs
Online training programs run the gamut from a certificate to a college degree.
The length of time it takes will depend on which option you choose.
The cost will also be determined by whether you end up with a certificate or a degree.
Penn Foster
The Penn Foster program is a diploma course.
The average time to complete the course is 11 months.
It can, though, be completed in as little as 7 months.
The price of the course is $839 if paid in full before you begin the course.
The cost is $1039 if done in monthly payments.
Nine courses are included in the medical transcription course.
You will complete 52.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Those who complete the course will have the knowledge they need to take the certification exam.
Students take 26 tests and complete four projects that are graded.
Contact information
- 200 Hickory Street
- Scranton, PA 18505 USA
- 1-800-275-4410
- https://www.pennfoster.edu/
U.S. Career Institute
This Medical Transcriptionist Certificate Program takes nine months for the majority of students.
Students can accelerate the program to six months.
If paid in full, the tuition is $1239.
Tuition made in monthly payments is $1539.
The course is divided into four instruction packs.
- Introduction to Medical Transcription and Editing
- Medical Records, Anatomy, and Ethics
- Transcribing and Editing Skills I
- Transcribing and Editing Skills II
During the course, actual medical reports are prepared with the supervision of an instructor.
Students are trained to apply the correct rules of grammar, punctuation, and capitalization to medical reports.
Medical ethics and legal issues are also addressed in detail.
You will study pathology and diagnostic imaging.
Students learn to create medical correspondence for healthcare professionals.
You need to pass a final exam upon completion of the program.
Contact information
- 866.250.6851
- https://www.uscareerinstitute.edu
Ashworth College
The tuition is $839 if it is paid in full before beginning the course.
The cost for those who opt for monthly payments is $1039.
The training program takes four months.
The course is self-paced, and you can take up to one year to complete it.
The course is divided into five sections:
- Medical Transcription Orientation
- Medical and Body Systems Terminology
- Medical Record Style
- Specialty Standards
- Medical Editing
Students need to have a Microsoft Windows-based computer running Windows 10 or higher.
A transcription foot pedal is provided.
Students have access to 35 hours of real doctor dictation, providing the practice they require.
A career diploma is earned after the course.
The skills needed for certification should have been acquired.
Contact Information
- 5051 Peachtree Corners Circle, Suite 200
- Norcross, Georgia 30092
- 1-800-957-5412
- https://www.ashworthcollege.edu
Blackstone Career Institute
The program takes between 4 and 18 months to complete.
The course is 810 hours.
Prospective students must have a high school diploma or a GED.
Full tuition is $2586, which is a discount of $409.
Monthly payment options are available.
Free tuition is approved for military members, their families, and veterans.
The program is divided into 18 units.
Units include human anatomy, pharmacology, and medical terminology in addition to transcription.
Punctuation and grammar are stressed, as well as editing and typing skills.
100 hours of practicum with real dictation from doctors is included.
This course prepares students to take the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) certification exam.
The program includes a voucher for the certification exam.
Contact Information
- 800-826-9228
- https://blackstone.edu
Herkimer County Community College, a SUNY College
The program is a 30-credit 2-semester course.
The result is a certificate as a Medical Coding/Transcriptionist.
The cost of the program is $5699.
Financial aid is available for qualified students.
This course prepares you to work in medical coding or transcription.
Online students get to enjoy the same faculty as students who attend class in person.
The course is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A computer with high-speed internet and a browser is required.
Three to four hours per credit are required per week.
Courses in Medical Coding, Medical Transcription, and Medical Terminology are required.
Contact Information
- 800-342-3811
- https://explore.suny.edu
University of Central Florida Continuing Education
The course can be taken on a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.
PC: Windows 10 or later
Mac: macOS 10.6 or later
Browsers that work are the latest edition of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Safari.
Students need a copy of Adobe Acrobat and a personal email account.
Everything necessary for instruction is available online.
Your education includes voice recognition editing and scribing duties.
Today’s medical transcriptionist is a Healthcare Documentation Specialist, which opens up greater employment opportunities.
This courage is offered through Ed2go.
It can be taken as self-guided for $190 or instructor-moderated for $175 with specific start dates.
It is a six-week, 24-course hour program that teaches:
- Students learn to format medical reports and documents
- Medical terminology and spelling
- Classification systems and discharge and death summaries
- Grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation
Contact Information
- 866-232-5834
- https://www.ce.ucf.edu
Stratford Career Institute
The cost of the course is $849.
You can begin with a low down payment and monthly payments.
Studies should be completed within two years.
The program includes:
- Introduction to Medical Transcription
- Medical Terminology
- Sample reports in a variety of specialties
Your career diploma will be awarded when all the exams have been passed and tuition payment is complete.
Contact Information
- 1-800-254-4070
- https://www.scitraining.com
Career Step
Students have 12 months’ access to the study material.
The full course cost is $3799.
Payment options are available.
The program includes:
- Introduction to the course and industry
- Techniques of writing
- Medical terminology
- Practice transcribing 100s of records
When the course is completed, students are qualified to take the RHDS certification exam.
The program includes career support, along with certification prep materials and exam fees.
Contact Information
- (800) 411-7073
- https://www.careerstep.com/
Salary
The median salary in the United States for a Medical Transcriptionist is $37,550.
The lowest 10% earn $26,370 and the highest 10% earn $53,890.
The salary is dependent on your level of education and experience.
Being certified will increase your chances of getting the best salary.
The state and city where you work affect your salary.
Employers vary greatly in what salaries they offer.
Governments and hospitals usually offer the highest salaries for medical transcription.
U.S. Average Salary: $41,710
Salary Information by State
| State | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 410 | $36,990 | $17.79 | $51,250 | $26,820 |
| Alaska | 110 | $44,090 | $21.20 | $54,660 | $33,400 |
| Arizona | 700 | $40,060 | $19.26 | $50,850 | $31,110 |
| Arkansas | 280 | $36,430 | $17.52 | $47,020 | $27,160 |
| California | 5,860 | $47,770 | $22.97 | $62,620 | $35,990 |
| Colorado | 610 | $45,670 | $21.96 | $62,290 | $32,010 |
| Connecticut | 390 | $50,410 | $24.24 | $59,360 | $40,050 |
| Delaware | ** | $35,010 | $16.83 | $40,560 | $31,200 |
| D.C. | 70 | $43,140 | $20.74 | $47,370 | $37,460 |
| Florida | 2,650 | $42,750 | $20.56 | $59,240 | $28,720 |
| Georgia | 950 | $35,410 | $17.03 | $53,750 | $24,530 |
| Hawaii | ** | $42,880 | $20.62 | $52,310 | $31,540 |
| Idaho | 400 | $39,480 | $18.98 | $50,030 | $30,890 |
| Illinois | 970 | $44,420 | $21.36 | $55,070 | $31,760 |
| Indiana | 790 | $39,870 | $19.17 | $51,240 | $25,710 |
| Iowa | 180 | $42,660 | $20.51 | $52,660 | $25,600 |
| Kansas | 420 | $37,600 | $18.08 | $51,580 | $23,640 |
| Kentucky | 690 | $39,790 | $19.13 | $52,420 | $27,940 |
| Louisiana | 420 | $39,660 | $19.07 | $51,160 | $30,600 |
| Maine | 80 | $49,150 | $23.63 | $58,440 | $40,280 |
| Maryland | 230 | $43,080 | $20.71 | $60,140 | $31,840 |
| Massachusetts | 400 | $40,060 | $19.26 | $47,000 | $36,440 |
| Michigan | 1,130 | $39,360 | $18.92 | $49,670 | $30,840 |
| Minnesota | 270 | $52,570 | $25.28 | $64,580 | $43,970 |
| Mississippi | 300 | $37,940 | $18.24 | $48,460 | $23,660 |
| Missouri | 310 | $39,900 | $19.18 | $49,810 | $29,570 |
| Montana | 80 | $43,000 | $20.67 | $56,350 | $31,470 |
| Nebraska | 230 | $45,530 | $21.89 | $53,080 | $36,370 |
| Nevada | 210 | $45,080 | $21.68 | $51,730 | $36,400 |
| New Jersey | 1,710 | $41,480 | $19.94 | $55,950 | $32,220 |
| New Mexico | 210 | $41,140 | $19.78 | $55,950 | $30,730 |
| New York | 2,710 | $44,320 | $21.31 | $56,750 | $35,950 |
| North Carolina | 1,020 | $37,840 | $18.19 | $51,360 | $21,850 |
| North Dakota | 120 | $40,920 | $19.67 | $50,260 | $26,280 |
| Ohio | 680 | $38,480 | $18.50 | $51,170 | $28,190 |
| Oklahoma | 560 | $32,060 | $15.41 | $49,470 | $22,110 |
| Oregon | 510 | $48,840 | $23.48 | $68,910 | $37,080 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,130 | $41,370 | $19.89 | $52,510 | $32,070 |
| Rhode Island | 80 | $39,300 | $18.89 | $56,520 | $31,880 |
| South Carolina | 390 | $37,530 | $18.04 | $48,360 | $29,020 |
| South Dakota | 240 | $46,740 | $22.47 | $59,870 | $36,160 |
| Tennessee | 1,450 | $43,760 | $21.04 | $60,250 | $26,420 |
| Texas | 7,520 | $38,890 | $18.70 | $49,410 | $22,540 |
| Utah | 210 | $40,030 | $19.25 | $49,490 | $27,460 |
| Vermont | ** | $34,970 | $16.81 | $45,080 | $32,060 |
| Virginia | ** | $35,290 | $16.97 | $43,400 | $27,110 |
| Washington | 620 | $44,060 | $21.18 | $59,920 | $35,780 |
| West Virginia | 90 | $40,590 | $19.51 | $51,550 | $32,360 |
| Wisconsin | 590 | $48,750 | $23.44 | $57,050 | $38,900 |
| Wyoming | 40 | $49,440 | $23.77 | $63,960 | $36,440 |
| Puerto Rico | 140 | $31,020 | $14.91 | $36,450 | $22,430 |
* Employment opportunities may differ based on your location.
