Medical transcriptionists are important players in the medical industry. Transcribing documents to and for physicians and other health care professionals is an important part of providing solid patient care.
Earning an Associate's Degree
If you are interested in a medical transcriptionist career, you are in luck as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014) predicts this field will see continued job growth into the future. Various training programs are available in 1-year and 2-year formats. Completing a medical transcriptionist associate's degree may be a good career option in this competitive field.
Completing your education online is a choice for working adults who want to schedule their studies around their existing work and family commitments.
Career Outlook
After completing either a traditional or online education degree program, you can choose to obtain voluntary accreditation. The Association for Healthcare Documentary Integrity (AHDI) offers two voluntary designations: the Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) and the Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT). Today, over 4 out of every 10 medical transcriptionist works for a hospital and nearly 3 out of 10 work in a physician office.
- Number of Medical Records and Health Information Technicians in the US: 186,300
- Most common employers: Medical and surgical hospitals; state, local, and private
- Mean hourly wage: $18.68
- Typical coursework: medical terminology, health care insurance reimbursement methodologies
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical Records and Health Information Technicians, May 2014 Wages