Medical Transcription - A Secure Job

Doing medical transcription for over 20 years, I have seen many changes in the profession.  One thing has not changed - the demand for medical transcriptionists has been constant through the years . This profession  is actually on the rise during these hard economic times. How can you tell if this is the job for you?

Transcription is not simply "typing." It is the act of transforming a verbal (or dictated) report into understandable written form with proper spelling, grammar and punctuation and format.

Questions to consider for this profession:

1. Can you sit for long periods of time, or are you a person who likes to be on their feet and constantly moving around? For this job you will need to be able to sit and concentrate without much physical activity (other than exercising your fingers!).
2. Do you enjoy spelling, grammar and learning new terminology? You will need a strong background in English grammar, composition and medical terminology to succeed.
3. Can you stand listening to someone gab in your ear constantly? Dictators may try your patience, as they will yawn, lower their voices, may dictate in very distracting surroundings, with kids crying, people talking right next to them, pets barking, squawking - yes, even dictating with a bird right next to them, etc.!)
4. Do you enjoy a good puzzle? As a medical transcriptionist, you will need to decipher every word, find the correct spelling of new or unfamiliar terms, and be able to create an end report with correct grammar, paragraphs and/or formatting requirements as determined by your employer. Completing the challenge of each dictation will give you a great sense of pride in putting all the puzzle pieces together.
5. Do you have patience or are you willing to learn patience? Learning medical terminology, proper formatting, training your ear to correctly transcribe regional (Southern, etc.) or foreign accents can be time consuming.

If these questions have helped you decide this profession may be for you, congratulations! You are on your way to a rewarding, challenging profession that is only growing in demand! More articles coming soon on how to get training and other medical transcription topics.