Become a Medical Transcriptionist
Tips on Training So You Can Land a Job
Being a medical transcriptionist is a career. It is one that you can do from the comfort of your own home, and still have time for the kids during the day. Learn how.
Do you dream of job that allows you to work in your pajamas in the morning and flexible enough that you can run errands and play games with the kids in-between your working hours? It is possible with a career in medical transcriptions.
While that all sounds great, medical transcriptionists are professionals in their field. Yes, you can have flexible schedules and make a decent salary doing it, but it does require discipline, above-average typing accuracy, and in this day-and-age, the ability to use the Internet very efficiently. Sometimes people want to get into medical transcriptions because they think it is easy work, just typing doctor's notes all day, and find out that the training was a little more than they bargained for.
For instance, do you know what hemoptysis is, and have you ever had it? How about hirsutism...do you suffer from this condition? You need to know a good deal of medical terminology in order to land a position as a medical transcriptionist. You must also be willing to purchase a really good medical dictionary, buy a foot pedal (in some cases a company will supply this, as long as you are partnered with them), and use either DSL or have a cable modem. So, where do you get this intense training?
You see ads in the back of parenting magazines all the time on how to get a brochure to train to be a medical transcriptionist. Most of these are dead-end leads that will not provide you with the proper training. Companies just don't hire anyone. They need someone who can step in and type accounts with proficiency and accuracy. They know what training courses are creditable and usually gravitate to students who have passed these courses.
The first pick is Career Step. They are the premiere MT training course recognized by national transcription companies, as well as in Canada and Australia. In fact, many companies will direct people who want to train to be a medical transcriptionist directly to this facility.
The second pick is CAI Medical Transcription. Their package can include a foot pedal to keep. They have been in business since 1998, and have a reputable training program.
The last option is to enroll in a medical terminology course at a local community college or technical college. If you need to brush up on your typing skills, this is a good place to get that done, too.
Things to watch out for:
Do your research. You should receive some kind of certificate of completion for completing a training course, or some form of documentation to prove that you have passed the course.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Find out if a perspective training facility is part of the Better Business Bureau, and check them out. Search on the Internet to see if you can find discussions related to this perspective training course, and how others liked or disliked it.
Avoid Offshore Training. Be careful about where the perspective training facility is located. You will want something close to you, if possible, at least within the continental U.S., or in Canada, if you are living there. Many times foreign countries will try to get your business, but they cannot measure up to the advances made here in North America in the medical transcriptions field.
The next article in this series touches on the topic of finding a job in the medical transcriptions field, and hints to help you shine above the thousands of resumes that companies receive every day.
