Transcription schools

There are different types of transcription. Although medical transcription is probably the best know, there is also a demand for legal and general transcriptionists. The fact is that home medical transcription and general transcription were being performed long before the internet and telecommuting in general.

Many of the job skills are shared, regardless of which specialty you want to pursue. Good English language, grammar, punctuation and spelling is essential. Because most jobs are paid on a production, increasing typing speed is also important. Transcriptionists should have the ability to proofread their own work, and occasionally the work of others. The ability to perform research to look up names, locations, instruments and terms increases both accuracy and productivity.

At the heart of any skill set is a solid education. There are many different transcription courses - picking the right education program or school can make a substantial difference when it comes time to find a job. Cost shouldn't be the only factor. Take the time to find out what the curriculum for the specialty you want to pursue should include and find out if the school adequately covers the required material. Find out what kind of access you will have to instructors. Go on the various discussion forums and see if you can talk to graduates other than ones the school has supplied as references, so you get an accurate picture. Find out what kind of jobs people have, if they are making the kind of money you expect to make, and if they enjoy their career. The last thing you want is to spend money and then find you either can't get a job or it isn't the right career for you. The right transcription school will be an essential part of helping you launch your career.

There are a number of medical transcription schools that make similar claims about the medical transcription industry in general and the success of their graduates in particular. One of the first things anyone who is considering medical transcription as a career should do is check to see if the school is AHDI approved. The AHDI approval process was instigated to help differentiate between the programs that meet core criteria and those that do not. We do not recommend any school that is not AHDI approved.

For anyone interested in medical transcription jobs, the question of certification always comes up. A certificate of completion or diploma from a school is not the same as being a Certified Medical Transcriptionist, or CMT. The CMT designation can only be earned by taking a test that is administered in conjunction with AHDI, the medical transcription association. In order to obtain the CMT, two years of acute care experience is recommended and candidates must submit qualifications and take a written exam. Obtaining a certificate of completion from a school is not the same!