Medical Transcription Employment

Q. Will it be easy for me to get a job?

Many new MTs find it very difficult to get their first job in medical transcription. Production demands may prevent hospitals and transcription services from hiring inexperienced people. We recommend that you investigate your local job market BEFORE you choose the career and invest in the education. Seek interviews with potential employers to ask what they expect of a beginning MT and how likely they are to hire a recent graduate. Sometimes a small physician office or local transcription service will hire a beginner.

Some educational programs advertise that jobs are plentiful in the medical transcription field, particularly for those wishing to work at home. Look closely at all claims regarding availability of jobs, as many employers, particularly those who hire home-based MTs, require experience. A few medical transcription educational programs offer job placement assistance. This can be an invaluable tool for helping you make contacts in the transcription industry.

First do the research, then get a good education, and then be creative and persistent. Student membership in AHDI at both the local and national levels will help you stay informed and make connections.

Q. What about an apprenticeship?

As of March 2006, graduates of selected medical transcription training programs will now have access to registered apprenticeship programs, as the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has now declared medical transcription to be an apprenticeable profession – the first step in establishing a national apprenticeship program. The Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services approved the application for apprenticeability determination submitted by the Medical Transcription Industry Association (MTIA) along with the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI).

The Registered Apprenticeship Program, sponsored by the Medical Transcription Industry Association (MTIA), will offer structured on-the-job learning and related technical instruction for qualified medical transcriptionists entering the profession. The two associations, along with the Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services, are finalizing program details.

Q. Can I do medical transcription at home?

More and more employers are allowing their experienced MTs to work from home. However, many will require you to work at their facility or in their office before sending you home to work on your own. The home transcriptionist needs an excellent knowledge of the medical language, as well as the English language, and may have to make a substantial investment in reference materials and equipment. Those who provide the highest quality transcription are most likely to be successful.

Q. How can I become a self-employed medical transcriptionist?

The independent medical transcriptionist should have an excellent knowledge of not only the medical language and the English language, but the language of business as well. You should be willing to make a substantial investment in medical reference materials and equipment. The successful independent MT will maintain a high level of quality. Federal regulations call for special security precautions when dealing with protected patient information; this may involve some expense on your part. We also caution you that the IRS has specific regulations about home businesses and independent contractors. Be sure to seek the advice of a qualified attorney and/or tax advisor.

Also see the AHDI publication, Tip Sheet for Becoming a Self-Employed Medical Transcriptionist, which is available on this web site.

Recommended reading: The Independent Medical Transcriptionist (Avila-Weil & Glaccum), 4th edition, published by Rayve Productions (www.rayveproductions.com).

Q. How are medical transcriptionists paid?

Medical transcriptionists may be paid in any of a variety of ways, but chiefly by the hour, by production, or by a combination of hourly pay plus incentive pay for production.

Q. How much money will I earn as a medical transcriptionist?

Earnings vary considerably. A May 2002 survey conducted by AHDI reported an average annual salary of $31,400. Additional information is available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the Department of Labor (http://www.bls.gov). Click Wages by Area and Occupation, then For Over 700 Occupations. Choose 31-0000 Healthcare Support Occupations, then 31-9094 Medical Transcriptionists. This will allow you to search for MT salaries in your own state and possibly even your own city.

Another, more recent survey reported in December 2004 by Advance Magazine for Health Information Professionals reveals that certified medical transcriptionists earned more than their noncertified counterparts. Their figure for the average MT salary was $32,847, and their report shows CMTs earning much more-an average of $43,551 annually.

An earlier survey, commissioned by AHDI in 1999 and performed by Hay Management Consultants, analyzed the profession and surveyed the salaries. Three distinct skill levels of medical transcriptionists were identified. Those in the second level earned $1 to $2 an hour more than beginning MTs, and those in level 3 earned yet another $1 to $2 per hour.