Many myths surround the medical transcriptionist industry. One, for example, is that men do not become medical transcriptionists. Of course they do!
We break down some of the most common myths surrounding medical transcriptionist careers and give you an honest look at a good job—so you can prepare accordingly.
It’s Easy To Get Into
Well, no; that’s not completely true. If you want a job as a medical transcriptionist, then you need to have the skills and resume to back it up. There is definitely training involved. You can go for a one-year diploma or a two-year associate degree, but you should go after one or the other. You’ll need to be well-versed in medical terms, anatomy, physiology, formatting reports, and legal issues related to healthcare, and you need to know English. If you don’t have these skills, you will find it virtually impossible to find a job as a medical transcriptionist. With your education, however, jobs come much easier.
It’s Easy As Pie
All you have to do is be a fast typer—or that’s the rumor, anyway. Sure, being a fast typist is definitely a benefit. However, there are other things that are just as beneficial to being a medical transcriptionist. You need to be driven and independent, especially if you’re freelance. You should have a large vocabulary of medical terms.
Sitting for long periods of time, listening to transcripts in order to type up those medical reports can be trying. Patience and concentration are necessary. It’s not easy to listen to those recorded transcripts. They may include unfamiliar accents, which make it even harder to understand what’s being said, and there may be terms used that you’ve never heard. You’ve got to be able to plow through it anyway.
It’s Easy To Multitask
One of the benefits of being a transcriptionist is the possibility of working out of your house and on your own schedule. You are free to start and end when you want, and you can even forget booking child care and have your kids at home with you. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Being a medical transcriptionist takes up a whole lot of concentration and brain power. So does raising kids. And combining the two can drive a person off the deep end, unless you’re superhuman. You can hit the pause button on the medical records, but going back and forth between the kids and the job isn’t easy. Being a medical transcriptionist takes all your concentration—so hopefully your kids take really long naps! Otherwise, fit your work in when you can, or hire a sitter for part of the day.
No Problem?
If hearing the facts doesn’t ruin your image of medical transcribing, and, in fact, gives you a deeper interest in the career, then go after the title. Start by finding a school that offers medical transcriptionist classes near you.
