Do you like the idea of being your own boss? Would you like to start your own business where you call all of the shots? A medical transcription career can enable you to do just that! It’s a convenient, flexible career that lends itself to working independently from home. You can join the growing health care industry as a small business owner. What could be better?

With the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) citing that Medical Transcriptionists working as independent contractors earn more than those who work for transcription services, there’s no reason not to venture out on your own! A little planning and preparation can start your medical transcription career off right. Here’s what to do:

1. Complete a medical transcription course – If you haven’t already done so, you need to enroll in an accredited medical transcription school and complete your training. This will give you a solid foundation and serve as the basis for your future medical transcription career.
2. Create a business plan – You need to create a business plan. It is important to define your short and long-term medical transcription goals, detail your marketing objectives, and devise a business strategy. This includes determining how you are going to find business and manage your clients. You should follow this plan when dealing with the day-to-day operations of your medical transcription business.
3. Get the financing – There will be some start-up costs involved in the beginning of your new medical transcription business. Research your financial options and pick the one that suits your needs. Family and friends, investors and bank loans are typical sources for funds.
4. Fill out the proper paperwork – You need to make it official. There are city, county and state forms that need to be filed before you can operate your medical transcription business. These include licenses, permits and approvals. Find out which apply to you. This information is readily accessible online.
5. Learn about the competition – It is essential that you conduct research and learn about other medical transcribers in your area. Establish reasonable prices for your medical transcription services, and determine what will give you a competitive edge – how can you make your medical transcription business stand out?

Is your ultimate goal to work from home? Becoming a Medical Transcriptionist is an ideal way to have a stable career, with the flexibility to set your own schedule and be there for your family. Here are some things you can do to give your medical transcription career an advantage:

1. Enroll in a medical transcription school that offers job assistance.  Once your training is complete, you can learn how to create an effective resume, conduct a solid job interview, uncover job leads, and more. Choose a school that goes the extra mile for you and provides job assistance.
2. Join a professional association. Connect with other medical transcription professionals. Choosing an association, such as the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI), gives you access to other professionals in the field. Find out first hand what it’s like to work as a Medical Transcriptionist and even gain a lead on job opportunities.
3. Contact doctors in your area. If you want to really know what doctors require from their Medical Transcriptionists, contact them and ask pointed questions. Do they outsource their medical transcription jobs? Do they require experience before they let a Medical Transcriptionist work from home? This is a great way to learn what you need to do to work with doctors in your area.
4. Get experience. After you complete your medical transcription course, try to get experience. Contact a local doctor’s office and maybe offer to work at a discounted rate for the first month or arrange to start an internship. This can provide the doctor with affordable medical transcription work and also enable you to get experience under your belt, leading to your ideal work-at-home medical transcription job.

If you’re the proud spouse of an active-duty service member, you know that moving from state to state, as needed, is part of their job. And sometimes, starting over is tough – especially if you contribute to your family’s financial stability. But what if you could maintain a fulfilling career, no matter where you moved? If that sounds like a plan to you, consider a career as a professional Medical Transcriptionist.

As a Medical Transcriptionist, you have the choice to work from the comfort of home – no matter where home is. It’s a very attractive career choice, especially for moms who want to be home with their children and save money on childcare. Plus, you can adjust your schedule as needed. So if you decide you want to take a Friday off, it’s up to you. With a medical transcription career, you have the flexibility to balance life with your career goals.

Not only can you work from home, but you can train from home too – just choose a convenient online medical transcription school! But be selective so you receive the best training possible. Make sure your online medical transcription school has the proper accreditation, financial assistance options, live student support and career assistance.

As a military spouse, you may be eligible for a Career Advancement Account (CAA). That means up to 100% of your education costs could be covered. Not all online schools accept CAA funds, so do some investigative work before committing to any program.  If your spouse gets stationed somewhere new, your medical transcription career will move with you.

When you become a Medical Transcriptionist, you don’t just sit behind a computer, typing away and doing nor thinking of anything else. There is research involved, software that updates regularly and helpful reference material that you should always have at hand or study meticulously. Check out the list below for more information on the most helpful software and tools for Medical Transcriptionists.

• Professional Association Memberships. Network, stay on top of industry news/trends and more. Association memberships are a beneficial career tool – especially if you work from home.
• Internet Fax. Why tinker with a space consuming fax machine? Easily send faxes via email instead. Several companies offer basic, online fax programs for free. eFax.com is a popular one.
• Internet File Backup. There are several options for backing up your essential records and accounting information. One convenient option is off-site Internet backup. So if your computer crashes, your files will still be accessible by logging onto your online account. www.mozy.com is one site with a low monthly price.
• Spell Checking Tool. Ensure the accuracy of your reports with a medical terminology spelling reference tool. Several programs can be easily downloaded off the Internet for free. Try Medical Spell Checker. Keep your documents professional with traditional spell checking as well.
• File Management Software. Line counting, invoice creation and daily work logs. Do you have time to do all this and more? You don’t have to with management software. Research options and choose a program that meets your needs. It’s like having a personal assistant.
• The AAMT Book of Style. Medical transcription has specific rules for punctuation, grammar and editing. Get the CD-ROM version for time efficiency and make sure your reports meet set standards.
• Electronic Medical Dictionary. A must-have tool for creating thorough and accurate medical reports. Get the electronic version and have instant access to definitions, pronunciations and illustrations.
• Antivirus Protection. Can you imagine unintentionally infecting clients with a computer virus? Protect yourself. Protect your clients. Purchase or download a free antivirus program. Most importantly, use common sense when opening email attachments – no antivirus program is 100% effective.

The medical field, in all areas, is growing by leaps and bounds. And there are many opportunities for Medical Transcription (MT) professionals. But is this the correct career path for you? Read the statements below and see how many you can follow through with.

1. You want to start your MT training with a reputable school by taking the first steps with an accredited school or course. This step can put your career on the right track. Do your research and choose the best school. Medical Transcription Training, live student support and national accreditation are very important to get the education you need.
2. Do you need a financial assistance program? Enroll in a school that fits with your budget and puts your Medical Transcription training within reach.
3. You want Flexibility of hours. A Medical Transcription career can be tailored to fit your schedule. Whether you find your own clients or work for an established service, you can usually set your own hours.
4. You can meet deadlines. Do you finish assignments in a timely fashion? If you like to concentrate on the task at hand and get your work done, this career is perfect for you.
5. You have a high level of accuracy. Do you take pride in your work? If you like to get your work done with accuracy being a key component, you will make an ideal MT.
6. You like to learn new technology. You need some technical know how to succeed in this field. Your quick ability to adapt to new technology will give you an advantage.
7. Can you type fast? This is a skill that can be learned and honed, but if you have fast typing ability, you will be in an excellent position to succeed.
8. You must possess solid grammar and spelling skills. Using correct grammar, punctuation and spelling is essential to creating accurate and professional transcriptions.
9. Can you work well without supervision? The best part of medical transcription is that you are in charge of your career. You manage your own assignments and tasks. The more you do, the more money you make!
10. You need a good work space. Do you have a space at home that can be dedicated to work? A quiet work area will help you get your job done accurately and quickly without distractions.

Advancing as a Medical Transcriptionist means keeping up with training and the times. Employers prefer to hire Medical Transcriptionists who have completed post-secondary training in medical transcription, which is offered by many vocational schools, community colleges and distance-learning programs.

Completion of a 2-year associate degree or 1-year certificate program — including course work in anatomy, medical terminology, legal issues relating to health care documentation, and English grammar and punctuation — is highly recommended, but not always required. Many of these programs include supervised on-the-job experience. Some Medical Transcriptionists, especially those already familiar with medical terminology from previous experience as a nurse or medical secretary, become proficient through refresher courses and training.

The American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) awards the voluntary designation Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) to those who earn a passing score on a certification exam. As in many other fields, certification is recognized as a sign of competence. Because medicine is constantly evolving, Medical Transcriptionists are encouraged to update their skills regularly. Every 3 years, CMTs must earn continuing education credits to be recertified.

In addition to understanding medical terminology, transcriptionists must have above average English grammar, spelling and punctuation skills, as well as proficiency with personal computers and word processing software. Normal hearing acuity and good listening skills also are necessary. Employers require applicants to take pre-employment tests and usually prefer individuals with experience.

With experience, Medical Transcriptionists can advance to supervisory positions, home-based work, editing, consulting, or teaching. With additional education or training, some become medical records and health information technicians, medical coders, or medical records and health information administrators.

Once you are working as a Medical Transcriptionist, you will want all the tips and knowledge you can find on getting jobs and building yourself in the field. But, what better way to understand the mechanics of the business than understanding what it is those who will hire you want?

First of all, companies looking to hire medical transcriptionists such as yourself are considering many different factors. First and foremost, they are looking for a good price. If you charge too much for your services, especially in the beginning, you just might find yourself with little or no work. They are also looking for turn-around time. Companies, doctors or anyone else hiring you want the most bang for their buck. They do not want to wait for their transcibed documents. Be as speedy as you can without sacrificing quality.

Though there are some places that will hire you right out of school (don’t expect a lot in the beginning), most companies are searching for transcriptionists that have a good and lengthy track record. The longer you have remained in business and been consistent and successful, the more people will want to hire you. Keep this in mind as you build your business. Prospective employers are going to want more than just a resume; they will also want references and possibly examples of your work.

Customer service is not only for retail businesses. When you are hired, you may have to deal one on one with those whose work you are transcribing. Your attitude will make a big difference. They will expect someone they can work with unhindered by a negative outlook.

Lastly, but certainly not least, your knowledge and use of technology will play a factor in your procuring jobs. Technology continues to change and grow and as a medical transcriptionist you should be able to keep up with the latest technology so that regardless of the software the client offers you will be at ease using it.

A hassle-free entry, good pay, and tremendous flexibility are what attract you to the medical transcription profession. But there are other not-so-pleasant things that lie ahead in the profession. Are you aware of them? Read on to find out.

• Do you know the profession has zero tolerance when it comes to critical errors in medical records? And it is quite obvious given that a critical error can impact the safety of a patient. And, of course, not all transcriptionists meet this quality goal. Do you think you can meet the quality requirement?
• Are you aware of the deadlines in the profession? You cannot relax with respect to medical transcription work. Every task comes with a tag of its required turnaround. You have to deal with deadlines every day, and some tasks need to be completed in a matter of just a few hours.
• Do you know that the profession requires you to keep learning even after you have got that job? Didn’t you just complete an in-depth training? Yes, but the medical transcriptionist has to keep updating his/her medical knowledge or his knowledge will become obsolete. However, not all people have that willingness to spend time and effort on learning, making many people stay away from the profession.
• Are you aware that you are required to work independently, without supervision? While this may sound enticing in the beginning, handling crisis situations on your own becomes a challenge not many professionals want to encounter.

Hope this post gave you an idea of what lies ahead in the profession. However, if you think you can meet these challenges, welcome aboard.

What is the single biggest thing that points to how good you are your work? Timing? Well, it is extremely important but it does not necessarily indicate how good or bad your work is. So, what am I referring to? I am talking about the quality of your work. It is your work’s quality that defines whether you are a good medical transcriptionist or not.

So, what is quality in medical transcription? The fewer the errors in the medical record you create, the higher the quality. The medical transcription industry expects a certain quality from you. And that is 98 percent accuracy. That’s a big figure, right? Well, let me surprise you a little more. The profession has zero tolerance with respect to something defined as critical errors.

The reason the quality standard is so high in the profession is because of the criticality of information in the medical records. Let’s look at the types of medical transcription errors as defined by the Association of Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI).

Critical Errors: They are called so because they can impact the safety of a patient. The industry has zero tolerance for these errors. Incorrect patient information, incorrect names and doses of medicines, incorrect values in test results, incorrect test names, and missing a part of the recorded information amount to critical errors.

Major Errors: These errors are the ones that impact the integrity of the medical document. One has to achieve 98 percent accuracy with respect to major errors. Incorrect spelling of English words and medical terms, incorrect inferences owing to incorrect verbiage, failure to comply with protocols and policies, failure to highlight any missing information, and intentional highlighting of information cause major errors.

Minor Errors: Minor errors are not factual errors, marked by the areas of improvement in the medical document. The industry requires that you achieve 98 percent accuracy with respect to minor errors. Minor errors include errors in punctuation and grammar, inconsistency of format, and typing errors not amounting to any change in the meaning of content.

So, do you think you are doing a good job?

How do you look for a medical transcription opportunity? Which way is the most effective way of finding a job? Well, when you combine all ways, you make them all effective. So, it is important you do not skip any source while looking for that medical transcription job.

• Register with all popular job websites. Check the websites of medical transcription companies if they are hiring. If they are, send your resume to the right people. And make sure you send it in the format requested by the company. You may even be asked to fill in application forms online. Make sure that you follow all the instructions given and provide accurate information.
• Make it a point to look up opportunities on search engines like Google. You should know the right keywords to use or you will get confused with the countless search results.
• Go through the classifieds of newspapers regularly. And don’t forget to go through the job supplements of more than one newspaper.
• The yellow pages may not be checked by many, but you should look at them once in a while. You never know, you may find the best opportunity in those pages.
• Visit the local hospitals and clinic. Inquire about any medical transcription work. You may get some very decent assignments from here.

Even before you begin your job hunt, make sure the medical transcription course you are taking up has some kind of job assistance. It will help make your entry into the industry easy.