What is the future of the medical transcription industry?
Well, we can say for sure that the future of this industry is bright and better than many other industries. Just look at what happened to industries the world over during this recession. The medical transcription industry, however, emerged unscathed from it. The US Department of Labor projects that the number of medical transcription opportunities will grow at a rate of 14 percent to 2016 from what it was in 2006. This rate is more than the average rate of growth of other occupations. So, you get an idea of what the future is like.

Will the speech-recognition software replace the medical transcriptionist?
This is an old concern. The speech-recognition software has shown that it is not equipped to handle the medical transcriptionist’s work. Doctors are required to spend a lot of time with the software, training and using it. The results delivered by the software are far from being accurate. A transcriptionist is needed to bring sense to the information transcribed by the software. The software is not intelligent enough to replace the transcriptionist. In fact, transcriptionists have started using the software as an aid.

Is a good typing speed enough for a career in medical transcription?
No. Typing is an important skill for the medical transcriptionists but it is not a primary one and definitely not all. The transcriptionist’s job is to decipher the voice recordings and turn them into relevant medical records. This requires sound medical knowledge and the skill to analyze and interpret information.

Can anyone  become a medical transcriptionist?
Absolutely not. The profession is a specialized one and definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. It is true that the entry in the medical transcription profession is easy. One does not need a formal qualification or an experience to join the profession. However, the profession requires a certain aptitude that only a few posses. A person without the right aptitude cannot handle the profession.

How important is the medical transcription training?
The medical transcription training is what equips one with the medical knowledge and the transcription skills needed to handle the medical transcription work.

How much money can a medical transcriptionist make?
A medical transcriptionist’s income depends on his/her experience in the field and his/her proficiency. According to the US Department of Labor, the mean hourly wage of a medical transcriptionist is $15.84 and the mean annual wage is $32,960.