The projections have been made. The medical transcription field is expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years.

The Medical Transcription Industry Alliance says the annual growth of the MT profession will be 20%-30%. The U.S. Department of Labor says 11% through 2018. I favor the higher numbers.

If you enroll in a medical transcription course today, you’ll have the best chance at a bright future in a growing profession. You will be less likely to face unemployment than many of your peers who graduated high school in the same year. Even those friends of yours with college degrees.

One of the benefits you’ll receive after graduating from the Future MT online medical transcription course is the use of the job placement assistance program the school offers. Plus, they include a 60-day guarantee.

Of course, you never want to rely on just one source for employment prospects. That’s why I also recommend submitting your resume to MT Recruiters, a website designed to foster positive employment prospects for medical transcriptionists looking for work. Submit your resume and be proactive in looking for work.

Getting your medical transcription training today means you’ll have a leg up on the competition when they finally get around to pursuing their training.

How do you get the money for your medical transcription training? When it comes to financial aid, you have plenty of options.

• Take the money out of your pocket - The first option is to use the money you have. Depending on your financial situation, it may not be an attractive option, but consider the total cost of the course. It is much cheaper than a four year college degree and easier to fund.
• Tuition Scholarship – You can also apply for a tuition scholarship. These can pay for your entire training or a part of your training. Either way, a tuition scholarship is very helpful in helping you obtain medical transcription training and starting your career.
• Student Loan – Finally, you can take out a student loan. A low-interest or no-interest loan can be a great way to ensure you get your training out of the way soon. A three-month student loan with no interest can make a big difference between a successful career as a medical transcriptionist and a nowhere fast food job.

There is no reason to let a small financial aid obstacle stand in the way of you getting your medical transcription training. Your career is just a short step away. Don’t throw it out the window over a small money obstacle.

Prospective medical transcriptionists ask a lot of questions. Here are 7 of the most frequently asked questions that future medical transcriptionists ask.

1. How much are medical transcriptionists paid? In May 2008, the median medical transcription salary was $15.41. You can make more as a medical transcriptionist the first day on the job than many non-degreed professionals make after five years.
2. Is medical transcription growing? Yes. By leaps and bounds. Learn how fast the medical transcription profession is growing.
3. Where can you learn medical terminology? A good medical transcription course will give you plenty of instruction on medical terminology.
4. What do medical transcriptionists do? A medical transcriptionist helps medical professionals prepare and maintain medical documents.
5. Can I live outside the U.S.? Yes, many medical transcriptionists live outside of the U.S.
6. Will I work in an office or at home? Both types of jobs are available, but because of the growth of the Internet, more and more work-at-home jobs are available to medical transcriptionists.
7. How much does medical transcription training cost? This is the best part. Medical transcription training is very affordable, and there are plenty of financial aid options available to help you get through your training at your own pace.

If you are looking for a rewarding career as a medical transcriptionist, you came to the right place.

Medical transcriptionists are highly respected professionals within the medical field. It might even be true to say they are the most respected medical professional without a degree, or at least without a medical degree.

One of the things that makes medical transcriptionists so respected is that they save doctors and hospitals a lot of money and headache where medical documentation is concerned. Here are 5 ways you can be a great medical transcriptionist:

• Start your career off right with the proper medical transcription training.
• Meet all of your deadlines and get every medical document in on time.
• Increase your accuracy rate with regard to major and minor errors and achieve a 100% accuracy rate with regard to critical errors.
• Take the time to become proficient in your knowledge of medical terminology so that you can create more accurate and timely medical documents.
• Be a great researcher so that you create medical documents that are accurate and on time.

Great medical transcriptionists attend great medical transcription schools. And when you are ready to interview for the best medical transcription jobs, you’ll be satisfied to know that you are well trained and that you spend your time wisely to create medical documents that are accurate. You’ll also be satisfied to know that you meet your deadlines.

In the medical transcription profession, you’ll be paid according to your skills.

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.

Working from home is a popular choice these days and there is no doubt that computers and the Internet have helped to push this along. Medical transcription is one field you could consider, however, like any work from home occupation, it isn’t right for everyone. There are several areas that you really need to consider before taking this option – these include:

Home Life – you have a choice with any work from home career. Fit your work around your family or fit your family around your work. Those that are smart compromise a little and fit each around the other. Medical transcription throws in the added pressure where concentration is essential and working to a specific time frame a constant hassle.

Income – most work from home jobs have highs and lows when it comes to income. There are times in medical transcription where you can be very busy while at others times you could be waiting a day or two between assignments. Can your budget handle fluctuating income and can you work hard when it’s busy and put aside some of that income for the quiet times?

Security - security is an important issue when it comes to medical transcription. The information you are transcribing is highly confidential so you will require a dedicated computer that can be secured from prying eyes.

Learning – the toughest part of medical transcription is the need for ongoing learning.  Quiet periods should be used to read up and memorize medical terminology, particularly new terms. This will help you to work faster and to become more accurate. Can you continue to learn?

If you can handle each of those areas then a medical transcription career could well become an area worth looking at. If any of those areas sound daunting, then think carefully before proceeding. It’s a rewarding career that offers a lot of challenges – but that is also one of its biggest attractions.

When it comes to medical transcription services, you’ve got to stay competitive and to do that you’ve got to practice your skills. Medical transcriptionists who demonstrate a proficiency in the core skills of the profession will excel and succeed above and beyond the rest of the job pool. Here are 5 skills you’ll need to master to be a high-demand medical transcriptionist:

1. Dictation – In the old days, dictation was taken in person with the dictator sitting behind a desk talking and the transcriber holding a pen and paper. These days it can be done without ever meeting each other. The dictator speaks into an audio recording device and the transcriber, once the audio file has been delivered, types directly from listening to the audio.
2. Grammar – Since much of your time as a medical transcriptionist will be spent correcting spelling and grammar, you’ve got to be proficient in the English language.
3. Research – You’ll frequently need to verify information for clarity. Good research skills will be very helpful.
4. Time Management – Since you’ll spend every day of your working life working toward deadlines, you’ll need to be an expert in time management.
5. Organization – A professional medical transcriptionist must have excellent organizational skills. Your employers will appreciate your ability to keep them organized and improve their medical documentation.

In addition to these 5 essential skills, you should have strong analytical skills.

If you think you have what it takes to be a medical transcriptionist, seek out the proper professional MT training and begin your medical transcription job search.

I asked a few medical transcription aspirants how they chose their medical transcription course. Here are some of the responses.

“My friend told me about the course.”

“I am doing the course online because I get to be at home.”

“I looked for ‘medical transcription courses’ online and found this course.”

How did you choose your medical transcription course? The same way these people did? Choosing the first course you come across or some course your friend recommended is not the ideal way to go about selecting a course that’s crucial to your career. And choosing an online course for comfort is not done either; you should be sure you can handle an online course and that it suits you better than a regular one. Ask the following questions before you zero in on a medical transcription course.

Does the course conform to COMPRO? The course you choose must conform to the competency profile for medical transcription education (COMPRO) guidelines as laid down by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI).

Does the course contain sufficent dictation hours for practice? If a course does not contain enough dictation hours, it is of no use. A good course should contain a high number of hours of dictation and the dictation should be authentic. Avoid the courses that contain dictations recorded by actors instead of doctors.

Does the course offer any kind of job assistance on completion? You should not go for a course whose completion is not followed by job assistance. Go through the placement figures of earlier batches to understand the effectiveness of an institute’s placement assistance.

Has the course received good feedback in the past? Look online for feedback on the course. You will get a fair idea of the course from what people write in forums and discussion boards.

Your success as a medical transcriptionist starts with the course you choose.