Medical Transcription Trends

Most Medical Transcriptionist’s work a standard 40-hour work week, either from their home or working in an office. Many transcriptionists choose this field of employment due to the flexibility the job allows in schedule. Therefore, as a transcriptionist, you can work as much or as little as desired. Most medical transcriptionists are paid by the line, or by the hour, so the more you work the more you earn. Deadlines are important so if you do agree to take on a certain amount of work, you must be prepared to turn it around in 2-3 days.

Typing

Typing is probably the most necessary skill for transcriptionists. The more words per minute you are able to type, the more money you’ll be able to earn. However, in addition to typing fast, one must also be highly accurate. There is no room for error when it comes to medical record keeping. Medical transcriptionists must also be familiar with medical terminology, which is covered in the training course.

Jobs and Salary

Job growth is expected to be above average, but it is not as high as some other medical fields due to outsourcing to overseas companies and development of speech-recognition software. Currently, speech recognition software has not had the quality needed to replace live medical transcriptionists so unless and until the technology improves the job outlook will continue to be very strong. The BLS projects the field to grow by 14% in the period ending in 2016. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay for medical transcription is about $28,000 – $30,000 per year.

Pros and Cons

The training for medical transcription is relatively easy to acquire in terms of cost and time investment, when compared to some other medical careers. Again, flexibility of schedule is another major plus for this profession. Also, if you are seeking a job where you can telecommute from home, medical transcription could be an excellent choice.

On the other hand, the pay is not always spectacular. According to the BLS, transcriptionists must sit still for long periods of time on a repeated basis. Therefore, they can suffer from related health issues such as carpal-tunnel syndrome, eye-strain, and other physical maladies. If you really thrive on working with people, you may find the work a bit monotonous. There are many ways to combat the cons in the business of Medical Transcription and the rewards can be quite advantageous.

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