If you’re looking for a job that offers flexible hours and (often) the ability to work from home,
medical transcription may be the right field for you. A job as a medical transcriptionist requires you to transcribe recordings from healthcare professionals on medical reports, emergency room visits, medical procedures, and much more. The job requires a fine attention to detail and a solid grasp of proper punctuation and grammar.
Medical Transcription Training and Education in Kentucky
Many community colleges and vocational schools offer associate degrees in medical transcription. These programs generally focus on providing the student with an in-depth knowledge of medical terms as well as a familiarity with the legal issues associated with the field of medicine. They may also include English grammar, punctuation, and writing classes to make the student a well-rounded candidate for employment. It’s important to note that, while medical transcriptionists are not required to have a postsecondary education, most employers prefer that they do.
If the associate degree route isn’t the one you’d like to take, or if you’d like to supplement your degree, there are also options for certification in this field. The Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) certification, for example, is geared towards new graduates who have fewer than two years of work experience in the medical field.
Those who have more than two years of experience may qualify for the Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT). CMTs have more experience in the field and a stronger knowledge of medical terms and the industry in general. Most medical transcriptionists obtain first the RMT and then the CMT.
Both of these certifications are offered by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, and, while not required to obtain a medical transcriptionist position, they will make you a much more appealing candidate to potential employers.
Medical Transcriptionist Job Prospects and Potential Pay
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 980 people are currently employed as medical transcriptionists in Kentucky. The average annual salary is $32,030, with an average hourly wage of $15.40. Nationwide, the annual salary for a medical transcriptionist is slightly higher, coming in at $35,720.
Career Paths and Job Opportunities in Kentucky
There are a number of employers in Kentucky who are currently looking for medical transcriptionists. The job sourcing website indeed.com returns 72 current openings, including the following:
A PRN Transcriptionist for UHS of Delaware. This is an onsite job in Hopkinsville, Kentucky that requires the candidate to transcribe dictation from physicians about patient care. A high school diploma or GED is required as well as a working knowledge of medical terminology and the ability to type 65 WPM.
A Medical Scribe/Clinical Assistant for Dermatology Associates of KY, PSC in Lexington, Kentucky. This position requires the candidate to summarize and transcribe medical information during medical visits and procedures. The candidate should have an associate degree in a related field as well as job related certification.
A Medical Transcriptionist for MModal. This is a work from home opportunity to edit and transcribe dictation from healthcare providers to document patient care. It requires a basic knowledge of medical terminology and at least two years of transcription experience or medical transcription certification.
It’s important to note that these job vacancy announcements, sourced in June 2016, are a representation of the types of employment opportunities available to medical transcriptionists in Kentucky. These announcements are provided as examples and are not meant to represent job offers or provide an assurance of employment.
Resources
Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI)
Laboratory Corporation of America