Becoming a medical transcriptionist in Maryland opens up a whole new career path that is
in constant demand. The growing health care field provides an abundance of opportunities for medical transcriptionists to earn a comfortable living. Many medical transcriptionists even work from home as convenience is another attribute offered in this profession.
Medical Transcriptionist Job Overview
Medical transcriptionists in Maryland handle a wide range of responsibilities. A medical transcriptionist is capable of taking a recording made by a health care professional and transforming it into a medical document that reads precisely what was said on the recording. That requires top-quality listening skills along with expert keyboarding. A sound knowledge of medical terminology and medical abbreviations are also required.
In some instances, a Maryland medical transcriptionist will be asked to edit documents that were created through voice recognition software. That mandates the need to decipher medical jargon and speech patterns. Medical transcriptionists in Maryland are also expected to pay close attention to detail in order to produce accurate reports.
Since the health care profession exists in so many different capacities, a Maryland medical transcriptionist can find work at a variety of facilities. Hospitals and doctor’s offices are just a few of the settings that require a medical transcriptionist. Laboratories, medical centers and clinics are a few other types of settings. However, medical transcriptionists do not always have to be on site. Much of their work can be done from home.
Medical transcriptionists are also familiar with various types of technology that are used in their line of work. These medical transcriptions often include patient summaries, medical histories, diagnostic studies, emergency room visits and more. A medical transcriptionist is expected to edit and review documents as well as producing typed reports with a near-perfect accuracy rate.
Medical transcriptionists are prompt, precise and knowledgeable. Experienced medical transcriptionists are able to identify exact turnaround times for when a specific report can be expected to be completed. A Maryland medical transcriptionist is also efficient when it comes to meeting deadlines.
Medical Transcription Training License Requirements in Maryland
There are no state-mandated licenses for a medical transcriptionist to hold in the state of Maryland. However, many health care facilities prefer to hire medical transcriptionists who have completed some type of schooling or certification. State licensing applies more towards other kinds of workers in the medical profession, ones who apply direct care to patients.
Medical Transcription Certification Requirements in Maryland
Accredited post-secondary schools in Maryland offer programs and degrees that also serve as certifications, which are usually necessary to acquire a medical transcriptionist position in Maryland. Certifications are not necessary, although most medical facilities will not consider candidates without any kind of certification.
Maryland colleges and universities offer coursework that will provide students with an Associate’s Degree in Medical Transcription. That degree is considered to be a type of certification as it will equip students with the skills they need in order to fulfill the duties of a medical transcriptionist.
There are other schools, not classified as colleges or universities, which feature one-year programs that conclude with their own issuing of a medical transcriptionist certificate. This certificate is very similar to the Associate’s Degree when it comes to being a trained medical transcriptionist.
Medical transcriptionists looking to further their credentials can pursue certifications issued by the AHDI (Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity). The AHDI offers an exam that tests the core competencies of a medical transcriptionist. The more certifications an individual earns, the better chances there are of landing a higher-paying medical transcriptionist position. However, it is up to each individualized company to weigh the value of these varying certificates and degrees.
Maryland Education Requirements
The state of Maryland requires medical transcriptionist applicants to be at least 18 years of age with a high school diploma or GED equivalency. A basic knowledge of how to use word processing software is also a prerequisite. Applicants in most programs are also expected to pass a criminal background check.
Job Prospects and Potential Pay
There is a lot of room for advancement among medical transcriptionists in the state of Maryland. The average salary of a medical transcriptionist in Maryland is $35,960 per year. Experienced medical transcriptionists in Maryland can earn in excess of $50,000 on an annual basis. Maryland’s increasing population has led to the opening of many new health care facilities, which has generated more work for medical transcriptionists.
Medical Transcription Training Resources in Maryland
Maryland Medical Transcriptionist Salaries
This site provides a closer look at what medical transcriptionists in Maryland earn on an annual basis and that includes entry level wages as well as top-end transcriptionists.
Baltimore Medical Transcription Jobs
Medical Transcriptionists can earn higher salaries in an urban setting like Baltimore. There are new positions being posted on a regular basis.
Maryland is home to a large number of health facilities of all kinds. This website provides a detailed listing of all those facilities as well as links to their respective websites.
Maryland Health Care Commission
Stay up to date on the latest developments in health care in the state of Maryland with this federally-operated website that provides a wealth of information.