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What is a medical transcriptionist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Eve Leija AAS, NCMA
introduction image

A medical transcriptionist converts doctors' audio recordings into written reports. They transcribe notes, test results, and healthcare documents. They must have a strong understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, and pharmacology. Medical transcriptionists also review and edit documents for accuracy and completeness. They work in hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices, or may work remotely from home. This profession requires excellent listening skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently.

What general advice would you give to a Medical Transcriptionist?

Eve Leija AAS, NCMA

Medical Assistant Program Director, Website

To maximize salary for a medical assistant obtaining certification from one of the credentialing organizations such as American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) can make a new hire more competitive. Continuing educations along with developing any specialized skills such as phlebotomy. Demonstrating professionalism initiative and reliability, along with gaining a strong reference from previous employers.
ScoreMedical TranscriptionistUS Average
Salary
3.0

Avg. Salary $38,725

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
3.6

Growth Rate -7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.15%

Asian 14.51%

Black or African American 6.85%

Hispanic or Latino 9.03%

Unknown 4.69%

White 64.77%

Gender

female 93.71%

male 6.29%

Age - 35
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35
Stress Level
3.6

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.1

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.3

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Medical Transcriptionist?

Pros

Cons

  • Monotonous and repetitive work

  • Tight deadlines and high workloads may lead to stress

  • May require working irregular hours or shifts

  • Job opportunities may be limited in certain areas

  • Can be isolating as it involves minimal interaction with colleagues or patients

Medical Transcriptionist career paths

Key steps to become a medical transcriptionist

  1. Explore medical transcriptionist education requirements

    Most common medical transcriptionist degrees

    Associate

    35.3 %

    Bachelor's

    27.7 %

    High School Diploma

    13.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific medical transcriptionist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Transcription16.39%
    Dictation9.79%
    Discharge Summaries7.76%
    Patient Histories5.01%
    Medical Reports4.81%
  3. Complete relevant medical transcriptionist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New medical transcriptionists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a medical transcriptionist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real medical transcriptionist resumes.
  4. Gain additional medical transcriptionist certifications

    Medical transcriptionist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific medical transcriptionist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for medical transcriptionists include Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) and Medical Assistant.

    More About Certifications
  5. Research medical transcriptionist duties and responsibilities

    • Manage audits using transcribe reports with preoperative and postoperative documentation within the EMR.
    • Experience in radiology, cardiology, orthopedics, physical therapy, pediatrics, surgery and family practice medical terminology.
    • Transcribe dictation from various specialty providers at the hospital including orthopedics, urology, podiatry, ophthalmology, and pain management.
    • Transcribe radiology reports, including MRIs, CTs, nuclear medicine and vascular reports in a high-production, acute care setting.
  6. Prepare your medical transcriptionist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your medical transcriptionist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a medical transcriptionist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Medical Transcriptionist Resume templates

    Build a professional Medical Transcriptionist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Medical Transcriptionist resume.
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  7. Apply for medical transcriptionist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a medical transcriptionist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Medical Transcriptionist Job

Zippi

Are you a Medical Transcriptionist?

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Average medical transcriptionist salary

The average Medical Transcriptionist salary in the United States is $38,725 per year or $19 per hour. Medical transcriptionist salaries range between $31,000 and $47,000 per year.

Average Medical Transcriptionist Salary
$38,725 Yearly
$18.62 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do medical transcriptionists rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Medical Transcriptionist reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2021
Pros

For me it's just been able to deliver up on a project and getting satisfied clients and feedbacks are great.

Cons

What I do not like will be audio files that are not clear making it hard to make out what the speaker is saying.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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