Within each shift, I work with the side providers, whether it’s the doctor or physician assistant. I follow the patient’s visit from their chief complaint up until their discharge. I document the reason as to why they came into the ER, the symptoms they’ve been experiencing, and any past medical history that might contribute to their visit. I help decide if they are safe to go home, if they need any prescriptions, or if they need admittance for further care.
CAREER
Medical Transcriptionists
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$35,270
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
-2.2% (decline)
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Medical Transcriptionists Do
Transcribe medical reports recorded by physicians and other healthcare practitioners using various electronic devices, covering office visits, emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries. Transcribe dictated reports and translate abbreviations into fully understandable form. Edit as necessary and return reports in either printed or electronic form for review and signature, or correction.
Other Job Titles Medical Transcriptionists May Have
Clinical Medical Transcriptionist, Documentation Specialist, Medical Language Specialist, Medical Scribe, Medical Transcriber, Medical Transcriptionist, Pathology Transcriptionist, Radiology Transcriptionist, Scribe, Transcriptionist
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
- Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
- Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
- Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
- Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Medical Transcriptionists
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Some college, no degree (32%)
High school diploma or equivalent
Some college, no degree
Bachelor's degree
Other*
*All other responses combined for clarity.
Majors Related to Career
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
One-on-one communication skills are particularly important in this field. You need to know how to communicate with the patient in a way they understand and in a way that doesn’t cross legal, ethical, or personal boundaries.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
Everyone
Take initiative sooner. There’s no one right pathway in our industry. For anybody pursuing health care, it’s never too late. There’s many ways to get to where you want to be. Be patient.
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
