Medical Transcriptionists
O*NET files this work under Medical Transcriptionists: people who 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. The skills rated most useful are active listening, reading comprehension, and writing. One core duty is to return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records. Interest ratings put Conventional on top at 6.3 out of 7 and Social second, so the code is CSI and the day leans toward orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Getting in usually takes one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree, a level O*NET calls medium preparation. If you want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures, keep it on your list. If you need leading, persuading and making business decisions, it may feel thin.
What they 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.
Main tasks
- 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.
- Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
Skills
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Time Management
- Speaking
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You get energy from helping other people move forward.
- You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
- You are comfortable relying on active listening and reading comprehension.
May not suit you if
- You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
- You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 1.3 out of 7 here.
- You need to start within a few months, with no training period.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CSI takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.
Preparation
Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Post-Secondary Certificate. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Clinical Medical Transcriptionist
- Documentation Specialist
- Medical Language Specialist
- Medical Scribe
- Medical Transcriber
Related careers
Is this your direction?
See how your interests line up with CSI and 906 other careers.
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.