Where will I work in my medical transcription career?

When you have completed your medical transcription certification, you will have the freedom to choose either a traditional transcription setting or work from a home office. While a majority of medical transcription jobs are held by individuals working for hospitals, private doctors’ offices and business centers, many medical transcription workers are completing the work from private residences and submitting it online. This is a trend that will probably continue, meaning you will have the opportunity to work from home if desired.

It is also possible to work from an established office, if that is your preference. Most jobs in medical transcription are currently provided by hospitals and doctors’ offices, totaling over 50% of the current medical transcription workforce, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. You may also find yourself out of the health care industry completely, working with entrepreneurs and business owners in a data support capacity.

How long does it take to find a job in medical transcription?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the rate of jobs in medical transcription will increase by 6% over the next 10 years, much slower than average. This is primarily due to the influence of technology on the field as a whole. As dictation software becomes more reliable and accessible to physicians, medical transcriptionists do less initial work and become more focused on editing and data management.

In addition, a student who completes an online program can complete certification in as little as 3 to 6 months. This means that in the future an increasing number of medical transcriptionists will be competing for virtually the same number of jobs. Growing access to inexpensive labor from international transcriptionists is likely to escalate the shortage of jobs in the U.S. This will make further education, certification and increased job experience necessary for pursuing a medical transcription career.

How have medical transcription careers changed over the years?

Technology has radically changed careers in medical transcription. In the 1960s, when medical transcription was recognized as a legitimate business, the first transcriptionists created typewritten documents based on a physician’s handwritten notes.

As technology improved, doctors used machines called Dictaphones to provide transcriptionists with notes, followed by cassette tapes. The methods of transcribing also adapted from standard to electrical typewriters and then word processors. A medical transcriptionist often worked as an office staff member, completing transcription work as well as answering phones and providing customer service.

Your medical transcription job will be much different. You will be working on a computer to complete your work, utilizing the Internet, your smartphone and dictation software. As access to the Internet has increased, most transcription jobs have become outsourced to individuals who work from home offices. While you may have some interaction with patients, you will work primarily with digital documentation online and by phone.

What are the top employers for medical transcription jobs?

Your career in medical transcription will probably begin at a hospital or doctor’s office, as these businesses create the largest number of new transcription jobs. Hospitals generally pay slightly more than the industry average, about $36,000 per year, while doctors’ offices pay slightly less, around $34,000 per year. Additionally, these jobs usually provide additional value through excellent health benefits packages.

Medical and diagnostic labs are considered excellent employers as well. The average pay for these careers is close to $38,000 yearly, which is a significant increase over the average. Unfortunately, these jobs are difficult to find as specialty lab work only accounts for 3.28% of the total employment in the medical transcription industry.

The highest paying jobs are found in specialty hospitals like cancer research facilities, infertility hospitals and neurosurgery centers. Medical transcriptionists at these hospitals have annual salaries of about $38,000. This can also increase depending on which state you decide to work in. If you work in the District of Columbia, Alaska, Massachusetts, or California, your average salary will be well over $40,000 per year.