Major: Medical Transcription
If you’ve ever studied a foreign language, you already know how hard it is to learn a whole new vocabulary. But if you rose to the challenge and even found it fun, you may just be the perfect candidate to major in medical transcription.
In this program, you’ll learn the language of medicine so that you can transcribe dictated recordings with accuracy, supporting the medical team in their work. You’ll also learn how to produce medical correspondence and reports, including patient histories, charts, autopsy findings, referral letters, and more.
Students of medical transcription learn the medical terms and technical skills necessary to transcribe dictation and prepare medical documents.
Did You Know?
- Employers prefer transcriptionists who have had some training, whether in one-year certificate or two-year associate’s degree programs.
Are You Ready To...?
- Pick up your keyboarding pace
- Spell and understand tricky medical terms
- Practice transcribing while a doctor dictates
- Sharpen your proofreading and editing skills
- Get involved in the local chapter of the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI)
It Helps to Be...
An accurate typist with an interest in medicine. Good grammar and an eye for detail are essential.
College Checklist
- Is the program approved by the AHDI? Is there a local chapter you can join?
- Which degree does the program award?
- Are classrooms equipped with the latest medical transcription software and equipment?
- Will you learn industry-appropriate styles, such as those of the American Medical Association and the AHDI?
- Will the program prepare you for the national certification exam?
- Will you get the chance to serve an internship in a medical office?
- What are recent grads doing now?
Did You Know?
- Medical transcriptionists commonly work from home.
Course Spotlight
No, you don’t have to take Latin to be a medical transcription major. But you’ll learn a thing or two about Latin and Greek in medical terminology class, because so many terms are built on those languages. For example, pneumonia comes from the Greek pneuma meaning “wind,” “air,” or “breath.”
You’ll learn how to pronounce, spell, and abbreviate words relating to the respiratory system, digestive system, and every other bodily system. And you may even be graded on an audiotape using the terms you’ve learned, so get ready to speak a whole new language -- fluently.
