How to Choose a Medical Transcription School

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After considering all the pros and cons of becoming a medical transcriptionist, perhaps the most important decision lying before you is that of choosing your course of study. The decision to pursue training in medical transcription represents a large investment of time and money. But the end result, as with any educational pursuit, is that you are investing in yourself.

A two-year course is the norm, and the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) also recommends that this include a 240 hour externship in an actual healthcare facility. This corresponds to 6 weeks of external study in addition to the formal training already received. In addition to community colleges, there are home study courses available both online and through the use of home study materials. A course that allows you ample access to the instructor for questions and assistance is essential. Likewise, access to fellow students allows opportunities for networking and support.

If you already know medical terminology and have good grammar skills, you are more than halfway there.  Sometimes we recommend to these people to obtain practice tapes or CDs to measure their skill, and some are pleased to find that they are moving along just fine after a period of adjustment and heightened listening skills.  Others find that they did not know as much terminology as they thought, and for them we recommend taking a course either at a community college or via home study.