Medical Transcriptionists Go Back to List 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.

Technology used in this occupation:
	Medical software

Tasks
	Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
	Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
	Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
	Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
	Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.
	Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
	Perform data entry and data retrieval services, providing data for inclusion in medical records and for transmission to physicians.
	Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
	Answer inquiries concerning the progress of medical cases, within the limits of confidentiality laws.
	Set up and maintain medical files and databases, including records such as x-ray, lab, and procedure reports, medical histories, diagnostic workups, admission and discharge summaries, and clinical resumes.

Skills
	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Knowledge
	Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
	Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
	Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
	Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
	Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
	Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
	Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

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Education & Training   Education:   Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.   Related Experience:   Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

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Wage Information
	Region Average Entry Level  Mid-Range  Annual  Hourly  Statewide $48,943.00 $23.53  $19.07  $20.17 - $25.47  Bridgeport/Stamford $50,427.00 $24.24  $19.99  $20.17 - $26.48  Hartford $50,520.00 $24.29  $19.85  $22.27 - $25.77  New Haven $48,200.00 $23.17  $19.09  $20.23 - $24.74  Waterbury $49,613.00 $23.85  $19.42  $21.89 - $25.85

Occupation Outlook ( 2016 - 2026 ) Average Annual Job Openings:   157   Employment in this occupation is expected to grow more slowly than average, and the number of annual openings will offer limited job opportunities.

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	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.