Unless you come into medical transcription through another medical field, postsecondary training is a requirement for employment. There are one and two year certificate and associate degree programs available. Coursework includes: anatomy, medical terminology, some legal training, word processing and data transfer using the internet.
While certification is not necessarily required for employment, possessing a CMT (Certified Medical Transcriptionist) credential will boost your employment prospects. Continuing education is a condition for renewal.
About 60% of medical transcriptionists work for hospitals and many others are self employed; working without benefits for a higher hourly rate. Transcriptionists also find contract work through independent agencies.
