Is A Career As A Boston Transcription Specialist Right For You

By Arthur Phillips


If you are about to graduate from high school, you have to decide what to do next. Not everyone is cut out for, or has the money, to spend four more years in school. You know you want a well paying job doing something that interests you. If this is the case, you will probably need an associate's degree or advanced training to get ahead. Massachusetts seniors, with an interest in health care, should consider a career as a Boston transcription specialist.

Transcriptionists in this field have a lot of different responsibilities, and all of them require the ability to be accurate and precise. The bulk of the work is usually in the area of transcribing physicians' verbal patient reports into writing, translating medical abbreviations into long form, editing software speech recognition drafts, and reviewing written reports to eliminate any errors or inconsistencies.

You might find a job in any of several locations. About a third of the opportunities will be found in public and private hospitals. Twenty-five percent of those working in this industry are employed by doctors to work in their offices. The remaining possibilities are considered administrative and support positions. About eighty-five thousand transcribers work in the United States.

Most employers prefer to hire individuals who have had specialized training in this field. They will expect to see a two year degree or completion of a year long certification program on a candidate's resume. Vocational schools and community colleges usually offer courses in English grammar and punctuation, medical terminology, and anatomy. There are also online courses available.

You are not required to become certified before you begin this line of work, but employers will give preference to those with the credentials. If you are just out of high school, with little or no experience in the field, you can enroll in a program to become a Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist. If you have been working in the field for two years or more and want to get certified, you will be eligible to earn a Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist designation.

In order to succeed in this field applicants must have good computer skills and understand how health records systems operate. You will need to possess critical thinking skills in order to research information and access the accuracy of the sources. It is important to be able to listen and to work quickly. You will need a good grasp of the English language and standard grammar.

This field is growing at about the same rate as other strong industries. With health care available to more people than ever before, the demands for testing and treatment are increasing. This requires transcribers, although there has been a trend toward outsourcing and speech recognition software. This trend will probably continue, but many in the industry have concerns about security and confidentiality of records and prefer to have on site staff handling transcriptions.

You can have a good career in the medical field with the proper education and certifications. The future looks good for those who choose the quality assessment and management areas especially. These types of jobs are stable and secure.




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