CFChooseField
Healthcare Support

Medical Transcriptionists

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.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Medical Transcriptionists

Median pay

$37,550
Median annual pay for Medical Transcriptionists.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
View source ↗

10-year growth

-4.9%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
View source ↗

Annual openings

7,400
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
View source ↗

Employment

43,900
Estimated U.S. employment for Medical Transcriptionists in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
View source ↗

Jobs added or lost

-2,200
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
View source ↗

Entry preparation

Postsecondary nondegree award
Typical education needed to enter Medical Transcriptionists.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
View source ↗
O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Active Listening
  2. 2Reading Comprehension
  3. 3Writing
  4. 4Monitoring
  5. 5Critical Thinking
  6. 6Speaking

Knowledge areas

  1. 1English Language
  2. 2Administrative
  3. 3Computers and Electronics
  4. 4Medicine and Dentistry
  5. 5Customer and Personal Service
  6. 6Telecommunications

Abilities

  1. 1Oral Comprehension
  2. 2Written Comprehension
  3. 3Speech Recognition
  4. 4Near Vision
  5. 5Written Expression
  6. 6Oral Expression

Career interests

  1. 1Conventional
  2. 2Social
  3. 3Investigative
  4. 4Realistic
  5. 5Artistic
  6. 6Enterprising

Work styles

  1. 1Attention to Detail
  2. 2Dependability
  3. 3Cautiousness
  4. 4Integrity
  5. 5Achievement Orientation
  6. 6Perseverance

Work activities

  1. 1Working with Computers
  2. 2Documenting/Recording Information
  3. 3Getting Information
  4. 4Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  5. 5Processing Information
  6. 6Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Work context

  1. 1Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  2. 2Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  3. 3Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
  4. 4Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
  5. 5Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
  6. 6E-Mail

Representative tasks

  • Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
  • Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
  • Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
  • Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
  • Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
  • Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
  • 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.
  • Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.

Software and tools

Microsoft Excel · hot technologyMicrosoft ASP.NET · hot technologyMicrosoft Access · hot technologyMicrosoft PowerPoint · hot technologyMicrosoft Windows · hot technologyMicrosoft Word · hot technologyMicrosoft Outlook · hot technologyeClinicalWorks EHR software · hot technologyMicrosoft Office software · hot technologySpeech recognition softwarePrognosis Innovation Healthcare ChartAccessSpeedType

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.