Certified Medical Transcription Training

Medical transcriptionists translate and edit dictations for health providers, sending back final reports electronically or in print for review and signature or further editing. If considering transcription work, opportunities are good for transcriptionists with certification. Despite increased outsourcing over the years, patient record amendments, speech-recognition systems, document edits and medical report error identification, demand remains unchanged for U.S. transcriptionists. Any outsourced work requires further review by U.S. transcriptionists to ensure U.S. standards and accuracy are met.

Education Considerations

• While participation in medical transcription education programs is not required, many employers often require either a two- year associate's degree program or a one-year medical transcription certification program. Medical terminology, anatomy, and coursework on legal issues regarding health care documentation should be taken. To increase editing accuracy, courses on punctuation and English grammar are also recommended (though they are not mandatory).

Accredited Certifications

• The Association for Health Care Documentation Integrity (AHDI) protects consumers by promoting high ethical standards and exemplary professional skill sets, thereby improving medical transcription practice through voluntary accredited certification programs. The Registered Medical Trascriptionist (RMT) and the Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) designation awarded through AHDI has become the gold standard for many employers wanting competent medical transcribers. Therefore, while these designations are completely voluntary, it is in the interests of all medical transcribers to get these certifications for increased employment opportunities and advancement.

Registered Medical Transcriptionists

• The AHDI RMT certification is the first designation new medical transcriptions should acquire. The level 1 MT exam encompasses medical transcription knowledge and performance items as mentioned in the AHDI Model Job Description and AHDI Model Curriculum. Anyone is eligible to take the RMT examination, but passing the exam is more likely for recent medical transcription graduates or those with less than two years' of acute care experience. Upon passing the exam, the RMT designation is immediately awarded and updated within the allied health profession registries.

Certified Medical Transcriptionists

• Like the RMT, the CMT exam is open for any candidate. However, only experienced medical transcribers with Level 2 professional skills and knowledge and at least two years' acute care are encouraged to go for their CMT designation. Testing material for the CMT exam centers around medical transcription knowledge and performance items. Performance items include skills such as transcribing dictation, proofreading and editing. The CMT designation is also awarded and updated in the health profession registries immediately upon passing the exam.

Continuing Education

• Continuing education is highly encouraged for all certified transcriptionists, as technology and medicine are constantly evolving. Recertification fees must be paid and certain continuing education requirements for RMT and CMT certifications must be met. Specifically, RMTs must minimally earn 30 hours of continuing education credits in their required categories during their three-year cycle. CMTs need to successfully complete both an online course and final exam during the three-year cycle.