Medical Transcriptionists

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Support
• O*NET-SOC code: 31-9094
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• 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.
• Perform data entry and data retrieval services, providing data for inclusion in medical records and for transmission to physicians.
• Take dictation using shorthand, a stenotype machine, or headsets and transcribing machines.
• Perform a variety of clerical and office tasks, such as handling incoming and outgoing mail, completing and submitting insurance claims, typing, filing, or operating office machines.
• Decide which information should be included or excluded in reports.

Tools and technology

Microsoft ASP.NET, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, eClinicalWorks EHR software, Allscripts healthcare automation software, Boston Bar Systems Corporation Sonnet, Bytescribe Development Company WavPlayer

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Medical Records Specialists
• Word Processors and Typists
• Medical Assistants
• Emergency Medical Technicians
• Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
• Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars
• File Clerks
• Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Medical Transcriptionists — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.