A medical transcriptionist’s basic responsibility is to transcribe medical dictation into a complete and accurate report. Depending on the employment setting, the transcriptionist may also be responsible for carrying out other office duties.

To understand and accurately transcribe dictated reports, the medical transcriptionist must demonstrate an extensive knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, human diseases, surgical procedures, diagnostic studies and laboratory tests. A medical transcriptionist must also be able to translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms.

Characteristics needed to become a medical transcriptionist include: excellent English language and proofreading skills, a strong interest in medical language, good hearing acuity and listening ability, good keyboarding/typing skills, ability to sit and work for long hours, a high level of concentration for extended period of time and the ability to work independently.

Medical transcriptionists may be found in a variety of settings including the medical records department in a hospital, radiology/imaging departments, physician offices, outpatient facilities, outpatient surgery centers, government facilities, long term, mental health and social service facilities, medical transcription services and home offices. After gaining work experience, medical transcriptionists may work independently out of their homes or work at home as an employee of a hospital or transcription service.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, demand for medical transcriptionists is expected to increase due to rapid growth in the healthcare industry spurred by a growing and aging population. Advancements in voice recognition technology are not projected to reduce the need for medical transcriptionists because these workers will continue to be needed to review and edit drafts of the medical report for accuracy.

Because of the nature of the program and the availability of resources and facilities, admission to the program is limited to a new class of 20 students each fall semester.

The program is a three-semester course of study combining classroom learning and practical experience leading to entry-level employment. At the end of the program, students who have successfully passed all the courses receive a certificate of completion. In addition, the student is earning college credits from an accredited institution, which may be applied to other courses of study in the future.

Prospective students in the medical transcription certificate program must meet criteria as outlined in program pre-application requirements. Fulfilling the criteria does not guarantee admission to the program. You must apply and be accepted into the program to take MTC courses.

The medical transcription certificate program has been approved by the Ohio Board of Regents.

According to various sections of the Ohio Law and Regulations for Certification and Licensure Boards, persons convicted of any felony or a misdemeanor may not be accepted into a health program at Stark State College; may not be able to take the licensure or certification examinations; may be refused acceptance of placement by the clinical/practicum sites; or may have restrictions placed on their ability to practice. For more information, contact the dean of student services and the applicable licensure/certification board.