If we did, most of us would have saved all of our savings for what is happening now. Aside from flexibility, people also look for experience so they can easily get jobs when the old one does not work out. Of course, people look for a job that will be able to give them proper compensation and that includes high salary and benefits.

One of the jobs that can offer all these to people is Medical Transcriptionist. When you become a Medical Transcriptionist you have the option to work at home which is very convenient for moms or you can work in an office. There are certain advantages when you work at home, you can be with your family all the time and you can watch over your child and the household while earning at home. It is not going to be easy but at least you can see your child grow up and you know that your child is safe. This is the reason why most women opt for home based jobs.

Another advantage of becoming a Medical Transcriptionist (MT) is there will always be jobs available. Studies show that there is an increasing need for MTs and the need continues to grow every year. Last but not the least the reason why becoming a Medical Transcriptionist is a good career choice is because it pays well. So you got the flexibility that you want, the security that you crave for and the income that you need.

To become certified you will need to pass an exam given by the AAMT (American Association of Medical Transcriptionists). This is a two part exam, written and practical and takes about 5 to 6 hours to complete. It is a very in depth exam and most MTs take a prep course before taking the exam.

The exam consists of two parts. The first part is a written exam which consists of 120 multiple choice questions about anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, English and grammar, etc. The second part of the exam is a practical test where you transcribe several different reports.

Once certified it means you can use the letters “CMT” (certified medical transcriptionist) behind your name. You must recertify every 3 years.

Certification is highly regarded in some circles of the MT field and some MTs believe it opens doors for better opportunities.

Personally, I feel medical transcription certification is a personal choice. Although, certification gives you the opportunity to prove your skills as an MT, not being certified does not take away from them.

I have never run across a physician or account manager who has asked me whether I am certified or not. They are merely interested that I can efficiently complete the work, follow all the privacy regulations and charge them a reasonable rate.

I don’t know of any MTs who have lacked opportunities due to not being certified either. Again, the choice is a personal one and for some it is a great sense of personal achievement.

If you do decide to become certified, it will be a great personal achievement. It will take a time and financial commitment. At present, the AAMT fee for the CMT exam for US and Canada is $195 US dollars for AAMT members and $275 for non AAMT members. You must also have 2 years experience working as an MT.

One of the most in demand work at home job positions is medical transcriptionist. Companies rather accept candidates with experience and excellent English language facility, listening skills and fast typing ability. A medical transcriptionist simply transliterates medical records dictated by doctors.

Since you are working from home, you will just be listening to a few recorded medical transcriptions recorded by healthcare professionals. Included in the audio material that you need to copy out are clinic notes, physical findings, chart reviews, operation results, discharge wrap-ups, x-ray reports, lab results, consultation minutes, psychiatric assessments, emergency room visitations, diagnostic imaging studies.

As medical transcriptionist, you are supposed to decipher hard medical jargons and abbreviations enlisted in the reports or recorded in the audio material so that they are better understood. Transcriptionists are usually paid on the basis of accuracy and speed. You might have to study a course in medical transcription to be effective at this.

Medical terms are hard to understand when not learned prior to your job. Your listening power should be strong enough as you will primarily be hearing digital system or voice files using your earphones. There are companies that might require you to have a word processing program, printer and a modem to carry on your job.

Certified medical transcriptionist is a voluntary certification exam for medical transcription and is conducted by the AHDI (Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity) formerly known as the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) and established in 1978. The objective of such a certification is indeed to have a high professional and ethical standard in the MT industry. Certified medical transcriptionist designation is given after successfully passing the AHDI certification exam for MT professionals who must have a minimal two years of experience in an acute care / or equivalent setting within a hospital.

The certified medical transcriptionist exam has both medical transcription-related knowledge items (like medical terms/ drug names, human anatomy/physiology etc) and transcription performance items inclusive of transcribing dictation, editing, and proofreading. The exam can be taken world wide at selected Thomson Prometric test centers. Results can be seen online immediately after the exam is taken. Once certified the certificate is valid only for three years. Re-certification is available after payment of the fee and earning a minimum of 30 continuing education credits.

Certified medical transcriptionist is a two part exam, the first part being a written examination that consists of 120 multiple choice questions to be completed in 3 hours time. Only passing of this first part makes us eligible to write the second part of the exam and tests the actual ability to transcribe real life physician dictations.

Employers generally choose to hire transcriptionists who have done their post-secondary training in the field, which is offered by community colleges, vocational schools and distance-learning programs. Though not always obligatory, the completion of a 1-year certificate program or a 2-year associate degree is recommended. These courses may include anatomy, medical terms and legal issues involving health care documentation, and grammar and punctuation of the English language. Most of these programs offer supervised on-the-job training. Transcriptionists, who are already attuned with medical jargon from prior experience as a medical secretary or a nurse, become adept through training and refresher courses.

The American Association for Medical Transcription, or AAMT, grants the voluntary designation of Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) to students who pass a certified examination. The constant evolving of medicine requires the medical transcriptionist to frequently update his or her skills. Every three years, CMTs must produce continuing education credits for recertification.

Apart from understanding medical lingo, it is imperative for transcriptionists to have competent English grammar and punctuation skills. Also, familiarity with computers and word processing software will come in handy. Normal sharpness in hearing and attentive listening skills are crucial, too. Applicants are sometimes required to take pre-employment exams, with employers generally preferring those with experience.

With certain experience, medical transcriptionists can elevate to administrative positions, editing, home-based work or teaching. With supplementary training or education, transcriptionists can become health information technicians, health information administrators or medical coders.