Those of us who are deep in the world of medical transcription have likely come across some serious whoppers in terms of work-related myths. Every industry has them, but why does medical transcription seem so prone to them?
Here are 8 of our favorite (or maybe we should say, least favorite!) myths about the medical transcription field, and the truth that’s actually behind them.
MYTH: The only skill needed for medical transcription is fast typing.
If only that were true! Along with excellent typing skills, medical transcriptionists also need superior listening skills, comprehension skills, time-management skills, and the ability to efficiently manage their time without a manager hovering over their back. This goes far beyond your words-per-minute score.
MYTH: Advances in speech-to-text tech will make medical transcription obsolete.
Unfortunately, speech-to-text or speech recognition technology (SRT) has made medical transcriptionists’ work harder, not easier. SRT outputs are often very weird, garbled pieces of text that the computer hears which doesn’t translate correctly, even with all the advances in technology. For this reason, medical transcriptionists and medical editors are hired to “clean up” those notes.
MYTH: Medical transcriptionists get fired more often than anyone else in the health industry.
There are two major forms of medical transcriptionist jobs—working for a hospital or doctor (on-site), or working for a large company over the internet that specializes in medical transcriptions. The benefit to the latter is that regardless of what the local climate in your city is like, there is always going to be a larger need for national medical transcription work.
Even if your local hospitals or doctor’s offices are experiencing layoffs, those who work for national companies are generally safe because their value isn’t being weighed against the current market.
MYTH: Work-from-home medical transcriptionists need thousands of dollars in special equipment to get started.
While you do need some special tools such as a foot pedal (for stopping and starting audio) and a fast computer or laptop with word processing software in order to do the job more quickly and efficiently, there’s nothing beyond that you need. No fancy computers, no piles of software, no elaborate headsets. And remember—if a potential employer wants you to pay for your own equipment up front, it’s likely a scam.
MYTH: You can make $60,000 a year in medical transcription if you have a computer and know how to type.
This isn’t so much a myth as it is a serious case of misdirection. It’s entirely possible to make $60k a year as a medical transcriptionist—assuming you have a good background in training in the form of college medical transcriptionist courses, and the time and self-drive to make yourself a leader in the field.
MYTH: You won’t make a living wage as a medical transcriptionist.
The other end of the spectrum! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical transcriptionists make an average of $46,000 annually. While it entirely depends on where you live, $46k is hardly “not a living wage”—and if you’re fortunate enough to be in a two-income household, then those living wages are even more improved.
MYTH: Most medical transcription jobs are outsourced.
This is a myth that seems entirely bred from assumptions. Thousands of tech jobs are sent overseas, so why not medical transcriptionists? In fact, while thousands of jobs were sent overseas in the early to mid 2000’s, many of those jobs are now back in Canada, being transcribed by real people who know what they’re doing.
MYTH: Being a medical transcriptionist is a low-stress job.
We’d love to know where this one came from! It may seem easy to an outsider—after all, what could be stressful about sitting at your desk with a pair of headphones plugged in? In reality, the audio that medical transcriptionists are attempting to transcribe is far less than crystal clear. Many times, there is static to contend with, the mumbling or rushing voices they are trying to decipher, the vocabulary that is often new and entirely foreign, and sometimes the voice itself is foreign. You may listen to a recording several dozen times before a transcription is done and ready to go!
We encourage you to contact us if you want to learn more about ways you can launch yourself into the career of medical transcriptionist, without any of the above myths in hand!
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