When you think about medical transcription as a career, there’s not a lot of everyday experience to go off.

Because we don’t usually see or hear a medical transcriptionist (MT) working at a local hospital or medical clinic – the role of an MT is often misunderstood. Interestingly however, when we open a letter from a doctor, or read a medical report, there is a very high chance that a professional MT has transcribed it.

With more than twenty-three million people in Australia all requiring some level of healthcare, the medical records and documentation industry is certainly in-demand.

If you’re thinking about pursuing a career in medical transcription, you need to keep in mind that there are typically three main career pathways available:

Local MT positions where you work onsite

Even though medical transcription is considered a work-from-home industry, there are still plenty of MTs out there who work in local offices. They go in to work at their local clinic or hospital, perform their work, and go home. Sometimes they are paid by the hour like a typical employee, and other times they are paid by their line count or other production measures.

Local MT positions where you work from home

With the internet and technology improvements, more and more local facilities have allowed their MTs to work from home transcribing for that specific local hospital or clinic. All the work they perform is related to the doctors and clients at that hospital or hospital group.

Online MT positions where you work from home

The last type of MT position is that where the transcriptionist works from home for a specialised company that handles medical transcription for a number of facilities, which can be from various locations. These transcription companies, called MTSOs (Medical Transcription Service Organisations) acquire a large number of accounts (medical facilities, clinics, hospitals, and/or hospital groups) and then recruit MTs to complete the work from their own home. MTSOs are headquartered all over Australia and recruit transcriptionists to work with them on a national level. You do not have to be living in the same town or state where the company is headquartered in order to work for them and you generally get to choose your own work schedule. Many hospitals, clinics, and offices in local areas tend to now outsource their transcription needs to national MTSO’s.

How do I get started?

Most employers will require you to have at least three years of current medical transcription experience or a nationally recognised qualification such as the Diploma of Healthcare Documentation. Once graduates complete the course, they get access to TalentMed’s Graduate Support service, which includes job search assistance.

Many of our graduates are hired regularly by national MTSOs, transcription agencies, public and private hospitals, as well as local medical clinics which only reaffirms the fact that medical transcription is very much in-demand and that TalentMed prepares students well for these positions.

To find out more about pursuing a rewarding career in medical transcription, please request a free industry and course information pack below or call 03 9937 1599.

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44 Comments

  1. Lalitha M. Suppiah Suppiah 21/08/2016 at 12:49 PM - Reply

    I currently live & work in Malaysia. I m interested in the online diploma in healthcare documentation as my son is a doctor working in Australia & he wants us to move there. So I believe this course may b useful for me to earn whilst I m there. Cld I pl know the duration the costs & also if there is an age criteria to employment as an MT. I wld like your feedback in respect asap

  2. Pippa 21/07/2016 at 7:20 PM - Reply

    Hi,

    I live in South Africa. I am looking for part time job online to supplement my income. Will I be able to do the course and then work as an online MT for Australia companies, even though I don’t live there? How flexible is the work can I pick an choose my hours? You say on the website you can pay back the tuition within 3 months. Is that working 40 hours a week or more? Would the diploma be recognized in USA or the United kingdom as well?

    • TalentMed 22/07/2016 at 9:38 AM

      Hi Pippa,

      Thank you for your comment.

      As our Diploma of Healthcare Documentation is online and self-paced you may certainly study from South Africa.

      There are many career choices for our graduates. Once you complete the course, your Graduate Support team will provide you with extensive job search assistance. This includes personalised advice on your resume, job hunt and application process. Please note however, TalentMed is unable to guarantee any positions as a registered training organisation and not an employer directly. Having said that, through our network of associated Recruitment Partners, we have been able to help place a high number of graduates into these positions upon course completion.

      In relation to pay, Medical Transcriptionists that work from home tend to be paid on a production basis. This means that their pay is based on their output, rather than an hourly wage. Our Course Advisers would be happy to discuss this further with you.

      Our diploma is nationally recognised in Australia, however it is also a global qualification that is recognised in America.
      If you would like more information please contact our Course Advisers on 03 9937 1599 or via enrol@talentmed.edu.au Thank you

  3. Julie 20/07/2016 at 10:01 PM - Reply

    Hi, I am a Registerec Nurse looking for a change but wanting to stay in the Mecical field. I’m thinking perhaps becoming a MT might just fit the bill. Would my Bachelor of Nursing be enough to become a MT or wuld in still require further education.

    • TalentMed 21/07/2016 at 10:16 AM

      Hi Julie,

      Thank you for your comment.

      It sounds like your experience would be very valuable in a career as a Medical Transcriptionist.

      Most employers will require you to have a nationally recognised qualification such as the Diploma of Healthcare Documentation, or at least three years of current Medical Transcription experience. Once you complete our Diploma, you are work-ready.

      If you would like more information, please contact our Course Advisers on 03 9937 1599 or via enrol@talentmed.edu.au
      Thanks!

  4. Sooz 20/07/2016 at 12:15 PM - Reply

    Hi
    Do I need to have done my studies from TalentMed in order to utilise the career advisors available?

    • TalentMed 20/07/2016 at 12:31 PM

      Hi Sooz,

      Thank you for your comment.

      Our Course Advisers work with you from first contact through to your first day of coursework. They are here to answer questions and assist with any enquiries you may have prior to commencing your course. Throughout the course, you then have access to our Student Support Advisers, Technical Support team and Trainers and Assessors. Once you complete the course, your Graduate Support team will then provide you with extensive job search assistance.

      Please contact our Course Advisers on 03 9937 1599 if you have any further questions. Thank you!

  5. Paul 20/07/2016 at 1:01 AM - Reply

    If MT’s are paid by the quantity of work they output rather than the hours they put in, does it matter if they are not fast at typing? Can they still find regular work anyway? I’ve never been a fast typist but usually have few problems understanding scientific and/or medical terminology. I left school in Yr 11 nearly 30 years ago but have continued to enjoy reading a wide variety of science and technology articles all my adult life.

    • TalentMed 20/07/2016 at 11:37 AM

      Hi Paul,
      Great question!
      It is great to hear that you have a strong interest in the science and technology fields.
      To answer your question, TalentMed has a Keyboard Kinetics module included in the course designed to increase your typing speed and proficiency. You will also get plenty of typing practise throughout the course. In addition, Our Diploma of Healthcare Documentation is specifically aimed and catered for students who do not have any previous knowledge or experience in the medical, typing or editing fields.

      If you would like any further information, please contact our Course Advisers on 03 9937 1599 or via enrol@talentmed.edu.au

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