Medical transcription offers you the opportunity to have a real, at-home career in the growing medical industry. The field currently includes 2 important roles: Medical transcriptionists type the audio dictations of doctor-patient interactions, creating the reports that make up patients' medical records.

type the audio dictations of doctor-patient interactions, creating the reports that make up patients' medical records. Medical transcription editors—specialized medical transcriptionists—correct and edit dictation reports created by speech recognition software, which electronically translates dictations into text. With CareerStep you can train for both of these career paths, work from the comfort of your home, and prepare for the future of the industry.

Medical transcription is part of the rapidly growing healthcare industry, and medical transcription employers regularly ask CareerStep for more learners that have completed their training to fill their entry-level positions. CareerStep training is well-known and well-respected within the medical transcription industry, particularly by employers. Most medical transcription companies require job applicants to have several years of experience, but because CareerStep's training is so thorough and trusted, many companies are willing to waive the experience requirement for those who have completed the CareerStep training. Over 700 companies have hired CareerStep learners and the vast majority are hired within a few months of completion.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report states that the middle 50% of medical transcription professionals earn between $26,960 and $46,610 a year. However, it is important to remember that the majority of transcriptionists are paid on a production basis, which offers the opportunity to earn more as you become more familiar with the work, when you work more often, and if you increase your speed or efficiency.

The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) maintains two industry credentials, the Registered Health Documentation Specialist (RHDS) credential and the Certified Health Documentation Specialist (CHDS) credential. The RHDS exam is designed for entry-level medical transcriptionists, and the CHDS exam is designed for medical transcriptionists who have two years of experience working in acute care within the industry. Very few industry employers require these credentials as a prerequisite to employment, and while your certificate from a CareerStep program will not award you either credential, learners who have taken the exams have generally done well as CareerStep's training programs help learners build a solid foundational understanding of the medical transcription profession. An exam voucher to take the RHDS exams is included with the course upon completion (a $190 value) to help you earn your credential right away.

CareerStep has been a leader in medical transcription training for over 25 years and offers one of the most comprehensive medical transcription editor training programs in the industry. You will study online, on your own schedule and at your own pace. CareerStep's training also includes hundreds of authentic dictations from healthcare providers so that learners have real-world experience when they finish. With CareerStep you know you're getting the right training; personal, ongoing support; and the resources and guidance you need to turn your training into a job.

The CareerStep Medical Transcription Editor training program is certified and approved by the Approval Committee for Certificate Programs (ACCP), which is a joint committee established by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) and the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

The CareerStep Medical Transcription Editor program is offered entirely online, providing 24/7 access to all material and allowing you to progress through the program on your own schedule and at your own pace. The program is broken into modules, or course subjects, with the first half devoted to building your knowledge base while the second half is an extensive practicum designed to help you gain the practical experience you need to smoothly transition into the workplace after completion.

CareerStep support includes access to: Program Support Trainers and Advisors who have professional experience in the industry and are uniquely qualified to answer questions about both the program and the industry. They provide timely answers to questions about the program material and offer a number of personal consultations throughout the training to help learners master important concepts.

who have professional experience in the industry and are uniquely qualified to answer questions about both the program and the industry. They provide timely answers to questions about the program material and offer a number of personal consultations throughout the training to help learners master important concepts. Technical Support Advisors who are knowledgeable, experienced, and available six days a week to help you work through any technical or computer issues encountered within the training program.

who are knowledgeable, experienced, and available six days a week to help you work through any technical or computer issues encountered within the training program. Career Support Advisors who help you transition to the workforce after completion. Your Career Advisors will help prepare the best resume, develop solid interview skills, and teach you valuable job search techniques. Though the course is entirely online, you'll never be on your own. CareerStep's support team is available to offer personal, ongoing support all the way through the training program.

There are 41 hours of real-life doctor dictations included in the medical transcription section of the Medical Transcription Editor program. These dictations cover a wide variety of medical specialties as well as the full spectrum of doctor accents and dictation style. The Medical Transcription Editor program also includes 16 hours of additional dictation in the editing practicum section.

The Medical Transcription Editor program is estimated at 640 completion hours. Since the program is completely self-paced and the online training format allows you the flexibility to study as much or as little as your schedule allows, the time it takes you to complete the course will vary from other learners. Some learners are able to complete their 640 hour training program in as little as 4 months (working on the course full-time, 8 hours a day 5 days a week). Everyone who signs up in the Medical Transcription Editor training program receives an initial 4-month period of access. Though the program is designed to be completed in 4 months of full-time study, you'll have a full year to complete your training. If you need extra time to complete the course after your initial one-year of access, we have extensions available for purchase. Get an idea of how long the course took other learners by checking out a few of the stories in our Success Stories Library!

CareerStep offers personalized, post-training resources for your job search, including: Personal consultation with an employment advisor

Access to employment and referral directories

Personalized interview tutorials and training

Individual resume and cover letter review, tips, and advice

A RHDS certification exam voucher upon completion (a $190 value)

Access to CareerStep's help hotline for a full year after completion

AHDI student membership These resources offer the personalized help you need after completion to transition to the workplace.

Your program includes everything you will need to train for a successful career in medical transcription. Your training includes: Access to expert-created training

One-on-one help from program and technical support

Transcription foot pedal (device used to control audio playback when transcribing)

The AHDI Book of Style, 3rd Edition ebook

A RHDS certification exam voucher upon completion (a $190 value)

AHDI student membership

Valuable career resources Since the course is completely online, your computer will play an important role in your learning experience. We recommend the following minimum computer system specifications: Hardware Active internet connection (High speed/Broadband connection recommended)

800 X 600 minimum resolution (1024 X 768 or higher recommended)

Sound card and speakers (Earphones recommended)

Available USB port Software Adobe Flash Player (ver. 10 or higher)

Windows Media Player (ver. 10 or higher) or Quicktime Player (ver. 7 or higher)

PDF reader Browser Internet Explorer 9.x/10.x/11.x

Firefox 3.x or greater*

Safari 3.1 to 8.0 (Mac only)*

Javascript and cookies must be enabled Operating System Microsoft Windows (XP®, Vista®, 7 with latest service pack)

Mac OS X (10.4.11 or greater)*

Mac OS X 10.11 (El Capitan) is not currently compatible *The Medical Transcription Editor program includes a third party software tool that makes the training only compatible with Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer.



Note: Mobile browsing devices are not currently supported. However, CareerStep is investigating the implementation of mobile device support, and these specifications will be updated once a decision has been reached.

We realize that one of the most important questions tied to further training is how it will be paid for. Because this is such a big part of the decision of whether or not to get additional training, CareerStep has designed several financial assistance and payment options. Please visit our Financial Assistance page for more information.