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Occupation Description

Use transcribing machines with headset and foot pedal to listen to recordings by physicians and other healthcare professionals dictating a variety of medical reports, such as emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries. Transcribe dictated reports and translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms. Edit as necessary and return reports in either printed or electronic form to the dictator for review and signature, or correction.

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State and National Wages

Wage Table

Hourly Wage Chart

Yearly Wage Chart

Location	Pay Period	2008
		10%	25%	Median	75%	90%
United States	Hourly	$10.76	$13.02	$15.41	$18.55	$21.81
	Yearly	$22,400	$27,100	$32,100	$38,600	$45,400
Pennsylvania	Hourly	$10.47	$12.54	$14.56	$17.00	$19.24
	Yearly	$21,800	$26,100	$30,300	$35,400	$40,000

Wage Table

Hourly Wage Chart

Yearly Wage Chart

• High is the wage at which 90% of workers earn less and 10% earn more.
• Middle is the wage at which 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more.
• Low is the wage at which 10% of workers earn less and 90% earn more.

Wage Table

Hourly Wage Chart

Yearly Wage Chart

• High is the wage at which 90% of workers earn less and 10% earn more.
• Middle is the wage at which 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more.
• Low is the wage at which 10% of workers earn less and 90% earn more.

Occupation Wages FAQs

Median Wage by Occupation Across States
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National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Survey
State Data Source: Pennsylvania Workforce Statistics

State and National Trends

Note: The data for the State Employment Trends and the National Employment Trends are not directly comparable. The projections period for state data is 2006-2016, while the projections period for national data is 2008-2018.

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Employment Trends by Occupation Across States
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National Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections
State Data Source: Pennsylvania Center for Workforce Information & Analysis

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The most important knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) are listed for Medical Transcriptionists.

Knowledge:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills:

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Abilities:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Source: Occupational Information Network: Medical Transcriptionists.

Tasks and Activities

Occupation specific tasks and the most important generalized work activities are listed for Medical Transcriptionists.

Occupation Specific Tasks:

• Answer inquiries concerning the progress of medical cases, within the limits of confidentiality laws.
• Decide which information should be included or excluded in reports.
• Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
• Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
• Perform a variety of clerical and office tasks, such as handling incoming and outgoing mail, completing and submitting insurance claims, typing, filing, and operating office machines.
• Perform data entry and data retrieval services, providing data for inclusion in medical records and for transmission to physicians.
• Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
• Receive and screen telephone calls and visitors.
• Receive patients, schedule appointments, and maintain patient records.
• Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
• Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
• Set up and maintain medical files and databases, including records such as x-ray, lab, and procedure reports, medical histories, diagnostic workups, admission and discharge summaries, and clinical resumes.
• Take dictation using either shorthand or a stenotype machine, or using headsets and transcribing machines; then convert dictated materials or rough notes to written form.
• Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
• Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.

Generalized Work Activities:

• Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Detailed Work Activities:

• ensure correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling
• proofread printed or written material
• transcribe spoken or written information
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use oral or written communication techniques

Source: Occupational Information Network: Medical Transcriptionists.

Tools and Technology

Medical Transcriptionists  View Detailed Report

Tools:

• Desktop computers - Desktop computers
• Dictation machines - Desktop transcribers, Dictaphones, Transcribing equipment
• Facsimile machines - Fax machines
• Franking or postage machines - Postage meters
• Laser printers - Laser printers

Technology:

• Electronic mail software - Email software, Microsoft Outlook
• Medical software - Crescendo Systems Corporation MedRite-XL, Electronic medical record EMR systems, Integrated Systems Management OmniMD, MedQuist DocQment Enterprise Platform, Misys Healthcare Systems software
• Spreadsheet software - Microsoft Excel, Spreadsheet software
• Voice recognition software - Crescendo Systems DigiScribe-XL, Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking Medical, Voice recognition software, g-net solutions MTP
• Word processing software - Boston Bar Systems Corporation Sonnet, Bytescribe Development Company WavPlayer, Corel WordPerfect software, Emmaus MPWord, Microsoft Word

Source: Occupational Information Network: Medical Transcriptionists.

Education and Training

Occupation: Medical Transcriptionists
Most Common Educational/Training Level: Postsecondary vocational award
Related Instructional Programs: Medical Transcription/Transcriptionist

WIA Eligible Training Provider List: http://www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us/homeframe.asp?function=trainprov

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections (Education/Training Level, Educational Attainment); National Center for Education Statistics (Typical Instructional Programs)

Related Occupation Profiles
Occupations with similar skill requirements

There is no information about Related Occupations. This may occur because data has not been collected or because this is a composite occupation (e.g., ""All Other"").

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