Medical Trancription?

[jadegrniiz]

Anyone know anything about this field???

You always see the ads in the classifieds for it.... you know, the work from home deals. But then browsing the Technical School catalog, you actually see it as a course. Is it legit? How could I know a legit one from a typical work from home sham?

And another question....  by chance is it something I can do a few hours a night and on weekends, just to suppliment my income? I have knowledge of medical lingo and symbols.... but have no "actual" medical experience.



Jadegrniiz
Deskdemon Forum Board Staff

[mnaeempk]

As far as I know medical transcription is translate the voice data into text data. Usually, it is to type the recorded conversation of a doctor and a patient using data entry software developed for medical transcription.

An excellent added skill to generate supplemental income.

[mlm668]

When I was in business school, they had a different programs for legal, medical and general secretary.  I took the legal courses.  All they were really were learning legal office procedures, terminology and special shorthand for the terminology.  The medical field worked the same way.  

This might be something you could do on weekends, but I wouldn't try to do it at night.  You already have enough at home to handle right now.  If you already have some knowledge of medical terminology, if may be worth looking into.  For my part, I learned more legalese from actual experience than from the classes I took.  However, medicine is quite different.  So many of the illnesses and symptoms sound and are spelled similar that you have to really know your stuff to avoid a mistake.  

As with any other company, investigate it before you make a committment.  I'm sure some of these are legit, but just as many could be a scam.

Michelle

[execsec]

I had my own secretarial business about 10 years ago.  I had used a transcriber/dictaphone for 20 years prior to that.  I also went and took Medical Terminology at the local vo-tech.  However, when I went to look into these medical transcriptionist jobs listed in the paper; they all wanted me to have a "certificate."  Meaning that I had to have taken the "courses" at the local vo-tech proving I could do such a job.  Not taking into account that I had taken medical terminology, used a dictaphone/transcriber for 20 years, wrote my own business proposal, took it to the bank, and got a small business loan to open my own business.  Surely, I coud have figured the job out.  So, I didn't even pursue it after that.  I had plenty of other work coming in.

[deedee]

I did try this to supplement my income (2 kids in college!) but I found it to be much more work than I anticipated.  I took a course at the local community college and had to buy some reference  books, plus the transcribing machine (we already had a computer at home with the preferred software).  I ended up netting less than $200 a week for working approximately 30 hours, and it messed up our tax situation so much, it hardly seemed worth it.   If I left my job for any reason, or retired, it is definitely worth considering, but be aware it is a major time commitment.  I put in more than 40 hours at my fulltime job, then to work 30 plus more was exhausting, and I don't have small children.  Also, look into the availability of work--I got hooked up with a hospital orthopedic practice, and sent reports via the internet.  Some doctors are better dictators than others (i.e., some people eat or chew gum while they dictate) so the sheer physical effort of trying to decipher their words can be tiring as well.  I'm not trying to discourage you; a friend of mine was able to quit her job to stay home with her 2 small children and she makes enough money to make it worthwhile for her.  One last caution:  beware the occasion autopsy report!  They are not fun!

[countrigal]

As for knowing which ones are legit...  call your local hospitals and clinics and ask them who does their transcriptions.  If they ask why you want to know, tell them you're looking into this as a second job and just want to know who (what company) to call.  There is the potential to make a lot of money at this, depending on how much time you can devote to it, but it is hard work and might not be the best idea with a little one at home, much less more than one.

CountriGal
Deskdemon Editorial Board Member

[mathwhizchick]

Deedee, you don't really have to get into an autopsy report for that.  I worked as a med secretary/transcriptionist for several years (before the field got so high-tech and HUGE).  It can get REALLY challenging to keep typing when the doctor goes into minute detail about how the patient's poop looked or waxes rhapsodic about snot (you'd be surprised how many different ways there are to describe the qualities of snot....)
It will definitely put a majoy dent in your appetite...