I do not see any threatening cons in this career apart from a few work related ailments or computer related health concerns which can be averted or overcome by adopting some ergonomics that we have discussed in ergonomics for computer users and medical transcriptionists, while the pros that I find for you to choose a medical transcription career are:
1. Good command over English: You are confident that you have a good command over English and are good with words. Language proficiency includes knowledge and use of correct words, punctuation and spelling, as well as sentence formation (syntax). It’s the basic quality to become a transcriptionist and if you have it, well and good, everything else can be acquired. (And that you even learn a word a day as we discussed in “how to improve your vocabulary“!!!).
2. Typewriting skills: If you are good at typing and like a typing nature of job; that’s an advantage.
3. Like working on computer: In today’s world, it has become a necessity that we know at least the basics of computer operation and if you have it, it’s an added advantage especially if you have exposure to word processors like Microsoft Word. Note that it’s only an added advantage and if at all you do not have exposure, no problem, it can be attained through training. If you have a strong wish to work on computer, that’s enough.
4. Friendly training: You can learn medical transcription from an on-site facility, in a private doctor’s office taught by someone trained in the same methods being used there; in a public facility, such as a hospital or other treatment center; at home or on site in a specialized learning program with either hard copy or via the internet. The very best part is that you do NOT need a degree to start a career in medical transcription.
5. Inclination towards a sedentary job: Medical transcriptionist job is essentially a sedentary job and if you have an inclination towards a sedentary, white-collar, computer-based job, this one will perfectly suit you.
6. Good pay: The pay is very much competitive in today’s market and your pay packet depends entirely on number of characters/lines/pages you could transcribe, so you decide what you earn. Read how much you can convert your time into money in the post start a medical-transcription-at-home career. You get pensions, health plans and other employee benefits if you work in house and if you are really good, you can get bonuses too!
7. Scope, demand and supply: No matter it is fall or summer, rain or shine, recession or progression, inflation or deflation, people will get sick. Medical transcription business is roughly a $25 billion industry (annually). While the number of medical transcriptionists in the US has remained static, the demand for transcriptionists is growing by about 15% every year. Hence, there is a need for GOOD transcriptionists. So do you think there is a chance for doom days in this career?
8. Challenging career:
If you have an inborn aptitude to face challenges, you have plenty of it in this career on a daily basis. Read what sort of challenges in who can become a transcriptionist? If you are interested in medicine and would appreciate the idea of being inside of the latest medical breakthroughs, yes, you can. You get to use the latest technology as well.
The world of medical transcription grows smaller each day as technology advances and if you want to be a successful medical transcriptionist, preparation and practice are key factors to live by.
9. Career progression: From an entry level transcriber you can grow up to an expert in any subspecialty of medicine like cardiology, urology, radiology etc. You can choose the subspecialty of comfort and progress towards being a master in that subspecialty. As well in an organizational setup, you can even graduate to management positions depending on your skills and aptitude.
10. Work atmosphere: You choose the atmosphere you prefer. You have an option to work from home or in an office; work alone or work with other professionals.
11. Job independence: You have a choice of being an independent contractor working for a medical center or a public or private facility. You can often set your own working hours, thereby having a choice to be with your family more and not miss important times of being together. In an independent contractor setup, you can work for one or several employers at a time. In short, you can be your own boss! The only con of being an independent contractor that I could find is missing those statutory employee benefits provided to in-house employees.
These are just a few of the too many good reasons to start a medical-transcription career, so what are you waiting for?
