### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Medical Transcriptionists Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            									
							
				                                                
                                            




            			medical transcriptionists imageMedical transcriptionists listen to recorded dictation from a physician.							
						Quick Facts:     Medical Transcriptionists2023     Median Pay
            						$37,060     per year
										$17.82     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Postsecondary nondegree awardWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    NoneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    49,000Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    -4% (Decline)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    -1,800What Medical Transcriptionists Do
                                                
                        
                        
Medical transcriptionists use electronic devices to convert voice recordings from physicians and other healthcare workers into formal reports.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Many medical transcriptionists work for hospitals, physicians' offices, and third-party transcription companies that provide services to healthcare establishments. Most are full time, but part-time work is common.
            
                                                How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist
                                                
                        
Medical transcriptionists typically need postsecondary education that leads to a certificate. Prospective medical transcriptionists must know basic medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and rules of grammar.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for medical transcriptionists was $37,060 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of medical transcriptionists is projected to decline							 4 percent from 2022 to 2032.
						Despite declining  employment, about 8,100 openings for medical transcriptionists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for medical transcriptionists.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of medical transcriptionists with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about medical transcriptionists by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Medical Transcriptionists Do 
            

			medical transcriptionists imageMedical transcriptionists review medical reports for accuracy.			
Medical transcriptionists, sometimes referred to as *healthcare documentation specialists*, use electronic devices to convert voice recordings from physicians and other healthcare workers into formal reports. Transcriptionists also may edit medical records for accuracy and return documents for review and approval.
Duties
Medical transcriptionists typically do the following:
Listen to the recorded dictation of a physician or other healthcare worker
Interpret and transcribe the dictation for medical reports, such as patient histories, discharge summaries, and physical examinations
Review and edit drafts prepared by speech recognition software, making sure that the transcription is accurate, complete, and consistent in style
Translate medical abbreviations and jargon into the appropriate long form
Identify inconsistencies, errors, and missing information in a report that could compromise patient care
Submit reports to physicians and other healthcare providers for review and approval
Follow patient confidentiality guidelines and legal documentation requirements
Enter medical reports into electronic health records (EHR) systemsMedical transcriptionists use a variety of equipment to produce reports. The most common is speech recognition technology, which involves specialized software that automatically prepares an initial draft of a report. The transcriptionist then listens to the voice file and reviews the draft for accuracy, identifying any errors and editing the report, as necessary. A less common technology requires these workers to use audio-playback equipment for listening to and transcribing dictation. Transcriptionists also use word-processing and other software to prepare the transcripts, as well as medical reference materials when needed.
Medical transcriptionists must be familiar with medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology. Additionally, they must have knowledge of English grammar in order to ensure that their transcriptions are correct. Transcriptionists’ ability to understand the healthcare worker's recording, to correctly transcribe that information, and to identify inaccuracies in the transcript is critical to preventing ineffective or even harmful treatment.
Medical transcriptionists who work in physicians’ offices may have other duties, such as answering phones and greeting patients.
 Work Environment
			Medical transcriptionistsMedical transcriptionists may receive dictation and submit drafts electronically.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Medical transcriptionists held about 49,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of medical transcriptionists were as follows:
        Administrative and support services
                37%Offices of physicians
                34Hospitals; state, local, and private
                12Management, scientific, and technical consulting services
                2Administrative and support services includes companies that provide transcription services and temporary help firms.
Medical transcriptionists may work from home, receiving dictation and submitting drafts electronically. Their work may be stressful because they need to ensure that reports are accurate and completed within a quick turnaround time.
Work Schedules
Most medical transcriptionists are full time, but part-time work is common. Medical transcriptionists who work from home may work outside typical business hours and may have flexibility in determining their schedules.
 How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist

			Medical transcriptionistsMedical transcription programs may be offered online by vocational schools, community colleges, and career institutes.			
Medical transcriptionists typically need postsecondary education that leads to a certificate. Prospective medical transcriptionists must know basic medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and rules of grammar. Some choose to become certified.
Education
Employers may prefer to hire transcriptionists who have completed postsecondary education in medical transcription. Medical transcription programs may be offered online as well as in person by vocational schools, community colleges, and career institutes. They vary in length but typically may be completed in less than 1 year; programs that lead to an associate's degree may take longer.
Programs typically include coursework in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, laws relating to healthcare documentation, and English grammar and punctuation. These programs may include the opportunity to gain experience through supervised transcription. Prospective transcriptionists who are familiar with medical terminology from working in other healthcare occupations, such as nursing assistants or medical secretaries, may become proficient through refresher courses and training.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Although certification is not required, some medical transcriptionists choose to become certified. For example, the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity offers the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) and the Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS) certifications. Both certifications require passing an exam and are valid for a specified number of years. In order to recertify, individuals must earn continuing education credits.
The RHDS certification is for recent graduates with little experience who work in a single specialty environment, such as a clinic or a physician’s office. The CHDS certification is for transcriptionists who currently hold the RHDS designation. In addition, CHDS candidates must have a specified number of years of experience in acute care, including experience handling dictation in various medical specialties.
Important Qualities
***Computer skills.*** Medical transcriptionists must know how to operate electronic health records (EHR) systems and should be comfortable using software to prepare reports.
***Critical-thinking skills.*** Medical transcriptionists must assess medical reports and correct any inaccuracies and inconsistencies in finished drafts.
***Listening skills.*** Medical transcriptionists must pay attention to hear and interpret the intended meaning of dictations.
***Time-management skills.*** Medical transcriptionists must organize their schedules well because they may need to produce transcriptions under tight deadlines.
***Writing skills.*** Medical transcriptionists need a good understanding of English grammar in order to ensure that transcribed reports are correct.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Medical TranscriptionistsMedian annual wages, May 2023Total, all occupations$48,060  Other healthcare support occupations$43,330  Medical transcriptionists$37,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for medical transcriptionists was $37,060 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,190, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $52,880.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for medical transcriptionists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Hospitals; state, local, and private
                $46,410Offices of physicians
                39,690Management, scientific, and technical consulting services
                35,180Administrative and support services
                32,240Some medical transcriptionists are paid based on the volume of transcription they produce. Others are paid an hourly rate or an annual salary.
Most medical transcriptionists are full time, but part-time work is common. Medical transcriptionists who work from home may work outside typical business hours and have some flexibility in determining their schedules.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Medical TranscriptionistsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Other healthcare support occupations11%  Total, all occupations3%  Medical transcriptionists-4%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of medical transcriptionists is projected to decline				 4 percent from 2022 to 2032.
			
			Despite declining  employment, about 8,100 openings for medical transcriptionists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Technological advances in speech recognition and electronic health records (EHR) software allow physicians to document some information in the moment, reducing the need for medical transcriptionists. In addition, these technologies increase medical transcriptionists' productivity, allowing more transcription by fewer workers.
Meanwhile, as healthcare providers seek to cut costs, some will contract out transcription services and not do in-house transcription.
			

                        Employment projections data for     medical transcriptionists, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Medical transcriptionists**
			31-9094
			49,000
			47,200
			-4
			-1,800
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Medical transcriptionists **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of medical transcriptionists. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners**
            Court reporters create word-for-word transcriptions at trials, depositions, and other legal proceedings. Simultaneous captioners provide similar transcriptions for television or for presentations in other settings, such as press conferences and business meetings, for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $63,940**Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars**
            Health information technologists and medical registrars advise organizations on computerized healthcare systems and analyze clinical data.
            Associate's degree
            $62,990**Information Clerks**
            Information clerks perform routine clerical duties, maintain records, collect data, and provide information to customers.
            See How to Become One
            $40,540**Interpreters and Translators**
            Interpreters and translators convert information from one language into another language.
            Bachelor's degree
            $57,090**Medical Assistants**
            Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks, such as scheduling appointments and taking patients’ vital signs.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $42,000**Medical Records Specialists**
            Medical records specialists compile, process, and maintain patient files.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $48,780**Receptionists**
            Receptionists do tasks such as answering phones, receiving visitors, and providing information about their organization to the public.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $35,840**Secretaries and Administrative Assistants**
            Secretaries and administrative assistants do routine clerical and organizational tasks.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $46,010
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about medical transcriptionists, certification and for a list of accredited medical transcription programs, visit
Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity
CareerOneStop
For a career video on medical transcriptionists, visit
Medical Transcriptionists

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Medical Transcriptionists
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical Transcriptionists, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-transcriptionists.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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