Home Based Medical Transcription

A lot of people wonder if they would have the right basic skills to become a medical transcriptionist. I am not talking about an MT course, which you would need to have.

Some important things in a medical transcriptionist are typing, preferably 60 wpm or better (although sometimes lesser speeds could be acceptable with certain transcription companies), and good spelling and grammar.

As I am an avid reader I feel this has helped to make me good at spelling and grammar, at least good enough to correct a doctor's spelling and grammar.

I had typing in high school and my speed has slowly built up over the years as a transcriptionist. I can now type 100 wpm but I don't transcribe at that speed. I probably transcribe at about 70-80 wpm.

As far as typing goes, practice will build your speed, but in medical transcription quality is more important than quantity.

Also, working at home makes for a lonely business. That is why it is important to visit the MT forums so that you don't feel so alone all of the time. You can be sitting there for hours with a doctor dictating in your ears and feel completely isolated from the rest of the world. I, myself, do not mind the isolation but I know that it bothers some people a lot.

To me this is the perfect home based business.

Marilyn Roberts
Medical Transcriptionist