• Medical transcriptionists use computers to receive dictation and can work from home.typing image by Aditia Patria Warman from Fotolia.com
  
  Medical reports should accurately reflect the treatment, test results and procedures that each patient receives. Inaccurate or illegible medical records waste valuable time and cause unnecessary errors. Information that is missing or inaccurately documented could delay needed treatment or have costly legal ramifications. Credentialed medical transcriptionists are trained to accurately transcribe doctors' notes into neat and orderly reports. Basic requirements must be met before any certification or designation can be granted to medical transcriptionists.
  
  

Basic Requirements

• Prospective employers prefer medical transcriptionists with postsecondary training in the field. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics' (BLS) "Education and Training" section highly recommends an associate degree or a one-year certificate program including coursework in anatomy, medical terminology, legal issues relating to health-care documentation, and knowledge of English grammar.
  
  

Medical Transcriptionist Certifications

• Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) awards two credential certifications and one designation for medical transcriptionists. The two credentials are Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) and Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT); and the designation is an AHDI Fellow (AHDI-F). These two credentials and one designation are voluntarily acquired by medical transcriptionists who want to be credentialed. Designated testing centers administer the RMT and CMT computer-based examinations.
  
  

Registered Medical Transcriptionist Certification

• The Registered Medical Transcription credential certification equires a Level 1 examination. Prospective RMTs work in doctors' offices, clinic settings, or have recently graduated from a medical transcription education program. Medical transcription knowledge and performing transcription (including editing and proofreading) are what makes up the Level 1 examination. The certification is valid for three years but can be renewed by taking an online course, passing a final examination, and paying the renewal fee.
  
  

Certified Medical Transcriptionist Certification

• The Certified Medical Transcription credential certification is a Level 2 examination. Both examinations (RMT and CMT) are the same; however the Level 2 examination is for experienced transcriptionists. Anyone can take the CMT examination; however, there is a requirement of two years of transcription experience in the "acute care," or equivalent. AHDI's webpage states: "Acute care is defined as incorporating medical center dictation to include many dictators including multiple ESL dictators, many formats and report types, and all the major specialties, including and especially surgery dictation of all types, and some minor specialties."
  
  The Certified Medical Transcription's credential certification is valid for three years. Recertification includes a minimum of 30 credits of continuing education credits (within the three-year cycle) and paying a recertification fee.
  
  

AHDI Fellow Designation

• An AHDI Fellow is an honor extended to AHDI members that goes beyond the area of transcription. After initiating an AHDI Fellow Application, an AHDI Fellow must earn 50 points within five years of the application initiative. Prospective AHDI Fellows must fulfill five out of eight categories that include: attending professional meetings, association memberships, leadership activities, contributing to publications, and giving formal presentations, mentorship, civic activities, received awards, and earning credentials. An AHDI Fellow will lose his/her designation if membership is allowed to lapse.