Introducing: Penn Foster’s Medical Transcriptionist Career Diploma Program
While PCDI is no longer accepting enrollments in our Medical Transcriptionist Career Diploma Program, we’re excited to introduce you to our partner school, Penn Foster.
If you're interested in a healthcare career and would like the option to work from home, our flexible online Medical Transcriptionist Training Program can help you prepare to become a medical transcriptionist, and you can study at your own pace.
LEARN MORECrack the Code on a Satisfying Career
If you’re looking for a healthcare career that allows you to work in an in-demand industry without having to work with patients, becoming a medical transcriptionist could be the right move. Complete your courses at your own pace—earn your Medical Transcriptionist Career Diploma on your time.
Medical transcriptionists can work in healthcare offices, for insurance companies, hospitals, or for transcription services companies.
Why Penn Foster?
Penn Foster has been on a mission to help people like you obtain skills and achieve their career goals for more than 130 years. We provide students with a quality education that fits their busy lifestyle and budget, offering over 100 self-paced, career-relevant programs across our College, Career School, and High School. Every course is designed to work with your schedule, anytime, anywhere you want to study. With a focus on relevant skills and career prep for the job you’re after, Penn Foster can help you graduate with confidence and help provide a guide towards your career goals.
What You'll Learn in Penn Foster’s Online Medical Transcriptionist Career Diploma Program
- How to transcribe and interpret dictation into diagnostic test results, operative reports, referral letters, medical reports, and other documents.
- Translate medical abbreviations and jargon into the appropriate long form.
- How to use common transcription software.
- How to enter electronic health records into appropriate databases.
Penn Foster’s Online Medical Transcriptionist Career Diploma Program
As part of our Medical Transcriptionist Training Program course curriculum, you'll learn the foundational skills that can help you prepare to start a successful career in the field. Your courses include:
- Medical Billing and Health Insurance
- Body Systems, Anatomy, and Medical Terminology
- Medical Transcription
Learn More About the Penn Foster Experience
At Penn Foster, we think online learning can make a big difference in people's lives, and it should be available to everyone. That's why we've made our programs affordable and tailored to fit your needs. You can learn and improve your skills for the job you want, all at your own pace and on your own schedule.
Medical Transcriptionist Program FAQs
Post-secondary education and training is often the first step toward becoming a medical transcriptionist. Employers prefer to hire candidates who have completed medical transcription classes and getting certified, while not required, can help you stand out among other job applicants. While certification isn't a requirement for employment, transcriptionists can sit for the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) exam offered by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI).
Medical transcriptionists listen to voice recordings that physicians and other healthcare workers make and convert them into written reports. When transcribing reports, they're responsible for interpreting medical terminology and abbreviations, creating clear patient medical histories, discharge paperwork, and more.
There is a range of ways you can use your medical transcriptionist diploma. Medical transcriptionists play an important part on a healthcare team, translating and transcribing voice memos from physicians. As more patients and an aging population seek healthcare services, there will likely be more data and notes that need transcribing. However, it's important to note that, with technological advancement, some physicians and healthcare providers have begun to rely on speech recognition software versus hiring transcriptionists. Additionally, medical transcriptionists often have the option of working flexible schedules from home.
To become a transcriptionist, you'll learn the basics of medical office procedures, medical terminology, billing, and medical transcription.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average salary for a medical transcriptionist is $34,730.*
Sources:
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, "Medical Transcriptionists." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Accessed October 3, 2023.
Statements found in the United States Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook are not a guarantee of any post-graduation salary, in part because the data used to create the Occupational Outlook Handbook includes workers from differing educational backgrounds, levels of experience, and geographic areas of the country.
