MTs are not just typists working in the healthcare industry. The skills required for medical record accuracy are fairly extensive. MTs are expected to be proficient in medical terminology, English language use and grammar, anatomy and physiology, disease processes, medical record keeping, and of course typing and computer skills. Entry level transcriptionists must graduate from an MT certificate program and are considered experienced only after 3-5 years of full time equivalent work hours. The American Association for Medical Transcription offers a Medical Transcriptionist Certification Program (MTCP). To obtain certification, an individual must pass a 2-part test � a written test on essential knowledge (terminology, language use, anatomy/physiology, etc.)and a dictation transcription covering report types and specialties. AAMT recommends that applicants not take the transcription portion without 2 full-time years of experience. Certification is a fairly new development that has been created to improve the professionalism of MTs and the quality of MT work product. Less than 5% of USMTs are certified. As of date, 36 Indian MTs have suceesfully cleared the certification; a majority are working with HealthScribe Ltd., a company which facilitated their certification process in India.

Medical Transcription business is classified as an IT enabled service in India. In other words, it does not require specialized IT or software development skills. However, an ideal qualification to look for in a medical transcriptionist is graduation with above average listening and English comprehension skills. Further, the candidates should be able to quickly develop new skills and adjust to diverse accents and diction. Keyboarding and transcription should not be confused. The primary skills necessary for performance of quality medical transcription are extensive medical knowledge and understanding, sound judgment, deductive reasoning, and the ability to detect medical inconsistencies in dictation.

A medical language specialist must be aware of standards and requirements that apply to the medical record, as well as the legal significance of medical transcripts. You must be able to work for long hours, often in a high-pressure environment. A high level of concentration for extended periods of time is also required.