Who can do transcription jobs?

Who can do transcription jobs?

Anybody with a good understanding of day-to-day English can become a general or media transcriptionist. To become a medical or legal transcriptionist, however, one needs to know the basics of both subjects.

Transcription is a good career choice and provides excellent chances for growth and promotion. It is also a viable career option for housewives, pensioners and even college students who need some extra pocket money or simply want to keep themselves occupied. 
  

The main requirements are:

i.    A good understanding of English grammar and syntax
ii.    A typing speed of 60 words per minute or above
iii.    Excellent listening skills
iv.    A familiarity with MS-Word and other Office related software.

While there are a few companies that provide transcription training to freshers and later absorb them, most companies prefer new entrants to have at least a year or two of prior experience with transcription.

Medical Transcription

Medical Transcription in Detail:

Medical transcription is the act of transcribing or typing a doctor’s report on his/her patients from dictated audio files into written text (usually electronically, i.e. on a computer). Whenever a medical professional – doctor, nurse or other healthcare personnel – sees a patient, he/she maintains a record of certain important aspects of the patient’s health.

This usually consists of:

1.       Current issue(s) the patient is presenting with;
2.       History of present illness;
3.       Medications he/she is on;
4.       Prior surgeries or problems (if any);
5.       Details of physical examination performed;
6.       Laboratory values for any test(s) performed; and
7.       Conclusion or diagnosis.

These medical records are usually of four types:

a.    Consultation (first visit)
b.    Follow-up/Clinical visits (second or subsequent visit)
c.    Operative procedures (surgeries)
d.    Letters to other doctors recommending a patient for consultation or          second opinion.

Types of Transcription

Transcription can be divided into four main categories.

1)    Medical Transcription

2)    Legal Transcription

3)    Media Transcription

4)    General Transcription

What is Transcription?

What is transcription?

Transcription simply means converting speech into a written or electronic text document. Transcription services are often provided for business, legal, or medical purposes. The most common type of transcription is from a spoken language source into text, i.e., speech to text (usually on a computer, though it could also be on paper).

For a transcription service, different individuals and organizations have different methods of pricing. This can be per line, per word, per minute, or per hour - varying from individual to individual and industry to industry. Transcription is among the fastest growing jobs around the world.

In the beginning, transcription used to be done by secretaries who used to take notes in short-hand and then work on typewriters for long hours to get a report ready. With the advancement of technology, the same work is now done at a fraction of the price and within a much shorter period of time. The availability of highly sophisticated recording equipment ensures that multiple files can be created, stored and sent for transcription purposes.

Nowadays, many companies also offer their employees the luxury of providing these services from the comfort of their homes.

Asian countries like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are highly sought after by countries USA, Canada, UK, Australia as sources of cheaper transcription services that also ensure good quality and quick turnaround times.