| A transcriber is the machine that plays a dictated | | | | women, (one I describe was almost as bad as |
| report through a set of headsets. The headset | | | | the Old Catholic Nuns), and however, I did learn |
| fits over the head somewhat like a headband with | | | | the value of accurately transcribing medical |
| two little round plugs you plug into your ears. | | | | reports and to keep those records private. I |
| There is a foot pedal that usually has three | | | | feared the nun and her daughter would probably |
| sections. The middle section when pressed by | | | | cut my fingers off and my tongue out if I |
| your foot continuously "plays" the transcription | | | | disobeyed these rules! |
| report as it was dictated by the doctor. The right | | | | After being in this one particular position for a |
| pedal would rewind to a previous spot. The left | | | | total of about 13 years, I feel these two rules lay |
| portion of this pedal would fast forward the | | | | the foundation for all else that is being a |
| report. The transcriber machine sits usually near | | | | Professional Medical Transcriptionist, they are: |
| your typewriter. It is a fairly small piece of | | | | Accuracy in the ability to interpret, translate, |
| equipment that resembles an ordinary tape player | | | | and edit medical dictation for content and clarity |
| recorder. There are buttons on the transcriber to | | | | Professionalism in being able to keep highly |
| play fast forward, rewind and open the | | | | confidential information about patients ENTIRELY |
| compartment where you place the tape of | | | | CONFIDENTIAL. |
| physician dictated reports. | | | | If there is one common quality all medical |
| When I first became acquainted with a transcriber | | | | transcriptionists must possess, it is a true love |
| I was amazed! It was during an interview for a | | | | and passion for "words." This is the common |
| clerk-typist job in which the most important and | | | | thread in the profession of medical transcription. I |
| difficult task was going to be transcribing medical | | | | fit this perfectly. In grade school, we had a regular |
| dictation in a Crippled Children's clinic. I seemed to | | | | substitute teacher who always gave us |
| have an immediate connection or bonding to the | | | | "dictionary" work on the days she taught our |
| headset, the transcriber and the typewriter. | | | | class. She would give us a list of words to look up |
| At the end of the interview I was hired solely | | | | in the dictionary and write out their meanings. We |
| upon the transcribing test. All other applicants had | | | | had to write the exact meaning from the |
| excelled in other areas for this job, except the | | | | dictionary and then write the meaning into our |
| transcription test. I immediately began typing the | | | | own words. It was lessons that helped to lay the |
| words I heard through the headset and at an | | | | foundation for my later love of words as well as |
| amazing speed and accuracy. They were | | | | typing, medical transcription and writing articles for |
| impressed! I thought what is the big deal here? No | | | | online web site marketing purposes. |
| problem transcribing the words I heard through | | | | During this first medical transcription/clerk-typist |
| the headset. I had more problems answering the | | | | job, I would go home sometimes stuck on a |
| phone! | | | | word. I was anxious to return to work and |
| Each day was an education in many ways, but | | | | continue looking for that word. I always found it. I |
| mostly in medical transcription. I learned medical | | | | move no place without packing my medical and |
| transcription on the job. In those days, we called | | | | regular dictionaries with me. They are staples in |
| it "taking dictation." The area of medical expertise | | | | my life forevermore I suppose. I also carry |
| in this position was limited to orthopedic and | | | | around a transcription machine complete with |
| pediatric transcription. I later transferred to other | | | | headset and foot pedal! |
| jobs in which I transcribed Internal Medicine and | | | | Medical transcriptionists can get lost in dictionaries. |
| Psychiatric medical reports. Of all assignments, it | | | | Words are truly exciting to a medical |
| was the psychiatric dictation I was most | | | | transcriptionist. |
| interested in transcribing. | | | | Other basic qualities that lay the foundation for a |
| Wow! This job is actually fun. My thoughts daily | | | | future in medical transcription include: |
| were "this is not a job." This is just plain fun. | | | | Typing skill |
| However, it is a job and I soon learned, although I | | | | Good hand-eye coordination to help you |
| enjoyed this, it was highly important to transcribe | | | | quickly twist and turn looking for your books and |
| those reports accurately and after that, a medical | | | | resources to find your words |
| transcriptionist must never tell anything to anyone | | | | Ability to know how and where to find |
| else that they hear through the headphones. | | | | information |
| I had two very excellent "older" mentors in this | | | | Good spelling and proofreading skills |
| job that did not let one mistake slip by, and made | | | | This article is FREE to publish with the resource |
| no beans about slapping my hands when mistakes | | | | box. |
| occurred. I had some rough days with those two | | | | |