Medical Transcription Pathway
Is your student a detailed-oriented individual who prefers to help people behind the scenes? Are they a whiz at typing? Then they may want to consider becoming a medical transcriptionist!
Medical transcriptionists listen to voice recordings that physicians and other healthcare workers make and convert them into written reports. They also may review and edit medical documents created using speech recognition technology. Transcriptionists interpret medical terminology and abbreviations in preparing patients’ medical histories, discharge summaries, and other documents.
For students who choose this pathway, we offer a rigorous, project-based learning curriculum that allows students to gain a broad understanding of healthcare and hospital operations, learn medical terminology and how it relates to medical transcription, and practice transcribing real de-identified medical records. It’s a hands-on curriculum packed with case studies and practical exercises.
Our Stride Career Prep curriculum prepares students to earn the credentials necessary to embark on a career as a medical transcriptionist right after graduation—without the hassle or expense of additional training or degrees. The tuition-free program includes exam prep for the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) from the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) exam, a highly regarded industry credential. We also jumpstart your job search by helping you create a professional résumé, cover letter, and profile on Tallo—the leading professional networking platform for Gen Z. Plus, you connect virtually to working professionals in the healthcare field through Nepris.*
Our Medical Transcription Curriculum in Detail
All of our students take the core courses required for high school graduation in their state. The chart below shows the additional classes that Medical Transcription Pathway students take, and the industry-recognized certification exams they can prepare to take. You can see the rest of the curriculum by viewing the full course list.
Great News
Stride Career Prep programs with the Medical Transcription Pathway are available in our tuition-free K12-powered, fully accredited, public online schools in the following state: California
Don’t see your state? There are also tuition-free options in related fields like the Medical Billing and Coding pathway!
Occupational Spotlight
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Medical Records and Health Information Technician
Medical records and health information technicians organize and manage electronic and hardcopy health records. They use different classification systems to code and categorize patient information for insurance reimbursement purposes, and to ensure patient medical histories are complete and accurate and can be relied on to inform future care.
2020 Median Starting
Salary1
$37,454
Projected New Jobs, 2019-20292
29,000
Expected Percentage Growth in No. of Jobs, 2019-20292
8% (much faster than average)
Typical Entry-Level Education
High school diploma or GED, plus usually a certification
Medical Transcriptionist
Medical transcriptionists listen to voice recordings that physicians and other healthcare workers make and convert them into written reports. They also may review and edit medical documents created using speech recognition technology. Transcriptionists interpret medical terminology and abbreviations in preparing patients’ medical histories, discharge summaries, and other documents.
2020 Median Starting
Salary1
$40,081
Projected New Jobs, 2019-20292
-1,300
Expected Percentage Growth in No. of Jobs, 2019-20292
-2% (decline)
Typical Entry-Level Education
1-year certification program
FAQs
Do you need a college degree to become a medical transcriptionist?
You do not need a degree to become a medical transcriptionist, although typically a one-year certification program is required. Our graduates from the Medical Transcription Pathway are typically able to get an apprenticeship in medical transcription right out of high school, after which they may sit for a certification exam.
How can you prepare for a career in medical transcription? What classes should you take in high school?
You can prepare for a career in medical transcription while still in high school by taking courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and—if the high school offers this option—specific classes in medical transcription. One of the best things to do while in high school, of course, is to work or volunteer in a hospital, nursing care facility, doctor’s office, or other medical setting.
Our Medical Transcription Pathway allows students to take classes in medical terminology and anatomy and physiology plus two semesters of medical transcription and one semester of health information management.
How is medical transcription different from medical coding?
Medical transcription focuses on accurately recording, in written format, audiotaped diagnoses from a physician. The focus of a medical transcription training program is on recording this information accurately, using proper grammar, spelling, and formatting. Medical coding focuses on correctly assigning the right codes, used to ensure both for consistency and accuracy of medical records as well as accuracy in billing and insurance reimbursement, to each medical service provided.
Learn more about course offerings in the other Stride Career Prep career fields.
Hear How Stride Career Prep Can Work for Your Teen
Thinking this might be a good fit for your student and interested in learning more from current Stride Career Prep students, families, and teachers? Submit questions to people that experience our program firsthand and get direct answers!
1Burning Glass Labor Insights, accessed October 16, 2020. Data is median salary for job postings with that job title, with typical minimum education requirements for that job title (as shown in chart on this page) and 0-2 years of experience, from October 1, 2019, to September 20, 2020.
2Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Website last modified date: Wednesday, September 1, 2020.
*Opportunities vary by school; please visit your school page or check with your school counselor.
**Stride Career Prep is a program for grades 9–12. At some schools, career exploration is offered in middle school.
†Many Microsoft®️ Office certificates can be earned after completing one course. Other certificates require more classes to be better prepared, and students who participate in the program for at least two years will have further preparation for certification testing.
