How Much Does Medical Transcription Training Cost?

$ Online Program: $2,000-$5,000

$ $ Technical School or Community College: $2,500-$12,000

Medical transcription has to do with the process of transferring reports which are dictated by medical professionals into text format.

The medical transcription classes usually take four to 18 months to complete and are taught both online and in person.

Typical Costs

• Taking classes in person is done at a technical or community college where the medical transcription classes cost $2,500-$12,000 for tuition.
• The type of residence plays a role in higher tuition costs, as Everett Community College charges $3,741 for medical transcription courses for residents and $11,137 for non-residents of Washington state; while Seminole State, in Florida, costs $2,920 for residents, $11,566 for non-residents of the state.
• There are also medical transcription classes taken online to avoid non-resident costs.
• The online programs vary and can offer live-streamed and interactive virtual classrooms or self-paced lessons.
• A great deal of the online medical transcription programs cost $2,000-$5,000.
• For instance, A&H Training Corp., charges $4,000 for a medical transcription degree and certificate, while Career Step provides online training for $2,095.

What Is Included

• Medical transcription programs cover instruction in medical terminology, anatomy, and training in medical transcription.
• The training includes the usage of medical transcription devices such as medical-related software, word processing software, and a dictation machine.
• Certain schools include membership to the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, being the largest organization representing medical transcriptionists, with tuition.

Additional Costs

• Transcription foot pedals that provide foot-activated stop and go functions cost from $50-$150, where some come with USB cord connections and others are wireless devices.
• A selection of transcription pedals is offered by Amazon.
• Medical transcriptionists can be registered and certified through the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, and that is associated with the level of experience in the field.
• Testing to become a registered transcriptionist costs $150-$230 based on membership status and the administration of the test, and the certification testing costs $150-$280.
• The two tests require an additional $10 eligibility processing fee.

Discounts

• Certain degree-based programs like those at junior or community colleges offer financial aid to qualified students.
• The students can apply for federal financial aid online.
• The American Health Information Management Association secures annual scholarships for students seeking careers in health information management.
• A&H Training Corp. provides a 20% discount to military members and their spouses.

Shopping For Medical Transcription Training

• The Association of Healthcare Documentation Integrity issues a comparison guide of schools offering transcription training across the country.
• The American Health Information Management Association further provides links for prospective students looking for an accredited degree program and students searching for employment as a medical transcriptionist.
• Health Information Careers provides tips for finding an accredited program.
• Various reputable companies provide legitimate and rigorous medical training; however one should be careful about programs that promise guaranteed jobs or at-home work that sound too good to be true.
• HomeWithTheKids.com provides information on the common medical transcription/billing/coding scams.

Medical transcription is a growing career in recent years, so it’s a great opportunity to get into the field.

Good luck!