While medical transcription may seem like a great field to pursue (and is, in this author’s opinion), if you have difficulty hearing/deciphering what is said, you may not be able or want to pursue it. It also takes a certain personality to put up with (for lack of a better, tactful term) lousy dictators.

I remember transcribing for one doctor who used to constantly change his dictation; he’d dictate something and then say, “back up and change that to…” He did that for every sentence! This is the kind of thing a medical transcriptionist must realize can and will happen. And if you run into that, then instead of getting frustrated and upset, you simply charge more to transcribe that doctor’s dictation, explaining that it takes more time because of all the on-the-fly editing that is required. If that client does not agree to paying you more for your time, find other clients whose work is easier to transcribe.

As you become more assertive in your skills as a medical transcriptionist, you will realize that you do not have to put up with certain situations and/or people. For example, when I was looking for an MT job, I interviewed with a doctor (orthopedic surgeon in the workers’ compensation arena) who kept asking me if I had ever had any carpal tunnel injuries/surgeries, pain in my wrists/hands, or lost time from work due to such symptoms. I am one of the fortunate ones who has never had any such problems which I told him. However, he kept asking these questions over and over. It became clear to me that his concern was not that I was a good medical transcriptionist, and I vowed I would never work for someone who cared so little for me as a human being and whose sole concern was the bottom line.

Another comment: I find it so ironic that once doctors learn how to perform a procedure or operate a new piece of equipment to run a test that they will charge the same rate time after time when conducting such procedures/operations of equipment. However, when a medical transcriptionist takes the time to develop macros to streamline the process of transcribing medical reports, some doctors will balk at having to pay the line count for the macros! They will say something like, “You didn’t type that so why should I pay you for the line count for that section of dictation?” If you come across something like this, simply respond: “Doctor, you learn new techniques and procedures throughout your career which have helped you to be more productive, haven’t you? Well, why do you charge the same amount each time you perform them? ” What’s good for the doctor is good for the medical transcriptionist!

In short, never sell yourself short to someone, especially doctors. I have found some doctors to be so obnoxiously cheap and offensive I will never work for them. There are other opportunities where my skills and professionalism as a medical transcriptionist will be appreciated and rewarded. AMEN!