I’ve always rankled at the title, ‘Medical Transcriptionist’ because it merely describes what type of work we do rather than encapsulates who we really are as professionals. We are Medical Language Specialists.

To infer that medical transcriptionists simply transcribe medical reports is akin to saying that doctors simply dole out medication to sick people. It trivializes our field, our profession, and livelihood. It says we have little to do with quality of patient care.

In fact, because medical transcription work is done behind the scenes, few people recognize its value and our contribution to it. We rarely get the accolades we truly deserve because the dictator knows that we will clean up his/her work and that the report will reflect what he/she meant to dictate as opposed to what was really dictated. The grammar, punctuation, sentence structure format, etc., doesn’t concern the doctor. It does concern us because it is our responsibility to ensure the best and proper communication so the patient can receive the best and proper medical care.

With regard to medical terminnology, there are many terms (and medications) that sound alike and unless a medical transcriptionist gives a darn, is tuned in, and is paying attention, these terms may escape him/her.

An absurdly simple example: ‘a fusion’ vs. ‘effusion.’ When I am typing, I have to ask myself, ‘Am I typing an x-ray of the spine, or is this a physical examination of a body part, such as a knee, for instance? This is the critical-thinking element of medical transcription. And when we pay attention to what we’re transcribing and use our powers or deduction, it’s simple. For a medical language specialist, that is.