No nursing license required
What does a medical transcriptionist do?
A medical transcriptionist turns a clinician's recorded dictation into a formal medical report, such as a history and physical or a discharge summary, and enters it into the health record. Today much of the work is editing a draft that speech-recognition software produced: finding errors, gaps and inconsistencies before the clinician signs.
Also advertised as: healthcare documentation specialist, medical transcription editor, speech recognition editor.Medical transcriptionist duties
These are the duties the US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists for the occupation.
- Listen to the recorded dictation of a physician or other clinician
- Edit drafts produced by speech-recognition software so they are accurate, complete and consistent in style
- Turn medical abbreviations and jargon into the right long form
- Flag inconsistencies, errors and missing information that could compromise care
- Return reports to the clinician for review and approval, and enter them into the EHR
- Follow patient confidentiality rules and legal documentation requirements
How much does a medical transcriptionist make?
- US median pay, May 2025
- $40,410 a year ($19.43 an hour)
- Lowest 10 percent
- Less than $28,250
- Highest 10 percent
- More than $55,950
- Hospitals (median)
- $46,750
- Offices of physicians (median)
- $44,670
- Administrative and support services (median)
- $33,280
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical Transcriptionists, checked 19 October 2026. These are US wages. Pay for remote work from another country is set by each employer. Some transcriptionists are paid by the volume they produce, others hourly or by salary.
Is medical transcription still a good career?
BLS projects employment of medical transcriptionists to fall 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, from about 42,000 jobs, because speech recognition and natural language processing let clinicians document in real time. It still projects about 6,200 openings a year, all from workers who retire or change jobs. The surviving work is editing and checking machine drafts, which is the same skill a clinical documentation reviewer uses.
Medical transcriptionist vs clinical documentation specialist
| Role | Works from | What the role does |
|---|---|---|
| Medical transcriptionist (this page) | A recording, after the visit | Produces and edits the formal report for the clinician to approve |
| Clinical documentation specialist | The finished note and the chart | Reviews notes and AI drafts for gaps and queries the clinician about what the record does not support |
Training and credentials
BLS says transcriptionists typically need a postsecondary certificate, often finished in under a year at a vocational school, community college or online program, covering anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, laws relating to healthcare documentation and English grammar. Certification is not required. The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity issues the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) credential, valid for 3 years. Other credentials are compared on the certifications page.
How to start remote transcription work
- Learn medical terminology and anatomy. Nurses already have most of this.
- Learn the privacy rules. The medical virtual assistant training page covers HIPAA basics for remote work.
- Practice reading charts. Use the free Simulated EHR Workspace. Every case is fictional and holds no real patient data.
- Read real postings. Search medical transcription openings to see the tools, turnaround and location rules employers name.
- Apply with proof of accuracy. Start with the medical VA resume guide. No course or app can promise a hire, and employers set pay.
Some remote transcription and editing roles are posted by healthcare outsourcing firms and medical VA agencies, and each posting sets its own terms. See the Philippines starting guide and the agency directory.
Common questions
What does a medical transcriptionist do?
A medical transcriptionist converts a clinician's dictation into formal reports, such as patient histories, discharge summaries and physical examinations, and enters them into the health record. Much of the work now is editing speech-recognition drafts for accuracy.
How much does a medical transcriptionist make?
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $40,410 ($19.43 an hour) for medical transcriptionists in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,250 and the highest 10 percent more than $55,950. Pay outside the US is set by each employer.
Is medical transcription a dying career?
BLS projects employment to fall 4 percent from 2025 to 2035 because speech recognition lets clinicians document in real time. It still projects about 6,200 openings a year, all from people leaving or changing jobs. The work that remains is editing and quality review.
Do you need a certification to be a medical transcriptionist?
BLS says certification is not required, though some transcriptionists choose to certify. The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity issues the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) credential. Employers may prefer a postsecondary certificate in medical transcription.
Can medical transcriptionists work from home?
Yes. BLS notes that medical transcriptionists may work from home, receiving dictation and submitting drafts electronically. Each employer sets the location rules, hours and pay, so read the posting.
What is the difference between a medical transcriptionist and a medical scribe?
A transcriptionist works from a recording after the visit and produces a formal report. A medical scribe documents the visit as it happens, working alongside one clinician. Both need medical terminology and careful listening.