The Medical Transcription option is designed to meet the high demands for well-trained medical transcriptionists regionally and nationally. The program provides modern equipment and current software with courses to prepare students for work in a variety of health care facilities and private medical transcription companies. Medical transcription companies offer at-home employment opportunities; usually these follow work experience and are mainly full-time. Experienced workers may become independent contractors or move into supervisory positions. Medical transcriptionists must practice standards of ethics, including confidentiality, which is demanded and upheld by the law.
Medical transcriptionists operate computers and word-processing equipment to transcribe physician dictation for permanent records on patients. A medical transcriptionist must have knowledge of medical terminology, human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and hospital, clinic or laboratory procedures. Other skill characteristics common among successful medical transcriptionists include, but are not limited to: strong English language and grammar skills; spelling, proofreading and listening skills; ability to enjoy independent, sedentary computer work; and enjoy reading. Other helpful characteristics include being highly motivated, well-organized people who work well with minimal supervision and manage time effectively.
While students are employable at the completion of this program, they may choose to use it as a stepping-stone into an Associate in Applied Science degree as a Medical Administrative Assistant.
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BOTE 146 | Word Processing I | 2 |
| BOTE 171 | Medical Terminology | 4 |
| BOTE 172 | Medical Terminology III | 2 |
| BOTE 220 | Fundamentals of Medical Transcription | 2 |
| BOTE 221 | Applied Medical Transcription I* | 3 |
| BOTE 223 | Applied Medical Transcription II | 4 |
| BOTE 224 | Applied Medical Transcription III | 3 |
| Related/General Education Courses | ||
| BIOL 115 | Human Structure and Function | 3 |
| BIOL 213 | General Pathology | 3 |
| BOTE 111 | Intro to Business Proofreading/Formatting | 2 |
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| PHRM 100 | Basic Pharmacology for Allied Health | 2 |
| Total Required Credits | 33 | |
| Three SemesterSuggested Sequence of Study | ||
| 1st Semester (Fall) | 2nd Semester (Spring) | |
| BIOL 115 | BIOL 213 | |
| BOTE 111 (first 8 weeks) | BOTE 172 | |
| BOTE 171 | BOTE 223 | |
| BOTE 220* (first 8 weeks) | PHRM 100 | |
| BOTE 221 (second 8 weeks) | BOTE 146 | |
| Third Semester (Su) | ||
| BOTE 224 | ||
| ENGL 110 | ||
| Six Semester Suggested Sequence of Study | ||
| 1st Semester (Fall) | 2nd Semester (Spr) | |
| BIOL 115 | BOTE 146 | |
| BOTE 171 | BOTE 172 | |
| Third Semester (Su) | Fourth Semester (Fall) | |
| BIOL 213 | BOTE 111 (first 8 weeks) | |
| PHRM 100 | BOTE 220* (first 8 weeks) | |
| BOTE 221 (second 8 weeks) | ||
| Fifth Semester (Spr) | Sixth Semester (Su) | |
| BOTE 223 | BOTE 224 | |
| ENGL 110 | ||
Students are required to order foot pedals directly from Health Professions Institute. No game port is required to use the USB foot pedal which connects to the USB port on a PC (Item Code: USBP; Price $69). A game port foot pedal is also available that connects to a 15-pin game port (also called a MIDI port) on a PC (ITem Code: 15PIN; Price $49). Both pedals can be ordered from HPI's Web site. If a student is not sure which pedal to order, they should visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of the site.
The foot pedal and CD-ROM used for Medical Transcription classes are not compatible with MAC computers. Students must have a Windows-based computer. The Microsoft Word version must be ‘98 or newer.
Earphones can be something you already have or they can be purchased from an office supply store or electronics store. They should be comfortable as they are worn for long periods of time. They need to be able to plug into your computer to transcribe from the CD.
The program is available both online and in a traditional campus environment. Online students complete all courses online, while on-campus students complete transcription courses online and several of the related/general education courses in a traditional classroom.
Biology labs can be taken from other accredited colleges or online through colleges in the North Dakota University System. Course descriptions must be approved by the NDSCS Registrar prior to taking the course.
A passing grade of ‘C’ or above is required for medical transcription curriculum courses including BOTE 220, BOTE 221, BOTE 223 and BOTE 224.
*A minimum keyboarding competency of 45 corrected words per minute, in a five-minute timed writing, is required for enrollment in BOTE 220.
Students in this program will be charged a $50 per semester program fee. This is based on a full-time (12 credits) enrollment. The program fee will be prorated to $4.17 per credit for part-time students.
The applicants must be high school graduates or equivalent. Helpful courses to prepare for this program option are medical terminology, English, anatomy, and computer literacy.
Upon successful completion of the required courses, students will be awarded a Certificate in Health Information with an emphasis in Medical Transcription.
The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (American Association for Medical Transcription) offers a voluntary entry-level credentialing exam, the Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT).
Geralyn Matejcek
800-342-4325, ext 3-2269 (701-671-2269) or email
