Georgia

Medical Transcriptionists in Georgia

As an integral part of the healthcare team, medical transcriptionists work to turn audio recordings from physicians and other healthcare practitioners into official written medical documents. If you have an eye for detail, great listening skills and an ability to write and edit, a career as a medical transcriptionist might be a good fit for you.

Working as a medical transcriptionist will require you to have a good understanding of medical terminology, medical abbreviations, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology and various software programs. Modern-day transcriptionists are often responsible for extensive editing on documents created using voice-recognition software, as well as ensuring proper legal and confidentiality requirements are strictly adhered to.

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Georgia Regulations for Medical Transcriptionists

Licensure is not a requirement for medical transcriptionists in Georgia, and there is no oversight board for working medical transcriptionists. Those wanting to pursue this career path will, however, need to acquire a minimum level of education. In order to apply for a training program for medical transcription, one will need to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Once obtained, specialized training will also be required. Most programs for medical transcription are certificate-level programs with training of up to one year in length.

Georgia Programs for Medical Transcription

Only one school in Georgia offers training for medical transcriptionists, on an online basis only.

  • Ashworth College offers students the opportunity to train from home and receive a certificate after at least four months of training. The program will guide students through the basics of transcription including an overview of medical terminology, disorders and treatments. Coursework will include basic medical terminology as well as classes on various systems within the body. Students will be well-prepared to seek additional accreditations upon graduation. Specifically, graduates will be ready to take examinations through the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) to obtain the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) designation.

Optional Certifications for Career Advancement

Obtaining specialized credentialing can help you to show potential employers an extra level of expertise and set you apart in a competitive field. For credentialing, many look to the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) to obtain a certification as a Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS). In order to become credentialed, candidates must be able to pass an examination consisting of multiple-choice questions, listening exercises and sample transcriptions.

Georgia Growth Projections and Salaries

The profession is expected to experience a decline of 1.9 percent in the state between the years 2016 and 2026, according to Projections Central. Nationwide, the rate of decline is higher still, with an expected 3.3 percent reduction in employment for medical transcriptionists.

Pay ranges in the state are also slightly below the national average. Data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show an average annual salary of $33,540 in Georgia, as compared to a national mean salary of $36,350. In slightly better news, for those residing near the state’s largest city, the Atlanta metro area is listed as one of the top metropolitan areas for employment in the country, according to the BLS.

Opportunities for Medical Transcriptionists in Georgia

Working as a medical transcriptionist can often mean working remotely from home or having the ability to freelance or run your own company. According to the BLS, the highest paid medical transcriptionists work in local governments, accounting and tax preparation firms, medical and diagnostic laboratories, dentist offices and hospitals. Hospitals are also listed as one of the industries with the largest number of transcriptionists employed. A few possible employers in Georgia include Med Trans, Inc., CryoLife, Inc., NavCare, United Health Group, Grady Health System and Southern Regional Medical Center.