Kentucky

How to Become a Medical Transcriptionist in Kentucky

Working as a medical transcriptionist in Kentucky is a great way to get into the expanding healthcare industry without earning a degree. There are no strict requirements for training or certification for this career, and most programs that provide the skills to do the job take less than one year to complete.

Medical transcriptionists listen to dictations made by physicians and other medical professionals. They have to be able to understand the terminology, listen carefully, and transcribe what they hear. A transcriptionist may also be responsible for reviewing, editing, and compiling medical reports.

Search Medical Transcription Programs

Get information on Medical Transcription programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings

Training in Kentucky to Be a Medical Transcriptionist

To work as a medical transcriptionist in Kentucky you will need some type of training or education, although there are no state requirements. Employers generally prefer to hire those who have completed high school or earned a GED and have finished a certificate or diploma program in medical transcription. Some may require certification or work experience in certain medical specialty areas.

Medical Transcription Programs in Kentucky

In Kentucky, you’ll find medical transcription programs offered on site at colleges, but you can also access online programs from anywhere.

  • Kentucky Community & Technical College System, multiple. With several campuses around the state, you can easily access the state’s college system program in medical transcription. The program includes 24 hours of coursework in keyboarding, using transcription equipment, and medical terminology.
  • Penn Foster College, online. If you prefer to work entirely online and to study and learn at your own pace, try the medical transcription program offered by Penn Foster. You’ll complete several courses on topics that include ethics and confidentiality in healthcare, medical billing, medical office procedures, transcription, pathology, and medical terminology. The program prepares you for transcription but also other allied health careers.

Medical Transcriptionist Certification

You do not have to get certified to work in this career, but with a credential from the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) you may find it easier to land a job. You may also be able to command a higher salary. The AHDI has two certification levels, both of which require a passing score on an exam:

  • Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist. This initial level is for medical transcriptionists with less than two years of work experience in a single-specialty setting.
  • Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist. The second level of certification is for those who already hold the RHDI credential, have worked for two years or more as a transcriptionist, and have worked in more than one medical specialty.

Salaries and Career Outlook for the U.S. and Kentucky

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a decline of three percent in medical transcription jobs across all states. Fortunately for workers in Kentucky the decline is closer to two percent. There are still jobs available every year as people leave their positions for retirement or other reasons. Expect around 100 medical transcription positions to be available each year for the next few years in Kentucky.

The median earnings for medical transcriptionists in the U.S. in 2018 was $16.72 per hour and $34,770 per year. In Kentucky, the average hourly income was $17.36 that same year, while the average annual earnings surpassed $36,110. The top ten percent of earners in this field in the state made nearly $50,000 in 2018.

Beginning Your Career as Medical Transcriptionist in Kentucky

Once you have the training you are ready to find a position and begin working in Kentucky. Most medical transcriptionists work for one of two types of companies: They either work for a healthcare support services company or directly for a medical facility, such as a hospital. Transcriptionists are increasingly working from home.

Some examples of recent listings in Kentucky for medical transcriptionists should give you an idea of what to expect: medical transcriptionist, Jane Todd Crawford Hospital, Greensburg; medical scribe, Hardin Memorial Hospital, Elizabethtown; medical scribe, Mediscribes, Inc., Louisville; and lead medical transcriptionist, Baptist Health System, Lexington.