New Mexico

A Career as a Medical Transcriptionist in New Mexico

Medical transcriptionists hold an important role in the healthcare industry. Primarily, they are responsible for listening to audio recordings made by physicians and other healthcare providers and converting them into written medical documentation. With modern technological advances, transcriptionists are also increasingly responsible for editing documents created using voice recognition technology.

Working in the field will require a solid knowledge of medical abbreviations, anatomy and physiology, diagnostic procedures, medical terminology, word processing software and healthcare information technology. Transcriptionists also need to know when and how to use appropriate reference materials, as well as keep up to date with current regulations to ensure they always remain in compliance. It is helpful for anyone considering this career to have good listening and typewriting skills and a good eye for detail.

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Regulations in New Mexico for Medical Transcription

There are no specific regulations regarding the practice of medical transcription in New Mexico, and licensure is not required to practice. However, a high school diploma or equivalent will be needed as well as graduation from a reputable training course. Programs for medical transcription can be completed either in-person or online, with online courses being far more prevalent. The completion of training can take anywhere from weeks to years, depending on the chosen program.

Medical Transcription Training in New Mexico

There are several options for those in New Mexico who wish to attend training in the field. A few of these include:

  • New Mexico State University, Carlsbad, offers an undergraduate certificate in Business Office Technology: Medical Transcription. The program takes two years to complete.
  • New Mexico State University’s Doña Ana Community College also offers a Certificate in Business Office Technology: Medical Transcription. The course requires 18 credit hours to complete, and credits can subsequently be transferred into programs to gain an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in either Business Office Technology or Health Information Technology.
  • Penn Foster offers online training for medical transcription. The program provides training in the basics of transcription as well as an overview of technology and medical terminology.

Additional Certifications for Career Advancement

For those looking for career advancement, acquiring additional certification can help instill a sense of confidence in potential employers. Many medical transcriptionists seek credentialing through the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI). Their Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) designation can be acquired by passing an examination consisting of multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank listening exercises and a sample transcription.

Growth Projections and Salaries in New Mexico

The career of medical transcription is expected to neither grow nor decline in the state of New Mexico between the years 2016 and 2026, according to Projections Central. Although this sounds like bad news, it should be noted that the nationwide projection for this field is a decline of 3.3 percent in the same time period.

Salaries in New Mexico, on the other hand, are somewhat above the average for the country, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reporting a mean annual salary of $37,510 in 2018. In the same year, the BLS reported a mean annual salary of $36,350 for medical transcriptionists nationwide.

Opportunities for Medical Transcriptionists in New Mexico

The medical transcription field has good potential for those wishing to work remotely from home, own a business or freelance. According to the BLS, most medical transcriptionists are employed in business support services industry, doctors’ offices and hospitals, with the highest-paying industries listed as local governments, accounting firms and laboratories.

A few possible employers of medical transcriptionists in New Mexico include Memorial Medical Center, Quest Diagnostics, CHRISTUS Health, The CSI Companies, Manpower, UnitedHealth Group, Memorial Medical Center and My Medical Assisting Career.