Medical Transcriptionist

Here's how it works: Your program consists of courses designed to take you step-by-step through the techniques and skills you'll employ in your new career as a Medical Transcriptionist. Your first course will be sent to you as soon as your enrollment has been accepted. Other courses will follow as you complete your exams, so that you will always have training materials to work with.

You will need access to a computer to complete this program. Penn Foster recommends the following as minimum specifications: Pentium® II or better processor, using Microsoft® Windows® XP or later. You will also need access to the Internet and Microsoft® Office 2007 to complete portions of the program.

Instruction Set 1

• Learning Strategies
  • Identifying and implementing a successful study method; planning when, where, and how you’ll study; creating effective and efficient study tools; using study tools to improve chances for success.
• Introduction to Medical Transcription
  • What a medical transcriptionist does; skills and personal qualities required; work settings; the origin and history of medical transcription; role of the AAMT; the CMT designation.

Instruction Set 2

• Time and Stress Management
  • The art of relaxation; stress reduction techniques that
    should be avoided; coping strategies; common stressors and symptoms of stress; dealing with emotional and social stress; the basic philosophy of mental health; lifestyle and lifetime goals; increasing your energy; establishing effective daily routines.
• Interpersonal Communication
  • The components of communication; interpersonal relations in the medical office; effective oral communication; interacting with patients; scheduling; patient reception; patients with special needs; health factors that contribute to wellness.
• Online Audio File: Voice and Diction
• Online Supplement: Improve Your Communication Skills

Instruction Set 3

• Law, Ethics, and Medicine
  • The difference between laws and ethics; patient rights; physician’s and medical office professional’s responsibilities; professional liability; malpractice and determining negligence; health care issues.
• Keyboarding and Word Processing
  • Keyboarding techniques; developing speed and accuracy; creating, editing, formatting, saving, and printing documents; formatting business correspondence, simple reports, and tables.
• Textbook: Keyboarding and Word Processing
• Equipment: Software: Keyboarding Pro

Instruction Set 4

• Practices in Medical Law and Ethics
  • Consent; access to medical charts; defamation and the difference between libel and slander; protection against malpractice claims; legislation on reporting abuse of children.
• Introduction to Medical Terminology
  • Root words, prefixes, and suffixes and their use in medical terms; determining a medical term’s meaning by analyzing its parts; basic structures of the human body; anatomical position and directional terms; the six major body cavities.
• Textbook: Medical Law and Ethics
• Online Audio Files: Introduction to Medical Terminology Transcription Practice 1
• Online Supplement: Transcription Practice Text 1
• Special Shipment: Foot pedal with USB cable and software. (The foot pedal and software are shipped only after a percentage of the tuition has been paid.)

Instruction Set 5

• Body Systems Terminology 1
  • The organs of the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems; the function and structure of these three systems; common pathology, symptoms of disease, and treatments for each system; tests and procedures for these three systems.
• Body Systems Terminology 2
  • The major structures of the musculoskeletal, nervous, and special sense systems; terms related to diseases, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of these three systems; using combining forms to build and analyze terms related to each of these systems.
• Online Audio Files:
  • Body Systems Terminology 1
  • Body Systems Terminology 2
  • Transcription Practice 2
• Online Supplement: Transcription Practice Text 2

Instruction Set 6

• Body Systems Terminology 3
  • The parts of the endocrine and circulatory systems; the function and structures of these two body systems; the pathology, symptoms of disease, and treatments for each system; common tests and procedures for each system; abbreviations relating to these systems.
• Body Systems Terminology 4
  • The organs and appendages of the integumentary and respiratory systems; the function of each organ and appendage; possible diseases and disorders of each of these body systems; laboratory and radiology tests of each body system; clinical and surgical procedures of each body system.
• Advanced Medical Terminology
  • How cancer develops; benign and malignant tumors; types, grades, and stages of cancer; four major methods of cancer treatment; the types and uses of x-ray, ultrasound, MRI, and nuclear medicine tests; drug names and references; agencies of drug regulation; drug action and effect; surgical positions and supplies.
• Online Audio Files:
  • Body Systems Terminology 3
  • Body Systems Terminology 4
  • Advanced Medical Terminology and Pharmacology
  • Transcription Practice 3
• Online Supplements:
  • Terminology Activities
  • Transcription Practice Text 3

Instruction Set 7

• Written Communication 1
  • The parts of speech; determining sentence patterns; types of sentences; common errors in sentences; the purpose of punctuation; the usage of various punctuation marks; the basic rules for capitalizing words.
• Written Communication 2
  • The principles of unity, coherence, and emphasis; editing and proofreading; processing information requests and correspondence; writing original letters; formatting business letters; formatting formal and informal reports.
• Written Communication 3
  • Expanding reading recognition, writing, and speaking vocabularies; figuring out the meaning of unfamiliar words with context clues, prefixes, and suffixes; using a thesaurus; using synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms; denotation and connotation; forming plurals and possessives of nouns.
• Online Audio File: Transcription Practice 4
• Online Supplement: Transcription Practice Text 4

Instruction Set 8

• Medical Filing
  • A practical approach to filing; “hands-on” exercises in checking and applying your knowledge.
• Creating and Maintaining Medical Records
  • The purpose of medical records; creating accurate and complete medical records; different formats; maintenance; the difference between medical records and business records; equipment and procedures of medical transcription; full-block, modified-block, indented, and run-on report formats; preparing physicians’ manuscripts for submission to medical journals.
• Textbook: Medical Filing
• Online Audio File: Transcription Practice 5
• Online Supplement: Transcription Practice Text 5

Instruction Set 9

• Technologies in the Office
  • The impact of telecommunications technologies in the office; network systems; transmitting information using telephone systems; present and emerging telephone communications technologies and services; the use of computers in today’s offices.
• Learning Lab 1
  • “Hands-on” practical exercise in medical transcription. You will transcribe the following medical reports: History and Physical, Request for Consultation, Operative Report, Radiology Report, Pathology Report, and Discharge Summary.
• Learning Lab 2
  • “Hands-on” practical exercise in medical transcription with emphasis on spelling, word usage, punctuation, sentence structure, format, and appearance.
• Textbook: Hillcrest Medical Center Workbook
• Online Audio File: Hillcrest Cases & Quali-Care Reports
• Online Supplements:
  • Finding Work as a Medical Office Professional
  • HIV/AIDS Awareness
  • Hillcrest Workbook Answer Key

Upon graduation you will receive:

• AAMT Style Guide
• Mentor Program Workbook
• Nursing Drug Handbook
  

Note: The graduation shipment will be sent to you when all program requirements and financial obligations have been met.

We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.

You must be 17 years old and have a High School or Secondary School Diploma, GED or equivalent to enroll in this program.

Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.

Pentium is a trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.