Medical Transcription Editor Certificate Program

Course Descriptions

The Medical Transcription Editor Certificate program was designed by medical transcriptionists for medical transcriptionists. In addition to developing medical transcription skills, you will also train as a specialized medical transcription editor, preparing for the future of the industry. With our affordable pricing, you get quality online training with one-on-one support from dedicated trainers and career support advisors – available by phone, email, and chat – every step of the way. The learning objectives outlined below provide a map of knowledge and skills you’ll gain as you complete each module. 

Program Orientation (1 hour)

• Identify the elements, expectations, and requirements of the program.
• Navigate the program using the pages, menus, and buttons provided.
• Use the program tools, including the study planner, gradebook, and completion report as well as be able to contact Career Step using various communication tools, including phone, email, forums, chat rooms, and social media.
• Identify and use program-specific resources, including Benchmark KB.

Medical Transcription Editing Industry (5 hours)

• Develop awareness of the Medical Transcription Editing industry and occupation.
• Identify industry basics, tools, and trends, including the use of speech recognition technology.
• State the occupational conditions and expectations of Medical Transcription Editors.

Technology and the Medical Professional (5 hours)

• Identify basic computer hardware and interpret system requirements.
• Navigate a Windows operating system environment as well as install and operate basic software utilities.
• Use a web browser to navigate between websites in multiple tabs or windows, send and receive email, and access search engines to find information and troubleshoot basic computer problems.
• Recognize basic technologies related to a medical office environment.

Medical Word Building (15 hours)

• Use Benchmark KB and other resources to verify medical terms.
• Accurately define and combine common medical prefixes, suffixes, and root words. Create basic, logical, financial, and text formulas.

Grammar and Punctuation (10 hours)

• Identify and correctly use each of the parts of speech.
• Recognize proper sentence structure and formatting, including punctuation and capitalization.
• Properly spell words that are commonly misspelled.

Anatomy, Pathophysiology and Disease Process – Block 1 (25 hours)

• Identify and classify basic disease terms, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments.
• Identify and describe the basic structure, organization, and functions of human body systems.
• Identify, define, and accurately spell basic anatomical terms related to the basic structure and function of human body systems.

Anatomy, Pathophysiology and Disease Process – Block 2 (20 hours)

• Identify and describe the basic structure, organization, and functions of human body systems.
• Identify, define, and accurately spell basic anatomical terms related to the basic structure and function of human body systems.

Mastering Medical Language (5 hours)

• Define common medical slang, jargon, and foreign terms.
• Distinguish between common similar medical words and word parts.
• Recognize common medical abbreviations and their meanings.

Pharmacology (15 hours)

• Distinguish between different categories of drugs and their basic actions and effects.
• Identify common drugs and their basic functions from the following categories: cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, immune, pain management, psychological, and respiratory.
• Use legitimate resources to find drug definitions, dosages, pronunciations, and other related information.
• Properly interpret medications, dosages, and instructions for medication administration.
• Correctly spell commonly prescribed medications. 

Healthcare Documentation (10 hours)

• Identify basic types of medical records, including work types, components, formatting, and documentation standards.
• Define HIPAA compliance and other related regulations, as well as the role of healthcare documentation workers in preserving patient confidentiality and managing risk.

Diagnostic Reports (20 hours)

• Identify the basic elements of a diagnostic report, including identification of an illness/condition and any present therapeutic components.
• Use common terms and references related to the specialties of emergency room, physical medicine, radiology, and pathology.

Focus on Medical Specialties (30 hours)

• Determine the correct use of specialty-specific information related to medical terminology, abbreviations, phrases, conditions, and treatments.

Introduction to Transcription (13 hours)

• Identify the necessary tools and skills for efficient transcribing, including foot pedal, headphones, listening skills, keyboarding, and word expander software.
• Identify methods and techniques of transcription, including the 3-pass technique, using context, effective research methods, and editing techniques.
• Transcribe sentences, short paragraphs, sections of medical reports, and full medical reports. 

Transcription Clinic Notes (105 hours)

• Accurately transcribe clinic notes and progress notes dealing with general practice, cardiology, gastrointestinal, OB/GYN, orthopedics, etc. using resources such as Steadman’s array, contextual clues, and internet searches.

Transcription Acute Care (100 hours)

• Transcribe basic acute care notes from several medical specialties, including cardiology, gastrointestinal, OB/GYN, and orthopedics, according to specific account instructions.
• Identify typical formatting components of basic acute care hospital reports, including radiology, emergency room, discharge summaries, operative reports, etc.
• Effective office and reception management, including opening and closing the office, managing a waiting room, and greeting and registering patients.
• Schedule patient appointments.

Transcription Advanced Acute Care (150 hours)

• Accurately transcribe advanced acute care notes from multiple specialties in compliance with account instructions.

Editing Theory (15 hours)

• Identify the components and account specific considerations of a speech recognition draft.
• Use scanning techniques to identify and correct errors while avoiding over editing. Recognize and correct common technology-created errors in a draft, including misrecognition, substitution, addition, deletion, homonym, enunciation, and nonsense errors.

Editing Clinic Notes (45 hours)

• Accurately and efficiently edit computer-generated medical report drafts.

Editing Acute Care (40 hours)

• Accurately and efficiently edit computer-generated medical report drafts.

Final Exam Preparation, Expectations, and Policies (1 hour)

• Identify the steps they need to take to be eligible for and effectively prepare for and access their final exam.
• Identify the format, restrictions, and policies of final exams, including scoring, retakes, allowed resources, and time limits.