Medical transcription is often considered as a career option by those wanting a better paying work at home job. It’s a good career, good demand and potential for job growth, but there’s a catch. You have to get training first. It’s really not a job you can start at home otherwise.

So the big question comes. How do you get your training?

There are a number of online medical transcription training options out there. Some are really good and have great reputations with potential employers. Others are worth neither your time nor your money.

Don’t worry about the accreditation or certificates a school may offer you. Those aren’t particularly relevant. The only certificates that have any standing with most employers don’t come from schools – they come from experience and then testing from AHDI. What matters is that you get the skills to get a good job.

Your local community college may offer courses in medical transcription. Sometimes they’re meant to be a part of an Associates degree. Once again, the degree is not necessary. You’ll have to take classes that aren’t relevant to your work as a medical transcriptionist in order to get the degree. Only go this route if you’re after a degree.

The simplest way to get high quality medical transcription training is through a good online medical transcription school. There are some good ones.

You will need to learn all kinds of medical terminology, physiology, transcription skills and more to become a good medical transcriptionist. Four months is a good minimum to expect to take. Most online programs are self paced, so your progress will depend on how quickly you pick up the skills. If it takes longer than you expected, consider how hard you’re working, how challenging your courses are and if you’re really being dedicated enough to the work. You are probably going at the right pace for you. There’s nothing wrong with taking nine months or so if that’s what you need to do.

The AHDI has a list of schools they believe offer the kind of training needed to work as a medical transcriptionist. Their site is a great place to start looking.

Another way to go is to check with employers. Some AHDI Approved schools are also partnered with select employers. These employers are more willing to bypass the usual two year experience requirement for graduates from the programs they’ve partnered with. It’s a bit of a foot in the door, so long as you can pass the test showing you learned the right skills in your course work. It is not a guarantee of employment after graduation. No legitimate school can offer you that. A few scams claim to.

Remember that you are the most important factor in your eventual success as a medical transcriptionist. If you don’t make the effort, you aren’t going to succeed. But picking the right school will be a big help in preparing yourself for the job market. Put those together to improve your chances of successfully working as a medical transcriptionist.