According to the current edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical Transcription is among the ten fastest growing occupations in the U.S. An MT will often work for hospitals, outpatient clinics, physician offices, national transcription services, or other medical offices. An MT will listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and other healthcare professionals and transcribe them, creating medical reports that eventually become part of patients' permanent files. Students must have excellent editing and proofreading skills. Students should have a basic understanding of a word processing program, to include being proficient at keyboarding, creating documents, e-mailing, and printing. (*See prerequisites below.) Students gain a working knowledge of medical terminology and the ability to transcribe medical reports, learning the skills they need to obtain an entry-level position as a medical transcriptionist.

The Medical Transcription Certificate Program has been designed to provide students with a beginning knowledge of the transcription of medical records. Included are ten inpatient case studies, ten inpatient reports that can be used as tests or as extra assignments, 25 outpatient reports, and ten outpatient reports that can be used as tests or as extra assignments.

Each of these reports has been taken from hospital medical records. The reports utilized include history and physical examinations, radiology reports, operative procedures, pathology reports, consultations, discharge summaries, a death summary, an autopsy report, and correspondence. Reports are digitally recorded to be transcribed by the student. Different regional accents and background noises that duplicate real-life situations are used in the recorded dictation, the speed of which picks up as the student goes forward through the course. Transcription times will vary, depending on the length of the case study plus the students' keyboarding skills, command of the English language, and knowledge of human anatomy and medical terminology.

A complete medical terminology component is offered with the Medical Transcription Certificate Program, and students will also be introduced to basic human anatomy.

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FEATURES

This nationally recognized medical transcription on-line training certification course will prepare you to start a new career as a certified Medical Transcriptionist. A medical terminology course is included at no extra cost! Transcriber and all materials included in this medical transcription on-line certification program. This program is only offered in partnership with major college and universities.

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TOPIC HIGHLIGHTS

1. Complete the medical terminology portion of the course using the textbook and audio provided as well as the exercises provided on the GES web site. The textbook covers the following ten units.
1. Intro to medical and anatomic terms
2. Blood cells, cardiovascular, and lymphatic systems
3. Nervous system and tumors
4. Digestive system
5. Muscles, bones, and joints
6. Male reproductive and urinary systems
7. Female reproductive system, obstetrics, and neonatology
8. Ear, nose, respiratory system, and special senses
9. Directions and regions of the body.
10. Pathogenic organisms, endocrine system, and medical specialties
2. Complete the medical transcription portion of the course using the text-workbook and transcription equipment provided plus completing the 20 units on the GES web site. The text-workbook covers the following information.
1. Ten inpatient cases involving the following systems of the body.
1. Reproductive system
2. Musculoskeletal system
3. Cardiopulmonary system
4. Integumentary system
5. Urinary system
6. Nervous system
7. Digestive system
8. Endocrine system
9. Lymphatic system
10. Respiratory system
2. Ten inpatient reports utilizing a variety of body systems and formatting. These reports can be used as tests or as extra assignments. They do not test on a specific inpatient case.
3. Twenty-five outpatient cases, as listed below.
1. Gynecology Operative Report
2. Pathology Report
3. Cytology Report
4. Oncology Consult
5. Infectious Disease SOAP Note
6. Pulmonology Procedure Note
7. Oncology Consult
8. Correspondence
9. Infectious Disease Consult
10. Pediatrics-Emergency Center Report
11. Internal Medicine History and Physical
12. Psychiatry Consult
13. Radiology-Echocardiogram Report
14. Radiology-Colonoscopy Procedure Note
15. Radiology-CT Scan of Abdomen
16. Infectious Disease HPIP Note
17. Radiology-Mammogram and CT scan of Abdomen
18. Oncology Consult
19. Correspondence
20. Pulmonology-Sleep Study
21. Psychiatry Consult
22. Radiology-MRI
23. Pediatrics-Emergency Center Report
24. Hematology Consult
25. Correspondence
4. Ten outpatient reports using a variety of body systems and formatting. These reports can be used as tests or as extra assignments. They do not test on specific outpatient reports.
3. Skill-Building
1. Medical Terminology Made Easy includes in the appendices
1. List of weights and measures
2. List of chemical symbols
3. Sample history and physical exam report
4. Ten crossword puzzles
2. Hillcrest Medical Center skill-builders include
1. Six crossword puzzles
2. Ten proofreading exercises
3. Proofreaders' marks as used by professional editors
4. List of challenging medical words and phrases.
5. CMTips
6. How to build a reference library for the medical transcriptionist
3. GES web site skill-builders include an
1. Audio icon on which medical terms are pronounced
2. Atlas icon with medical illustrations of human anatomy

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CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS

A 70% or better must be achieved in order to receive a Certificate of Completion.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of the GES Medical Terminology/Transcription course, the student will be able to accomplish the following.

• Describe the importance of the confidential nature of medical reports.
• Describe the content and purpose of the medical reports used.
• Transcribe medical reports using correct report format.
• Transcribe medical reports using correct capitalization, number, punctuation, abbreviation, symbols, and metric measurement rules
• Spell correctly the English and medical terms in addition to the abbreviations, either by memory or by using a dictionary/reference book.
• Define the medical terms and abbreviations presented, either by memory or by using a dictionary/reference book.
• Define the prefixes, combining forms and suffixes presented and use them to build medical terms.
• Identify and/or define the knowledge, skills, abilities, and responsibilities required of medical transcriptionists.
• Understand networking through the professional organization as well as career opportunities.

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PDF BROCHURE

Please click here to download the PDF brochure for the Gatlin online courses offered by OCPE.

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WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Prerequisites: Students should have command of a word-processing computer program to include

• The ability to create documents in either Microsoft word or another windows program. Proficiency in keyboarding-accuracy is most important at first, but some jobs pay on production, so speed will become a factor. E-mailing-a major route of communication between student, the facilitator, and GES. Printing-some jobs require your work to be printed, some do not; however, the skill is essential. Browsing the Internet-important for looking up information on medical terms, drugs, procedures, etc., when they cannot be found in your reference books Knowledge of English grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. When changing the spoken word to the written word, all these aspects of language become vital. The ability to discern what is being said, and more importantly what is meant, even if the dictator has accented speech.
• The ability to comply with the student-led, self-motivating aspects of the Gatlin program-much more responsibility is placed on the student in an on-line course than in a classroom situation. For example, the student is responsible for reading and following all instructions.

Audience: The intended audience for this program includes individuals interested in gaining the education and skills necessary to enter the medical transcription field and/or those individuals interested in changing careers to become a medical transcriptionist.

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Patricia Ireland, CMT, FAAMT, started in medical transcription in 1968 and has been a part-time instructor of medical terminology and medical transcription since the mid-1970s and is a part-time George Mason University , OCPE, Gatlin instructor. In 1989 she was asked by Southwestern Publishing Company (now Delmar Publishers) to co-author the 3rd edition of one of their best selling textbooks, what is now Hillcrest Medical Center: Beginning Medical Transcription Course, 6th edition, the textbook currently used in the GES Medical Transcription Certificate Program.

A working medical transcriptionist, Patricia has been certified by the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) since 1981. She been President of her local chapter of AAMT, the Alamo Chapter, has represented the Texas Association for Medical Transcription as a delegate to the AAMT House of Delegates, and earned her Fellowship in AAMT in March 2003.

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1. How do I register for a Gatlin online course?

Gatlin does not offer courses directly to the public. It offers courses through George Mason University and other colleges and universities. Please contact our office at 703-993-2113 or click here for more information or to register for a course.

2. How much do Gatlin online courses cost?

To view the prices for all Gatlin courses that are offered by George Mason University, please click here.

3. Why do I have to take Gatlin courses through a participating school?

That is the only way Gatlin Education Services offers its courses. They do not deal directly with the public.

4. Do I have to travel to register for or to attend a Gatlin online course?

All Gatlin courses are delivered entirely online, so you do not have to go to a class or travel to a school. Please contact our office at 703-993-2113 or click here for more information or to register for a course.

5. How long does it take to complete a Gatlin course?

All of our Gatlin courses are asynchronous. You can start and finish the course at your own pace. Most courses are designed to be completed within 180 days. You may request an extension if you think you will need more time to complete a course. Please contact us at 703-993-2113 or click here if you have any questions or if you would like to register for a course.

6. Do I have to buy additional materials?

Please refer to the green Included Materials box located on the upper right hand side of this page. If materials are included in this course, they will be shipped by Gatlin to you via UPS ground service after you have registered for a course.

7. Can I get financial aid for Gatlin courses?

George Mason University offers financial assistance through the Sallie Mae Training Loan Program for qualifying students. Call 703-993-2113 for more information. GES also provides a loan opportunity for students (www.collegeloanapplication.com).

8. What happens when I complete the course?

If you obtain a final passing grade of 70% or greater in a course, we will award you a George Mason University certificate of completion.

9. Who will be my instructor?

Each student is paired up with a George Mason University, OCPE, Gatlin facilitator for one-on-one interaction. The facilitator will be available (by e-mail or by telephone) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. All of our facilitators are successful working professionals in the fields in which they teach.

10. What are the system requirements in order to take an online course?

Please see the "PC requirements" section listed for individual courses.

11. When can I start the course?

You can register for a course at any time.

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