Advanced Medical Transcription Practice (Radiology)

Recommended Course Length: Approximately 10 hours for lectures and assignments and 30 hours for transcribing reports.

Recommended Prerequisites: Beginning (Medical) Transcription, Intermediate (Surgery) Transcription, or previous experience as a medical transcriptionist. Completion of courses in Anatomy/Physiology, Medical Terminology, Disease Processes, Surgical Procedures, Medical Science, Pharmacology, Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures in Medicine. Minimum typing speed of 50 corrected words per minute. College-level proficiency in spelling, English grammar, and usage. Intermediate level of skill with MS Word and Windows environments.

Description: Transcription of more challenging authentic physician-dictated reports in the field of radiology. Emphasis on development of accuracy, speed, and medical knowledge for transcription of a variety of radiologic reports including bone and soft tissue reports, procedures utilizing contrast material, interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan). Using reference materials and other resources efficiently. Editing and proofreading techniques. Grammar and punctuation review.

Transcription Materials: The SUM Program unit in Radiology, a total of three hours of authentic physician dictation including 130+ different medical reports, available online through streaming audio, PC compatible foot pedal required.

Required Reference Books:

• A standard collegiate dictionary, such as: Merriam Webster's current edition.
• A comprehensive medical dictionary, such as: Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary or Stedman’s Medical Dictionary
• A style guide, such as: The AAMT Book of Style for Medical Transcription or Medical Transcription Guide Do’s and Dont's
• A pharmaceutical reference, such as: Saunders Pharmaceutical Word Book or Quick Look Drug Book.
• A radiology reference, such as: Radiology Words and Phrases by Health Professions Institute, Stedman’s Radiology Words, or Dorland’s Radiology/Oncology Word Book.

Course Objectives:

1. Select the correct format for a dictated medical report.
2. Interpret and transcribe a variety of medical reports by dictators with and without accents and dialects.
3. Identify and use appropriate medical references and other resources while transcribing, proofreading, editing, and revising.
4. Utilize language skills and medical knowledge to appropriately edit, revise, and clarify while transcribing advanced, original healthcare dictation without altering the meaning of the dictation or changing the author's style.
5. Identify obvious medical inconsistencies.
6. Proofread transcribed healthcare documents on computer screen and/or hard copy, and make corrections to produce a final, neat, and error-free transcript.
7. Increase transcription speed and accuracy throughout the course.

Learning Methods

1. View video lectures.
2. Complete online assignments.
3. Use streaming audio to listen to dictation.
4. Transcribe reports using MS Word.
5. Email reports to instructor.