The decision to enter the field of healthcare documentation should be made based on thorough research and a clear understanding of the demands of the profession, the changing climate of the industry, and the requirements for entry to practice. No career decision or change should be entered into lightly, and candidates for training in medical transcription need to be fully informed about the expectations of the industry prior to choosing a school and beginning their training.

Before choosing a school or training program, begin with researching and understanding the industry:

About Medical Transcription

Frequently Asked Questions about Medical Transcription

US Department of Labor Statistics for Medical Transcription

Working From Home

The Future of Medical Transcription

Response to AHIMA’s A Blueprint for Quality Education in HIM

If you have read through all of the above information and have decided that healthcare documentation is the career for you, you need to begin first with choosing the best educational program to prepare you for success in the industry. Before choosing or spending money on any program, read the following recommendations:

Choosing an MT School

AHDI has developed a model curriculum that meets the entry-to-practice demands of the industry, and recently established an education program approval process to evaluate programs that teach medical transcription. To learn more about the value of AHDI approval or to find out how to apply for program approval, read the following:

AHDI Program Approval

Choosing an AHDI-approved school can provide you with the assurance of knowing that you are investing your time and resources into a program that meets the demands of both the association and the industry. Schools who have been through the approval process have met a rigorous evaluation of both their curricula and their overall program. Begin your search for the best training program here:

AHDI Approved Schools

We further recommend that prospective students look for schools whose advertising emphasizes excellence in medical transcription, rather than focusing on the ideas of working at home or completing a program rapidly. We also recommend that prospective students look for programs that focus solely on medical transcription, rather than offering courses for a number of different professions.

Please note that no educational program can offer "certification." While a program may provide its graduates with a certificate of completion, this is not the same as either the RMT (Registered Medical Transcriptionist) or the CMT (Certified Medical Transcriptionist) credentials that are recognized in the industry and achieved only through successful completion of examinations administered by Prometric for AHDI in electronic testing centers throughout the world. Find out more about AHDI credentialing here:

Credentials & Designations

After graduation, medical transcription students may opt to seek apprenticeship with an industry employer. Medical Transcription was recently deemed an "apprenticeable" occupation by the United States Department of Labor, which means the way has been paved for a national apprenticeship program. AHDI and industry partner MTIA (Medical Transcription Industry Association) are developing the frameworks for this kind of program and hope to launch a program of this nature in the near future. Learn more about apprenticeship here:

Postgraduate Apprenticeship