How to hire medical transcriptionists
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
$19.43U.S. median hourly pay
$34,150–$48,000Middle half, yearly
41,550People in this job in the U.S.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine. • Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information. • Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material. • Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records. • Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology. • Set up and maintain medical files and databases, including records such as x-ray, lab, and procedure reports, medical histories, diagnostic workups, admission and discharge summaries, and clinical resumes. • Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries. • Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Postsecondary nondegree award] • Strong active listening, reading comprehension, writing, monitoring, critical thinking and speaking skills • Working knowledge of English Language, administrative and computers and electronics • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $19.43 an hour ($40,410 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for medical transcriptionists
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Describe something important you wrote at work, such as a report, notes or an email. Who read it and what happened next?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What medical transcriptionists do
- Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
- Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
- Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
- Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
- Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
- Set up and maintain medical files and databases, including records such as x-ray, lab, and procedure reports, medical histories, diagnostic workups, admission and discharge summaries, and clinical resumes.
- Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
- Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for medical transcriptionists
- Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 3 months (O*NET)
- Job outlook: -4.4% over ten years, declining · about 6,200 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay medical transcriptionists
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $49,150 |
| Oregon | $46,280 |
| Illinois | $45,490 |
| California | $45,050 |
| Tennessee | $44,720 |
| Arizona | $36,550 |
| Georgia | $28,330 |
| Oklahoma | $27,740 |
See medical transcriptionists pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Medical Records Specialists
- Word Processors and Typists
- Medical Assistants
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars
- File Clerks
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
- Receptionists and Information Clerks
- Pharmacy Technicians
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.