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Medical Transcriptionists in California
Considering working as a Medical Transcriptionists in California? Here’s what you need to know. Transcribe medical reports recorded by physicians and other healthcare practitioners using various electronic devices, covering office visits, emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries. Transcribe dictated reports and translate abbreviations into fully understandable form. Edit as necessary and return reports in either printed or electronic form for review and signature, or correction.
What do Medical Transcriptionists Make in California?
For medical transcriptionists working in California, wages run about $39,090 per year (or roughly $18.79/hour).Earnings range from $34,970 at the 10th percentile to $57,490 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,970 | $16.81 |
| 25th percentile | $37,170 | $17.87 |
| Median (50th) | $39,090 | $18.79 |
| 75th percentile | $46,800 | $22.50 |
| 90th percentile | $57,490 | $27.64 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California relative to the national average — is 1.12, meaning that medical transcriptionists are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, medical transcriptionists earn a median of $47,251 per year ($22.72/hour), below the California median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 993,789 medical transcriptionists in the U.S.. In California alone, approximately 5,630 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 550 medical transcriptionists.
Top California Metros for Medical Transcriptionists
The metro areas below employ the most medical transcriptionists in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,450 | $37,550 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 660 | $44,410 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 520 | $48,070 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 190 | $40,720 |
| Fresno, CA | 180 | $36,680 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 150 | $57,970 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 120 | $36,280 |
| Redding, CA | 110 | $43,540 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 100 | $43,930 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 80 | $37,090 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 70 | $46,280 |
| Chico, CA | 50 | $44,760 |
| Modesto, CA | 50 | $45,760 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 40 | $39,600 |
| Visalia, CA | 40 | $35,600 |
Top States for Medical Transcriptionists Employment
View the states that employ the most medical transcriptionists work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 5,630 |
| Texas | 4,480 |
| New York | 3,990 |
| Florida | 2,000 |
| Georgia | 1,830 |
| North Carolina | 1,630 |
| Illinois | 1,500 |
| New Jersey | 1,500 |
| Tennessee | 1,420 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,380 |
| Ohio | 1,270 |
| Indiana | 1,100 |
| Michigan | 1,070 |
| Arizona | 920 |
| Washington | 880 |
| Colorado | 780 |
| Wisconsin | 750 |
| Alabama | 720 |
| Missouri | 720 |
| South Carolina | 710 |
Highest-Paying States for Medical Transcriptionists
These states pay the most for medical transcriptionists.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | $52,190 |
| Wyoming | $50,510 |
| Wisconsin | $48,820 |
| Maine | $48,520 |
| Connecticut | $46,800 |
| Hawaii | $45,760 |
| South Dakota | $45,580 |
| North Dakota | $44,810 |
| Maryland | $44,760 |
| Mississippi | $43,950 |
Skills
Top medical transcriptionists skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for medical transcriptionists, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Medical Transcriptionists typically:
- Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician's review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients' medical records.
- Produce medical reports, correspondence, records, patient-care information, statistics, medical research, and administrative material.
- Identify mistakes in reports and check with doctors to obtain the correct information.
- Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
- Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
- Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
- 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.
- Translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms to ensure the accuracy of patient and health care facility records.
- Perform data entry and data retrieval services, providing data for inclusion in medical records and for transmission to physicians.
- Take dictation using shorthand, a stenotype machine, or headsets and transcribing machines.
- Perform a variety of clerical and office tasks, such as handling incoming and outgoing mail, completing and submitting insurance claims, typing, filing, or operating office machines.
- Decide which information should be included or excluded in reports.
Work Activities
- Working with Computers
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Getting Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Processing Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: eClinicalWorks EHR software, Microsoft Access In-demand technologies: Microsoft Office software
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
Related Careers
Careers similar to medical transcriptionists include:
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
- Cardiologists
- Emergency Medicine Physicians
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
- Pediatric Surgeons
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
Also Known As
Certified Medical Transcriptionist, Clinical Medical Transcriptionist, Clinical Scribe, Data Transcriber, Documentation Specialist, Emergency Medical Scribe, Medical Assistant Scribe (MA Scribe), Medical Language Professional, Medical Language Specialist, Medical Record Transcriber, Medical Records Clerk, Medical Scribe, Medical Stenographer, Medical Transcriber, Medical Transcription Editor.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 31-9094.00
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