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Medical Transcriptionist Certificate

Certificate Code 5785

Program Contacts:
QC Campus
Betsey Morthland, 309-796-5285, morthlandb@bhc.edu

This certificate is offered only at the Quad-Cities Campus.

The Medical Transcriptionist Certificate is a three-semester program; it is offered at the Quad-Cities Campus. Experienced and trained medical transcriptionists are in strong demand.

Students in this program acquire proficiency in medical terminology, medical transcription, proofreading, editing, medical office procedures, medical billing with Medical Manager software, current MS Window word processing application software, and computer keyboarding skills. Students get hands-on practice in preparing physician’s documentation-keyboarding transcription, proofing, and editing sentences for accuracy as a legal document. Students get practical work experience by participating in a one-semester internship in local health care facilities, clinics, or with medical transcription providers.

This program offers the student the opportunity to work in medical offices, hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, or with medical transcription providers. The demand in this area is great for the graduate who has excelled in keyboarding, medical transcription, and proofreading and editing skills.

Currently, experienced medical transcriptionists have the option to work out of their own homes or work for large organizations that outsource their work to in-home workstations. The graduate of this program would have entry-level qualifications to be employed in this career area.

Required courses for this program include: »

BE 100 Work Environment Orientation
This course is intended to introduce the facts, skills, strengths, and career goals necessary for success in the business education curricula.
2 credit hours: 2 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 141 Computerized Keyboarding I
Keyboard mastery and document formatting using a current word processing software package.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 143 Keyboarding Speed & Accuracy
For students who wish to increase keyboarding speed and improve accuracy.
2 credit hours: 2 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 145A Information Processing I
Prerequisite: BE 141 “C” or better or instructor consent.
Students learn word processing software most commonly found in area offices.
1 credit hour: 1 lecture hour; 0 lab hours per week.

BE 145B Information Processing II
Prerequisite: BE 141 “C” or better or instructor consent.
Students learn word processing software most commonly found in area offices.
1 credit hour: 1 lecture hour; 0 lab hours per week.

BIOL 150 Medical Terminology
Prerequisite: 83 or above on COMPASS reading test or REA 098 “C” or better.
This course presents the principles of medical word construction through identification of root words, prefixes, suffices, combining forms, and methods of building medical terms. Emphasis is placed on correct medical word spelling, pronunciation, and definition, while introducing terminology specific to various body systems. The course is intended to prepare students to classify medical information for use in medical coding, billing, and reporting.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

COMM 105 Essentials of English
Prerequisite: See Assessment and Orientation.
Reviews grammar, punctuation, usage and sentence structure and organizational principles of writing through a variety of tasks. COMM 105 is a required course in several career curricula.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 148 Beginning Medical Transcription
Prerequisite: BE 141 or equivalent skill.
Introduction to transcription of medical reports.
4 credit hours: 4 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 200 Advanced Medical Terminology
Prerequisite: BIOL 150 “C” or better.
Building a strong medical vocabulary, emphasis on extensive medical specialties anatomy, diagnostic and treatment procedures, progress of student from word recognition to usage in medical reports.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 250 Advanced Medical Transcription
Prerequisites: BIOL 150, HIM 148, and BE 141 “C” or better.
Machine transcription of medical reports. Emphasis on punctuation, spelling, and proofreading.
4 credit hours: 4 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 251 Medical Office Procedures
Prerequisite: BE 141 or equivalent.
Administration of the medical office; insurance, professional and business records.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 252 Pharmacology Terminology
Emphasis is on spelling, abbreviations, pronunciation, drug names and references and bodily effects of drugs. Drug classifications.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 255 Medical Manager Software
Administration of the medical office with use of “Medical Manager” practice management software. Hands-on computer experience with Medical Manager software. Students will gain knowledge and understanding of how accounts receivable, billing, collections and reporting are electronically performed.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 261 Seminar
Prerequisite: Concurrent enrollment in HIM 265.
Discussion of internship activities, challenges, team opportunities and problems.
1 credit hour: 1 lecture hour; 0 lab hours per week.

HIM 265 Internship
Prerequisites: Instructor consent and concurrent enrollment in HIM 261.
Supevised field program, providing work experience in offices for students enrolled in Health Information Management.
3 credit hours: 0 lecture hours; 40 lab hours per week.

PN 110 Basic Anatomy and Physiology
Basic concepts of human anatomy and physiology.
3 credit hours: 3 lecture hours; 0 lab hours per week.

Course of Study Outline
First Semester Suggested Courses (Credit Hours)
BE 100 — Work Environment Orientation (2)
PN 110 — Basic Anatomy and Physiology (3)
BIOL 150 — Medical Terminology (3)
BE 141 — Computerized Keyboarding I (3)
BE 145A — Information Processing I (1)
BE 145B — Information Processing II (1)
COMM 105 — Essentials of English (3)

Second Semester Suggested Courses (Credit Hours)
HIM 148 — Beginning Medical Transcription (4)
HIM 251 — Medical Office Procedures (3)
HIM 200 — Advanced Medical Terminology (3)
HIM 255 — Medical Manager (3)

Third Semester Suggested Courses (Credit Hours)
HIM 252 — Pharmacology Terminology (3)
HIM 250 — Advanced Medical Transcription (4)
HIM 261 — Seminar (3)
HIM 265 — Internship (1)
BE 143 — Keyboarding Speed & Accuracy (2)
Elective (3)

Minimum total hours required for certificate (45)

* Students should look at the Assessment and Orientation.

Occupational Profiles

CIP Code:
SOC Code:

Cost of Attendance

Success Rates All Students Full-Time Part-Time
Completion rate at 100%
Completion rate at 150%

Job Placement Rate:

Loans

  • Median loan debt
  • Title IV loan debt
  • Private loan debt – $0
  • Institutional debt – $0