In addition to keyboard and medical terminology skills, a home-based medical transcriptionist needs to be skilled in the use of at least one word-processing program to perform transcription and a basic working knowledge of accounting with a software program to track business finances. A medical transcriptionist also needs basic knowledge in computers and transcriber machines. It is economical to also have the ability to troubleshoot minor computer problems, in order to save time and money. It is good to be aware of Internet web sites like www.hotmail.com that offer free e-mail or AltaVista, Lycos, or Yahoo, the biggest Internet search engines where you can find links to everything about medical transcription, and at-home business. That said, we highly recommend our own directory, The Medword List, which we are compiling as a medical transcription, health, and science directory. If you own your own medical transcription or health-oriented site, you may also add your link to our directory.

A medical transcriptionist, especially working from a home-office, also needs time management skills as well as communication and interpersonal skills for dealing with clients and their staff, and maybe even special skills in working from home.

• About Becoming a Medical Transcriptionist
• What A Medical Transcriptionist Needs To Know
• Equipment Needed To Transcribe Dictation
• Don't Give Up Your Day Job
• Frequently Asked Questions