Most medical transcriptionists work in settings where large numbers of physician-dictated patient reports are transcribed. They include:
- Hospitals
- Medical research facilities
- Medical laboratories
- Diagnostic imaging centres
Others work in:
- Medical clinics
- Physicians’ offices
- Coroners’ or medical examiners’ offices
- University medical schools
- Medical insurance companies
- Government agencies, such as Workers’ Compensation Board
- Medical service transcription organizations (MTSOs)
Some self-employed transcriptionists provide services on a contract basis.
Experienced transcriptionists may advance to supervisory positions in hospitals and other health-care facilities that employ a number of transcriptionists.
Medical transcriptionists are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 1251: Court reporters, medical transcriptionists and related occupations. In Alberta, 75% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:
The employment outlook (pdf) in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
- Trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
- Location in Alberta
- Employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
- Occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before)
- Size of the occupation.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
In Alberta, the 1251: Court reporters, medical transcriptionists and related occupations occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 2.9% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 76 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.