| Medical writing differs in technique from writing | | | | small environments or medical clinics. However, |
| essay and manuscripts for publication. The writing | | | | you will be required to correct his or her dictating |
| of an essay or manuscript requires adherence to | | | | mistakes. |
| prescribed forms, style, and syntax. The writer | | | | Editing physician dictation is easier if you work |
| often generates several draft copies before | | | | with the same physician each day. You become |
| finishing a polished document for publication. | | | | accustom to their unique style of dictating. |
| Medical writing by contrast contains many | | | | However, for those who work with 100's of |
| abbreviations, brief forms, shortcuts, and word | | | | different dictators, it is experience and a firm |
| coinages that are an integral part of the language | | | | grasp of medical language and terminology that |
| of medicine. It is not feasible or expected for a | | | | becomes your number one tool for editing. |
| Medical Transcriptionist working in a fast-paced | | | | When necessary, the transcriptionist may add |
| environment to convert the medical document | | | | conjunctions, prepositions, articles, pronouns, |
| into a piece of formal writing or a polished essay | | | | nouns, and verbs to complete a sentence and |
| piece of writing. | | | | help make sense of sentences. |
| Medical Transcriptionists are expected to produce | | | | Examples: |
| clean, neat and accurate medical documents for | | | | Physician dictates: No tenderness present over |
| every medical report dictated and to follow | | | | chest |
| suggested or prescribed stylistic guidelines | | | | Transcribed: No tenderness is present over the |
| common to the Medical Transcription field or | | | | chest. |
| according to the agency he or she works for. | | | | Physician dictates: Came in with chest pain |
| A lot of the stylistic rules of Medical Transcription | | | | Transcribed: The patient came in with chest pain. |
| relate to proper editing, punctuation, and grammar. | | | | It is also acceptable to type all of the above as |
| You will find that even the most respected | | | | dictated. This preserves the style of the dictator. |
| reference materials vary and contradict one | | | | In my first job as a Medical Transcriptionist in a |
| another and themselves. The employer of a | | | | small state run Crippled Children's Clinic, I was |
| Medical Transcriptionist may mandate specific rules | | | | instructed to type exactly what the physician |
| of grammar, style and format to be followed. In | | | | dictated. I only changed or edited sentences such |
| this case, the Medical Transcriptionist is required to | | | | as when doctor dictates throughout the report he |
| follow the styles and formats mandated by his or | | | | or she performed surgery on the left leg, and |
| her employer. In the absence of these, he or she | | | | then suddenly changed it over to the right leg |
| can follow the common rules set forth by | | | | before the report was finished. And when I made |
| instructors of Medical Transcription and other | | | | such a change, I carefully read previous dictations |
| experienced Medical Transcriptionists. | | | | and diagnosis of patient to be certain which leg |
| Editing | | | | the doctor actually performed surgery upon! |
| You will never find a perfect dictator! Every | | | | The Medical Transcriptionist should never edit |
| dictator has at one time or another misspoke and | | | | physician dictation aggressively. It has to be done |
| said something like, "The patient smokes two | | | | subtly, delicately and carefully. You want to |
| beers a day and drinks two packs," or refers to | | | | always strive for a favorable response from the |
| surgery on the left arm in one paragraph and | | | | dictator. You need to be involved and alert while |
| surgery on the right arm in the next paragraph. | | | | transcribing medical dictation so that when |
| Busy dictating physicians count on the Medical | | | | something is dictated that just does not make |
| Transcriptionist to be alert. When necessary, he | | | | sense, which does not flow, or does not add up, |
| or she must correct the mistakes of the dictating | | | | you will immediately detect it. Listen with an |
| physician. Most of the time you won't be required | | | | intelligent ear to produce accurate, intelligent, clear |
| to put coffee on and have a cup of coffee | | | | medical documents. Keep in mind the fine line |
| waiting for the dictating physician, unless of | | | | between "editing" and tampering. |
| course, you do this just out of courtesy, which | | | | This article is FREE to publish with the resource |
| can be nice, warm and friendly, when working in | | | | box. |