Why Becoming An MT Is Important To Me
As a former executive director of the Albany Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, I am well aware of the importance of people in the health care field, particularly Medical Transcriptionists. It is crucial that patients receive the most relevant information possible from their physicians in order to ultimately live their lives to the fullest. The process of information from the doctors to the patients’ charts is key to their health and well-being, for if false information is found, the patient suffers – which of course is the worse possible scenario. Although I am no longer with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, my passion for medicine and the improvement of the lives of others has not left me. I spent a great deal of time in the hospital with patients and physicians, and I would pay close attention as our physicians would refer back to the patients’ charts quite often as they discussed with the patient the next important steps in their care. Because the information in the charts was essentially the bible upon which the physicians relied, it became quite evident to me how much responsibility truly lies on the shoulders of the Medical Transcriptionists. These physicians often will see at least 10-15 patients each day. It is humanly impossible to remember each and every person who walks through their doors, and yet the physicians I worked with were always right on top of every case they discussed, being able to candidly discuss the patients’ history, what they talked about in their last visit and make a sensible diagnosis for what came next. Clearly this is largely due to the accuracy of the records that the Medical Transcriptionist decoded from the physician’s notes and verbal records of previous visits. I had never realized what a crucial role medical transcription jobs play in the effective working of hospitals and physicians visits, and I instantly became interested in being a part of such a valuable career. Additionally, the importance of a good medical transcriptionist was demonstrated to me recently when someone very close to me was given false information from her physician after an appointment due to incorrect information in her chart. This could have been potentially damaging, had she not been paying close attention to what the doctor had told her in the exam room. This strengthened my resolve to pursue this career, as it is unacceptable that this occurs, and I can’t help but wonder if it occurs fairly often. A Medical Transcriptionist is the gateway between the physician and the patient, and I know I would excel in this role. I am currently getting my Masters Degree in Education, and I think a dual career would serve me well in the future. Educators teach in other places besides schools, and I see myself one day using my education background to teach others about Medical Transcription and to help them to grow in their careers as well. I know I would be a great asset to this field, and I truly hope that you will consider providing me with a full scholarship so I can get one step closer to making my dream a reality.
WRITTEN BY: Lisa Henderson
