Examine the cost. Speak with an admissions counselor, adviser or faculty member to learn about the different costs associated with online medical transcription courses. Find out what additional fees besides tuition and books a student in the course must pay for. Some schools charge a technology fee for online classes to cover the institution's expenses in establishing the course online. Ask if financial aid is available to cover some or all of the cost of the online medical transcription courses.
Determine the length. Learn how long you must take medical transcription courses before you earn a certificate or degree in the field. Compare the length of each program to the overall cost rather than simply looking at cost or length. Ensure that you are able to remain a student in the classes throughout the duration of the program since dropping out will waste your money and reduce your chances of finding employment in the medical transcription field.
Find an accredited program. Visit the website of the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI), formerly the American Association of Medical Transcriptionists, to obtain a listing of accredited medical transcription programs. Attending an accredited program prepares you to become a certified medical transcription after you graduate and gain two years of work experience in the field.
Check out support services. Find out what support services are available to you online as a student in medical transcription courses. More schools are taking their student services online as the number of students taking online courses continues to grow. Seek out a school that allows you to access all these services online rather than a school that requires you to use the phone or visit the campus in person. Services you'll need online to be successful as a student in online medical transcription include advising, tutoring, financial aid and enrollment.
Reach out to instructors. Send emails to instructors of the online medical transcription courses before enrolling to see how easy it is to reach them. Choose a program where instructors are quick to respond to questions and inquiries of students. This is an important component of your success once you are in online medical transcription classes.