Medical Transcription Registered Apprenticeship Program Launched.

CHICAGO -- The Medical Transcription Industry Association (MTIA) announced today its plans to begin accepting applications for registered apprentices on January 1, 2007, following the recent completion of all necessary administrative requirements called for by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Under this program, graduates who have passed the Registered Medical Transcription (RMT) entry-level exam developed by the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) and who have attended approved medical transcription educational institutions can be hired as apprentices by participating employers. In March of this year, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) declared medical transcription to be an apprenticeable profession - the first step in establishing a national apprenticeship program.

"The MTIA Registered Apprenticeship program will deliver well-trained medical transcriptionists into the marketplace for years to come. Such quality-based, knowledge-workers are essential to patient safety and the transition toward an electronic healthcare infrastructure," stated Sean Carroll, President of MTIA. "We view this program as a necessary, major investment in the future of the industry. We are also enthusiastic about expanding the program to meet evolving workforce models of the future," said Carroll.

"Considering the grave shortage of qualified medical transcriptionists combined with workplace production pressures to meet turnaround times for clinical documentation, it's important for MTIA and AAMT to partner on solutions for creating more "job-ready" practitioners to handle the growing documentation demands of the healthcare system," stated Peter Preziosi, PhD, CAE, Executive Director, American Association for Medical Transcription. "The MTIA Registered Apprenticeship Program offers a structured environment for newly credentialed graduates to succeed as a new practitioner in the workplace by giving them the additional ear time and counsel which is critical to honing their interpretive medical language and critical thinking skills."

The Registered Apprenticeship Program, sponsored by the MTIA, will offer structured on-the-job learning and related technical instruction for qualified medical transcriptionists entering the profession. MTIA and AAMT have worked for over a year with the Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer and Labor Services to construct the program.

The not-for-profit Medical Transcription Industry Association is the world's largest trade association serving medical transcription service operators. Its mission is to create an environment in which medical transcription companies can prosper, grow, and deliver the highest level of healthcare documentation services. For more information, visit www.mtia.com.

The American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) has been the professional organization representing medical transcriptionists since 1978. AAMT sets standards of practice and education for medical transcriptionists, administers a certification program, has established a code of ethics, and advocates on behalf of the profession. There are over 135 component associations of AAMT, each of which holds regular educational meetings and symposia. For more information, visit www.aamt.org.