Medical Transcriptionist Job Description Templates
6 free templates for small practices, each with the HIPAA, BAA, W-2 versus 1099, and FLSA guidance the generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
A medical transcriptionist converts physicians' voice recordings into written medical reports and edits speech-recognition drafts. For a small practice, hiring one well means more than listing duties: you have to decide in-house versus remote, employee versus contractor, and get the HIPAA paperwork right. That last part, including when a business associate agreement is required, is where most templates stay silent.
These six templates cover the role: in-house for a small practice, remote with W-2 versus 1099 guidance, the evolving transcription-editor role, the healthcare and clinical synonym titles, an entry-level version, and a HIPAA-focused version. Each is ready to use, with the HIPAA, BAA, and classification guidance the generic templates leave out. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
A medical transcriptionist converts dictation into written medical reports and edits speech-recognition drafts. The role is hourly and non-exempt, with a median near $37,550 a year (May 2024), and the field is declining as AI tools take over. The key decisions are in-house versus remote and employee versus contractor: an outside transcriptionist is a HIPAA business associate who needs a signed BAA. Download six templates as DOCX, by setting, with the compliance built in.
What a Medical Transcriptionist Does
A medical transcriptionist listens to provider dictation, transcribes it into accurate medical reports, and edits drafts generated by speech-recognition software. The work requires strong medical terminology, fast and accurate typing, and careful handling of protected health information under HIPAA. Increasingly, the job is shifting from typing from scratch toward editing machine-generated drafts.
The federal occupation is medical transcriptionists (31-9094), and the O*NET profile lists the common job titles, which include healthcare documentation specialist. The templates here are organized by setting and engagement so you can match the posting to exactly the arrangement you are hiring, from an in-house employee to a remote contractor.
Transcriptionist, Editor, and Scribe
Several related titles get confused. These six templates cover the medical transcriptionist role and its variations, but two adjacent roles are genuinely different and should not be merged into this posting.
Role
What they do
Same as MT?
Medical transcriptionist
Transcribe dictation, edit SR drafts, after the visit
Yes, the core role
Transcription / voice-recognition editor
Edit speech-recognition output
Yes, the evolving form
Healthcare / clinical transcriptionist
Same work, different title
Yes, a synonym
Medical scribe
Document in real time during the visit
No, separate role and posting
Medical coder
Assign ICD-10 and CPT codes for billing
No, different occupation
Transcription editor and the healthcare or clinical titles are the same core role. A medical scribe and a medical coder are separate roles with their own job descriptions; do not fold them into a transcriptionist posting.
Duties and Responsibilities
Medical transcriptionist duties cluster into four areas: transcribing and editing, accuracy and documentation, confidentiality and security, and productivity and quality. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities that match the setting and engagement you are hiring.
Transcribing and editing
Transcribe dictation into medical reports
Edit and correct speech-recognition drafts
Translate medical abbreviations accurately
Accuracy and documentation
Review reports for accuracy and grammar
Apply correct medical terminology
Enter and route documents in the EHR
Confidentiality and security
Maintain patient confidentiality under HIPAA
Use secure, approved systems for PHI
Follow privacy and access policies
Productivity and quality
Meet turnaround time standards
Hit accuracy and quality targets
Manage a remote or in-house workload
An editor role weights toward correcting speech-recognition output; a remote role toward secure PHI handling and self-managed productivity. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by setting and engagement. The core structure is the same across all six, but each emphasizes the duties and, for the remote and HIPAA versions, the compliance framing that fits. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
In-House (Small Practice)
On-site employee
The core version for a small practice hiring an in-house transcriptionist as a workforce member under your HIPAA policies. The most common starting point.
Remote (W-2 vs 1099)
Work-from-home
For a remote hire, with a built-in note on classifying the worker as a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor, and the BAA a contractor needs.
Transcription Editor
Voice-recognition editor
For the evolving role: editing speech-recognition output rather than transcribing from scratch. The direction the profession is moving.
Healthcare / Clinical
Synonym titles
The same core role under the healthcare transcriptionist or clinical transcriptionist title, for facilities that use those names.
Entry-Level
Trainee, supervised
For a first transcription hire with postsecondary training: building speed and accuracy under supervision, with growth in mind.
HIPAA-Focused
PHI emphasis
For a practice that wants the HIPAA framing front and center, with the workforce-member versus business-associate distinction built in.
Match the Template to the Hire
On-site employee at a small practice: In-House. Work-from-home hire: Remote, and read the W-2 versus 1099 note. Editing speech-recognition output: Transcription Editor. Using the healthcare or clinical title: Healthcare / Clinical. A first, trainable hire: Entry-Level. Want the HIPAA framing front and center: HIPAA-Focused. The setting and HIPAA versions can be combined.
6 Free Medical Transcriptionist Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: practice and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. The remote and HIPAA versions add a compliance note. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
In-house, remote, editor, healthcare/clinical, entry-level, and HIPAA-focused. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: In-House Medical Transcriptionist (Small Practice)
The core version for a small practice hiring an in-house transcriptionist as a workforce member under your HIPAA policies. The most common starting point.
Medical Transcriptionist Job Description (In-House, Small Practice)
MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST JOB DESCRIPTION (IN-HOUSE, SMALL PRACTICE)
Practice: __
Location: __
Reports to: __ (Office Manager / Physician)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay rate: $_____ to $_____ per hour
ABOUT [PRACTICE NAME]
[One or two sentences about your practice, specialty, and the care team
the transcriptionist will support. Note in-house, on-site, or hybrid.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is hiring a Medical Transcriptionist to convert
physicians' voice recordings into accurate written medical reports and
to edit speech-recognition drafts. You will handle protected health
information under our HIPAA policies as a member of our workforce.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Listen to dictation and transcribe into medical reports
•Edit and correct speech-recognition draft documents
•Translate medical abbreviations and terminology accurately
•Review reports for accuracy, grammar, and completeness
•Enter documents into the EHR and route for sign-off
•Maintain patient confidentiality under HIPAA
•Follow secure handling procedures for PHI
•Meet turnaround and quality standards
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, and grammar
•Typing speed around [65] wpm with high accuracy
•Familiarity with EHR and transcription tools
•Detail-oriented and able to meet deadlines
PREFERRED
•Postsecondary medical transcription training
•RHDS or CHDS certification (AHDI)
•Specialty experience (for example radiology or surgery)
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay rate: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Remote Medical Transcriptionist (W-2 vs 1099)
For a remote hire, with a built-in note on classifying the worker as a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor, and the BAA a contractor needs.
Remote Medical Transcriptionist Job Description (W-2 vs 1099)
REMOTE MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST JOB DESCRIPTION (W-2 VS 1099)
For a first transcription hire with postsecondary training: building speed and accuracy under supervision, with growth in mind.
Entry-Level Medical Transcriptionist Job Description
ENTRY-LEVEL MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST JOB DESCRIPTION
Practice / Company: __
Location: __
Reports to: __
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay rate: $_____ to $_____ per hour
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring an Entry-Level Medical Transcriptionist to learn
and grow in medical documentation. With postsecondary training and a
solid grasp of medical terminology, you will transcribe and edit reports
under supervision, building speed and accuracy.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Transcribe dictation into medical reports under guidance
•Edit speech-recognition drafts and learn correction patterns
•Build medical terminology and formatting accuracy
•Review your work and apply feedback
•Maintain HIPAA confidentiality and secure PHI handling
•Meet developing turnaround and quality targets
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Postsecondary medical transcription training or certificate
•Basic medical terminology, anatomy, and grammar
•Typing speed around [55 to 65] wpm
•Eager to learn and detail-oriented
PREFERRED
•RHDS certification (AHDI)
•Internship or externship experience
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay rate: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 6: Medical Transcriptionist (HIPAA-Focused, Small Practice)
For a practice that wants the HIPAA framing front and center, with the workforce-member versus business-associate distinction built in.
Medical Transcriptionist Job Description (HIPAA-Focused, Small Practice)
MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST JOB DESCRIPTION (HIPAA-FOCUSED, SMALL PRACTICE)
Practice: __
Location: __
Reports to: Office Manager / Physician
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay rate: $_____ to $_____ per hour
JOB SUMMARY
[Practice Name] is hiring a Medical Transcriptionist for our practice
with a strong focus on HIPAA-compliant handling of protected health
information. You will transcribe and edit medical documentation as a
member of our workforce, under our HIPAA training, policies, and access
controls.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Transcribe and edit medical reports accurately
•Handle all PHI under HIPAA policies and access controls
•Use only secure, approved systems for PHI
•Complete HIPAA training at hire and annually
•Report any privacy or security concerns promptly
•Apply medical terminology and formatting correctly
•Meet turnaround and quality standards
HIPAA NOTE (READ BEFORE POSTING)
An in-house transcriptionist is a workforce member covered by your HIPAA
policies, training, and access controls, not a business associate, so no
BAA is required for an employee. If instead you use an outside
transcriptionist or transcription company, that vendor is a HIPAA
business associate and you must have a signed BAA before sharing any PHI.
A signed confidentiality agreement and documented HIPAA training are
recommended for the employee either way. This is general information, not
legal advice.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Medical terminology and transcription skills
•Understanding of HIPAA and PHI handling
•Typing speed around [65] wpm with high accuracy
PREFERRED
•RHDS or CHDS certification (AHDI)
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay rate: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Practice Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
HIPAA, BAA, and Classification
This is the part the generic templates skip, and it is the part that protects a practice: the HIPAA distinction between a workforce member and a business associate, when a BAA is required, the W-2 versus 1099 decision, and the certification picture. Get these right and your posting is both compliant and clear.
HIPAA: workforce member vs business associate
This is the distinction that matters most and that generic templates miss. An in-house transcriptionist you employ is a workforce member, covered by your HIPAA training, policies, and access controls, and does not need a separate business associate agreement. An outside transcriptionist or transcription company that handles your protected health information is a HIPAA business associate, and federal guidance specifically lists an independent medical transcriptionist providing services to a physician as an example. A business associate must sign a BAA before receiving any PHI. Get this distinction right before you share a single recording, because it changes what paperwork you owe. This is general information, not legal advice.
The BAA is not optional, and the penalties are real
When you use an outside transcriptionist or service, a signed business associate agreement is required before sharing PHI, and the relationship counts as a business associate relationship even if you never sign one, which only removes your protection. The enforcement is real: a North Carolina orthopaedic clinic paid 750,000 dollars to federal regulators after sharing the records of roughly 17,300 patients with a vendor without a signed BAA. Regulators have stressed that obtaining a business associate agreement is more than a paperwork formality. Keep BAA documentation for at least six years. If you hire in-house instead, you avoid the BAA but still owe HIPAA training and policies. This is general information, not legal advice.
W-2 vs 1099 and FLSA classification
Remote transcription is often structured as 1099 contract work, which is a common misclassification trap. Whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor is decided by the actual relationship under the DOL economic-reality test, which weighs control, opportunity for profit or loss, investment, skill, permanence, and how integral the work is, not by the label on the agreement. If you control how, when, and where the work is done, the transcriptionist is likely a W-2 employee. As an employee, the role is almost always non-exempt and hourly, since it is production-based work that does not meet the white-collar exemption tests, so overtime applies. Misclassification can mean back pay, payroll taxes, and penalties. This is general information, not legal advice.
Certification: RHDS and CHDS
Certification is not legally required, but it is the clearest signal of competence and worth naming in the posting. The professional association for the field offers two credentials: the RHDS, the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist, aimed at newer practitioners, and the CHDS, the Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist, for experienced ones. These replaced the older RMT and CMT credentials. For a job description, list an active certification as preferred rather than required for most small-practice roles, since the candidate pool is limited and declining, but treat it as a strong plus, especially for editor roles that demand high accuracy on speech-recognition output. This is general information, not legal advice.
An Outside Transcriptionist Is a Business Associate
Federal HIPAA guidance specifically lists an independent medical transcriptionist providing services to a physician as a business associate example, meaning a signed BAA is required before sharing PHI. An in-house employee is instead a workforce member under your own policies. One clinic paid $750,000 to federal regulators after sharing records without a signed BAA. This is general information, not legal advice.
Medical transcriptionists combine medical terminology knowledge, fast accurate typing, and careful PHI handling, with certification as a strong plus. Scale the requirements to the setting and seniority.
Requirement
What to look for
Education
Postsecondary medical transcription training or certificate
Knowledge
Medical terminology, anatomy, and grammar
Typing
Around 65 wpm with high accuracy
Tools
EHR and transcription or speech-recognition software
Certification
RHDS or CHDS (AHDI) preferred
Classification
Non-exempt, hourly or production-based
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Medical Transcriptionist Pay
Medical transcriptionists are paid hourly, by production, or on a modest salary. Set your rate to your setting and local market, and post a range where required.
Median Near $37,550 a Year (BLS)
Per the May 2024 federal data, medical transcriptionists had a median wage of $37,550 a year, about $18.05 an hour, with the lowest 10 percent under $26,370 and the highest 10 percent above $53,890. Pay runs higher in physicians' offices and hospitals than in third-party transcription companies, and specialty work can raise it.
The occupation is projected to decline about 5 percent from 2024 to 2034 as speech-recognition and AI tools reduce demand, though roughly 7,400 openings a year are still projected, almost entirely to replace workers who leave. Expect a smaller, more experienced candidate pool, and benchmark to your specific setting rather than the national median alone.
Hiring for a Small Practice
More than a third of medical transcriptionists work in physicians' offices, which is squarely the small-practice world. At a small practice, the office manager or a physician writes the posting, screens applicants, and onboards the hire directly. The HIPAA obligations, though, are the same as for a hospital.
Same HIPAA Rules, Smaller Team
A small practice handles the same protected health information as a large system, so the HIPAA obligations do not scale down. An in-house transcriptionist needs HIPAA training, policies, and a signed confidentiality agreement; an outside transcriptionist or service needs a signed BAA before any PHI changes hands. The advantage of a smaller practice is that it is simpler to set up a HIPAA-aware hiring and onboarding process once and keep it current. That is where FirstHR fits: offer-letter, confidentiality, and BAA e-signature, HIPAA training modules as part of onboarding, and document management for signed agreements and BAA records, which should be kept at least six years. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a HIPAA compliance, transcription, or payroll system, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and a HIPAA-aware onboarding. Because the role handles PHI, getting the agreements, training, and classification right from day one matters.
Send the offer and agreements
Confirm the role, pay, and W-2 or 1099 status in writing, with the offer letter, confidentiality agreement, and any BAA the new hire or vendor can e-sign.
Run HIPAA training first
HIPAA and PHI-handling training at hire and annually for a workforce member, with a signed acknowledgment kept on file.
Onboard with the right forms
I-9 and W-4 for an employee, or W-9 and a BAA for a contractor, plus a clear first-week checklist for tools and access.
Store the records
Keep the signed agreements, HIPAA acknowledgment, any BAA, and certifications organized, since BAA records are kept at least six years.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template gives the new hire a structured start. FirstHR connects the offer, confidentiality and BAA e-signatures, HIPAA training, the onboarding workflow, and document management in one place so a small practice can manage the people side of hiring a transcriptionist from one system. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a HIPAA compliance, transcription, or payroll tool, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A medical transcriptionist converts dictation into written medical reports and edits speech-recognition drafts, increasingly the latter.
Use the template that matches the hire: in-house, remote, editor, healthcare/clinical, entry-level, or HIPAA-focused.
An in-house transcriptionist is a workforce member; an outside transcriptionist is a HIPAA business associate who needs a signed BAA.
Classify remote workers carefully: control points to a W-2 employee, and the role is non-exempt and hourly with overtime.
The median wage is about $37,550 a year (May 2024), and the occupation is declining roughly 5 percent as AI tools take over.
A medical scribe (real-time documentation) and a medical coder are separate roles, not variations of a transcriptionist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a medical transcriptionist do?
A medical transcriptionist converts physicians' voice recordings into formal written medical reports and edits drafts produced by speech-recognition software. Day to day, that means listening to dictation, transcribing it accurately, correcting speech-recognition output, translating medical abbreviations and terminology, reviewing reports for accuracy and grammar, and entering finalized documents into the electronic health record. Because the work involves protected health information, the transcriptionist must maintain patient confidentiality and follow HIPAA requirements throughout. The role requires solid medical terminology knowledge, strong typing and language skills, and attention to detail. Increasingly, the job is shifting from typing from scratch toward editing machine-generated drafts, a role sometimes titled medical transcription editor or voice-recognition editor. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a medical transcriptionist, a scribe, and a coder?
They are three distinct roles often confused. A medical transcriptionist converts recorded dictation into written reports after the visit and edits speech-recognition drafts, usually working remotely or in a back office. A medical scribe documents the encounter in real time, in the room with the provider during the patient visit, and is a separate role with its own job description and often a pre-med audience. A medical coder assigns standardized diagnosis and procedure codes, such as ICD-10 and CPT, to clinical documentation for billing, and is a different occupation entirely. If you need someone to produce reports from dictation, that is a transcriptionist; real-time documentation is a scribe; and code assignment is a coder. Match the title to the actual work. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does hiring a medical transcriptionist require a HIPAA business associate agreement?
It depends on whether the transcriptionist is your employee or an outside vendor. An in-house transcriptionist you employ is a workforce member, covered by your own HIPAA training, policies, and access controls, and does not need a business associate agreement. An outside transcriptionist or transcription company that handles your protected health information is a HIPAA business associate, and federal guidance specifically lists an independent medical transcriptionist providing services to a physician as a business associate example. In that case, you must have a signed BAA before sharing any PHI. The relationship counts as a business associate relationship even without a signed agreement, which only strips away your protection, so get the BAA in place first. This is general information, not legal advice.
Should a remote medical transcriptionist be W-2 or 1099?
It depends on the actual working relationship, not your preference or the label on the contract. Remote transcription is often structured as 1099 contract work, but that is a common misclassification trap. The Department of Labor uses an economic-reality test that weighs control, opportunity for profit or loss, investment, skill required, permanence of the relationship, and how integral the work is to your business. If you control how, when, and where the transcriptionist works, set their tools, and treat the work as ongoing and central, they are likely a W-2 employee, not a contractor. Misclassifying an employee as a 1099 contractor can lead to back pay, unpaid payroll taxes, and penalties. When in doubt, treat a controlled worker as a W-2 employee. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a medical transcriptionist exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A medical transcriptionist employee is almost always non-exempt and paid hourly or by production. The work is production-based document work that does not meet the duties tests for the executive, administrative, or professional white-collar exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and pay typically falls below the exempt salary threshold. That means the employee is entitled to at least the minimum wage and to overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, even when paid per line or per report. Track hours carefully, especially for remote and production-paid workers. State rules can add stricter overtime and wage requirements on top of the federal standard. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a medical transcriptionist make?
Medical transcriptionists are paid hourly, by production, or on a modest salary. According to the May 2024 federal data, the median wage for the occupation was 37,550 dollars a year, about 18 dollars an hour, with the lowest 10 percent under 26,370 dollars and the highest 10 percent above 53,890 dollars. Pay varies by setting: physicians' offices and hospitals tend to pay more than third-party transcription and support-service companies, where rates run lower. Specialty experience, such as radiology or surgery, and certification can raise pay. For a posting, benchmark to your setting and local market and be aware that the occupation is declining as speech-recognition and AI tools reduce demand, which affects both pay and candidate availability. This is general information, not compensation advice.
Is medical transcription a declining field?
Yes. Federal projections show employment of medical transcriptionists declining about 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, with the workforce shrinking from roughly 43,900 jobs to about 41,800. The decline is driven by speech-recognition and AI tools that let physicians document encounters in real time or generate drafts automatically, reducing the need for traditional from-scratch transcription. That said, about 7,400 openings are still projected each year, almost entirely to replace workers who retire or change careers, so hiring continues. The role is also evolving rather than vanishing: many positions are shifting toward editing speech-recognition output as a medical transcription editor or voice-recognition editor. If you are hiring, expect a smaller, more experienced candidate pool. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a medical transcriptionist job description include?
Start by deciding the setting and engagement: in-house or remote, and employee or contractor. Include a short practice summary, a job summary that names the transcription and speech-recognition editing work, and responsibilities grouped into transcribing and editing, accuracy and documentation, confidentiality and security, and productivity. State the requirements, including medical terminology, a typing speed around 65 words per minute, and certification as preferred. The most valuable additions that generic templates skip are the HIPAA framing, the workforce-member versus business-associate distinction and BAA, the W-2 versus 1099 classification guidance, and the FLSA non-exempt status. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
