Medical Transcriptionist

• Nine-month certificate program
• Fall start
• Includes practicum in a health care setting
• Graduates in high demand

Program Description

SAIT trains medical transcriptionists to interpret and transcribe medical dictation detailing patient health care during an illness or after an injury. The records produced by medical transcriptionists become permanent records of medical, scientific and legal value. Presently, there is a shortage of qualified medical transcriptionists in Canada, particularly in Alberta. Graduates of the Medical Transcriptionist program will have a unique blend of knowledge of biomedical and information sciences, legal aspects of health information, and computer applications.

The Medical Transcriptionist program is divided into two 15-week semesters at SAIT, and a four-week, unpaid practicum in the third semester at a health care site in or outside Calgary. While on campus at SAIT, students will learn in a classroom setting using real patient charts and physicians’ dictations.

Certain courses are available by correspondence and are marked by an asterisk (*) in the program outline. The courses must be completed within the time frame shown in the program outline. Depending on the number of courses students complete by correspondence, they may be considered a part-time student which may impact their financial loan status. Students will require a personal computer with Internet access.

Your Career

Graduates are employed as medical transcriptionists in hospitals, clinics, private offices, specialized health care facilities and sectors outside of health care.

Admission Requirements

• Alberta High School Diploma or equivalent with at least 60% in each of the following courses or their equivalents: English Language Arts 30-1 or English Language Arts 30-2.
• All applicants to SAIT Polytechnic must demonstrate English Language Proficiency prior to admission, including students educated in Canada. For more information, please see English Proficiency section.
• View High School Course Equivalencies Admission Equivalencies by Province.

Selection

To be included in selection, applications along with all supporting documents must be submitted.

Selection is done on a continuous basis and will continue until the program is full. All applications received after the program has been filled will be placed on a waitlist.

Selection Process

Qualified applicants will be required to complete a Keyboarding Skills assessment. The keyboarding assessment is a Pass/Fail exam - applicants who are unable to type at least 30 words per minute net or better will not be eligible to continue in the selection process.  Qualified applicants will be contacted by the program with more information on how to schedule the assessment through SAIT.

In addition to the above noted selection requirements, applicants who are successful in gaining admission may be requested to provide proof of the requirements below prior to the start of classes/practicum.

1. Updated Immunization Records. Details are included in the orientation package for successful candidates.
   Please note: Most practicum sites require students to demonstrate updated immunization status prior to attending practicum. Failure to do so could jeopardize your ability to complete the practicum portion of your program.
2. Security Clearance: According to the Protection for Persons in Care Act, our practicum sites require that students obtain a criminal records check prior to going on practicum. Any criminal code offence for which a pardon has not been received, may be a deterrent to a student’s entry into practicum, and therefore will result in an uncompleted program, or non-graduating status.

Student Success

• Students with higher secondary or post-secondary marks usually experience greater success in SAIT programs.
• Students who experience success in this program have effective communication skills in English.
• Basic computer skills are being considered as Admission Requirements for the program in the future.
• Medical Transcriptionists enjoy working behind-the-scenes on a computer, have excellent typing skills, prefer to have a flexible work schedule, and enjoy working independently or even from home.
• Biology 30 is beneficial.

Progression

Students must attain a PGPA and/or a CGPA of 2.0 or better in each semester and pass the necessary prerequisite courses to progress through the program. To qualify for graduation, students must pass all courses, attain a CGPA of 2.0 or better and complete course requirements within the prescribed timelines.

Credentials

After successfully completing this program, graduates will receive a SAIT certificate as a Medical Transcriptionist.

Accreditation

There are no formal accreditation arrangements at this time.

Tuition And Fees (Subject To Change)

• Please refer to the Tuition and Fee Table.
• International Students, please refer to International Student Fees.
• For student funding, please refer to Financial Assistance.
• Students are responsible for any additional expenses related to their practicum including relocation costs to practicum sites outside Calgary.
• The cost for a criminal record check, which is a requirement for practicum, is up to $40 or more.

Books And Supplies (Subject To Change)

• Books and supplies are approximately $1,600.
• Students are required to have access to a personal computer with the specifications listed in Fees and Expenses.

Program Outline

• To find the course description for a course shown below, please go to our Course Finder and enter the course acronym and numbers (i.e., DMST-202) into the Quick Search by Course Code field.
• This program is being reviewed and could undergo changes.
• SAIT students are offered an opportunity to develop lifelong learning skills in an online environment. One or more courses in this program are offered fully or partially online.

Please be advised that full-time student status requires students to take 60 per cent of a full course load per semester. Depending on the number of courses completed by correspondence, a student may be considered a part-time student, which may impact his/her financial loan status.

For More Information

Information: 403.284.8500
Email: hps.info@sait.ca
Web: School of Health and Public Safety
Academic Chair: Carmen Sheridan

Transfer with Certificate to…

• SAIT Polytechnic

Transfer options may also be available at other post-secondary institutions where credits from SAIT programs are evaluated on an individual basis. Interested students should contact the post-secondary institute of their choice for more information.

To learn more, visit Transfer Options.

Related Links (Internal):

• Student-For-A-Day
• Academic Calendar
• Academic Upgrading
• International Students
• Mature Students
• Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition