iti 17 April 2025

ITI Medical Transcription Trade Syllabus (English)

The ITI Medical Transcription trade is a one-year vocational training program under the Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS), governed by the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT). This course trains individuals to transcribe medical reports, patient histories, diagnostic summaries, and other healthcare documentation from audio recordings dictated by doctors and healthcare professionals. It emphasizes medical terminology, typing skills, English proficiency, and familiarity with healthcare documentation standards. The syllabus combines theoretical knowledge, practical transcription skills, and employability skills to prepare students for roles such as medical transcriptionists, editors, or proofreaders in hospitals, transcription agencies, or remote freelance work, or as entrepreneurs offering transcription services.

Course Overview

Duration: 1 year (2 semesters, each 6 months)
NSQF Level: Level 4
Eligibility: Minimum 10th grade pass with English proficiency (or equivalent)
Objective: To enable trainees to accurately transcribe medical audio into written records, ensuring clarity, confidentiality, and compliance with healthcare standards.

Detailed Syllabus Breakdown (English)

1. Trade Theory (Theoretical Knowledge)

Covers medical terminology, transcription processes, and healthcare documentation standards.

Semester 1
- Introduction to Medical Transcription
  - Overview: role of transcriptionists, scope in healthcare (hospitals, clinics, agencies).
  - Industry: HIPAA compliance, patient confidentiality, data security norms.
  - Safety: ergonomic practices, workstation setup, eye strain prevention.
- Basic Anatomy and Physiology
  - Systems: cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, digestive, musculoskeletal.
  - Terminology: prefixes, suffixes, root words (e.g., cardio-, -itis, myo-).
  - Functions: basic organ roles, common medical conditions (e.g., hypertension, diabetes).
- Medical Terminology
  - Vocabulary: diseases, procedures, diagnostics (e.g., MRI, biopsy, angioplasty).
  - Abbreviations: common terms (e.g., BP, ECG, CBC), drug names.
  - Spelling: standardizing terms (e.g., hemorrhage vs. haemorrhage).
- English Language Skills
  - Grammar: sentence structure, punctuation, verb agreement for reports.
  - Vocabulary: medical and general English for clarity in transcription.
  - Listening: understanding accents, medical jargon in audio dictations.
- Computer Fundamentals
  - Software: MS Word, transcription platforms (e.g., Express Scribe, InScribe).
  - Tools: spell-checkers, medical dictionaries, shortcut keys for efficiency.
  - Basics: file management, saving formats (DOCX, PDF), cloud storage.
- Typing Skills
  - Techniques: touch typing, improving speed (target: 40-60 WPM).
  - Accuracy: minimizing errors in medical terms, numbers, dosages.
  - Practice: typing medical reports, summaries, discharge notes.
- Healthcare Documentation Standards
  - Formats: SOAP notes, operative reports, discharge summaries, history/physicals.
  - Guidelines: AHDI (Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity) standards.
  - Ethics: accuracy, confidentiality, avoiding falsification of records.
Semester 2
- Advanced Medical Terminology
  - Specialties: cardiology, orthopedics, neurology, gastroenterology, radiology.
  - Procedures: surgical terms (e.g., laparoscopy, angioplasty), diagnostics.
  - Pharmacology: drug classifications, generic/brand names, dosages.
- Transcription Technology
  - Tools: foot pedals, speech recognition software, audio enhancers.
  - Systems: EMR (Electronic Medical Records), EHR (Electronic Health Records).
  - Troubleshooting: handling poor audio quality, overlapping voices, accents.
- Quality Assurance in Transcription
  - Editing: correcting grammar, formatting errors, inconsistencies.
  - Proofreading: verifying medical terms, dosages, patient details.
  - Standards: maintaining 98%+ accuracy, turnaround time (TAT) compliance.
- Medical Law and Ethics
  - Regulations: HIPAA, Indian Medical Council guidelines, data protection laws.
  - Responsibilities: patient privacy, secure data transmission, consent forms.
  - Scenarios: handling ethical dilemmas, reporting errors, whistleblowing.
- Industry Practices
  - Workflow: receiving audio, transcribing, submitting reports, feedback loops.
  - Outsourcing: role of transcription in BPO/KPO sectors, global demand.
  - Trends: AI transcription, voice-to-text tech, future of manual transcription.
- Professional Skills
  - Time management: meeting deadlines, prioritizing urgent reports.
  - Communication: coordinating with supervisors, clarifying dictations.
  - Freelancing: setting up home-based transcription services, client acquisition.

2. Trade Practical (Hands-On Skills)

Focuses on transcription, editing, and documentation in simulated environments.

Semester 1
- Typing Practice
  - Exercises: typing general text, achieving 40+ WPM with 95% accuracy.
  - Drills: medical terms, abbreviations, drug names in mock reports.
  - Tools: using keyboard shortcuts, transcription software in labs.
- Audio Transcription Basics
  - Listening: transcribing short medical dictations (1-2 minutes).
  - Formatting: creating history/physicals, consultation notes in templates.
  - Tools: practicing with foot pedals, Express Scribe in lab setups.
- Medical Terminology Application
  - Exercises: identifying terms in audio (e.g., “myocardial infarction”).
  - Practice: typing procedure notes, diagnostic reports with correct spelling.
  - Verification: cross-checking terms using medical dictionaries (e.g., Stedman’s).
- Computer Skills
  - Operations: formatting reports in MS Word, using spell-checkers.
  - File management: organizing audio/text files, secure backups in labs.
  - Software: navigating transcription platforms, saving in required formats.
- Error Identification
  - Tasks: spotting grammar, spelling errors in sample transcriptions.
  - Corrections: editing mock reports for clarity, consistency in labs.
  - Feedback: reviewing errors with instructors, improving accuracy.
- Project Work
  - Task: transcribing a set of mock medical dictations (e.g., 5 reports).
  - Output: formatting as SOAP notes, discharge summaries, error-free.
  - Report: documenting tools used, challenges faced, accuracy achieved.
Semester 2
- Advanced Transcription
  - Tasks: transcribing complex audio (e.g., surgical reports, multi-doctor dictations).
  - Specialties: handling cardiology, neurology, radiology reports in labs.
  - Challenges: managing accents, poor audio, technical terms in mock setups.
- Quality Control Practice
  - Editing: correcting mock transcriptions for grammar, format, medical accuracy.
  - Proofreading: verifying dosages, patient IDs, dates in sample reports.
  - Audits: simulating QA checks, achieving 98%+ accuracy in labs.
- Speech Recognition Integration
  - Tasks: editing AI-generated transcriptions, correcting errors in labs.
  - Tools: practicing with Dragon NaturallySpeaking, M*Modal-like software.
  - Output: producing polished reports from raw AI drafts in mock setups.
- EMR/EHR Familiarization
  - Operations: entering transcriptions into mock EMR systems in labs.
  - Navigation: accessing patient records, updating notes securely.
  - Compliance: practicing HIPAA-compliant data handling in simulations.
- Real-World Simulation
  - Tasks: transcribing under time constraints, meeting TAT (e.g., 24 hours).
  - Scenarios: handling urgent reports, clarifying ambiguous dictations in labs.
  - Coordination: simulating team workflows, supervisor feedback loops.
- Project Work
  - Task: transcribing a full set of medical reports (e.g., 10-15 dictations).
  - Output: editing, formatting, QA-checking for submission in labs.
  - Portfolio: presenting transcriptions, accuracy logs, software proficiency.

3. Workshop Calculation and Science

Supports transcription with relevant concepts.

Semester 1: Basic arithmetic (typing speed calculations), units (dosages, lab values).
Semester 2: Data handling (error rates, TAT metrics), basic physics (sound waves in audio).

4. Engineering Drawing

Not applicable; replaced with Medical Documentation Formats.

Semester 1: Sketching report templates (SOAP, H&P), flowcharts for transcription workflow.
Semester 2: Designing QA checklists, EMR data entry layouts.