Program Prerequisites
Admission Requirements:
To enroll in the Thompson Career College Transcription program you need to meet the following requirements:
GRADE 12 GRADUATE - If you are under 19, you must be a Grade 12 graduate from a Canadian high school. If you are over 19 the requirement may be waived, but you will need to provide other proof of your ability to successfully complete this program.
MATURE STUDENT STATUS - At least 19 years of age and out of school for one year. Not required if you are a grade 12 graduate.
AT LEAST 50 NET WORDS PER MINUTE TYPING SPEED - 50 wpm is the minimum required to start our program, but if you are under 60 wpm we recommend you spend time upgrading your keyboard skills prior to your start date. We recommend 'Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing' as an inexpensive but effective typing tutor program. Click here to access our typing test.
FLUENT IN WRITTEN AND SPOKEN ENGLISH - If English is not your first language, or you did not complete Grade 12 English in a Canadian high school with a mark of 65% or better, you will need to provide proof of English fluency. All applicants will be required to complete a simple reading comprehension and basic grammar tests as part of the admission process.
NO MEDICAL CONDITIONS - You have no medical conditions that will impact your success in this course or as a medical transcriptionist. If you do have any conditions we will need approval from a medical doctor to admit you. Specifically:
• Anything that would prevent you from sitting for long periods of time.
• Hand or wrist problems that would prevent you from doing high speed keyboard entry for long periods of time.
• Hearing problems that would prevent you from hearing the transcription voice files accurately.
• Sight problems that would prevent you from reading text on a computer screen for long periods of time.
• Learning, attention, or anxiety disabilities that might affect your ability to learn or to focus on transcription work.
FAMILIAR WITH MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST RESPONSIBILITIES AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES - You have researched the Medical Transcriptionist career and job opportunities, you are familiar with the job responsibilities, you are satisfied that you will be able to perform these responsibilities once you are properly trained, and you are satisfied with the job opportunities and income potential that exist in this field. You have discussed the career and job opportunities with potential employers and people who are currently working as transcriptionists.
APPROPRIATE COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS - You have an appropriate computer setup (Windows XP / Vista / 7, or a recent Mac system, good keyboard, good monitor), high speed internet access, and a quiet work area with a phone where you can work on the program without interruption. Even if you are taking the program on site at the college, you still need these resources at home. See computer requirements below for more information.
• Experience using word processing software such as Microsoft Word or Word Perfect is recommended
APPROPRIATE SCHEDULE AND PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES - You have a schedule that allows you to dedicate at least 25 hours per week of uninterrupted time (16 hours if you are taking the program over 12 months) to interact with course materials at home or to attend the program on site at Thompson Career College. If you have children at home, arrangements have been made for their care while you are studying.
Home Computer and Working Environment Requirements:
• A quiet study environment with a desk, a phone, a computer (specified below), good lighting that minimizes eye strain, a good chair that supports your lower back.
• Macintosh: 10.4.11 or greater or 10.5.X (
Safari 3.1 or greater or
Firefox 2.X or 3.X)
• Windows: Vista, or XP with SP 2 or 3 (Internet Explorer 6.X or 7.X, or Firefox 2.X or 3.X)
• High speed internet access, an available USB port, Microsoft Word, and a printer.
• A good monitor that minimizes eye strain.
• A keyboard tray, and a mouse and keyboard that minimize hand and wrist strain.
• Transcriptionist foot pedal and headset are provided by the College.
• A headset for the phone is desirable, for hands-free discussion with support personnel and employers via the toll-free numbers.
Even if you are making use of the Thompson Career College learning lab, it is still essential that you establish a working environment in your home, both for successful learning, and for later employment as a transcriptionist.
Remember, in this business your computer and home-based working environment are the tools you use to support your career. It is not wise to destabilize this environment by allowing unfettered access to the computer by users who may not be careful about security or about the impact of loading heavy demand software (such as gaming applications) onto your machine. |
