Medical transcription is the process where one accurately and swiftly transcribes medical records dictated by doctors and others, including history and physical reports, clinic notes, office notes, operative reports, consultation notes, discharge summaries, letters, psychiatric evaluations, laboratory reports, x-ray reports and pathology reports. It involves receiving dictation by tape, digital system or voice file, and using earphones, a foot pedal for start-stop control and a word processing program. It sometimes includes the use of a printer and sometimes a modem. A variety of word-processing systems are used.

All aspects of patient care must be documented in a medical record, for example: discharge summaries, patient histories, physical examination and consultation reports, diagnostic imaging studies, referral notes, and progress notes. With the help of today's advancing technology, the healthcare industry is moving towards electronic medical records to provide the best, most efficient patient care possible. Medical transcriptionists play the important role of efficiently translating this patient care information to make it accessible for use.