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Court / Deposition / Scopists / Stenographer
Reporters.............
"Your One Stop Deposition Agency"
Serving Northern California
Since 1975
COURT REPORTERS BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 230, Sacramento, CA
95833
Telephone: (916) 263-3660
Fax: (916) 263-3664
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Significant Points
* A high school diploma is sufficient for stenographers. Employers prefer
medical transcriptionists who have completed a vocational school or community college
program; and court reporters generally complete a 2- or 4-year postsecondary school
program.
* Overall employment is projected to grow more slowly than average, as growth among
medical transcriptionists is offset by the decline among stenographers. Certified medical
transcriptionists and court reporters should have the best prospects.
* Court reporters generally earn higher
salaries than stenographers or medical transcriptionists.
Court Reporters and stenographers take verbatim reports of speeches, conversations, legal
proceedings, meetings, or other events when written accounts of spoken words are necessary
for correspondence, records, or legal proof. Medical transcriptionists translate and edit
recorded dictation by physicians and other healthcare providers regarding patient
assessment and treatment.
Court Reporters document
all statements made in an official proceeding using a stenotype machine, and present their
record as the official transcript. Because there is only one person creating an official
transcript, accuracy is vitally important.
Although many court reporters record official proceedings in the courtroom, most
court reporters work outside the courtroom. Freelance reporters take depositions for
attorneys in offices, and document proceedings of meetings, conventions, and other private
activities. Others capture the proceedings in the U.S. Congress, State and local governing
bodies, and government agencies at all levels.
Court Reporters use
stenotype machines, which allow them to press more than one key at a time to record
combinations of letters representing sounds, words, or phrases. The symbols are then
recorded on computer disks. The disks are loaded into a computer that translates and
displays the symbols in English—this is called computer-aided transcription.
Stenotype machines that link directly to the computer are used for real-time captioning.
That is, as the reporter keys in the symbols, they are instantly transcribed by the
computer. This is used for closed captioning for the deaf or hearing-impaired on
television, or in courts, classrooms, or meetings. Court reporters who specialize in
captioning live television programming are commonly known as stenocaptioners, and
work for television networks or cable stations captioning news, emergency broadcasts,
sporting events, and other programming.
Using a transcribing machine with headset and foot pedal, medical
transcriptionists listen to recordings by physicians and other healthcare
professionals dictating a variety of medical reports such as emergency room visits,
diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries. To understand
and accurately transcribe dictated reports into a format that is clear and comprehensible
for the reader, the medical transcriptionist must understand the language of medicine,
anatomy and physiology, diagnostic procedures, and treatment, and must be able to
translate medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms. Editing as necessary
for grammar and clarity, the medical transcriptionist transcribes the dictated reports and
returns them in either printed or electronic form to the dictator for review and
signature, or correction. These reports eventually become a part of the patient's
permanent file. (Medical secretaries, who are discussed in the Handbook statement
on secretaries, may also transcribe as
part of their jobs.)
Stenographers take dictation and then
transcribe their notes on a word processor or onto a computer diskette. They may take
dictation using either shorthand or a stenotype machine, which prints shorthand symbols.
General stenographers, including most beginners, take routine dictation and perform other
office tasks such as typing, filing, answering telephones, and operating office machines.
Experienced and highly skilled stenographers take more difficult dictation. For example,
they attend staff meetings and provide word-for-word records or summary reports of the
proceedings to the participants. They also supervise other stenographers, typists, and
clerical workers. Some experienced stenographers take dictation in foreign languages;
others work as public stenographers serving traveling business people and others.
Technical stenographers must know the medical, legal, engineering, or scientific
terminology used in a particular profession.
Court Reporters work in the
offices of attorneys, courtrooms, legislatures, and conventions. Transcriptionists work in
hospitals, doctors' offices, or medical transcription services. An increasing number of
court reporters and medical transcriptionists work from home-based offices as
subcontractors for law firms, hospitals, and transcription services. Stenographers usually
work in clean, well-lighted offices. Sitting in the same position for long periods can be
tiring, and workers can suffer wrist, back, neck, or eye problems due to strain, and risk
repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. The pressure to be accurate and
fast can also be stressful.
Many court reporters, medical transcriptionists, and stenographers work a standard
40-hour week, although about 1 in 4 works part-time. A substantial number of court
reporters and medical transcriptionists, however, are self-employed, which may result in
irregular, long working hours.
Court Reporters medical
transcriptionists, and stenographers held 98,000 jobs in 1996. More than 1 in 4 were
self-employed. Of those who worked for a wage or salary, about one-third worked for State
and local governments, a reflection of the large number of court reporters working in
courts, legislatures, and various agencies. About one-fourth worked for hospitals and
physicians' offices. Other stenographers and court reporters worked for colleges and
universities, secretarial and court reporting services, temporary help supply services,
Court Reporters generally
complete a 2- or 4-year training program, offered by about 300 postsecondary vocational
and technical schools and colleges. About 110 programs have been approved by the National
Court Reporters Association (NCRA), all of which teach computer-aided transcription and
real-time reporting. NCRA-approved programs require students to capture 225 words per
minute. Court reporters in the Federal Government generally must capture at least 205
words a minute.
Some States require court reporters to be notary publics, or to be a Certified
Court Reporter (CCR); reporters must pass a State certification test administered by a
board of examiners to earn this designation. The National Court Reporters Association
confers the designation, Registered Professional Reporter (RPR), upon those who pass a
two-part examination and participate in continuing education programs. Although voluntary,
the RPR designation is recognized as a mark of distinction in this field.
For medical transcriptionist jobs, understanding medical terminology is essential. Good
English grammar and punctuation skills are required, as well as familiarity with personal
computers and word processing software. Good listening skills are also necessary, because
some doctors and health care professionals speak English as a second language.
Employers prefer to hire transcriptionists who have completed postsecondary training in
medical transcription, offered by many vocational schools and community colleges.
Completion of a 2-year associate's degree program—including coursework in anatomy,
medical terminology, medicolegal issues, and English grammar and punctuation—is
highly recommended. Many of these programs include supervised on-the-job experience. The
American Association for Medical Transcription awards the voluntary designation, Certified
Medical Transcriptionist (CMT), to those who earn passing scores on written and practical
examinations. As in many other fields, certification is recognized as a sign of competence
in medical transcription. To retain this credential, CMT's must obtain at least 30
continuing education credits every 3 years.
Stenographic skills are taught in high schools, vocational schools, community
colleges, and proprietary business schools. For stenographer jobs, employers prefer to
hire high school graduates, and seldom have a preference among the many different
shorthand methods. Although requirements vary in private firms, applicants with the best
speed and accuracy usually receive first consideration in hiring. To qualify for jobs in
the Federal Government, stenographers must be able to take dictation at a minimum of 80
words per minute and type at least 40 words per minute. Workers must achieve higher rates
to advance to more responsible positions.
Stenographers can advance to more responsible secretarial positions, especially if they
develop their interpersonal and communication skills. Some stenographers complete the
necessary education to become court reporters.
Overall employment of court reporters, medical transcriptionists, and
stenographers is projected to grow more
slowly than the average for all occupations. Employment growth among medical
transcriptionists should be offset by the decline among stenographers, and the number of
court reporters should remain fairly stable. (We need more competent and professional
court and deposition reporters.)
Demand for medical transcriptionists is expected to increase with growth in the need for
health care and the industries that provide it. Growing numbers of medical
transcriptionists will be needed to amend patients' records, edit for grammar, and
discover discrepancies in medical records. Those who earn an associate's degree or
American Association for Medical Transcription certification, should have favorable job
prospects.
Employment of court reporters should be stable. The growing number of conventions,
conferences, depositions, seminars, and similar meetings in which proceedings are recorded
should create demand for court reporters. (There is a high demand for court reporters in
1999.) Although many of these events are videotaped, a written transcript must still be
created for legal purposes or if the proceedings are to be published. Also, the trend to
provide instantaneous written captions for the deaf and hearing impaired should strengthen
demand for stenocaptioners. In addition, demand should grow for court reporters willing to
freelance or take depositions for court reporting service bureaus. However, budget
constraints should limit the ability of Federal, State, and local courts to expand, even
in the face of rising numbers of criminal court cases and civil lawsuits. Competition for
entry-level jobs is increasing, as more workers are attracted to the occupation.
Opportunities should be best for those who earn National Court Reporters Association
certification.
The widespread use of dictation machines has greatly reduced the need for office
stenographers. The traditional "steno pool" is almost a thing of the past. Audio
recording equipment and the use of personal computers by managers and other professionals
should continue to greatly decrease the demand for these workers.
Court reporters, medical transcriptionists, and stenographers had median
earnings of about $410 a week in 1996. The middle 50 percent earned between $340 and $550;
the lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $280; and the highest paid 10 percent earned
over $840 a week.
Court reporters generally earn higher salaries than stenographers or medical
transcriptionists, and many supplement their income by doing additional freelance work.
According to a National Court Reporters Association survey of its members, average
earnings for court reporters were about $1,080 per week in 1995. According to a 1996
survey by the American Association for Medical Transcription, over 4 out of 10 members
earned less than $25,000 a year, more than 3 out of 10 earned between $25,000 and $35,000,
and over 2 out of 10 earned over $35,000. Regardless of specialty, earnings depend on
education, experience, and geographic location.
A number of other workers type, record information, and process paperwork.
Among these are bookkeepers, receptionists, secretaries, personnel clerks, administrative
assistants, and medical assistants.
For information about careers, training, and certification in court reporting,
contact:
National Court Reporters Association, 8224 Old Courthouse Rd., Vienna, VA 22182. Homepage:
http://www.verbatimreporters.com
For information on a career as a medical transcriptionist, visit AAMT's
Internet site or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
American Association for Medical Transcription, P.O. Box 576187, Modesto, CA 95357.
Homepage: http://www.aamt.org/aamt
For information about job openings for stenographers, contact State employment
service offices.
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