Court reporters, medical transcriptionists and related occupations
Career Overview
Court reporters:
- Record and transcribe verbatim the proceedings of courts, legislative assemblies and committees
- Prepare transcripts for use by judges, tribunals and quasi-judicial panels
- Are employed by courts of law, provincial and federal legislative assemblies and committees, or they may be self-employed
Medical transcriptionists:
- Record, transcribe and edit dictation by physicians and other health care providers, surgical proceedings, health-related reports and other medical documentation
- Are employed by hospitals, medical clinics and doctors' offices, or they may be self-employed
Closed captioners and other transcriptionists are included in this group.
Job Titles
Duties
Court reporters:
- Record verbatim proceedings of courtroom using electronic stenograph machine or stenomask
- Respond to requests during court sessions to read back verbatim evidence
- Transcribe recorded proceedings in accordance with established formats
- Verify accuracy of transcripts by checking copy against original record of proceedings and accuracy of rulings by checking with judge
- Research and locate quotes to ensure accuracy
- Respond to requests for transcripts ordered by judges, lawyers or the public
- File and store shorthand notes of court session
Medical transcriptionists:
- Transcribe recorded dictation in accordance with established formats or written documentation from medical reports, correspondence, health records and patient information
- Proofread work for typographical and grammatical errors
- Edit transcripts for missing or incorrect content and formatting
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,340% Employed Full Time
37%Work in this occupation is typically performed in a structured environment, such as an office or hospital.
Career Pathways
There is some mobility between jobs in this group and other jobs requiring similar knowledge of legal or medical terminology, such as legal or medical administrative assistant.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Court reporters: Require completion of secondary school and usually require completion of a college or other program in court reporting
- May also require the Chartered Shorthand Reporter (CSR) certificate
Medical transcriptionists: Require completion of secondary school and usually require completion of a recognized medical transcription program
- May also require the Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) certificate
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,340Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 40 | 3.0% |
| Kootenay | 75 | 5.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 715 | 53.4% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 25 | 1.9% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 240 | 17.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 245 | 18.3% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
550Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 10 | 0.2% |
| Kootenay | 20 | 1.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 290 | 1.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 110 | 1.2% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 120 | 1.6% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 250 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 200 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 60 |
| Public Administration | 30 |
| Educational Services | 10 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.