After doctors, medical transcriptionists now receive the highest pay in the country's health sector, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said, citing Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics.

TUCP spokesperson Alex Aguilar said in a press statement medical transcriptionists are earning higher income than medical technologists, nurses and even dentists.

The BLES Occupational Wages Survey shows that medical transcriptionists are paid an average of P10,757 in monthly wages, P1,462 or 16 percent higher than the average of P9,295 received by medical technologists.

The rate is even P1,813 or 20 percent higher than the P8,944 paid to nurses; and P3,722 or 53 percent higher than the P7,035 received by dentists.

Meanwhile, medical doctors received an average of P18,134 in monthly wages.

The BLES survey covered only compensation income earners in medical, dental and other health jobs, as opposed to those earning professional fees.

Aguilar said employment growth in outsourced medical transcription services is expected to outpace considerably the 25-percent annual jobs expansion in the country's contact centers, the press statement said.

Medical transcription jobs are projected to increase at an average annual rate of 90 percent through 2010.

The growth of medical transcription services is assured, as long as we have enough supply of capable human resources, he said.

Aguilar said fresh graduates of nursing, pharmacy, medical technology, public health, physical therapy and other allied medical courses should be encouraged to consider transcription work while they are waiting for higher-paying employment opportunities here or abroad, the press statement added.*

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