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Introduction

TAPE 1A, Dictation 1

THE SUM PROGRAM EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

FOR BEGINNING MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION

The training materials that comprise The SUM Program

represent a landmark in medical transcription education.

Never before has a program been developed that is so

comprehensive in its scope, so authentic in its content,

and so educationally correct in its approach.

The SUM Program is distinguished by its use of authentic

physician-dictated reports arranged by body system or

medical specialty and sequenced in such a way as to

facilitate the learning process. Easy reports provide a

confidence-building introduction to each section, followed

by more difficult reports which build on the vocabulary

that has been introduced. You will be challenged by the

material presented in this program without becoming

discouraged. Real physicians dictating under on-the-job

conditions add a unique dimension to The SUM Program

transcription units. Sounds of eating and yawning,

telephones ringing, monitors beeping, paper rattling, and

background voices competing with the physician's dictation

will help you develop the selective hearing skills which

are so crucial for your on-the-job success. Every effort

has been made to include physician dictation which

accurately reflects current medical practice. Male and

female dictators and regional and foreign accents are

represented in each transcription unit.

All of the educational materials in The SUM Program were

developed, structured, reviewed, and approved by the

professional staff and associates of Health Professions

Institute, including certified medical transcriptionists,

educators, and physicians from throughout the country.

SUM is an acronym for Systems Unit Method. To organize andsequence the vast amount of material to be covered, a

method was selected which combines many medical disciplines

into one integrated approach that is based on body systems.

Each unit in the program concentrates on one body system or

medical specialty. All related material is then arranged,

including textbook readings, review questions, and

exercises, to cover that body system or medical specialty

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comprehensively from the standpoint of anatomy and

physiology, medical terminology, pharmacology, and

laboratory tests.

The word "sum" is an arithmetic term meaning to add

together several parts into a final total. The symbol for

The SUM Program is the Greek letter sigma which means

"sum." The SUM Program, however, embodies more than just

the sum of various units of dictation based on body system.

It also includes extensive educational material relating to

editing and proofreading, style and format,

professionalism, and medicolegal responsibilities. Thus,

The SUM Program as a whole is greater than its component

parts. It is, in fact, a total concept approach for

training you to be a successful medical transcriptionist.

The SUM Program Beginning Medical Transcription course

contains introductory material in a narrative form which

you will immediately begin to transcribe. This material

covers such topics as the qualities of a medical

transcriptionist, professionalism, humor, perspectives on

anatomy, medical terminology, choosing reference books, the

history and physical examination, pharmacology, and

laboratory tests. Each section is written and dictated by

someone who is well-known in the medical transcription

field. This will, we hope, help you to become well

acquainted with some of the people who are held in high

esteem as educators, authors, and spokespersons by medical

transcriptionists throughout the country.

The Beginning Medical Transcription course contains

dictated letters, consultations, history and physical

reports, memos, and office chart notes grouped by medical

specialty. These medical specialties correspond to the

body systems you will be studying in your anatomy and

medical terminology textbooks.

When you have finished studying and transcribing The SUM

Program Beginning Medical Transcription course, we

encourage you to continue your education as a medicaltranscriptionist by also studying and transcribing all of

the material in The SUM Program Advanced Transcription

Program.

Once you have finished your studies and obtained a job as a

medical transcriptionist, The SUM Program materials will

still be an important educational source for you for word

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and phrase books, textbooks, workshop materials, and

teaching materials for students or trainees that you

yourself will be teaching.

The SUM Program for training medical transcriptionists is

dedicated to all who strive for excellence in medical

transcription. This program is dedicated to you, your

efforts, your aspirations, your goals, and to your future

as a professional medical transcriptionist. Good luck!

Sally C. Pitman, MA, CMT

Editor & Publisher

Health Professions Institute

Modesto, California