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Last updated 21 October 2026.
The short answer
Use dictation for the notes you write yourself, and file import for recordings you need transcribed. Load your protocol's drug names and acronyms into a vocabulary set first. VoicePrivate Healthcare Edition does both on your own computer, so study audio is not sent to a transcription service.
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What research staff dictate, and what they transcribe
| Task | Best fit | In VoicePrivate |
|---|---|---|
| Study visit and progress notes | Dictation | Press the shortcut, speak, press again; the text is pasted where your cursor is |
| Deviation and adverse event narratives | Dictation | Speak the narrative, then fix words by voice or keyboard |
| Monitoring visit follow up emails | Dictation | Works in any email or document window |
| Recorded participant interviews and focus groups | Transcription | File import, one recording at a time, then export as TXT, Markdown, JSON, SRT or WebVTT |
For the difference between the two in general, see dictation vs transcription.
Worked example: one study, one month
- Vocabulary: pick the protocol PDF and the investigator brochure. VoicePrivate lists the drug names, site names and acronyms it found; you keep 60 of them in a set called "Study 104".
- Notes: after each of 25 participant visits, dictate a 2 minute visit note straight into your notes template.
- Interviews: 12 recorded interviews of 45 minutes each is 540 minutes of audio. Import the M4A files one at a time, and each is transcribed on your computer.
- Export: save each transcript as Markdown for coding. SRT and WebVTT exports add timestamps, but they are estimated by spreading the words across the recording's length, so treat them as approximate when you look for a passage.
- Cost check: at a sample $1 a minute, sending those 540 minutes to a per-minute service would be $540 for the month. With VoicePrivate there is no per-minute charge, just the Healthcare Edition at $297 a year.
Practical tips
- Turn the study set off between studies. Terms in a set that is off are not used, so one study's acronyms do not leak into another's notes.
- Record cleanly. A good microphone matters more for recordings than for dictation; see medical dictation devices.
- Check the transcript. Review names, doses and dates against the source before anything goes into a study record.
- Know your rules. Your institution and sponsor decide where study data may live. On-device processing keeps audio off third-party transcription servers; it does not replace those rules.
For choosing medical dictation software more broadly, see the complete guide to medical dictation software, which this guide builds on.
Clinical research dictation: frequently asked questions
Can I transcribe recorded research interviews with VoicePrivate?
Yes. File import takes MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC, OGG and AAC audio files, one file at a time, and transcribes them on your computer. Save a video recording's audio track as one of those formats first. Export the transcript as TXT, JSON, Markdown, SRT or WebVTT. DSS and DS2 recorder files are not supported; VoicePrivate shows a short note on how to convert them.
How do I get study drug names and protocol acronyms recognized?
Add them to a vocabulary set. You can type them, import a word list, CSV or Excel file, or pick the protocol and other study documents (.txt, .md, .docx or PDF) and let VoicePrivate find names, acronyms and unusual words for you to review.
Does the audio leave my computer?
No. Speech recognition, for dictation and for imported files, runs on your Mac or Windows PC. The network is used for licensing, downloads and updates. Follow your institution's and sponsor's rules for where study data may be stored.
Which edition should research staff use?
The Healthcare Edition, which carries 74,000+ medical terms, suits clinical studies. Staff who only transcribe non-clinical interviews can use the General Edition.
Bottom line
Dictate the notes, import the recordings, and load the protocol vocabulary first. VoicePrivate Healthcare Edition is $34.99 a month or $297 a year, with recognition on your own computer.