<PAGE>



   As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 11, 2003

                                                     Registration No. 333-
================================================================================



                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                  MEDQUIST INC.
              -----------------------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                                                                   <C>
         NEW JERSEY                                                   22-2531298
-------------------------------                          ---------------------------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
Incorporation or Organization)
</TABLE>

                          5 Greentree Centre, Suite 311
                            Marlton, New Jersey 08053
                                 (856) 810-8000
              -----------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                      MEDQUIST INC. 2002 STOCK OPTION PLAN
              -----------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                      John M. Suender, Chief Legal Officer
                                  MedQuist Inc.
                          5 Greentree Centre, Suite 311
                                Marlton, NJ 08053
              -----------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (856) 810-8000
              -----------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)


                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

=======================================================================================================================
<S>                         <C>                  <C>                     <C>                    <C>
Title of shares to be       Amount to be         Proposed maximum        Proposed maximum       Amount of registration
registered                  registered (1)       offering price per      aggregate offering     fee
                                                 share                   price (2)

       Common Stock           1,500,000              $19.97               $29,955,000               $2,423.36
     ($.01 par value)
=======================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1) This registration statement (the "Registration Statement") registers the
issuance of 1,500,000 shares of Common Stock, no par value per share (the
"Common Stock") of MedQuist Inc. (the "Registrant"), plus such indeterminate
number of shares as may be issued pursuant to certain anti-dilution, stock split
or stock dividend provisions contained in the Plan.

(2) Pursuant to Rule 457(h)(1) and Rule 457(c), in the case of an employee stock
option plan where the exercise price is not known, the aggregate offering price
and the fee are based upon the average of the high and low sales prices of a
share of Common Stock of MedQuist Inc. reported on the Nasdaq National Market on
September 5, 2003.




<PAGE>


                                     PART I
              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1.           Plan Information.

                  The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I
of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the Plan as specified by
Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act. Such documents are not being filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), but constitute, along
with the documents incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement, a
prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

Item 2.           Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

                  MedQuist Inc. ("MedQuist" or the "Company") will furnish
without charge to each person to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any
and all of the documents incorporated by reference pursuant to Item 3 of Part II
of this Registration Statement, other than exhibits to such documents (unless
such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference to the information that
is incorporated). Requests should be directed to MedQuist Inc., 5 Greentree
Centre, Suite 311, Marlton, New Jersey 08053, Attention: Chief Legal Officer,
telephone number (856) 810-8000.

                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.           Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

                  The following documents which have been filed by the
Registrant with the Commission are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement:

                  (a) MedQuist's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, filed with the Commission on March 25,
2003;

                  (b) MedQuist's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters
ended March 31, 2003 and June 30, 2003, filed with the Commission on May 13,
2003 and August 12, 2003, respectively;

                  (c) MedQuist Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the
Commission on February 13, 2003, April 24, 2003 and July 25, 2003;

                  (d) The description of MedQuist's Common Stock contained in
the Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed with the Commission on March 25,
1999, as amended, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of
updating such description.

                  All documents filed by the Registrant or the Plans pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
after the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered pursuant to this Registration
Statement have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

                                       2
<PAGE>

Item 4.           Description of Securities.

                  Not applicable.

Item 5.           Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

                  Not applicable.

Item 6.           Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

                  The Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation provides that no director shall be personally liable to the
Company or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of any duty in his
or her capacity as a director owed to the Company or to the shareholders of the
Company, except for liability for breach of the director's duty of loyalty to
the Company or its shareholders, for acts or omissions not in good faith or
which involve a knowing violation of law, or for any act or omission which
results in receipt by the director of an improper personal benefit.

                  Section 14A:3-5 of the Corporation Law of the State of New
Jersey ("NJCL") permits each New Jersey business corporation to indemnify its
directors, officers, employees and agents against expenses and liability for
each such person's acts taken in his or her capacity as a director, officer,
employee or agent of the corporation if such actions were taken in good faith
and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the corporation, and with respect to any criminal
proceeding, if he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct
was unlawful. Article 10 of the Company's Bylaws provides that the Company, to
the full extent permitted by Section 14A:3-5 of the NJCL, shall indemnify all
past and present directors or officers of the Company and may indemnify all past
or present employees or other agents of the Company. To the extent that a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company has been successful on the
merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in
such Article 10, or in defense of any claim, issue, or matter therein, he or she
shall be indemnified by the Company against expenses in connection therewith.
Such expenses shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition
of the action, suit or proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors upon
receipt of an undertaking to repay the advance if it is ultimately determined
that such person is not entitled to indemnification.

Item 7.           Exemption from Registration Claimed.

                  Not applicable.

Item 8.           Exhibits.

                  The following exhibits are filed herewith or incorporated by
reference as part of this Registration Statement:

                                       3
<PAGE>

         Exhibit No.          Description
         -----------          -----------
         4.1                  MedQuist Inc. 2002 Stock Option Plan (incorporated
                              by reference to Exhibit A to the Company's Proxy
                              Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the
                              Commission on April 24, 2002)
         5.1                  Opinion of John M. Suender, Chief Legal Officer of
                              the Company
         23.1                 Consent of KPMG LLP
         23.2                 Consent of John M. Suender (included in the
                              opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto)
         24.1                 Power of Attorney (see signature page at 7)

Item 9.           Undertakings.

                  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes as follows:

                  (a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made pursuant to this Registration Statement, a post-effective amendment
to this Registration Statement:

                           (i) To include any prospectus required by Section
10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

                           (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most
recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration
Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of
securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not
exceed that which is registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in
volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum
aggregate offering price set forth in "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
the effective Registration Statement.

                           (iii) To include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this
Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this
Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i) and (ii) above do not apply if the
Registration Statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement.



                                       5
<PAGE>

                  (b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

                  (c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

                  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of
the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                   SIGNATURES

                  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Marlton, New Jersey, on September 10, 2003.

                                MEDQUIST INC.



                                By: /s/ John Quaintance
                                    ----------------------------------------
                                   John Quaintance, Executive Vice President
                                   (Principal Executive Officer)



                                       6
<PAGE>


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints John M. Suender, his true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto
and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


Date: September 10, 2003              /s/ John Quaintance
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      John Quaintance, Executive Vice President
                                      (Principal Executive Officer)

Date: September 10, 2003              /s/ Brian J. Kearns
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Brian J. Kearns, Executive
                                      Vice President, Treasurer and
                                      Chief Financial Officer
                                      (principal financial officer and
                                      principal accounting officer)

Date:  September 10, 2003
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Hans M. Barella, Director

Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ William E. Curran
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      William E. Curran, Director


Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ Stephen H. Rusckowski
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Stephen H. Rusckowski, Director


Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ A. Fred Ruttenberg
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      A. Fred Ruttenberg, Director


Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ Richard H. Stowe
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Richard H. Stowe, Director


Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ John H. Underwood
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      John H. Underwood, Director


Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ Scott M. Weisenhoff
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Scott M. Weisenhoff, Director


Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ Erik J. Westerink
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Erik J. Westerink, Director



<PAGE>


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


         5.1                  Opinion of John M. Suender, Chief Legal Officer of
                              the Company
         23.1                 Consent of KPMG LLP
         23.2                 Consent of John M. Suender (included in the
                              opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto)
         24.1                 Power of Attorney (see signature page at 7)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "s-8.txt", "description": "S-8.TXT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 19168}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "MEDQUIST INC", "cik": "0000884497", "assigned-sic": "7374", "irs-number": "222531298", "state-of-incorporation": "NJ", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-108700", "film-number": "03891933"}, "business-address": {"street1": "FIVE GREENTREE CENTRE STE 311", "street2": "STATE HIGHWAY 73 N", "city": "MARLTON", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08053", "phone": "8568108000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5 GREENTREE CENTRE SUITE 311", "street2": "ATTN BRUCE VAN FOSSEN", "city": "MARLTON", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08053"}}
As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 11, 2003

                                                     Registration No. 333-
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                  MEDQUIST INC.
              -----------------------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
NEW JERSEY                                                   22-2531298
-------------------------------                          ---------------------------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
Incorporation or Organization)
5 Greentree Centre, Suite 311
                            Marlton, New Jersey 08053
                                 (856) 810-8000
              -----------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                      MEDQUIST INC. 2002 STOCK OPTION PLAN
              -----------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                      John M. Suender, Chief Legal Officer
                                  MedQuist Inc.
                          5 Greentree Centre, Suite 311
                                Marlton, NJ 08053
              -----------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (856) 810-8000
              -----------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
=======================================================================================================================
Title of shares to be       Amount to be         Proposed maximum        Proposed maximum       Amount of registration
registered                  registered (1)       offering price per      aggregate offering     fee
                                                 share                   price (2)

       Common Stock           1,500,000              $19.97               $29,955,000               $2,423.36
     ($.01 par value)
=======================================================================================================================
(1) This registration statement (the "Registration Statement") registers the
issuance of 1,500,000 shares of Common Stock, no par value per share (the
"Common Stock") of MedQuist Inc. (the "Registrant"), plus such indeterminate
number of shares as may be issued pursuant to certain anti-dilution, stock split
or stock dividend provisions contained in the Plan.

(2) Pursuant to Rule 457(h)(1) and Rule 457(c), in the case of an employee stock
option plan where the exercise price is not known, the aggregate offering price
and the fee are based upon the average of the high and low sales prices of a
share of Common Stock of MedQuist Inc. reported on the Nasdaq National Market on
September 5, 2003.
PART I
              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1.           Plan Information.

                  The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I
of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants in the Plan as specified by
Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act. Such documents are not being filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), but constitute, along
with the documents incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement, a
prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

Item 2.           Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

                  MedQuist Inc. ("MedQuist" or the "Company") will furnish
without charge to each person to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any
and all of the documents incorporated by reference pursuant to Item 3 of Part II
of this Registration Statement, other than exhibits to such documents (unless
such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference to the information that
is incorporated). Requests should be directed to MedQuist Inc., 5 Greentree
Centre, Suite 311, Marlton, New Jersey 08053, Attention: Chief Legal Officer,
telephone number (856) 810-8000.

                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.           Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

                  The following documents which have been filed by the
Registrant with the Commission are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement:

                  (a) MedQuist's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, filed with the Commission on March 25,
2003;

                  (b) MedQuist's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters
ended March 31, 2003 and June 30, 2003, filed with the Commission on May 13,
2003 and August 12, 2003, respectively;

                  (c) MedQuist Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the
Commission on February 13, 2003, April 24, 2003 and July 25, 2003;

                  (d) The description of MedQuist's Common Stock contained in
the Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed with the Commission on March 25,
1999, as amended, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of
updating such description.

                  All documents filed by the Registrant or the Plans pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
after the date hereof and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered pursuant to this Registration
Statement have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

                                       2
Item 4.           Description of Securities.

                  Not applicable.

Item 5.           Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

                  Not applicable.

Item 6.           Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

                  The Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation provides that no director shall be personally liable to the
Company or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of any duty in his
or her capacity as a director owed to the Company or to the shareholders of the
Company, except for liability for breach of the director's duty of loyalty to
the Company or its shareholders, for acts or omissions not in good faith or
which involve a knowing violation of law, or for any act or omission which
results in receipt by the director of an improper personal benefit.

                  Section 14A:3-5 of the Corporation Law of the State of New
Jersey ("NJCL") permits each New Jersey business corporation to indemnify its
directors, officers, employees and agents against expenses and liability for
each such person's acts taken in his or her capacity as a director, officer,
employee or agent of the corporation if such actions were taken in good faith
and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the corporation, and with respect to any criminal
proceeding, if he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct
was unlawful. Article 10 of the Company's Bylaws provides that the Company, to
the full extent permitted by Section 14A:3-5 of the NJCL, shall indemnify all
past and present directors or officers of the Company and may indemnify all past
or present employees or other agents of the Company. To the extent that a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company has been successful on the
merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in
such Article 10, or in defense of any claim, issue, or matter therein, he or she
shall be indemnified by the Company against expenses in connection therewith.
Such expenses shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition
of the action, suit or proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors upon
receipt of an undertaking to repay the advance if it is ultimately determined
that such person is not entitled to indemnification.

Item 7.           Exemption from Registration Claimed.

                  Not applicable.

Item 8.           Exhibits.

                  The following exhibits are filed herewith or incorporated by
reference as part of this Registration Statement:

                                       3
Exhibit No.          Description
         -----------          -----------
         4.1                  MedQuist Inc. 2002 Stock Option Plan (incorporated
                              by reference to Exhibit A to the Company's Proxy
                              Statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the
                              Commission on April 24, 2002)
         5.1                  Opinion of John M. Suender, Chief Legal Officer of
                              the Company
         23.1                 Consent of KPMG LLP
         23.2                 Consent of John M. Suender (included in the
                              opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto)
         24.1                 Power of Attorney (see signature page at 7)

Item 9.           Undertakings.

                  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes as follows:

                  (a) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
being made pursuant to this Registration Statement, a post-effective amendment
to this Registration Statement:

                           (i) To include any prospectus required by Section
10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

                           (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most
recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration
Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of
securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not
exceed that which is registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in
volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum
aggregate offering price set forth in "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in
the effective Registration Statement.

                           (iii) To include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this
Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this
Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i) and (ii) above do not apply if the
Registration Statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement.

                                       5
(b) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under
the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a
new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

                  (c) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

                  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of
the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                   SIGNATURES

                  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Marlton, New Jersey, on September 10, 2003.

                                MEDQUIST INC.

                                By: /s/ John Quaintance
                                    ----------------------------------------
                                   John Quaintance, Executive Vice President
                                   (Principal Executive Officer)

                                       6
POWER OF ATTORNEY

                  KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints John M. Suender, his true and
lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments)
to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto
and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

Date: September 10, 2003              /s/ John Quaintance
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      John Quaintance, Executive Vice President
                                      (Principal Executive Officer)

Date: September 10, 2003              /s/ Brian J. Kearns
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Brian J. Kearns, Executive
                                      Vice President, Treasurer and
                                      Chief Financial Officer
                                      (principal financial officer and
                                      principal accounting officer)

Date:  September 10, 2003
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Hans M. Barella, Director

Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ William E. Curran
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      William E. Curran, Director

Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ Stephen H. Rusckowski
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Stephen H. Rusckowski, Director

Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ A. Fred Ruttenberg
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      A. Fred Ruttenberg, Director

Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ Richard H. Stowe
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Richard H. Stowe, Director

Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ John H. Underwood
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      John H. Underwood, Director

Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ Scott M. Weisenhoff
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Scott M. Weisenhoff, Director

Date:  September 10, 2003             /s/ Erik J. Westerink
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Erik J. Westerink, Director
EXHIBIT INDEX

         5.1                  Opinion of John M. Suender, Chief Legal Officer of
                              the Company
         23.1                 Consent of KPMG LLP
         23.2                 Consent of John M. Suender (included in the
                              opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto)
         24.1                 Power of Attorney (see signature page at 7)