Cheating/verbal tests and cost per line.
Posted By: ps on 2006-01-06
In Reply to: Hmmm, as an experience MT who has taken - verbal tests and passed with
I am sorry to hear this wonderful recruiter being called a cheater. I have been in this business for about 25 years, and I will take whatever help/advice I can get. Yes, I am in the transcription business to help people but I am also in it to help support my family. I'll take short cuts, macros, whatever it will take to increase my lines and if getting into a company that is willing to give a helping hand, a cue, a hint, whatever - I say thank you. In the end, if you do take pride in your work, the terminology will come to you in the actual report, and I bet the next time you hear those particular terms you have trouble with on the test, you will remember them. You will remember affect and effect. You will learn intra and inter because somebody's health may depend on it. Too bad for you.....
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verbal tests also show what you do when you aren't sure
I had 2 sound alikes with different meaning out of all the questions asked. On those 2, I nailed the first meaning but wasn't sure of the second because I was nervous. They (meaning any company who does verbal tests) expect a certain amount of that in a verbal exam. I admitted that off hand, the answer didn't come to my head and I would have to look it up to be certain. I probably would not have gotten a call back if I had just guessed and gotten it wrong or didn't say I would like it up because then they would think I would throw in words into a document that didn't fit and it would show I didn't care. They want to know what you aren't sure of, too, and if you care to find out the answers.
Verbal tests show the information that is in your head.
There is nothing wrong with a company that does this and if someone flunked that portion of the test and passed the other portions, I would think that portion weighed more heavily because we are supposed to utilize our knowledge of MT also, not just the things we have to look up in reference material. We must know what we are doing, hence the reason for verbal testing.
I personally wish more companies did that. The ability to think is a big part of being a good MT. I say two thumbs up for TransHealth for testing that ability.
Okay, here is how a recruiter who is a friend of mine explained verbal tests to me.
Verbal tests are to give the recruiter a feel of what that MT knows off the top of their head. Not all people get nervous at verbal tests but a good recruiter has the insight to know if a wrong answer or lack of an answer is from not knowing or is from just being nervous. A verbal test is done just to get a feel for the the off the top knowledge of an MT plus you know that MT is taking it. This recruiter is also an MT and having gone through so many tests the long hard way decided this was the lesser of the evils. She did tell me though if she felt that MT knew their stuff and just could not respond because of nervousness that she noted that and just by a general conversation based on experience would not flunk someone like that. Lenghty tests prove very little except that an MT has been working for companies that all have different ways of style and that she felt that was not right to an MT; as well having to take tests that are hours long after an MT has been working long hours is also not fair to the MT. And my friend told me that in many cases there are MTs that literally have other MTs take their testing for them and you would not know it until that person starts the job. It depends on the recruiter and their knowledge of the industry. Each recruiter or company has their own way and usually they find the way that works best for them. I personally find that many recruiters just have no knowledge of the industry (inside knowledge) and it annoys me that someone like that is allowed to even have the opportunity to interview and test me. I can remember one with a company up north and their idea of punctuation was way too much. It should not have been an issue unless it changed the meaning of the report but had they gone by the Book of Style they would not have added those 20 or so commas throughout the 4 reports that they had me transcribe. I passed but when you have been in this industry for over 15 years and are being judged by someone that has not and who has not been in your MT dancing shoes then something about that just does not seem right. Anyway I doubt there really is a best way to do anything, but if I had my choice, I would prefer the way that is the shortest. Time is precious and for the rates they pay nowadays those tests are just too lengthy to go through that for a whopping 7 cents a line. No thank you. I'll chance my nerves over all that.
Can you use a food pedal with on-line tests, or do
nm
Interview by phone. Tests are on line. NM
.
Slipping Backward - Line Rates and Cost of Living
This is for those of us who have been in the business awhile.
I stumbled across an online calculator that lets you input a dollar amount and a year in the past, and see what it would be today with cost of living increases. (Link below).
You can use this with line rates and do it two ways - either as cents, which gives you a whole number result, or as dollars, which gives you the decimal portion as well. In other words, if you made 8 CPL, you can either enter it as $0.08, or you can enter it as $8 and then move the decimal point over to the left two places in the result. The multiplier is the same either way, so the dollar method with the extra decimal points is more precise. Just remember to move the decimal point over.
I was making 10 cpl in 1990, so I gave it a spin and ran some different line rates through it using 1990 as the base year:
8 CPL = 12.96 in 2009
9 CPL = 14.6 in 2009
10 CPL = 16.2 in 2009
11 CPL = 17.8 in 2009
12 CPL = 19.4 in 2009
Is there any doubt that if the line rate had even kept up with the cost of living, people would not be feeling the way they do about this industry?
Then I did something else and tried different input amounts to see what amount in 1990 would have equalled 9 CPL today - a typical line rate. I had to back off to 5.56. Someone earning 9 CPL today is making the equivalent of less than 6 CPL in 1990.
It's kinda fascinating playing with this thing (the way watching a train wreck is fascinating, I mean). Here's a link you can paste into your browser, or you can follow the link at the bottom of the post.
http://www.aier.org/research/worksheets-and-tools/cost-of-living-calculator
Easy tests versus harder tests...
Having passed both and offered jobs at both, which company would you likely go for? They both have the same basic benefits and line rates. Would I be assuming that the harder testing will mean that the dictation is more difficult? Any opinions on this would be greatly appreciated!
Need current info on ETransPlus i.e. work load, line rate (ballpark), cost of benefits, SM
and overall treatment of their MTs. I found archived opinions but all old. Is anyone there now that can comment? Thanks!!
About the cheating QAs
cherry picked, pretended to have internet outages, took off work while still on the clock, etc. both of them have been fired because they continued to do this stuff after I told the supervisor. Heavy workload until she finds replacements but it was worth it. 
Sounds like someone is cheating!!
Like claiming time worked for no production????? That way, their "40" hours are in and they can get overtime on their next production load???
CLaim you work 8 hours but only work 6 of them perhaps? Then by the end of the week while you show 40 hours worked and get into overtime, you've only worked 30 hours???
If you make an average of $20 an hour, and you are coming up with $36K this year, you are working about 38 hours a week. Oh, wait, but you're stealing overtime, aren't you? Sorry - didn't take that into consideration.
You said yourself in your post: "...never work 8 hours in a day ... never work 40 hours a week ... work some overtime also ..." So you're cheating. That is the only way you can do that.
It's called theft. It's a crime. If you're caught, you'll do the time!
It's just one more way of cheating workers.
Still cheating lines, if that's they way - sm
a line is calculated, i.e., assigning a character a different value than what a characters intended value is: 1 character. If you were quoted a rate of $ 0.__ per 45, 55, 65, 75 or 85-character line - whatever - changing the value of that character is dishonest and cheating. It constitutes Theft of Service and is illegal. I won't even mince words here, such as manipulation of lines, creative line counting. It's downright fraud, end of story.
If I could count lines, I would know if they were cheating
:+
No lying, stealing, cheating at all.
And I am entitled to my opinion. I didn't say all MTSOs are ethical in their business operations but most are.
Seriously, if you read over the board, it looks like a few oldies who are bitter or newbies who cannot get their foot in the door. It doesn't sound like professionals with realistic complaints. It sounds like very withdrawn, angry individuals who do not come out of their shell except on anonymous boards. :)
For the MTSOs who are unethical ... I think they should absolutely be shut down.
Still yet, no one forces you to work for any company. It is entirely your choice. So, make a different one, please.
Be happy.
True. If they're cheating us on pay when we do
But not impossible.
Messing with the margins is cheating. Use macros.
nm
only verbal from an employee there nm
nm
Verbal testing
Verbal testing is so much better. Years before people with no idea of transcription came to me with their tapes, like I would do that, NOT. If you say you are an acute care Transcriptionist you better know the standard dose of Coumadin, the most common incision used in hysterectomies, just simple stuff that all MTs would know. If you are letting these people cheat, you know, garbage in - garbage OUT.
Verbal testing.....
They do testing on the phone to weed out people who don't know the first thing about MT. Many people think because they work in a doctor's office as a receptionist or a medical assistance that they are qualified to do MT.
Your reasoning regarding the transcription quality at WMX based on the recruiter's phone line quality was faulty at best. I've been at WMX for a year and their sound files are wonderful.
Do you like where you are now? If note, give WMX another shot. It's a good place to work.
I just messed up on a verbal test - sm
I cannot believe how badly I did. I completely froze on the questions for meanings of ostial/osteal, ileum/ilial. I feel like such an idiot! I'm pretty sure I answered everything else correctly, but those sound alikes always get me, and I always have to pull out my Dorland's. I'm fairly certain I blew this one. 
Has anyone taken the verbal mini-test
Is it very difficult? I don't do well with these types of tests. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Verbal testing on the phone
Would someone be able to tell me what companies verbally test applicants on the phone? I thought I had read somewhere that Medware and Amphion did that, but I could be wrong.
Transhealth, they do written and verbal,
x
IMO I would rather have a verbal test on the phone
than one of those two hour web tests before you talk to the company only to find out you passed with flying colors and they offer you 6 cents a line.
Verbal test for Spheris
but not Medware. When I called the Spheris (Edix) recruiter I was surprised by the verbal pop quiz, wasn't expecting it. I worked for Medware last year and I don't recall the test. The worst are the online tests that you have to use your keyboard for rewind/play...a total PITA, very awkward.
Do they have both a written and verbal testing process? Thank you. nm
nm
Their verbal test was not hard at all. I was amazed
really that it was as easy as it was because when she said she was giving a phone test, I panicked. I received a job offer a day later and gladly accepted it as they sound like a very nice company.
Webmedx did a verbal test when I applied last year (sm)
The tester/interviewer was very pleasant and apologized for poor sound quality due to her using a head set (which she continued to use) during the testing. You could barely hear her and I had a bad feeling about the quality of transcription from this and turned the job down.
What about IQ tests?
start doing....!
Take other tests
There are lots of MTSOs that have online tests through MTtest.
sorry....not sure about any tests
Someone just mentioned something about a test. I just had to say that I was never offered a test. I DO NOT like tests either. I do great on employment, but get extremely nervous with tests...lol. Sorry if it made you nervous.
tests
Phoenix Medcom has new and improved voice files for testing.
tests
I just tooked the tests and not at all what is being described so the tests must have been updated recently.
Tests
I refuse to test for a company until I have received some background. Your're right some of those tests are quite extensive and I refuse to spend 2 or more hours on a test to find out they only want to pay 7 cpl and have lousy benefits. Funny thing is, when I want to inquire further before taking a test, I never get a response back from the company.
Need help with MT tests
I have almost two years MT experience and have transcribed and edited just about everything short of pathology and radiology. I am currently doing ER. I tested for a national today and did well on the grammar and terminology, but not well enough for the transcription. No direction was given for the transcription test such as to type bedtime as opposed to h.s. and daily or q.day instead of q.d. or mL for cc. I never know whether to do those things or not do them, it seems like whatever I choose to do is always wrong whenever I take an MT test anymore. I could not even slow down any of the dictators for clarity. I need to find a better paying MT job.
What would you do for prohibited abbreviations?
Also, would you expand or not expand for diagnoses and impressions?
Would you type short physical examination sections in paragraph form with the headings or would you list them individually under the section heading? I have had clients that wanted it both ways.
Maybe I have lost my edge by doing strictly ER. Still, I would really appreciate the thoughts of other MTs about the above questions and any other pointers anyone would like to share.
Thanks in advance.
TESTS
Hi Jan:
I am a newby fresh, new blood. A post graduate from community college. Use mL in place of cc.
Am also looking for transcription work myself; do you have any leads?
tests
Sorry to hear you failed their test. I also failed theirs and Medquists twice. I hate that they don't give you any feedback on why. No idea whether it was writter or transcription or what. Just thanks, you can reapply in so many months. I really think they should give some feedback, don't you?
I don't think anyone tests with MDI-MD
I could be mistaken, but I work for MDI-MD and there was no formal test required. Instead, they review your resume, see if they have a 'fit' for you, and then there is an extensive phone interview where they assess you skills and go over your experience with you.
I've seen several MTs post to this same experience, so I don't believe they have any formal testing at their site or elsewhere.
Easy tests
Nope, you can't go by that. In fact, you can't go by anything but your own experience. Make your wisest decision. Use your gut instincts. That's all any of us can do.
It might help others to answer if you named the companies, but I understand why you can't.
Good luck. :)
I though the tests were very fair sm
and although not simple, they weren't extremely hard and certainly much better than some I have taken. The actual verbal, I thought, was the easiest. By the way, definitions ARE a MAJOR part of transcription ability. Sounds like you are sore at the company for not getting the position.
TESTS UPDATED
All tests for Phoenix Medcom have been updated as of 7/26/2006
Long tests
I was thinking the exact same thing! LOL! I once took an enormously long test that was in my specialty and I knew it was good. Never got the courtesy of a reply. Soured me on tests.
Long Tests
Yep! I think that some companies out there do use MTs to get work done for free. Absolutely agree with you.
Tests and Companies
I have taken a test for DR,Inc; Chronicle, and O-Script. Have offer from the last two. Would really just like to work part-time because of health reasons, so I went ahead with the test for DR. Now, if I passed the test for the last two, which weren't just a piece of cake but showed that you had knowledge , it would seem I would pass the DR,Inc. test, but you never know. I just would like to work when I feel really good which is about 4 hours after lunch every day, I have had 2 back surgeries and a neck surgery and it just takes awhile to get going and after sitting for awhile, I can hardly get up. Any suggestions on what I might could do to alleviate some of the pain? I take about 3 hot showers a day just to get the tension and stress out of my neck and back.
transcription tests
What is the grading criteria for these company tests? Must the transcription be totally error free, 95% error free or what. I've had some good results, but some where I thought I had every word correct gave no answer at all.
thanks.
Quig.
Most tests are done in Word
and emailed, so you'd have a copy of what you submit. You can always copy/paste your test from the online sites as well. I'm not really sure why you have such a big problem with her seeking feedback from a fellow MT either on her previous tests, or actually as I suggested in my original post, HER PREVIOUS WORK she's done to see where her weaknesses are so she can improve her skills.... ??
For the majority of tests, you HAVE to go by
BOS2. No way you can pass it if you are not following the rules.
About the book/tests - have you not ever sm
done any in-depth research into the field you are working in? Had you done that, you would have probably ended up at the AHDI site at some point (creator of the BOS) or MTChat or here - references to BOS and tests come up daily. How could you have been working and not know there was a BOS?
transcription tests
 What a bunch of BS. If you have years of experience the testing process is so ridiculous. I think taking the test before you even know what they are going to pay is so unfair. If they are paying ZILCH - which seems to be it today - why waste your valuable time transcribing anything. I agree 21 notes - give me a break. They probably just send them to QA and on to the client and get free work!
A line is a line is a line. Doesn't matter if we are talking about radiology or acute care.
1600 is not a fair minimum requirement. Sure you can achieve 1600, it shouldn't be the required minimum.
Oh let me tell you, they know how to pass the drug tests! (sm)
One woman I worked with was talking about how to use "Yellow Root" to "beat" the drug test! (that's what she said, "beat" the drug test) They know all of the tricks of the trade. One company stopped using the urine drug test and now they use the hair strand drug test, so I don't know what they use to "beat" that one (I guess they pull the strands out of somebody else's hair!) :-)
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