33, Medical Secretary Degree, graduated in 1999
Posted By: and been MT ever since. nm on 2005-07-22
In Reply to: need some feedback on article I'm writing - mary anne
nm
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IC to medical secretary
 Thanks everyone for your input. I have a lot to consider and you all have been a great help.
Probably medical records or unit secretary
In my area the pay is about 50 cents less an hour than MT seems like a gravy job compared to this.
Look in your area for medical secretary jobs
get a chance to transcribe. You have to understand that a lot of MT's are wanting to work from home. The ones with the experience are the ones that will most likely get the positions before someone fresh out of school. Even though some students do better than others, this field still takes the experience. You can't really blame the companies, it is their loss when you can't produce because of lack of experience, and I do not mean this in an unkind way. Think about it though if you were offer a job with benefits... who would you choose? The one with the experience right? I know it is such a catch-22, but I guess the training institutes do not clue you in on this part. I agree with the other posters, try to get a small local account for yourself and do not set your expectations too high at first. You'll gain experience and self-confidence. 
Associate's Degree in Medical Secretarial Science - sm
2-year program with emphasis on transcription. Terrific - wouldn't have learned it any other way. Taught me to be a good MT - not these quick-fix on-line programs where everyone things they can early a huge salary as soon as they are done.
Take your medical degree into the office and voice your concerns.
How do you know the patient isn't getting the proper care? No two patients are alike, just because your child has the same condition doesn't mean anything. This parent probably has googled her child's condition and is working along with the doctor. As an MT, you should not talk about any patient even with the other people in the office. It is confidential information and very unprofessional.
No - fourth year resident, still in medical school - no MD degree yet. nm
x
Had it done in 1999
It was such a miracle being able to see. Had both eyes done, but one regressed, so ended up with monovision which works fine for me. But hit that 50-something now and have cataracts. Definitely do have dry eyes so use artificial tears whether in the office or at home.
I had it done in 1999 and
I'm glad I did. I haven't had any problems other than the dry eye syndrome, so I use artificial tears every day. I had both eyes corrected but the right eye regressed leaving me with mono-vision, so I didn't need glasses to drive or to read. By now though I do need reading glasses.
IC MT to Unit Secretary - sm
Do you like to answer the phone? Do you like to file? Do you like to have people order you around? Are you neat and organized? Can you do three or four things at once? If yes, then go for it. The hours 7 pm to 7 am may not be as busy as when I worked during the day, but your hospital may well be busier, depending on what type of unit you're on. I learned a tremendous amount working as a unit secretary, one thing being I didn't want to be around people anymore, the pubic being the most obnoxious of them all. An doctors in person can be very arrogant too; a lot different than on the other end of the line. Don't know how you will do those hours with small children, but good luck to you.
IC to unit secretary
You brought up some excellent points! Since you have done both US and MT, you definitely would say that you prefer the MT over the unit secretary?
Thanks for your input!!
Female, age 57, since 1999
x
I worked for the "Q" in 1999 and had 11 yrs exp...sm
and was only making 7.5 cpl. That was after I had been with them for 8 years! I had many MT friends none of which made more than 9 or 10 cpl. Seriously, who are the companies paying this???
I agree with Former Unit Secretary sm
Great job, learned a hell of lot, meds,diseases, etc., but I worked days and weekends, notoriously busy,busy,busy, and saw a lot that I just didn't like. Staff personalities are really much worse behind the nursing station than they are on the floor, believe me. Got tired of getting reamed by doctors who thought I was the nurse just because I answered the phone. I never had as much problem with IBS as I did then. If anything went wrong, a med order, lab order, whatnot, it fell on my shoulders. You need a tough skin to work days, nights might be easier, who knows. My skin thinned out faster with that job than 13 years of prednisone usage did. Good luck
MTs have threatened this as far back as 1999. It never happens.
Just quit the job if you aren't happy there.
1999 Lincoln Navigator with 3rd row.....
Extremely roomy and quite comfy. Won't be getting a brand new one anytime soon because they are quite pricey.....I'll stick with the 1999 model for now!
Whether or not to leave IC MT job for unit secretary job at hospital???
HELP, PLEASE!!! I am currently an IC, which I have been for eight years, and I recently applied for a nursing unit secretary position at the local hospital. I interviewed and who would have guessed it, they offered me the job. The position is third shift, 7pm to 7am three nights a week. I do have little kids to think of when considering this. My ultimate goal is to go to nursing school and I am thinking that working in the hospital will be good experience. I don't know if it will be easier to go to nursing school while working as an MT or as a unit secretary. I am having a hard time deciding what to do. I don't know if I would be better off staying put even though I have no motivation to sit down and type or should I take this chance to do something new. Like with any new job I am afraid that I won't like it but I don't particularly care for this current job. What do you think would be the better move? I know you can't make my decision for me but some input on what you would do in my situation would be helpful. Any advice is truly appreciated.
Thanks!! 
MT goes unit secretary ... check out my story!
Ive been an MT for 13 years. I was an IC for 10 years, and a FTE for a local hospital for the last 3 years. I came back from vacation in June to discover my lovely boss was interviewing companies to outsource the MT department. He lied to us - told us not to worry - and then a month later our union received the '60 day notice' letter and we were out on our assess. I took a job as a unit secretary - and a $5 an HOUR paycut along with it, working 3-11 and alternate weekends. Am I crazy to do this. Well yes and no. I'm keeping my awesome union benefits, building toward being vested in 2 more years, and just landed an IC MT job doing guess what: MY OLD JOB. The company that outsourced us hired me. I plan to rake in the bucks in the AM and do the b.s. job at night. 3-11 is half the work as a day job - plus you get the shift differential. Wish me luck ! Joanne
1999 Dodge Dakota Sport--nm
nm
Love it. Been using PCShorthand since 1999. Can't type without it. :) nm
Graduated from....
Mandarin High School, Jacksonville, FL
not everyone is like this - my kid graduated
Not everyone buys into/bought into the changes you describe. My kid bought the car with $$ saved/earned when 17. Outside of that, worked full time/still does and goes to school and expects nothing but to move forward in the life and strives to do so.
And we are not a poor family either - just didn't and don't buy into commercialism of every occasion in this country.
Graduated from M-TEC
It cost me about $2600 when I graduated in 2001. Right out of school I made excellent, unheard of money by being paid on a gross line. I was able to top out at around 60K after 4 years, increasing steadily each year. I worked about 60 hours a week, as I knew when these accounts went away I would make *regular* money. They did after 4 years. I now make around 28K a year and work 30 hours a week. You may want to stay where you are!!
I graduated from AHP
Just about 12 years ago I graduated from At-Home Professions and am still doing transcription. I've worked for Medquist for 8 years and worked for a hospital before that. So now you've met a graduate of AHP who is able to do the job. I've learned far more with on-the-job training than I ever did through the program, but just wanted to let you know there are a few of us oddball AHP graduates who are actually productive...
In MT ads on the net, more and more I see ads for combo positions - MT/front desk, MT/secretary, etc
b
Take at home transcription job or unit secretary job at hospital?
I've been an MT for 12 years and have worked at home doing MT for 10 years. Recently got replaced by EMR so had to find work elsewhere. I took a job at a local hospital as a unit secretary working 3-11 now I have been offered a job with a national transcription company. I'm not sure if I should go back to transcribing since the line count/money making potential has me worried. I've been assured that I will never run out of work but I'm worried that I will actually be working longer than the 8 hour shift in order to make the amount of money I need. I would love to be back home with my kids typing again as I miss not seeing them as much as I used to and they want me to be home. I am just not sure if I should stay in a job at the hospital which has a guaranteed amount of money per pay period since I'm being paid by the hour and not by the line where my paycheck can vary. Any thoughts/suggestions/opinions, recommendations out there? Any and all would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!!
Another one from back when it wasn't an insult to be called Secretary
I actually went to a secretarial program at the local technical school. AND I learned Gregg shorthand, but haven't thought about that in a number of years. Boy are you all bringing back memories.
Now everyone is an administrative assistant. Secretary is much easier to say.
Have a 1996 Suburban, bought in 02/1999 with 64K miles - sm
now has 184K miles, still going strong. Paid $26K. Have gotten our money's worth on it. Just started making repairs here and there over the last 2 years, new fuel pump, new fitting from radiater to engine, a couple engine seals, water pump, cleaning of fuel injectors. Probably about $2K all together in the last 7 years we have had it, not bad I think, other than regular maintance stuff, i.e. brakes, tires, oil changes, air filters, engine belt, etc. Gets about 15 MPG, 18 sometimes. Thing is a tank and I love it. Had a Blazer before that, though I had to put a lot of $$$ into it over the years I had it (10), about 16 MPG---Going to run the Suburban into the ground, hope to get 250K miles at least out of it. Has a few tics now and then due to age but all in all is in great shape and runs well, and I have made a point of fixing things immediately engine-wise and cosmetically. Go GM, have heard the transmissions last a lot longer (mine is proof of that, 184K original transmission) my husband has a 1990 Ford F-250 that had its transmission rebuild at 90K miles. His truck now has 189K miles on it and shifts rough.
Proud ex-CMT here too. I quit 'em back in 1999 - sm
They got almost 3 grand out of me before I wised up. LOL!
Camaros..three 1994, 1998, and 1999 and a truck,
Chevy truck 2005
18 here. Graduated and then married
two weeks later, still with the same man 16 years later.
I graduated in 1989 (sm)
Good to see someone from back home, though! :)
I graduated CS and do have regrets
The reasons are the same as you have read elsewhere. There are no instructors, but rather an impersonal "grader" that you aren't quite sure you can trust since what might be right one time is wrong the next. There are errors in the material that can make you end up looking like a fool. I had nitroglycerine in my spell check on word for a year before I realized I had added it from a cut and paste report taken out of FOMS and was incorrect. Of course, that is only one example of many. I could go on and on, but I won't. All in all, it is inferior, and I wish I had gone to M-Tec or Andrews so that I could have started out excellently instead of clawing my way there of my own volition.
I have been AOL member since 1999. Can you bring link to this story to board?
dd
Sigmoid colon resection, 4 day hospital stay = $65.000.00 in 1999
dd
Both. Graduated from a junior college with sm
medical secretarial degree, but learned 99.9% on the job. Schooling proved to be an invaluable foundation for the years to come.
33 years of MT.
RE: I hear you on that one - same for me. Baby just graduated :-(
\
I graduated from M-Tec, and MQ hired me without experience. nm
nm
It depends on what school you graduated from.
If you graduated from one of the top 3 schools many MTs have a job by the time they get finish the program. I take it that isn't your case. You would probably be better off trying to find an in-house job locally until you get some experience. You can post your resume on the job boards and might get some offers that way. Be careful though and ask questions as there may be some less than desirable companies trying to take advantage of newbies.
Unit secretary will help somewhat with terms, meds, and learning the flow of the shift, but it won&#
s
I went to career step & graduated 3 yrs ago. I think it prepared me well.
Hey FC girl--I graduated in 1994 at FCHS
/
When I graduated high school in 1967, sm
I got a set of matching luggage and a manual typewriter!
I was fortunate to have parents able to afford all tuition, books, and on-campus living expenses. Many graduates don't have what I was blessed to have and need a little help from family and friends.
I graduated from a local community college. sm
Had my first job before graduation but it was in-house with hourly pay and great benefits. Those are very hard to find anymore. I worked in-house for my first 2 years and then went on maternity leave picking up side work through a company for more income. Realized I was tripling my money going from hourly to production by that time, turned in my notice, and never looked back. Been at home ever since. If at all possible, in the beginning I would recommend to anyone to work inhouse even if it is for a transcription company. The value of having other "ears" is definitely not something to take for granted. I also learned as much as I could while getting that hourly pay as time is money when on production. I have to say I probably would not be near as proficient of an MT today had it not been all those hours learning and having another ear around to help out when stuck.
You bring up a point too though that I haven't really thought about before....With all the transcription being outsourced out of the office, it is only going to get much more difficult for anyone to get those breaks and get the required "experience" as a beginner.
Thanks..school wont give another copy since I am graduated now...also went to a whole new comp, sm
not just an upgrade. Could not pull the free program off the old one. thanks anyway. Just looking to get by on something inexpensive until I get some $$$ coming in.
Like that's so easy? Divorced bud of mine at 51 graduated college w/her BS last year ...
s
I know of a company who is restarting up their mentoring program for newly-graduated MTs. A GREAT
company to work for - I think they are independent contractor status, though not sure about their mentoring program status. At any rate, they are willing to take new grads and help them transition into actually working! The women who owns the company is truly wonderful. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to work with her, though I don't at the moment. The company is Accu-Stat in Wisconsin! Keep that name somewhere on a sticky or something! Really great people, and she did mention that she really wants to restart this program she used to have for newbies! Blessings to you and good luck! Have fun! Cause it sure can be fun, while having to work, which, of course, is not fun in and of itself, huh?? Oh, to be independently wealthy. Congrats on your new baby, by the way!! And that's SO great that your Mom is there for you! You have a good example to follow!
I get this to a certain degree also (sm)
It usually happens after quite a while of typing, and usually only when it is a little cold in the house, but I think it happens in warmer weather too. Mine doesn't sound as bad as yours though. It always resolves fairly quickly, does yours? I haven't had to wear gloves (yet). Let me know what you find out, if anything. I have always attributed it to poor circulation because my hands and feet seem to get cold easily, but I suppose it could be something else as well.
Sorry I didn't have any words of wisdom, just wanted to let you know that this happens to others as well and you are not alone!
I would buy new a Dorland's Medical Dictionary, Stedmans Medical and Surgical Equipment...SM
and Tessier's The Surgical Word Book, 3rd edition. Books you could buy used I would say would be Stedman's Pathology and Lab Medicine and Cardiology/Pulmonary word book. These are all the books I use the most during my day. You could buy other speciality word books as you need them and could probably go used with those.
I wouldn't bother with buying a drug book, new editions come out every year and I just stick to the FDA website and RXList as my drug references.
Also FYI, not a book, but I use my Stedman's Electronic Medical Dictationary a lot. It's easier to open the program than it is to pick up a huge 30-pound dictionary.
Do you have a college degree, and in what?
I know there are MTs out there who have Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degrees. According to other posters, those of us with higher education who choose to do MT are pitiful.
what online degree are you looking at
.
However, a lot of people think getting a degree
is like getting an automatic ticket to an entirely different life with better job opportunities, more money, and career satisfaction. I thought that, too. Things have drastically changed out there, though. More and more people have degrees, so the competition is fierce. They're willing to work for less money, too, just to have A job, any job.
Also, minimum wage went up but middle wages didn't, cost of living went up, and wages have actually gone down in other industries besides MT due to offshoring.
I guess I'm just in an "if I knew then what I know now" mood. LOL None of my siblings went to college, and they're better off than I am. They make way more money than I do and don't have that monthly payment to make.
I love writing, too. Have you done any freelance writing or editing? If you get some clips built up, you might be able to break in based on talent instead of having a degree. With that specific career field in mind, it might be worth it for you to get a degree. I don't know how much competition there is in that field right now.
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