Answer to all recent posts . . . sm . . . and my own summarization of reasons as to the first post -
Posted By: Frustrated on 2009-03-23
In Reply to: Sorry...but you are lying - SEE MESSAGE
To the poster accusing me of lying (SEE MESSAGE):
I am not. However, I have to mention that I have been working at least 20 hours of OT a pay period. My end amount for the month before taxes is about $2200 (give or take a few hundred depending on how much OT I can work).
Thus, I take home from that about $850 per pay check. That is $1700 a month of take home pay. Like I said in my first post, my husband is able to bring home some money. So with his help, our monthly income is about $1900 after taxes and benefits.
Below is the list of our expenses in a month. Obviously, we are not living comfortably and are pinching ever penny we have, but we are still making it.
House - $1350/mo
Phone Bill - $80/mo
Electric - $125/mo
Heat - $110/mo
Diapers - $40/mo
Gas - $50/mo
Food - $140/mo
Total - $1895/mo
I know the food amount seems low, but we grew all our own vegetables during the summer and have a connection with relatives on farms for eggs, chicken, and beef. We have made an effort to keep our bills as low as possible.
Next poster (My Take):
Yes, $11.50/hr is very low. However, if I were to go outside the home with my education, I wouldn't be able to find a job at more than maybe $16.00/hr. Yes that is quite a bit more than $11.50/hr, however, that does not include the $$$ that I would be having to pay to put my son into day care and does not include the $$$ that I would be spending on gas (would have to travel about 100 miles a day to find a job that pays that much). All that added up, ends up making my horrible pay of $11.50/hr equal to or greater than the $16.00/hr pay. I do not consider myself to be working for peanuts. I could make more if I wanted, but I chose to have family benefits, an employee status, and produce work that I can be proud of (not that I am saying those of you making more money than I aren't producing good work, I just know if I rush too much, I tend to miss things that I wouldn't had I slowed down and took my time). In the position I am at right now, I can easily make $24/hr, but because I tend to make more mistakes at this pace, I choose to slow down and send out great work. I wouldn't want my medical record to be incorrect. I completely understand that there aren't many, who would like to be in my situation, I am just trying to show people that you actually can live off of lower pay, whether you want to admit it or not. I do know that where you live makes a big difference, but if I have to chose between a roof over my family's head and food on the table versus living in a certain area, you better believe I will chose my family.
Next Poster (Hawaii MT):
Hawaii is a much more expensive place to live. I don't think I could be an MT and live there due to that fact. However, I wouldn't put myself in that situation. Your post is correct, I don't think you could live off of $11.50/hr down there, which is why if that was all I was bringing in, I would have to move. Better to be miserable and support my family than be happy but not have a house or food to eat. IMHO. In regards to clothes, I am lucky because I have my sister, who gives me the stuff she doesn't want any more. I haven't bought one article of clothing for myself in 5 years now. In reference to your next post about moving and then moving back, that is was your decision to put yourself in that situation of living in a more expensive area. Thus if you aren't making enough to survive, isn't it your fault then? Why complain about the industry? Granted, I am not sure if you are one to be complaining, but just my thoughts.
Next Poster (MTT):
I never said I was doing well off of $11.50/hr. In fact, I am not doing well at all, just getting buy, but I am able to make it, so that is why I am happy. I can't believe you make almost as much as a nurse. You must be awesome. Nurses in my area make $35/hr minimum. I do, however, agree that the lack of pay raises in this industry is frustrating. The more experience I have, the less my pay seems to be. I went from making almost $14/hr with a local hospital to $11.50/hr with an MTSO, but didn't have a choice, so made it work.
Next Poster (MT):
I know you can't live in California or New York on my wages. However, if I were living in those areas and making what I make, I would be working 2 to 3 jobs if I felt I absolutely had to continue to live in those areas. I doubt I would do that though. I would much rather live a more comfortable lifestyle somewhere that is less expensive.
Next Poster (thought about moving?):
My thoughts exactly. For those complaining about their wages and the cost of living being so much, I don't understand why they complain, when there are other options. JMHO.
Next Poster (50 miles inland):
Florida is cheaper than California, as well as a lot of the southern and east coasts.
Next Poster (income):
My rent went from $500/mo 3 years ago to $1350/mo once I bought a house. This was my choice, but I know what it is like to feel a shock from rising payments. I have adjusted to this though, and actually since our payments have gone up, our income has gone down by over half of what it used to be. Not much fun, but the whole point of my original post was to let people know that it still can be done, just that sometimes drastic measures have to be taken. I don't know of many who can get their income to go up, so instead of complaining about how low it is all the time, why not do something about the extra expenses you do have?
Next Poster (I would be happy at $25/hr too):
If you can't afford to live off of what you are making and you live in a high cost area, then what I meant by reevaluate your lifestyle might actually be that if you want to continue as an MT because of all the other perks, you might have to sacrifice and move so that you can afford to live while working as an MT. That would be one way of reevaluating if you can't afford to live like you currently are on your pay. Personally, I wouldn't be moving. I would be finding a different job or getting more jobs. I like where I live.
The basic point of my post is that there is no point in complaining about how "little you make". If you don't make enough money to "survive", then you should be looking at either a new job, another job, or finding a place where you can "survive" off of what you currently make. There is no point in coming on these boards to complain about your "horrible pay or no raises" when you are making twice as much as a lot of people. Besdies with the economy right now, anyone with a job doesn't even have a right to complain IMHO. I know too many people laid off right now, who are struggling to keep their house. So to see people complaining about what they make when they have a job is not fair.
My whole point of my original post had nothing to do with how much I make (trust me, I am not proud of it, but it does pay the bills, so I am grateful for that). It had to do with the fact that you should be happy you have a job.
To those of you that said I was happy making $11.50/hr, the reason I am "happy" is because I can support my family. I don't like the amount and think it is quite low, but I am so happy right now just to have a job it isn't even funny. This is why I am happy with my $11.50/hr. Seriously, with the way the economy is, I would be happy as a peaches pie just to be making anything over minimum wage.
Also, I like being an MT and being able to work from home and be with my family. I think the fact that I am able to be home with my family everyday is well worth my lack in pay.
I do understand that we aren't getting paid what we should be and that the wages are continuing to go down, but that is happening everywhere. Just be happy you have a job. Seriously.
Any more comments . . . I am just trying to make those who are complaining realize how lucky they actually are to have a job and to be making as much as they do.
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http://forum.mtstars.com/company/v/2/932.html
my observation on some recent posts
there is the thread about podiatry, posts about companies, posts about cherry picking, ESLs taking over, this company is the best. How many hundreds of us are on these boards??? Its a good thing we are all individuals - and there is so much work out there because one type of person could not do all the types of work. Not everyone wants to work for big corporation - not everyone wants to run their own MT service.
Some of us hate short little clinic notes, some hate long operative reports. Some love radiology, others want to type IMEs. Never work for a company that IMs you all day vs this company never gives feedback.
Where I recently worked - we always used to leave behind certain reports for the late shift person, stuff we all thought she loved until one day she complained - how come I HAVE TO DO ALL the _____ studies.. Its kinda funny- you might think someone is cherrypicking all the CT's and they think they are doing you a favor by leaving short reports.
Of course NO ONE likes the really awful individual dictators, whether it is ESL or chewers, the accounts that have a million details or QA that keeps changing. I think most of us know you have to take some bad with the good and when you TRY to do the tuff stuff, the good stuff becomes easier.
So when someone comes to vent - cut them some slack - who cares about typos here - we all know that when we are working, we use our spellchecks and pay attention to details.
When I take time to answer on this board, it is never with judgement - I always try to say "in MY experience, psych reports are bad because ..." or when I worked for XYZ company, they did not count lines correctly. You cannot make generalities about a profession as varied as this one.
I come here for information AND entertainment - it does take a certain type of person to do this work - that has nothing to do with the skills involved - and I think we share an understanding of each other, even as we argue over everything. We all saw a part of ourselves in the recently posted "You Might Be a Transcriptionist If..." and we all laughed as we shook our heads.
Sad to say I am about to make the decision to try a career change - I cannot push myself anymore (after almost 30 years) to produce enough lines to make the money I need - thats not to say it can't be done these days, just that I don't want to/can't work that hard anymore.
Check recent posts on Company Board. nm
x
Lots of recent posts if you do a Company Board search. Good luck! nm
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read recent posts on this board and on the company board
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Why Do You Have To Answer Your Own Posts?
.
This kind of post is worthless without reasons. nm
:l
Give professional reasons why you deserve it, not personal reasons
x
Probably because she posts, you post, she then
posts, then you post. Are we missing something here??? Get a life, oh negativity spewing poster! 
I wish we could 'edit' our posts, even after we post them...sorry, it is 6:30 a.m.
I see a few errors, but you get the general idea...
Thank you, ladies, and have a nice morning.
Why do you remember who posts what and when? Why would you go and look up her old post? AND...
Most importantly, why do you care?
Had you read my post you would see that I knew someone would say that. When all the posts are about
it gets kind of old. There is no way to skip them because all of them are them! If I ignored the posts, the whole MT Stars would be ignored! Can you comprehend that?
(above post got cut off, meant to say read posts above this one
x
can't find prior post answer
I read a post awhile back about fast dictators and the settings for Express scribe to slow them down without distorting the voice but I can't find it now. Can anyone help?
MY posts were sarcasm. Don't blame me for every single post.
Nobody even knows what you're talking about with hatred. I don't see any hateful posts here.
Actually, I've seen Anon post negatively about other posts regarding SS.
yyy
I stayed for many reasons and while those reasons have changed - sm
I loved MT because I was good at it and it came naturally to me. Typing, language, etc. The perks of working from home and being able to raise my family were a huge plus. I stayed because in the hayday of MT you could make really good money really fast (2500 lpd @ $0.15 cpl).
I stayed while my children were young and I could be available for them. I stayed so I could return to school and have that flexible schedule to juggle everything once the kids grew older. I stayed full-time and cut school back to half time so I could take care of my ailing parents and inlaws when the time arose.
I continue to stay because I still need to finish school (3 semesters to go) and unfortunately my DH is ill and needs someone to care for him now. I stay because it is convenient, but I do not plan to stay forever.
I sure miss the big money days, but what money I make now is sufficient enough to pay my bills. It is a means to an end so to speak and it has been a godsend along the way. But I in no way plan to stay at it forever. It served and continues to serve a purpose, but it is no longer what I "love" to do.
clicking on your post to see an answer was a waste of time
nm
You don't give enough information for ANYONE to answer this post intelligently.
Try including more information like what makes a line, TAT, georgraphic location. Otherwise, if you're truly an IC, only you should determine what your time is worth.
Oh he reads this board alright. I used to post my e-mail in my posts.
I use to post on the offshore board a lot. He took the liberty of writing me and telling me his opinion several times. I finally just blocked his e-mail. He reads here.
1) Plenty of positive posts. 2) QA post was not a Simple Question; you know that.
nm
I meant to answer your post earlier, but I've been trying to catch up on
housework before school starts. I cannot WAIT for school to start. I'm so tired of the kids' bickering and attitudes this summer. They've taken to ignoring me whenever I ask them to do anything. I threaten them with grounding, loss of privileges, or slave duty. Then they bicker about who did more chores or who made the mess to begin with. Instead of cleaning up after them, I leave it sit until their Dad gets home. If they don't want to listen to me, they'll darn well listen to him.
They are usually really good kids. I think it's mostly cabin fever because a lot of their friends went on vacation or stayed with their biological Dads for the summer. The kids are so bored. I'm just so tired of it every summer. I have all these grand plans for finishing work early and doing something fun each day, but I get the same garbage every year. Too many kids over here, too many interruptions, too much bickering, too much mess.
Let me tell you, I'm celebrating on the first day of school. I'm going to the coffee shop and buying a big mocha latte. Then I'm going to sit there all by myself and read a book. On the way home, I'm grabbing lunch for myself and watching a chick flick by myself. No McDonalds either.
Answer to finding job x15 years experience and not so funny post!
How childish! Just another embarrassing post by an American MT !!!
Posts are up for grabs. Private message is not. You would only post publicly to what, stir SM
something up? If you had an honest question, the proper thing to do would have been to ask the question privately. Otherwise, you look like you are trying to rile people up when you already know how everybody feels.
I suspect that unless you post like-minded sanitized goodie goodie posts,
x
Great post -great job of wording your answer! (sm)
Original poster - I completely agree with this answer, especially the part about finding yourself and using all that you have learned intellectually and connecting that to something that you will also enjoy with your heart!! You have so many wonderful options for your future - much more than many of us.
Just do a search and read the posts. There are plenty of posts about OSI on this board. nm.
nm.
Recent diagnosis of MS
Hang in there! You can overcome a chronic illness and empower yourself. It ain't easy, but doable. Been that way for 12 years now.
Just make sure you file the disability with a disability attorney. SS is very well known for denying claims usually twice, then court before they grant it. This waste many many months and tires us that are already tired, out. You need all your energy to fight the disease, not for your rights to supplemental income you've paid for all these years.
Your children will also receive dependent benefits until they reach 18, so again, get an experienced dis. atty. Hang in there
My recent experience at my vet
I have been taking 5 cats there for years. They have seen me through a lot of issues with various animals, and I truly believe my animals have all received excellent care. My beef is they also just added on to their already huge clinic, seem to have a never ending supply of support staff, new computers, you name it. One of my cats went in to be vaccinated recently. I just do basic shots these days because all the cats are indoor cats, I know their history, etc. They took the cat to the back this time, and when I got the bill it was for every darn shot you can imagine for cats (leukemia, etc.), plus they charged $15 to express her anal glands (never even asked for that!), toenail trim for $10 (I can do that at home myself, thank you very much), and a few other things. Needless to say I was not happy about it! Never again is my animal being "taken to the back" for anything. They can give blood draws and shots with me right there, just as they have done in the past. I have no problem with them doing that right there in front of me. Guess their bottom line is they need to milk their clients for any bit of cash they can get these days. I am really, really disappointed in them now.
Actually I did get a recent raise...
so I'm sure not complaining about that, and fully expect to be given the harder docs, but how are the former cherrypickers supposed to finally learn how to do 'em if all the Foul Ones are sent to us old-timers? I presume they must be getting SOME of them, hence the bad TAT suddenly - but my raise seems to be dwindling as I am assaulted by a steady stream of "mushmouths" all day! Not 2 mention getting hateful after so many in a row without an occasional "good doc"....oh well - back to the foulness!
I am looking for some recent information on...
Everything that I find in the archives is old. I have already been offered a position with 1 and waiting on an interview with the other. I have chosen IC status for both because I just cannot comply with the strict schedules that these companies have now. I have tried being an employee but after 10 years of being an IC and working when I want, schedules are tough. Does anyone have any advice please?
See the recent discussion
on page 2 or 3 of the company board.
recent graduate
I just finished school back in Nov. of 2005. I've been looking and looking for a job online and still have had no luck. The only response I seem to get bac from anyone is that I don't have enough experience. Does anyone have any pointers on what I should I do, or how I should approach this field? Please help me!!! I don't know what to do anymore!!
Webmedx will take anyone. They even take recent sm
graduates and pay them to do acute care, with no experience. I don't think they would care that your acute care was in the past. Just empathize it, and demand a decent line rate. It is all going to ASR, anyway, and you will become an editor, just like the other very experienced MTs.
My recent experience
I, of course, cannot comment for other users, but my recent experience with Pam (one of their recruiters) has been excellent. She was VERY upfront with me and gave me several options of companies and told me why they would or would not be a good fit for me. If you're interested in finding new work, what is the harm in contacting them? I can just about guarantee that you will NOT be directed to Spheris or MQ. Also, even when I asked questions about companies that they did not represent, she was very open and honest about those companies as well, at least the ones that I asked her about....meaning she told me good things about some of them, as well as ones to look out for. Basically, I'm going with one of the companies that she recommended and I'm excited about it for once.
What was that recent movie ...
Something where they were going to blow up a compound in Saudi, wasn't it?
Don't know about platforms, but recent
posts about having trouble getting paid with DeVenture.
recent graduate
I graduated this year from a community college which used the Career Step program in addition to some other courses. It was all done online. I have been working for 3 months, and have learned almost as much from working as from school so far. The difference is that you are doing 800-1200 lines a day so you are exposed to a lot more information. However, I don't believe I would have passed the entrance exams without everything I did pick up with the schooling.
I would definitely encourage formal training of some sort because it is such a competitive industry. I honestly don't think you could get hired from home, or pass an entrance exam without a good deal of training. The 98% accuracy they are looking for on their tests is tough to hit without very strong grammar, med terminology, and AAMT/AHDI standards knowledge. I am not making much money now, but I know within a year it will be different. I am home and that is invaluable to me!
Good luck!
my office was not a recent closure
but a few years ago. and it all went very smooth: a change of phone numbers and contacts...but the new office actually turned out to be better with communication and other things. My main account also transferred with me. MQ has the structure and management to do such things smoothly, even more so now than then.
No, i am not management.
My information is from recent research >>>
for an MT's job search directory, and so far less than 1% of facilities, including hospitals, clinics, major healthcare providers and individual practices, have an awareness of AAMT/CMT. With the current "unrest" even among members, as well as the move toward an AMA-sponsored MT association, I still believe CMT is not of much value - unless things change dramatically and soon.
What are you talking about? Most recent IS from today!!
Brenda, what are you thinking today's date is exactly? You have us all puzzled!
My recent job-hunting experience
Two decades of hospital experience here. Applied at about 6 different large companies. Some of the pay was atrocious (.07), some was fair (.08). One offered .085 but had to work the hours precisely as they demanded as an IC with no flexibility and told me up front it was an extremely difficult and high ESL account. (Now I realize that someone has to type those hard dictators, but would prefer that they be mixed in with an easier account -- been there and done that as far as an 80 percent HARD ESL account).
Of course I didn't take any of them and now I wish I had told them the pay was too low and that it was insulting. I was not tempted to accept any of those jobs. The recruiters for the most part acted as if I should be honored to be offered such a cruddy job with them!! These were all companies who advertise heavily on the MT boards and perhaps that is why they are constantly advertising.
I took a job with a very small company who has decent accounts and were eager to pay me a better wage so I know they are out there. I had interaction with 2 such smaller companies who offered good pay.
I really hate to see to see good transcriptionists take jobs that offer so little in return for our services as it hurts us all in the long run.
Have you tried the recent job board listings?
xx
Very interesting. In my recent job search,
I've been trying to decide how to eliminate this problem (being unable to use my time effectively for my own purposes). It seems that would be the same as being on call, and I would either expect to be paid for it or free to use my time however I desire until I do actually engage myself, i.e., no work available at the start of my shift frees me to leave the house to take care of personal business, to work at another job, or to keep clicking the button, whatever. But I wasted incredible amounts of unpaid time "trying to get a job." I won't be doing that again. You want me to actively wait, pay me by the hour, and my shift ends when my schedule says it ends. Anything else is unreasonable.
anyone else upset with recent changes at DSG and so-called pool changes?
I am definitely upset with the recent changes, and don't trust management when they say it's for the MTs benefit. All I can see from these changes is a HUGE decline in the quality of dictators I am getting, slowing me down big-time, almost like all the decent ones are missing. Does anyone know what's really happening at DSG lately?
At recent financial aid seminar, I was told...
Although I am married and it doesn't pertain to me...
The financial aid officer told all the parents there that if their child is 22, living with them or not, their finances will be looked at and considered when the kid goes to college. So if you boot your kid out the door at 22, consider the fact that if you make too much money, your kid may not be able to afford to go to college without your help because their student loans, scholarships, etc. will be based on both the student's income and the parents. If they are married or have children parent's income is not a factor, only the student.
read a recent interview with the stars
I recently read an interview with the stars.. can u believe that one guy lied about his past to get a sympathy vote! check out the article..http://www.savvymiss.com/no-cache/living-entertaining-do-it-yourself/living-tips-home-entertaining/entertaining-archive/article/the-next-food-network-stars-share-what-every-kitchen-needs-most-2483.html
Does anyone have recent experience working with Spheris...
that you wouldn't mind sharing. I heard that they used to drop your pay based on how many reports you send to be QA'd. Is it really that way? Just want to know before I would consider applying.
Recent study done... excerpt..see link ...
I read this just last night, as I too have been researching and gleaning information regarding the future of MT and pondering making any career changes.
http://govhealthit.com/Articles/2009/01/07/Spending-on-health-IT-would-generate-212105-jobs.aspx
EXCERPT:
The analysis found that a $10 billion health IT stimulus program would create or retain 43,410 jobs directly, most of them in areas such as software and hardware sales and system installation. Another 115,670 jobs would be created or retained indirectly, in areas such as sales of trucks and food to those holding the new jobs.
And the availability of new and improved networks and information would create 53,025 jobs, the foundation reported.
Stephen Ezell, a senior analyst at ITIF, said in answer to a reporter’s question that the analysis did not take into account the potential loss of jobs in areas such as medical records management and transcription of physicians’ notes.
Management is a joke. I've seen recent
posts where they pay 8 cpl, which isn't very good for the accounts they have.
Recent postings about "no work and so forth"
Quite a few posters who have been MTs for a number of years (myself included) have come under attack recently for comments posted here -- what those of us who have done this for years are seeing is "I only want to work certain hours, won't do weekends, don't want to be on call so on and so forth" Guess what? I got an email from my supervisor on Monday asking me to cover a certain work type while that person was on vacation -- I did it!!! -- She also called me today (Sunday and asked me to do 3 STATS -- I cover STATS on Wednesday) -- however, I did it because it it my JOB -- since I started this job in October, I have NEVER run ouf of work -- if the work type that I do runs out, I do to a differnt work type, it is similar to learning a new account which I have done in the past as well. All I want to say, is be grateful right now that you have a job and if the "work does not fit YOUR FAMILY SCHEDULE" then learn to adjust -- think PRIORITIES
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