Discouraged and disgusted
Posted By: stargazer on 2006-03-20
In Reply to:
I have a training course, a 3-month internship, and 4 months employment into this line of work and I here I am only making 2-5 cpl. I apply for jobs, but they won't even let me test. Why is this profession so hard to break in to? It seems so incredibly impersonal and these human resource people seem so curt and rude, like you're not a real person. Today I feel like I've made a huge and costly mistake getting into this business. Anyone out there considering it should think twice!
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Disgusted too!!
You're not without company! I wanted to reply because I feel your pain. Part of being an MT (for me) is I can't stand the "rat race." The way some companies handle themselves is unexplainable. To me, employment should be a win/win situation. Instead, they act as though they hold the almighty key and we should take it, gratefully. I would like to know what my working situation will be before I begin. Don't I have the right to interview them back? Afterall, isn't it a joint effort? Maybe I'm being unrealistic, but I hate the rat race and glad I work from home. I'm just not cut out for these office people.
Disgusted!
  I'm just totally disgusted when clinics call me inquiring about service. I always ask to receive copies of transcripts before I quote a price. The quality of their transcripts is just a complete joke, and that's putting it mildly. Run-on sentences, no punctuation, etc. It just really looks like a fifth grader typed it. You'd certainly think that with all the years of education the docs have had, they wouldn't tolerate this slop to save a dime. What a joke! I really feel sorry for the health care in our country. And you know what the problem is with this? The docs don't call directly to speak wtih the MT Service owner - they have "their girl" do it, who doesn't know a hoot and a holler about medical transcription -- just the bottom line - "HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?" I do believe once the docs take the time and interest in their patients' notes, things may change.
What's your opinion on this?
DISGUSTED!!!
Has this happened to anyone else? Once you learn an account, get pretty decent lines, making decent money, boom -- your account is switched. Then, when requesting downtime, oh no, we are not paying downtime, we had to take work from you because of your low QA (up until then QA was 99+ or better) hummmm??? (P.S. I have 22 years experience, not at all new to this game). I am receiving corrected reports for mistakes in THEIR macros, which I had informed them about and was told to leave them.....??? I was told, "Oh sure, we have LOTS of work, then run out almost daily....
I read a post from an MTSO wondering if there were any good transcriptionsts out there (you bet there are!!), well I am wondering if there are any decent companies left out there. I have worked for a couple different ones now, seem to me they are all shady characters. They promise you the moon, then once you are working for them, everything changes. Nothing is the way they promised!! Seems like once a Transcriptionist starts making some really good money, they do everyting they can to take it away. I need to win the lottery!!! or a new job.
Disgusted with this site
I'm almost to the point that I don't even open this site when I see it in my E-mail. The subjects discussed are in no way related to my profession as a medical transscriptionist. Who cares if you go to Wal-Mart or Target, really? And the bickering back and forth is so petty and stupid. To carry on an ongoing dialogue about who knows what and who is the smarter is pretty stupid. I have more important things to do with my time. Can't we make this a professional site?
I don't do crummy work, but I am quite disgusted with what I see in this industry.
I don't know why we put up with it. They lower our pay, send our jobs overseas, expect us to be on call for no pay at all. They dance around the IRS definitions of employee, SE and IC. I've been threatened before, verbally or email abused by supervisors, and even had to resort to legal tactics to get my rightfully deserved pay.
All they care about is production. I've mentioned to my supervisors a few times when I found errors in medical records or extra spaces showing up at the end of paragraphs in people's work. I wasn't tattling or trying to get anyone fired, but I felt the errors should have been fixed. Nothing was done. The people churning out those reports make more money than I do because I take the time to look things up and properly format everything. It doesn' t get me anywhere.
I am most definitely NOT sloppy. I am disillusioned because we are treated as nothing more than sweatshop TYPISTS.
I'm not sure which I'm more disgusted with..your glee at the money or your laughing at him bei
upset. Better check the will..he just might add a clause that you lose the money if you remarry!
Is anyone else as disgusted as I am with the current network TV fare? (sm)
I have never seen so much junk on television as there seems to be this summer season so far. I tuned in to those two new reality series - the one on ABC last night, Master of Champions, and the one on NBC on Tuesday, America's Got Talent. The one on Tuesday was nothing more than a take-off of the old Gong Show. Ridiculous people doing crazy stuff that somebody thinks is talent. And the only really "talented" ones are minor talents at best. Last night's show I thought would be more interesting with the contortionist kid who shot an arrow with her feet (that one was actually good) and drift drivers. However, they lost me in the first five minutes when they turned the drift drivers into motorized cheese graters. (They basically had to do cookies about this block of cheese with this grater attachment.) This reality stuff has just gone completely overboard when the major networks are putting this kind of garbage. This is the type of stuff I would expect to see on the lesser networks. I'm ready to throw the TV out the window!
Disgusted, your last paragraph is so true! Thanks for voicing it out loud! nm
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NEW MT GETTING DISCOURAGED
I have completed my transcription course with an "A". I have had med term, A&P, study of diseases..... I have been a medical records coordinator for 5 years. It is very discouraging looking for work as an MT with no experience (on the job). If anyone knows of anyone who is willing to give me a chance, I live in orange county, California and am looking for PT work from home.
I AM SO DISCOURAGED!
 Well all...I am so discouraged. I am in the middle of my schooling with Career Step. It's not the course...I am very happy with it. I have done a lot of research on the field of MT before deciding to make the career move from teaching to MT. Lately, all I hear is that it seems EVERY national company outsources and EVERY national company either has too much "running out of work phases" or doesn't pay at all, or doesn't pay on time...sooooooo many negative things I am hearing. I want to try to work from home, but I need to make a living. Is it really too much to ask that I have work and am treated fairly as an employee? I am getting very scared and don't know which companies to look to for employment. I know there's a lot of archived information, but I guess what I'm looking for is someone to tell me it ain't all bad! Thanks in advance. Becky
Don't be discouraged
I have been an MT for over 20 years. I raised my kids being an MT, worked from home. They loved it. Also have worked in-house. Working from home is much better. I have always made more than my husband. Always made good money. Don't beieve everything negative on these boards.
Is anyone else as discouraged?
I've busted my butt for eight years and I've paid my dues. When I started, the lady that trained me told me that 16 cents a line was not unheard of. Now, I'm lucky that my client will pay me 12 cents a line and the lady that trained me? She wanted me to take over one of her clients and would only pay me 6 cents a line. The most that other companies will pay seems to be 8 cents a line. To me, that is a great disservice, especially for those that have twice the years and more invested in this profession.
Is it time to go to another profession? The lack of respect is starting to get to me...
Don't get discouraged and don't
believe every post here. Just keep working on it. Aim for quality over quantity, and the speed will come. But don't feel discouraged by those stating they have huge line counts. Some are just falsehoods. I depends on your accounts and the program you are on, your company, how they count the lines, etc. I don't believe half of what is stated.
Don't be discouraged
We all had to start somewhere. Right now it is more important for you to get experience. You are making the right decision to move out of the company that provides you no feedback and conflicting advice from the managers. You will not be able to learn and grow in that environment. 6.5 cpl is not a bad starting rate for under a year of experience. I wouldn't do the editing at 2 cpl, though. Editing takes longer, is more difficult and some reports can tie you up for hours doing research, listening and relistening. 2 cpl is way too low for the time and work involved. I would look to one of the large nationals that hire newbie MTs as that is where you will get the best feedback and mentoring. Try Spheris and Precyse. I know they both have excellent QA departments and are good with feedback. Once you get some experience, your line rate will increase. But, more importantly, you can become and IC (independent contractor). This means that you can ask for the line rates you see posted here. You will never get line rates this high working for the national MT companies, but you will get the experience you need to become and IC, thus making these line rates. Just hang in there, take it as the learning experience it is and learn all you can. Use all of your reference materials and look up everything you are not absolutely certain of. Make notes for yourself. This is the best way to learn and retain what you learned. The money will come in time. Just don't get too discouraged in the beginnings. Like I said, we all started right where you are today.
I, too, was very discouraged with IT but
after a few months (yes, I'm slower at learning new things lately), I found myself finally getting the hang of it. I started using the program only 2 hours a day. Certainly frustrating as I couldn't "find" the suggestions, but then decided the heck with it and started using it constantly. Even when I wasn't working, I would practice with it.
I "rearranged" all my phrase shorts to something I was comfortable with, added new ones constantly with the first letter of each word, and read up on all the tips and tricks I could find to "understand" the program better. As I got used to the program, I would change an abbreviation I previously used to the first letter of each word.
I also keep my suggestion window at 9 lines, and try to keep my abbreviations to no more than 9 lines; i.e., if there were 13 bp shorts, I would change 3 of them to something else.
My lines were low at first, but after a few months, I started doing 200 lph. I'm still not the fastest IT user, but I'm happy with it and don't know how I survived without it.
Getting discouraged..
I didn't know where else to turn, than to others who might have been in my shoes at one time or another. I am a recent graduated from a community college for Medical Transcribing. I got into the field after seeing all the MT jobs from internet searches. I started the classes, graduated and was ready and excited. I put my resume on every MT website I could find, even before I graduated. I got offers here and there from FocusIinfomatics, and another "no-name" companies who offered services of an intership with a job placement at the end. Neither one worked out, I dusted off my shoulders, moved on and joined forums and emailed my resume till I couldn't type anymore.
Basically this all leads up today. I am a "newbie". I am aware most people require 2+ years of experience, but isn't there someone out there who will let me put my foot in the door before they shut it? Before my "internship" no longer responded to me, she let me know I had either no errors, or only one or two minor ones. I got excited thinking, I'm going to get a job offer then, but nothing. So I am just a little discouraged. I don't want to be anyones free work anymore. I know if given the chance I can prove myself to MT Companies out there.
If anyone has adivce or two cents, good or bad, i'm ready to hear it. If I am not on this box looking for a job, im researching everything MT. So please fellow MT's let me know that others use to be in the same spot as me and there might be people willing to take on a "newbie"
Discouraged Darling.
Discouraged
Please don't be discouraged. You have to keep trying. The teacher I had in medical transcription school told us that they have to hire someone. I tried and it took me four years from the time I finished the course, but today I can honestly say I have 2 prive accounts and I am doing fairly well for myself. I graduated in 1992 and in 1996 someone finally gave me a chance. I wish you the best.
don't be discouraged
I made the decision to become a medical Transcriptionist after years of working in the financial corporate world. I went to a business college that offered the MT program, as well as court reporting, medical assisting, etc...I would recommend obtaining your education that way. It took about 9 months.
I have been consistently employed for 15 years now. When one job goes, another pops up just like that.
I was fortunate to have had employment in our local county hospital, and I did that for 5 years. I have also worked with tapes at local doctors offices as an IC. The possibilies really are endless.
One question - do you type?
Because if you already have that skill - you are well on your way...
Discouraged, but not a loser
Don't be so hard on yourself. Yeah, I know, I know, you're going to tell me I'm not in your shoes and you have bills to pay. I know what you are going through. I am going through it too. I am 56 years old, had a wonderful and stressful career in medical transcription. I owned my own business, had many good accounts, only to have it end like this. I saw the writing on the wall 15 years ago, but froze in fear and did nothing about it. Fifteen years ago my inner voice told me to do something about it, but I kept on going wasting my time in this field because I felt, well, maybe I can make it to retirement. NOT. I lost all of my accounts last year to India, and get this, a hospital I had an account with, decided not to dictate any more - just like that - they just dictate the H&Ps'. That's it. That's how my career ended. I was shocked and very depressed. After 6 months of depression and gaining weight, I decided to carve out the rest of my life. I am going to junior college for the first time in my life. Give yourself a pat on the back - you already have your associates degree. I have to work through that before I can go into a bachelor's program. The only thing I have is a house, a nice house. If I have to, I will sell my beautiful expensive house to pay the rest of my way through school. I'm ready to do that if I have to. I WILL NOT GIVE UP. I plan to go to law school. It is never too late. Keep looking for financing for school. There are ways to get through this. If you have talents in any areas, explore that. Sometimes it will take having to do 2 or 3 different things t make a living. I am working part time for a transcription company, doing pet sitting, and who knows? maybe I will do something else to keep me going. I am lucky though in that I have a husband who is paying our bills for now. I pay for my school and expenses with the money I make part time. DON'T GIVE UP - keep exploring your options. It's going to be about creativity from here on out at this point in life. My prayers and thoughts positive to you.
DONT be discouraged
plenty of experienced MTs have difficulty with ESLs. Don't let your self esteem suffer. Keep testing, keep trying.
Don't be discouraged - what type of prn did you do? (sm)
Were you transcribing for your doctors? If you were, then that is experience and you don't need to take a course. Was the work you were doing involving extensive medical terminology? Here's how I got into the field: I was taking pre-nursing classes and working as a secretary. I decided I did not want to do hands-on patient work, so in addition to the anatomy and physiology classes I had taken, I took a medical terminology class for one semester. After that I went and tested at a company that hired transcriptionists to work on-site for three months training and then they could work at home.
Also, I don't think what you are looking for is unreasonable at all, nor do I think you have bad reasons for seeking out transcription. If you were someone with zero medical experience just thinking being a Transcriptionist was a free ride, I would agree with some of the above posters, however, I don't see that as your attitude at all and I think you can do it!
Hey-When someone is discouraged, sick, and down and out-you don't have to come on with a smart re
When reading the job seekers board do you get discouraged at
the amount of times the post has been viewed? Sometimes, even though it was posted today, it has over 200 views already. Is everyone just looking or are all those MTs applying? How does one stand a chance....
Very good post - was getting discouraged as a member myself.
x
Thanks for your reply. I really get discouraged trying to keep my line count up.
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