Getting back into the field after a long break
Posted By: Nancy on 2009-03-10
In Reply to:
I have 13 years of experience in a variety of specialties, including about 3 years working for a transcription company (multiclinic work mostly) and a few years doing freelance work along with my full-time position.
I quit being a Transcriptionist because I completed a graduate degree and became a high school English teacher. I have taught for several years but now am staying home with my children and would like to get back into the transcription field. I always found the reports to be fascinating, and after being a teacher, the idea of solitary work appeals to me. 
The big problem is that it has been about 10 years since I worked as a transcriptionist. I have been refreshing my skills by completely re-reading the Book of Style, purchasing a USB foot pedal, and practicing sample transcriptions. The service where I previously worked was purchased by one of the large nationals, so I don't have anyone there for a contact.
I was an excellent transcriptionist and know I would be again, given the opportunity. How would you advise me to go about my job search?
Thanks, and sorry for making this so long.
Complete Discussion Below:  marks the location of current message within thread
The messages you are viewing
are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select
the boards given in left menu
Other related messages found in our database
Long before I got into this field...
I was at an appointment with my GYN and he dictated right after the exam. When he was done, I asked him how anyone could understand what he just said and his reply was that they can just "slow it down". Now that I know better, I'm thinking, yeah right!
sure,they would have to break to get us all back off ''strike''
however, if I owned a company and a bunch of fools did that to me... you can bet that I would pay more just to get the work done, but you can also bet your bottom dollar that there would be adds placed everywhere (including offshore) to hire people that wanted to work. Anyone who walked off would then be out of a job anyway.
Forcing people to do what you want will only work in the SHORT TERM. They will do what you say only until they construct a plan B and I am not willing to see what the plan B is!
Think consequences....
Cost $275, how long (years) to break even
This is such a waste. It is about MONEY for that AAMT or whatever name they decided on now. They just won 1.5 million from Medquist and the MTs got zip. They helped devise how line counts calculated. Google AAMT + line counts + Medquist. MQ doctored the line counts on hospitals and MT on line count. They are not about the MT AT ALL. Save your money will never break even on the $275.
I have been around awhile, and will last making good money as long as this field does.
x
Meditech F6 just takes you back to the previous field. nm
nm
Way back when, a long, long time
ago and in a galaxy far, far away, I had my own accounts also and some years cleared $75,000. Yes it can be done, but you need to have your own accounts. Also lots of delivery, and other duties involved. I work for a large national now and make much less, but I got tired of accountants, having to deal with hardware problems, deadlines, driving deliveries, printing, printers, etc. So I decided to simplify my taxes and stay home and just type. Don't have to worry about computers either, because the company will just send me a new one.
Long, long files. Seemed like they'd never end! I'd never go back to VA again. nm
s
Ctrl + F9 adds the field brackets - F11 jumps to the field.
xx
sorry so long in getting back -
I don't have a real average count because sometimes I run out of work because of the tim of day that I work - but what this system does do is keep up with the amount you type per hour - which is pretty neat. I have instructions that say if you use all of the functions available you can get up to 600 lines an hour (which is my goal). Right now I'm at around 450 an hour - and around the same old 200-250 an hour for straight transcription. It actually averages out about the same pay-wise - but the editing really saves your wrists, back and neck. Hope this helps. You can see that if you work an 8 hour shift about what you would average with time. I also work part-time - but am happy with my pay for the time spent working and am very grateful to have a chance to learn this program since I think it is the way that transcription is going. Those of us who know it will be much more valuable and able to keep a job far longer than those who do not have experience with it.
I saw on this board a long time back
a suggestion that helped me. put the drugs in your Expander using maybe the first 3 consonants, ie, lidocaine is ldc. Sometimes i'll use 4 letters. for some shorter words i'll spell it out in expander, and cap if necessary. you may wish to make some exceptions to the rule too, ie for me, Neo-Synephrine is neos.
Oh well, as long as it gets our work out of India and back to us
I would go back to the office in a second for decent money and affordable benefits.
I work whatever hours I want, as long as I have the reports back in TAT...
I have assigned doctors...
Long and winding road, but back in high school
 My favorite album was Sgt. Pepper's, I listened to it over n over until the tape wore out and finally broke. I keep meaning to replace my old collection with CDs. I used to have posters of the Beatles all over the walls, collected those circle john lennon sun glasses, the whole deal.
I hate Instant Text. It is expensive, long long learning
curve, and too much distraction for me.
How long should I wait after applying for a position before I follow-up. It has been as long as two
without hearing from some. Just wondering if I should send an e-mail to follow-up to see if they received my resume or not. I don't want to offend anyone but feel two weeks should be long enough for someone to at least acknowledge my resume and that I have applied for a position. Right now I would accept anything even a note saying no thanks. Any advice would be appreciated. I haven't had to apply for a job for the past 10 years so I am a bit rusty at this. Thanks again for any advice.
Take a break
I have felt this way many times while transcribing. I have actually taken a leave of absence to get over it. It does help.
a break...
You said that Hispanics did not gang rape and were not pedophiles - that it is always white men and of course, priests. You want to apologize to Catholics for accusing all priests for what a very few did? You honestly don't think other churches' religious leaders are pedophiles?
Give the rest of us a break and go educate yourself before you post on here.
BTW, how old are you? You sound like a 12-year-old with your puhleeez...........
It is definitely a better tax break
and you get flexible hours like an IC while having your employer share of SS tax paid by the company.
They can still break
They can still break while the doctor is dictating or rewinding or when you are playing to covert. There is still that possibility. Kind of like BCP's -- not 100% guarantee
With short arms, I need chair with shallow seat, good back support and high back. Want arm rests
:+
OK! I'm glad you're back down here. Now don't go back up there and read those evil posts ag
Okay? But I have to leave you now, sadly. Thousands of noble dictating doctors are anxiously awaiting my help with their "dictations"....They're all loading up on chips, drinking lots of soda so they can burp, and then have to go to the bathroom...You know the routine! Off I go to earn some pennies!! But, truly, I am thankful that I have a job! 
PS.. It apparently worked..I heard back and already submitted the paperwork back.
I'm not sure how many people they are hiring but you shouldn't stress too hard over it. Do the best you can.
Congrats! How long have you been a MLS and how long did you study for the test!
Please see message. I have three daughters with long, long hair.
I also have long hair down to my waist and my three girls have hair that long too. My daughter brought them home from school last year. I was devestated and grossed out!!!! I have never had to deal with lice. Anyway, we did the treatments and two of my girls broke out in a severe rash with the OTC stuff. Their little heads were so sore!! I thought I was being meticulous with eggs, only to find them hatching again down the road. A nurse at the pediatricians office suggested I try oil to suffocate them since my girls were allergic to the lice solution. I bought a huge bottle of veggie oil and dumped it on all three heads, plus my own. I then wrapped the heads in platic wrap and then a towel. I left this on for 30 minutes. It takes a while to wash out the oil, but we never, ever had the lice or eggs again!!! If you try this, make sure you put on an old shirt and put a towel around your shoulders. Obviously we were desperate, but we all have such long hair and very thick hair so I was willing to try anything. And I figured there was no chemicals involved so that was pretty safe. And it sure did help my littles ones since their scalps were pretty raw from the solution. Hope this helps and Good luck!
It's been a long, long time since I've used a C-phone, sm
but I do think jobs can be paused.
5 a.m. and now time for a break
I've always said I'd rather break a leg....sm
than a hand... and sure enough I did. A few years ago I fell off the top of a ladder and as I was falling, which only took about 5 seconds, my MT survival instincts took over and I stuck my foot out to protect my hands. Three surgeries later I was back at work with a cast on my right leg from ankle to thigh. Believe me, you'll adjust to using your left foot. I did it for almost a year.
Do it anyway. I have not had a break either, but am taking off 18-23 - sm
my mental health is more important than $. Going up to my dad's for a few days to celebrate Jen's last chemo (8/17), have her rest by the pool at his house, visit the Herr's plant, go to Dutch Wonderland, Philly zoo, etc. Just me and my 2 girls to have a little fun together...and for me to see my dad and my friends up in PA. Shouldn't be doing it money-wise, but tough, I know I deserve it and my kids too. We couldn't take a formal vacation due to Jen's chemo and some restrictions, so this is the next best thing. -- If you feel you can't take 5+ days off then do 2-3 and go out and do something. It will make you feel better.
No, I just was finished with my break and had to
get back to work. VPN is not connecting and I'm on hold with tech support.
There are a few things that would make me leave: A really harsh line rate cut for the same work; being forced to be an employee with a set schedule are two reasons that come to mind immediately.
Give yourself a break (sm)
and do something else this year, it doesn't have to be forever. Also, I think you should tell your mother the problem.
You can join me, I have an evil stepmother and nobody would pick me up from the Amtrak and now the tickets are sold out and it's too late to go for the holidays. On the other hand, I find dealing with it so draining that I'm off the hook this year and can do whatever I want, I won't be spending my holiday on the freeway. Good luck!
How do you break into op reports?
Is there one specialty or type of report that's easier or faster or generates more lines? Is it the platform? Which platform is the best? I really would like to have a half-decent MT income in 2006. I have the SUM program ops tapes but no keys. Thanks.
I know what you mean but I have been lucky this break - sm
First day of break we left for Disney on a Make-A-Wish trip for my daughter who has/had a Wilms tumor (03/2005). So we had 6 days of fun there at a wonderful place called Give the Kids the World Village....only children with cancer, recovering from cancer, etc., stay there, great place. So back from that, had Christmas at home then I took them to see my dad (saw their other grandparents on Christmas day) and we are leaving from his house this morning. So they have been kept pretty busy and have had a blast. Granted my paycheck will be pretty poor (took off for Disney of course) and worked very minimally while at my dads. Key is to keep them busy and not bored I guess. Of course I have to get until Tuesday now at home but with all the gifts from Christmas, etc. I think they will be able to entertain themselves for a while....plus they usually pester my DH before me....but I have a very light work schedule for the weekend ( a whole 30 minutes of work, I think--haven't checked yet though) and don't work again until Tuesday. So I am enjoying it since next week won't be so leisure filled. Try to enjoy some, just make a little less for 2 weeks, then jump back in the grind!
hate to break it to you
but the JC is just a company paid by the hospitals to rate them. They really really don't do anything other than that. Your email will be deleted faster than you can say "where'd it go?" Some of the Americans are worse than the foreigners, slurring, sounding like on a mixture of crack and or meth.
should be "planes" - Wow, I need a break! nm
xx
Give me a break!!
If you are working that much and making $6000 to $7000 a month it's a good thing... the only way you will be able to spoil your kids is w/material things.. would rather work less and enjoy what little time they are little....
I have read so many times about people who say they make all this money... I often wonder what else these people do with thier lives???
How to break in to OPs or orthopedics?
Any companies willing to work with a very experienced radiology MT? TIA
To get a break your in-laws might consider...
respite care for a week or two. It would cost about what they are paying the private nurse. They would not even have to really "get away." Just having a break from constant care would be a vacation. I know; been there and done that!
You might try to coordinate it with your break
instead of sitting there fuming while you're trying to hear Dr. Mushmouth. You could ask him to give you an idea of when he might be doing it and be ready to quit work for 20 minutes or so while he cuts the grass outside your window. But be real nice about it or he'll get all offended (if he's like my DH). :oD
Give her a break
You sound like such a rightious person, hope you don't need help some day. Again I would much rather have her collect some unemployment until she can find a job that truly suits her than just have to take any job. You can say the employer pays it but it is a 'Undefined benefit" that we all have when we work enough hours and if someone lays you off or fires you for cause as long as you weren't stealing or doing something against the rules. Much better than the welfare fraud, the illegals coming in and taking our tax dollars after having only been here for a few weeks/months. At lease she has been in the workforce contributing to society and her taxes. So get off her back, give her some space so she can find a job that suits her and doesn't have to take the first one that comes along. And no, I am a MTSO and cannot collect unemployment so I am not personally involved in this.
Give her a break!
For crying out loud! You obviously have never taken time away from your own accounts (Yes, time = money!) to try to train someone only to have her turn around and quit on you. It is frustrating, time consuming and costs money to the person who is kind enough to try to give her a break. This person is totally within her rights to feel violated. Personally I wouldn't give out her name either, but I wouldn't bash the original poster for stating her frustration over the situation. Please walk a mile in someone else's shoes before you criticize them.
First of all do quit, take a break - sm
since you don't have to have the money. Since you like MT then get another MT job on a PT basis. Do maybe 30 minutes a day, which should give you about $25-$50 a day, sure won't be a huge paycheck but enough to give you a little more time for yourself and your sanity. Why kill yourself when you don't have to. If you don't want to switch jobs for some reason then cut back on the amount of work. But from the sounds of it you need a new, easier, job. Get looking!
Hate to break it to you all but
try googling that how it sounds and see what comes up for teragoid. Used to take a lot more knowledge and skill but unfortunately because of all the tools that are now available, like the high-tech software, internet search engines and message boards, the speech rec 'editing' and verbatim accounts, the fact that cost and turnaround are more important than the finished product, and so the bulk of mistakes going unnoticed because, uh, who is checking?, any good typist with decent grammar and spelling skills will be able to do it.
Tax break, tax refund
Yes, Bush is waiting on Congress to pass his emergency tactic to keep the economy from nose diving. He says this will stimulate the economy by us spending it. I say, it's another Bush tactic to try and stave off a recession while he is turning out his last days in office. I say, it is ridiculous. Take care of the infrastructure, the middle class, strength education, jobs, job retraining for older adults, etc., etc., etc.
I break my macros down. There may be
a part that is always, always the same and that will be one macro. The next sentence might be the same, except for right or left and I'll make that a separate macro.
I used to do lots of cataract surgeries and 99.9% of the time the only thing that changed was the eye having the surgery and the diopter of the lens so in that case I could do the entire report, one for left, one for right, and then insert a stop for the diopter so I could fill it in.
The doctor's didn't even dictate a complete report so you didn't have to read through the report anyway to make sure they weren't changing something. They would just dictate right, right, right, xx diopters.
I am wondering how do you break into QA
I am looking for the steadiness of an hourly position. MT is fine but I am a single parent with one disabled child and tired of the fluctuation of production pay. I would love a steady salaried or hourly QA position from home or in office. Just don't know here to start. I have over 10 years MT experience. Excellent editing skills. Open to any suggestions. Email on board or privately.
The easiest way would be to break into...sm
acute care for the same company you do clinic for if they have acute care available. If not it is going to be hard. The company you are currently with would be more likely to train you to do acute care because they know what your capabilities are.
break in experience
A typewriter - don't even want to think of that. Did you have to take any courses or just did well on the test? I find I do well on the tests but the flub the interview kind of discouraging
time for a break?
I just was typing along, a circumcision and the dr said, we then removed the papoose, and I thought, that's kind of a cute thing to call it, and then later he said specimen: prepuce" adn I realized what I had done, and I'm glad I caught it but I still think papoose is kind of cute if you get my anatomical meaning. javascript:editor_insertHTML('text','');
Spring break
I guess I am paranoid, but am afraid to let my 6-year-old granddaughter go out and play unless I am with her or her parents. It is a rotten shame our world has become so unsafe for children. Sounds like you have a good support team for your 5-year-old.
Not new to the field either. Been there and seen it. (sm)
However, routing is NOT ALWAYS the only problem. Times when bonuses are out show a vast difference in dictators that are left to type and number sequence of the jobs. There are some who do cherry pick and return these jobs to pool. In a smaller hospital setting this was not so prominent because others could see it, print out a report and show the boss who would address it in one way or another.
Unfortunately, we are such big organizations now and the people in the digital rooms are just worried about keeping TAT that they don't care who does it as long as it gets done.
Then world is not a perfect place and you cannot be pleasant and assume good things will happen always. People do cheat, people do send back reports they don't make good money on.
It certainly is not the company I am distressed about, it is the few (or I assume just a few) little prima donnas who are doing this "me, me, me" thing. You can choose your company, you just can't choose your co-workers.
Until a wand comes down from the Heaven's and casts a Pollyana spell on all of us, I don't think your new attitude idea will work.
are you new to this field or are you just
uninformed? A few months back, the AAMT subject was brought up on this board. One single question was asked: What has the AAMT done to help improve the pay and overall career for the American MT? After days, I don't think there was one, single positive post to that question. Oh, yes for sure, there was a lot of "spin" but not one direct positive answer. Do you know something we don't? If so, could you please share it with us?
|
