Good for you--I left the field in January
Posted By: Gone on 2006-05-12
In Reply to: I've made a decision to leave MT... - sm...
after 16 years. I now work as an Editor outside of the medical field. I'm still home-based, and my journalism degrees are put to good use. I hate to see what has happened in this profession, and follow the developments. However, I did not feel encouraged about my future in transcription, and felt that it was best to get out ASAP. I'm relieved to be out of it, and encourage anyone considering a career change to follow their intuition and explore their options.
Your transcription experience will put you ahead of the game in nursing school. Best wishes to you, and congratulations for taking action.
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to VE - NINE HOSPITALS have never drug tested you - they must be out in left field!
I'm typing this fast - so forgive ME for the typos!!
I just left a hospital in Ohio that not only had you do a drug screen, BUT A BREATHALYZER TEST before hiring. They did one ON EVERYONE!!! Yes, they have had people fail the breathalyzer!
I worked in a small ridiculously podunk town hospital in Illinois that insisted I have a drug test before working there.
I have been in major medical centers where it was insisted I have a background check, drug screen, and physical.
I have had background checks done on me for quite a few more hospitals. I have worked at home and had a background check on me, because after all I do have the company's computer and equipment and I did have access to SSN#, and yes, for your information, there was a Transcriptionist that I KNOW OF arrested two years ago for identity theft and she did obtain the information from medical records. I know transcriptionists that never give equipment back to the companies and resell them - guess what - they have gotten arrested. Had the companies run a background check they would never have hired the transcriptionists.
I have worked at catholic hospitals AND THEY EVEN GIVE THE NUNS A DRUG TEST!
Why OH why do people feel that this is a violation of THEIR rights. I would hope to God that if you were ever in a hospital that your identity information stays guarded, no matter where it is outsourced to.
In Description Field type {@KEY Left}-year-old
In Keyword, type
yo, OR yof, yom, yog, yow
In Description Field, type:
{@KEY Left}-year-old
I use the following as well:
{@KEY Left}-year-old-female,
{@KEY-year-old male,
{@KEY Left}-year-old gentleman,
{@KEY Left}-year-old woman, etc.
Good luck rebuilding your ShortHand. I back mine up to a little portable drive on a keychain, I'd be lost without my ShortHand.
Wise
It's facing reality. And YES - I've already left the field and glad I did.
I'm not waiting until the bottom falls out and there's nothing but unemployment or mall jobs. Nope.
is MT still a good field?
Hi, I'm considering studying maybe with CS. Is MT still a good field to get into or is it getting phased out due to outsourcing or automated programs? I just got laid off after 10 yrs with a co doing data entry. Considering MT. I hope this isn't too blunt to ask but how much per year can I expect to make starting out? Thanks!
is MT a good field
I don't know about the others on this board but we had a doctor in our clinic that was going to get voice recognition system and replace me. He left to go on his own and got this system. since we are in the same town and refer patients to him I have had the opportunity to see some of what these things produce. Most of it is pretty good, not all. What I am getting at is this: These things are constantly improving and it is my opinion that in 5 - 10 years there will not be much work in MT. I enjoy transcribing but when asked by others about getting into it, my answer is like this: not if you want to work a long time. Older doctors and I work for one may not want to go this route. I would welcome other's input on this subject but having had a shaky job situation 4 years ago at age 62 due to the doctor's wish for voice recognition, I feel that this automated system if the wave of the future.
good luck to you too in this rewarding field
Tumor Registrar is a good field
for MTs to pursue, especially if they have had experience transcribing oncology reports. You can actually learn online, and there are many schools offering this program. Santa Barbara Community College is a good school, and they have an online program. Good luck!
You may also want to try obtaining your own MT accounts. You will of course have more administrative tasks, but will also make a greater income than working for a national service at slave wages.
I have been around awhile, and will last making good money as long as this field does.
x
Are there any good MTs left??
What has happened to the MT who is committed to working hard? My experience with hiring in this field has left me very frustrated. Yes, an MT will test well, and their resume brags of experience, and they blah-blah-blah with all that you want to hear about hours and availability and knowledge, but once hired, that all goes "poof!" You find that they don't have the knowlege they boasted of, they only want to work a few hours a day, if that, (after promising full-time hours), and they don't answer your e-mails and calls after a while. Please tell me there are still people who want to work, who want to work hard, who take pride in their work, and who actually stick around for more than 2 weeks! Be honest on your resume, be honest during the hiring process, and please don't waste everyone's time. Let's keep MT jobs in the US by practicing what we preach - Quality, hard work, dependability, and love of the job!
Any good MTs left
I can be honest with you....I just recently graduated a Transcriptionist training program....
I am a hard worker who is looking for a transcriptionist job and am not going to be full of hype with you...completely honest.
Thanks
Ctrl + F9 adds the field brackets - F11 jumps to the field.
xx
Good point. If she left then she is taking the
younger child away from HER father and there is much less chance of finding a third man who is going to love and raise both children the way they should be raised.
I think it's best to try to work through it, maybe try some counseling and try to make DH realize that he has to fill the role of "dad" for both children. If he is basically a good man, then this is not the end of the world.
Also, OP states she's not making much money. She would be putting both her children in a situation of financial disaster, plus no father for them. Bad idea.
Those are all very good reasons why I left the office, - sm
but at least I could leave at the end of the day, and afford to buy things at the supermarket on the way home. Money worries have become the big glaring issue that is always there, and won't go away no matter how hard or how many hours I work. And then, all that gets sabotaged when you run out of work. (Which is happening to me as I write this. I intended to work all afternoon and evening today to make little extra, and now that's not gonna happen.)
So everything is a trade-off, I guess. And as much as I hate to think about having to have a "work wardrobe" again, or deal with all the issues you mentioned, I hate it even more that I haven't funded my 401K in about 3 years, nor my savings account, which has been dwindling because I keep siphoning funds out of it to get by each month. I'm hoping to land an onsite job before my savings are depleted.
Have all the good dictators left the building?
I am so ticked. I work on VR and everything is nothing but a bunch of words that fit nothing, dictators cannot speak properly and VR throws in whatever. I am sick, I tell you, of dictators who don’t care. I am on my soapbox because I am so angry with having to listen to all this ______ (put in your own words here).
Just hit Alt+Shift+left arrow on line 1 and it will go to the left margin. Otherwise,
you need to use a numbered list style to do it every time. Each version is different, but you may already have a numbered list style in yours that stays at the left margin. Just assign a keyboard shortcut to that style.
end of January great, too
I went at the end of January and had maybe a 15-minute wait max on the most popular rides, practically no wait on all the others. The weather was clear and high 60s, so not bad. I can't imagine what a mess it must be in the summer.
January 31, 2007
:
This is how it was told to me in January
They said at social security I could start drawing my money in 01/2009 - that is the year of my 66th birthday but I turn 66 in March. Now what they said is I could get 2 checks in January- why wait? Well, the wait for me is I get more money by waiting 2 more months and that is the rest of your life money- it can go up some because social security gives raises (unlike our jobs now). I reach 66 in the year 2009 but not 66 years of age until March, 2009. Does that make it more understandable- remember it is the government talking!
I think I bought it in January. nm
nm
I'll probably wait until January...
and see what havoc is wreaked on my pay - but at this point there is just so much wreaking already...
Yes, I wish it were January 1st. I feel obligated
to invite people I do not really want to spend time with here for Thanksgiving and Christmas because otherwise they would have nowhere to go and would sit home alone. Guess it's not good to invite people and then resent it, but I do. And the cooking is left mainly up to me because the others are too old/incapacitated or too worthless to help.
We were slow the first week of January but
now we're being dumped on and can't seem to get to back in control. I've worked almost everyday just trying to stay close to TAT.
I have just missed this first 1 for the year, January.
NM
4th quarter taxes are due on January 15th
x
How's your work load going Monday, January 9?
Just wondering if we are all in the same boat, sinking because of India oursourcing.
Yes! I saw it in Philadelphia in January - it was absolutely incredible!
d
I have the feeling they may eliminate SE because they are starting this new plan in January. Quite
frankly, I am surprised you do okay with Amherst. I sit looking at a no work sign many days and it gets a little tiresome. I have already been looking at other companies because I have felt for a long time with the lawsuits and millions going out MQ is not the place to be anymore. Too much baggage and may Spheris is in the picture especially if they drop SE I think that may well be true.
I'm hoping to go part-time January 1, at least for several months.
I am just so burned out I'm not getting the lines I need, my house isn't getting cleaned, I don't seem to have any leisure time, etc. I'm hoping that going part-time will be enough of a break that when I am working I'll be better focused and can actually produce the minimum lines that I need.
It slows down every August and January on both ER accounts that I have. This time sm
of year is the worst. I forget about it every year until it happens again. It usually picks up again at the end of August and then is really busy until the end of the year. It slows down a bit (not much) in the beginning of January and then is really, really busy until mid to late July into August.
I have been doing this for 13 years and the only year ever that it did not happen to me was last summer. Not sure why, but both hospitals stayed busy the entire 2006.
I dont remember exactly whether it was by Qmail or what mail but it is starting January 1. I was
concerned about that because usually when they change any kind of employee status or SE status it is in the beginning of a tax year. I am worried about the SE status for that reason. But it is January 1.
internest is not updated fast enough? I book you buy in January was put together mid last year..how
nm
No actually I plan to suck everything out of them at my line rate this year and then quit in January
when they start the new pay plan. Yep, that is exactly what I plan to do. Yep, I have it all planned out. This sick sick lady has it all planned out. The best of MQ is over.
Other than the reduction in ASR starting Oct 1 the rest of the deal doesnt start until January 1 so
we all have time to move on if it does not suit us.
Has anyone on this board's work slowed down this January. MT work that is.
Got several friends with slow-down of work but they are MQMTs Wondered how the rest of the MT world is doing.
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?
Welcome to the field!
I've been in the field for about 22 years. Stedmans Words Books are a great resource and easy to use. Google words when you get stuck and best of luck!!! Stay away from Amherst....
another field
I often think about another field as I am tired of transcribing (going on 9 years now) and then there is asking my PS questions and its like pulling teeth to get an answer because honestly I don't think she knows and also not feeling like I'm being pay for what I feel is a hard day's work. So maybe for me something in the beauty industry like esthetician where your also providing a service for people that want to feel good about themselves.
What field? (nm)
.
how best to get into the field
Hello. I am reading the messages about certification, AHDI, AAMT, etc and see that you have a very reasonable message. My sister wants to get into the MT field and I want to help her as much as I can. What would you recommend in today's employment outlook, for her to do to pursue this? I was steering her towards accredited schooling and the RMT or CMT, but after reading this Board, I am now very confused!
I'm currently looking to get out of the MT field too
I can see it going down hill really quick and it worries me. I don't know what I will do if MTing isnt around even long enough for me to get out of the field first. I wouldn't just go get any job though. I would need to go to school for something so I can make sure I would be making more money than I do now and have better insurance and benefits. I would love a job where I could just work 8 hours a day. Some days I sit here from 8 am to 8 pm or later just to get enough lines in to pay my bills. It sucks and I'm sick of doing it.
I'm currently looking to get out of the MT field too
I can see it going down hill really quick and it worries me. I don't know what I will do if MTing isnt around even long enough for me to get out of the field first. I wouldn't just go get any job though. I would need to go to school for something so I can make sure I would be making more money than I do now and have better insurance and benefits. I would love a job where I could just work 8 hours a day. Some days I sit here from 8 am to 8 pm or later just to get enough lines in to pay my bills. It sucks and I'm sick of doing it.
I don't know if any particular field is more difficult
than the next, if all you do is type one speciality. I think ER and Psych are mentally hard because with ER a lot of the patients die and it is depressing and then psych is depressing because of the severe dysfunction of the patients and/or their families. Oncology can be depressing too cause outcomes are not always great and like the previous poster said frequent new meds.
I used to transcribe for a teaching hospital connected to a medical school and that dictation was very hard, much more technical than your normal hospital, lots more dictators too and a new crop every July.
I wish I had read this BEFORE getting in the field
It may have been great once, but it looks like dog meat now.
Returning to MT field
I went through a training program and then worked one year for a national - Spheris. Had some health issues (and a young son paying daycare for) so gave my notice and got done. That was several years ago. My son is now in kindergarten and want to do medical transcription again.
What is IC and how does that work? Do all nationals have this? How does part time work for most of these companies?
Any hints on brushing up on my skills before I return.
Thank you for your help,
Hopeful MT
But you have to look deep down within you and ask why you are even in this field and
why being an SE is so important to you? To be honest, I've been an MT for quite a while and an SE MT for MQ for over 6 years now. The flexibility has been, well, too good to be true. I, too, can say that I haven't been a perfect MT because I havent keep to my "schedule" even though I have on as an SE. I just pretty much come and go as I please. Can you honestly say you do the same with your company? And are you with MQ? Well, that is just not really fair to them, if you really want to dig down and get honest here. They need to know that their clients will be covered all around the clock and their SEs just really are not consistent and I think all companies need consistency. It's funny, I am in the process of looking for another job, and have interviewed with quite a few folks and once they decide they want me - it's all about - hours, hours, hours. When can you work, what time of day can you start, can you work weekends, can we have that in writing?
Ok, I just had an ENTIRE post of great advice on 401 K programs for part-timers and it got deleted in this very post! That stinks!!!!!
Bottom line is: If you are an SE MT you have nothing invested and when you want to retire you will have nothing. It is sad. No one in my family who is retired or going to be retired have 401 KS and they will be living off the govt. or me, or other working family members. I don't want to be them in 20-30 years. Don't count on Social Security ladies! (and gents).
My husband works for a large corporation and they project when he retires (they send us followups monthly) that when he retires we will be millionares. Well, that sounds great, but what if leaves me for another woman? It happens everyday. And then where will that leave me and my kids? We are devout Christians and I know he is committed, but you just never know. I've seen church members leave their spouses before. I ain't takin the chance! Hence, I will seriously consider investing in 401 as a part time employee (first time in my life) just so that I can have some kind of cushion when I retire, even if its just 30, 40, or 50,000! Hey, if MQ is willing to match earnings, etc, why not? Why just take them for a paycheck? You should seriously, seriously consider all your options if you are an SE, which is what I am right now, and start protecting your future. Especially if you are stay at home mom with little kids. I am a Christian and I feel really led to start doing this. Don't just transcribe your little heart out so that in 20 years you have nothing to show for it.
SE is GREAT for flexibility. But it is NOT a great long-term thing to do to ourselves.
For PT MQers to qualify for 401 k, you have to work a minimum of 1,000 hours a year. You figure out the math. I don't have the time right now! Keep on keeping on girls.
45 yof, MT 10+ yrs, med field 20 yrs Alabama nm
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Use F11 to jump to each field (nm)
x
Have not in MT field, but in other fields
and how many of us women are the sole support of our families? Many...
Me too! Too much uncertainty in the MT field...sm
and too much potential in nursing. I have a small MTSO and since I'm getting a salary and can set a flexible schedule, I'm getting my BSN. Our state college only has a full time program. 1000 people applied and 70 got in. If you didn't have a 3.50, you didn't get in. The curricula is incredibly tough. I'm pretty smart but this is very challenging. Yet I am finding out I love the challenges too. Working as an MT is a definite plus. Everybody! comes to me to ask me how to spell things, including the instructors :) and I was the only person in the class who knew what a pheochromocytoma was. (I have lots of other medical background too including medical assistant, paramedic, etc. but listening to thousands of medical reports teaches you an immense amount.) Not to mention my charting is impeccable.
My main plan is to go on and get an Advanced Practice Nurse degree (master's) so I can work in primary care in the physicians' offices. Good luck to you. and Email me with any more questions.
Leaving MT field?
I feel for you and can understand all your concerns. I think there are areas out there with great demands like teaching, nursing (get your LPN or CNA to get started in the field), radiology technology or a shorter schooling experience would be for medical coding, though won't be surpised if technology takes that job away too! You can become a certified phlebotomist and get started in the lab work area. These areas are just the tip of the iceberg, but change can be done and is not impossible. Good luck!
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