Have over 25 years worth of experience and do you think
Posted By: Lynn on 2007-01-29
In Reply to: Newbies are begging for jobs at 6 cpl or they - are paying the company to intern for them.
I made more because of all the years? Better think again. My salary now for straight typing is 8 cents a line. Most of the companies are not willing to pay us like we made in the past. I am not upset about this for myself but I know others are not as fortunate in that they have to raise families on less and less.
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Do you need to have 2 years full time experience or just 2 years' experience? nm
..
What is your experience and knowledge worth? sm
Only you can decide what a good line rate is for you. Everyone has different opinions, expenses, time management, and issues. No two people are the same.
Now, if you take the IC part out of it and ask if 7 or 8 cpl is a good line rate - basically the answer would be no, not really. Then again, it seems to be what companies are offering these days.
Remember, most companies base any health benefits, etc on your production. So, if you have a bad month of production, your benefits might go bye-bye!
Just think, as an independent contractor, 8 cpl, nice easy account, canned reports, lots of templated work - Yeah you can make decent money.
Now, no canned reports, difficult account, you might have to work 10 to 12 hours a day to make decent money.
See the difference - Go with your gut and decide what you are worth.
Good luck!
I have 13 years' worth here and sm
I will say that mastery of this craft does bring a certain pleasure in the job. For me, challenges are few and far between when it comes to terminology, my favorite part of this job. My challenge at the moment is a difficult ESL who is a cardiothoracic surgeon. The other cardio queens will not touch him, so he is all mine. Lovely.
When it comes to OP notes, which is something I did everyday until recently (was made a cardio queen) I did love it. I felt competent, capable and I loved how I had my Expander so well tuned. Yes, I enjoyed it a great deal. Right now, not so much.
You have to know, even when you get to where you are more comfortable and have that certain level of mastery you will still have days when this is just a job and not a very pleasant one. It is the nature of being human, I think.
I quit doing that years ago. It has never been worth it to me. SM
I think, though, that one reason is this. I worked for 15 years on a hospital platform that had NO spellcheck, NO NOTHING. I had to learn to proof as I went along. It gave me the terrible habit of backspacing when I make an error - something I've not yet learned how to avoid - I'd really like to type and have the spellchecker catch the errors because I think I'd be more productive, but it's turned into kind of like a facial tic, something involuntary!
I would never relisten to anything - unless it's something that gave me trouble while I was doing it - and when that happens, I leave blanks, go back to the first and listen.
It will be so worth it. After seven years at home, I pull in $100/day sm
just working around naps and early mornings before the kids get up. I could probably do more if I wanted to at night after DH gets home, but $100 is my goal and I can usually reach that in three hours. It's easy, go for it!
15 years worth of hearing loss
I have experienced this also, mostly in my left ear. Almost daily I get doctors that are speaking so quietly that I have to blast my sound - then someone in the background laughs or drops something. Too bad they aren't on the other end of the headphones.
I am worth that...not home course training or ESL..takes years to achieve
x
After years of sitting in "cheap" chairs, I bought an Aeron chair and it was worth it!!
.
How many years experience as MT? nm
x
Yes, I could see 9 CPL with 18 years experience!
I am just a newbie doing clinic reports. I get 7 CPL and am grateful that MQ was willing to hire me right out of school. I sure hope all the bad rumors do not materialize. I am hoping to get in more experience before the rug is ripped out from under me. I am glad that you posted. There were rumors about the 'new' minimum lines being 8,000 PPP and I am only up to 6,000. So I might be Okay in that area. Did they state anything about any certain percentage of reports going to QA. That is another rumor going around, that only 15% of reports can go to QA, which does not make sense as I know they don't want us GUESSING what the doctor said!
With 2 years experience!
It is a good thing to make that much with so little experience. HOw did you start editing with only 2 years experience? How can you possibly know enough of the language of medicine to edit? I call someone with 2-4 years experience a newbie not an experienced editor.
Is this right? MUST HAVE: 2 years' experience
bn
15 years of experience and you don't know
x
Well, she's now said she has 16 years MT experience
and explain to me how she has been in this field for 16 years and does not know medical terminology? An impossibility. Maybe she did not understand their format, how to access or send back work, any number of other issues - but if you have that many years experience - you definitely know what you are doing MT-wise. And I am the poster from below who was let go after all the changes by the MTSO - and her true belief that her way was the RIGHT way and the only way and how could I not see that (???).... there are so very, very rude people out there - lucky for you perhaps you have not met one yet - your time may still come - and perhaps you will take a different attitude. I agree that there are really some dingy MTs out there - I do QA - I see it daily - the terms are hysterical they come up with - well they are funny when they are not serious - but you don't last 16 years and not know your stuff.
Thanks. You can do it with 14 years' experience! (nm)
x
7 years experience here, doing
multispecialty clinic work for local lady who has her own accounts and get .10 per gross line, also work for a medium sized national and get 7.5 per 65-char line. Same as the other poster, would rather have enough of the .10 per line, but it is not there.
With 22 years of experience. :)
nm
10 years experience s/m
I've been with MQ for going on 10 years now and only make 7.75 cpl. I am a "tier 2" - doing acute care basic 4, clinics, specialty clinics and even some cardiac procedures and OP notes. I recently interviewed with 3 companies and was offered anywhere from 8.5 to 9.5 cpl. With your experience, I would certainly expect to be making 9 cpl, unless you can pick up some private accounts on your own.
Another thing to consider is whether or not you'll be needing benefits. My experience has been that IC pay is a little better because there are no benefits. The line rates I listed above do not include any incentives which may be offered. That's also something you should take into consideration when looking. Those rates are based on a 65-character line - spaces and demographics included.
I have 15 years experience, mostly
heme/onc, endocrine, ortho, etc. I have been exposed to op notes for the past 8 weeks and absolutely despise them - cannot make my line counts after previously being well above what is needed. If you can afford to take the cut in pay to learn them, go for it, but I sure cannot.
Someone with 30 years experience does not need CMT after their name.
Okay, 25 years experience,
and STILL having this problem. Now I don't feel so bad. I really feel for you! I don't know about the QA keeping busy, as they are always complaining how swamped they are. They just get mad when you send too many blanks and they are supposed to fix it, when the real person to be upset with s/b the dictator! Do they talk to THEM, no! Then stop complaining already!
How many years experience do you have? If over 10,
I mean, if you have 10, 20, 30 years experience, how do you like receiving the same pay as a newbie just out of school or with only 6 months to 2 years experience? Don't you think you've paid your dues and earned your stripes and deserve better pay than what the noobs get?
I have 3 years experience.
I agree that someone with many years experience should get somewhat higher pay. But more experience doesn't always equal a better MT. There are some people in this field who have been around a long time and probably shouldn't be in it. And like it or not, if you want to make decent money, you have to be fast. Accurate and knowlegeable also, but if you're not fast and using every tool at your disposal, you'll never make good money.
years experience sm
If you go at it looking for a job, and put in 10 years or so, it'll come back as no jobs fitting that category - in other words, no one is willing to pay for people WITH experience!!
I have almost 30 years experience and
am making 9 to 11 cpl on a tiered system at my FT job and 10 cpl at my IC job.
or it could be MTs with 5 or more years experience...
I have been an MT for 10 years and I am only 31 :)
Are you saying you have 2+ years experience and only make .04 cpl? -- if so you really need to look
for something a little better. That is a total slave wage.......I make .085 now with 3+ years, and I started at .06 with 1 job, and .075 at another, and .085 at another (until they changed their pay tier then down to .07 which sucked). My goal is .10 eventually......believe me you can do better, start looking if you are not already.
Actually, no, MT with 9 years experience. So, I can only assume
not organized, or just dawdling. Who knows, but it is frustrating.
I did a couple years ago and it was of no help...just my experience..nm
.
I have 20 years' experience. I once took a test for
a company that was I currently working for because I had heard so many people were flunking it and I flunked it too. I am a very good MT, and my company called the extraordinary even, but I still flunked the test. I also tested for another company and made a 79 I think.
Who hires with 2 years' experience?
I want to get back into MT work, but everything seems to be acute care/hospital dictation. I have some experience in that area but not 2-3 years' worth. Anyone have ideas?
30+ years, and similar experience to yours. (sm)
I just quit a clinic I'd been at for over 25 years. Was treated like dirt, and when other employees got a COL raise and I did not, I was told I had "worked there too long." Nice, huh?
Can I help? Ortho/WC MT experience x14 years.
You need help on something???
20 years' experience in Radiology
Please email me privately and I'll be glad to give my 2 cents.
What I make with 22 years of experience
Here's my experience. I have been making around 10 cents per line since 1997. I was with ddi and then Medquist for a total of around 16 years. In 1997, I was given my last raise - mind you, I asked for ALL of them, no one ever offered them to me. After that, I was told I was in "highest tier" etc., etc. Even when I offered to work on more difficult account (back when that still mattered and we were offered extra) - I was told I already made higher than the difficult account offered. So, I have made the same cpl since 1997, yes, 11 years. I hit just over $40,000 one year out of the 22 years... otherwise, I range from 35,000 to 38,000 if it is a good year. I am dedicated, work full time, weekends as required, and holidays as when possible/the number required. When I started looking to leave MQ, I was offered 8 and 8.5 cpl - my experience was irrelevant, though all the companies seemed to be quite gleeful to be getting all the MTs out there with many years of experience for 8 cpl... One company offered to up the 8.5 to 9 cpl if I would work their night shift and only ops on their most difficult account. No thanks. I work days. I finally found a place that offered me a lateral move. Really like where I am now but if I think too hard about it, still blown away that something I love to do has led to making the same amount of money I was making 11 years ago... with really, no hopes of more, unless I live and breathe MT and become a workaholic. I'm 43, by the way, been doing this since I was 21. Because of my move to a new company a year ago though, I refound my love of MT. Good luck.
30 years' experience of transcription
Have transcribed for 30+ years in internal medicine, cardiology, orthopedics and pulmonary
With 10 years experience, I wouldn't
A QA with years of verifiable experience
has no problem working and adapting to multiple different accounts. That's what they do. It is much more difficult to train an MT to be a new QA than to hire an experienced QA. BTDT.
P.S. - with 15 years experience, I'd encourage you to go for it.
You might not get hired the first or second or even third time you apply, but as long as your experience matches up with what kind of work the company does, you certainly would have a decent shot.
In the same boat but 16 years of experience
Well, actually I got to test for one company and somehow I actually failed and I'm not even sure what or how that happened. Talk about spirit crushing. Now, I cannot get an offer to test except for the jobs that want to pay peanuts like 3 cpl for 5 years of Escription experience. No thanks. I'll just starve LOL. I think the biggest problem is that the good jobs are few and far in between and everyone and their dogs are applying. I don't stand a chance. Time for career change.
12 cpl, 24 years experience. I am not giving name of company.
x
Many MTs have failed tests with 20+ years of experience. sm
It shocks me how incredibly BAD some "experienced" MTs do on those tests. I cringe to think of what they've been typing for years. So, people will claim that they're "all that," and they may well be, but recruiters won't know it unless you prove it.
Also, a resume is occasionally more fiction than fact, which I've seen proved out more than once. Years of op note experience and they can't spell Vicryl. Ayup! Sure thing.
Meghan, with 9 years of experience and if you are an employee and if
this is your first QA job, I would say $14 is about average to just a tad below average. I think $15 is a better figure, but I would pay probably $14 for someone on their first QA job with your experience, but I would definitely if I were you do some looking or try harder to get your hourly pay increased.
Great!! I have years of experience as a transcription
x
And I have 25 years of acute care experience
x
Well, I have 25 years experience also in all work types
and only do acute care with a line rate of 10.5 cpl M-F and 11 cpl on the weekends.
You can negotiate it a little harder, and you will get it depending on their needs, I guess.
It is MDI-Maryland.
Hon, I have 16 years acute care experience sm
in all work types/specialties and only getting 9 cpl as an employee with a service plus incentives.
I feel your pain. I have 30 years experience,
MT and QA, but have found it takes so long to go thru the whole testing process before even speaking to a human - while I love working at home and online, its one drawback to me - having to apply amongst apparently thousands of others, and you are just an email address for most of the process. Very tiring. And the testing? Horrible! There are some programs that help you hook up your foot pedal - Express Scribe? But still its so awkward. I easily transcribe 300 LPH without a sweat, but on testing? Its so not user friendly. I would apply at so many companies, but just get overwhelmed at the thought. At least I'm just looking for part-time work, though, so it is easier to put it off.  Hang in there! And I know what you mean about not hearing from them. I have always tested perfectly, and often don't hear from the companies for months - other times, I will have an offer within 2 minutes. Just depends on the companies, but to hear nothing is so disheartening and unprofessional.
Please tell me you are not working for .07-.08 per line with 15+ years experience. SM
Sweetie, I would rather work at Walmart than settle for this. Not sure if you were referring to yourself; however, this is what is driving our payscale down. Speaking for myself only, I will not even consider working for a national who pays under .10 line (bare minimum). I have many years of experience and truly appreciate and understand the need to have a job in this field, but there is a fine line to draw. Let's avoid desperation and take back our pride.
I have 26 years experience, continue to learn every day. nm
nm
I've got 35 years' experience, transcribe sm
300 lph, and nearly went bankrupt when I worked for a company for 7 cpl. I didn't stay there long!
My advice is to keep your day job until you can find something better after you have learned lots, lots more.
Newbie MTs remind me of tiny newly hatched turtles heading for the big ocean! Only a few survive.
Take your time and learn as much as you can on safe, solid ground.
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