I'm sure they all are great schools, but I chose CS.
Posted By: OP gal on 2006-07-09
In Reply to: Andrews or Career Step? - Kimberly
I am also working right now typing acute care. I was hired before I graduated, so now I'm trying to finish the course in my spare time. Andrews and M-Tec are great schools, I am sure, and any school you choose would be a good choice. Good luck! 
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
It's both the schools and co.'s fault. Schools are trying to kick em' out as soon as they
"graduate" and companies are very willing to hire anyone who says "they went to this school or that." I know. I've been there as a former instructor.
I truly believe that not everyone has what it takes to become a good MT. And I mean good. You absolutely cannot guess on anything - and I would stress this over and over to my students at all times. You have to know how to spell, and you have to have basic, or beyond basic, grammar knowledge.
My classes would normally start out at 15 to 17. And by the end of the first week it would go down to about 10. And then after that I would graduate around 8 or so. I would tell them straightforward that this job entails - the skills you must have to do this work - and I probably did turn a few of them away. But when they had it, and I knew they could do this work (I could usually tell by the first 5 papers they turned in) then I would encourage them over and over. I would call them, meet with them, and tell them to stick it out, and that I thought they had found their "spot" in life....That's what my MT instructor did for me many years ago and I am so grateful for her.
I know these gals and guys want to be at home with their young ones - hey, I do too! But as an editor also, I believe that some are just not cut out for this.
Also, I find acute care a lot less challenging than actual clinic work! I have been editing clinic work here lately and boy have I found that to be challenging. It is very, very specific. If they can do clinic work no problem, then they should train on acute care too.
Just my humble opinion.
Oh, as for VR. No, newbies cannot do that right now. You need people with editing background who know thousands upon thousands of words to edit VR. I don't think schools care about training them for VR - just graduate them with the basic knowledge and get a job doing clinic work! Yeah, if it were that easy!
Thanks for input. There were so many to chose from..sm
I hate to pay that much money though but I really would like this account.
I chose transcription because
I always wanted to work in the healthcare field, but did not necissarily want to be a nurse or doctor. I can handle the blood and guts....that really doesn't bother me one bit. It's the vomit that I can't take. Have a major problem with it. So, in being a transcriptionist, I get to work in the medical field and learn a lot. I get to type a lot...which I love to do. I get to work from home, which is great because I have a son and I can be here when he gets home from school. I am a fairly shy/introverted person, so this job works wonderful for me because I can do it from my home and do not have to deal with people face-to-face every day. I put in many years of working retail, customer service, and waitressing. Then, I finally decided to go to school for this. I have been happy ever since.
That's why I chose not to take them at all anymore. (s/m)
That way no one's feelings get hurt. I can always buy my OWN clothing, and if I have something I no longer wear the other friend might want, I can still give that to her, instead.
I deliberately chose MT...sm
I was working as a paramedic and knew if I worked at home as an MT I could still take calls. My training was medical, from my paramedic courses. Ended up working in house first though, and at various places such as the Coroner's office. I also worked as a medical assistant and did transcription on the side. I ended up getting a small account of my own and when my daughter was born, I decided to go for completely home-based work. Ended up actually owning my own MTSO and making very good money. It was the best thing in the world to be home with my kids but after watching the field very closely, I've decided to go back to school. I've got one year left in a Bachelor's of Nursing program. I'm in school full time but since I only have to run my company to get a salary, I'm managing it. My plans are to go on to a Master's so I can be an advanced practice nurse. Looking back -- I still would have done it this way. I actually enrolled in nursing school 20 years ago but dropped out due to health reasons. I'm mostly glad I was home with my kids and had the opportunity to make a bunch of money to sock away so I had choices...like school now.
I chose it because it's about the only thing a non-
I would suck at front-office work, sales, customer service, teaching, nursing, etc. or else I would've left MT for one of those long ago.
I'd like to know why in the world she chose that name. So stupid. nm
x
Laid off or chose to take time off? (sm)
Be accurate, now!
I didn't like what settings I chose (sm)
using Tonks directions so I tried changing back to the original settings and had a bit of trouble regaining them. Just a heads up for anyone wanting to try changing your settings using the wizard. You might create a system restore point before you make any changes so you can easily restore your old settings if need be.
You chose IC status. Your responsibility. nm
///
I chose HPI-SUM over At-Home Professions sm
When I trained 13 yrs ago. I looked at them both. I ordered the first packet of AHP and I didn't like the way it was presented and sent them back because I could get my money back within a certain time. I really liked the HPI-SUM program syllabus. I liked it particularly because it seemed like more work and was harder. I knew that this job could not possibly as simple it was presented with AHP and I was right.
I never have worked in house for anyone. I have been at home for 12+ years and I do quite well with accuracy, speed and scope of knowledge. Of course, there are still a lot of things I don't know and I'll learn a lot of them over time, I hope. Which brings me to the last point, that being no program is really going to prepare you for this job and even with training, there is no guarantee you'll ever be able to make a living at it. AAMT (or whatever they call themselves today) stated that something like $26K was the average yearly wage for an MT. Given that many of us do ohhh so much better than that, there have to be plenty who don't come near that figure. HPI-SUM stated in their packet that 60% of the people who complete their course will not be successful MTs and I have heard that figure about other courses too. Success for me means making a full time income for full time work at around the $25K a year mark (though I do better, that was my goal then). I personally know 5 other MTs who don't make $12K a year for full time work, that is not success when every one of them has been an MT for 5+ years.
However...there is no reason you are not part of that 40% who WILL succeed! I was.
DUH? Thats common sense. Not in the mood that day, so chose to be
MQ chose the public forum for us to ask questions.
Do you have any better idea?
They offered a job. They are not producing the goods. They don't return phone calls and they don't have any policy manuals for employees or contractors.
There is no other way to ask the question. They brought us to this place through their misrepresentation of facts. The fact is they offered work. So why shouldn't they be looked at for unethical work practices? I was looking for a job, they offered one. It's not my responsibility now to go look for another job. They need to reply as to why there is no work.
chose = choice (Guess you won't be hiring me, lol).
:+
trying to chose a laptop, please, re connection and speed
what please is the difference in ability to connect between:
802.11 a/g/n (cannot remember if it was wireless)
802.11 a/b/g wireless
802.11 b/g wireless
..................
Re speed, I saw somewhere the a/g/n is 5 times faster, true? or is the speed in the gHz or in the hard drive rpm...????
I would really really appreciate some input, and thanks.
Unless it was an arranged marriage, yes, she gets the "blame" for the husband she chose to mar
I get the jest of the "warning label" post, but you cannot deny the fact that SHE CHOSE this man. She also chose the first man she married and divorced. Get screwed over once, it's them; get screwed over twice, it's you. The last thing I would suggest to the original poster would be to leave her current husband in order to find a third one. She's not good at picking husbands. Even if both of them were losers .... she's an adult and she made that choice. Maybe she didn't know he was a jerk beforehand. Well, that again proves that she is lacking the proper skills needed to pick a suitable husband and father. If you marry a jerk, you have nobody to blame but yourself. If you continue to stay married to a jerk, your kids will end up blaming you, too.
Hard to chose, Notorious, Rear Window and - sm
A Time to Kill proabably--- have lots more of course that rank up there, many are old movies as my mom got me into them.
Do not cheat you chose to retire earlly deal with it
That is part of the problem everyone wants everything. If you took early retirement, stay retired. Do no try to go around the system or the rules. If everyone pays their full share it is fair. But when you try to cheat hopefully it will come back and bite you as we do not need this . Everyone needs to pay taxes on their income whether it is IC or employee. If everyone pays their share it is fair. You chose early retirement, deal with it.
I took offense at that too, but I chose to ignore it in favor of the issue of the post.
I figured if we made a big deal of that one word the focus would be taken off the real issue.
Good job! Chose the right man to marry, common goals. KUDOS!
!
Adult children CHOSE to join army.Didnt they
x
MTSOs are screwing MTs by the boat load and I'm supposed to feel bad because I chose to look out
for myself? Geez, the service was bad-mouthing ME to the client as the reason the TAT was not being met. And the MTs were given contact numbers for the client accounts we worked on. The service expected the MTs to contact the client with problem issues like faulty tapes and inaudible dictation. They also allowed the clients to contact the MTs directly. The supervisor didn't want to deal with the clients unless they were happy.
I simply did what I had to do. And for your information, a company CANNOT withhold payment for a service unless that service was not performed. I performed my service, I typed my lines, and I expected to get paid for the work I did. I took them to court and the MTSO LOST! Business is business. The judge actually told the service that they may not like that I took the account from them, but they still had to pay for the lines I typed when I was contracted with them. End of story.
I'm not losing any sleep. I don't think what I did was unethical. What the service did was unethical. Trying to throw me to the wolves. What I did was just good business sense.
deduct everything you can think of, electricity, phone, home office if you chose to, supplies, inter
you get the picture. I don't do the home office deduction though because we keep saying we are going to build on a lot we have and things get screwed up with taxes due to this, something with depreciation, not really sure, know someone who had this problem though, owed a lot back. When we do move, then I will take it since I know it won't be an issue then. I write off about $2-$3K a year which helps some. Was paying quartly but have not done it in 2 years as I usually don't owe more than $1200 and my husband has extra taken out of his pay, so that has always, so far, taken care of any taxes I have "owed". -- Check out the IRS website they have plenty of info on the subject.
best schools
What are the best online schools that will guarantee a job? Are there any under $2000? Thanks.
top 3 schools
I know this has been posted, but doggone if I can find in the archives. Friend looking into MT training. What are the top 3 schools? Thanks Karen
Top 3 MT schools
I just read about this and they are on the www.aamt.org web site--they are:
M-Tec, Andrews & CareerStep.
Some schools
I graduated from M-Tec. I am constantly getting e-mails for job opportunities from them even 2 years later. Andrews is also good and there is a third one that is mentioned here a lot that I always forget the name of. With any of these schools, you should be able to get an entry-level job with a national company. Whether your local doctors/hospitals feel the same way is questionable. My locals weren't impressed with my online education.
Rates: Avg for newbs is 6 to 7 cpl. Take that times 1200 lines for an average wage. Double it for an upper estimate. Even for experienced transcriptionists, it is really topping out at 8-9 cpl max. And this rate will probably continue to go down in the coming years, just as difficulty of the dictation goes up. (The easy stuff really is going to EMR/VR and overseas.
Remember you will probably be an IC so will have to pay all your own taxes and equipment. Just because you are considered an independent contractor, don't expect to be treated like one by a transcription service. Most want you to log in and log out during certain specified hours of the day, and they might not be the best hours for you. Most will expect you work at least 1 weekend day every week as well and probably even holidays (don't expect a higher rate either).
Top 3 schools
I agree with you. I wished I had known about the top 3 schools. My husband and I decided to go with a non-accredited school that promised a job. Well, there were problems in the very beginning. After 15 months, I quit. Now, because I did not go to an accredited school, it is very hard to find a job.
Schools
If you go to either of these schools you will be prepared and you will be able to get a job when you finish:
Andrews
M-Tec.
Otherwise, you're right; getting that first job is a bear.
Schools
I am looking for a school that provides refresher courses for medical transcriptionists who have not worked at this type work for long periods of time. I do not feel that someone who has done this type work in the past for several years and is still working in a hospital doing administrative or clerical work should need to take a complete course. Replies will be appreciated.
Schools
Andrews or M-TEC. I do QA (and graduated from Andrews). I just finished editing a newbie's work who took a different course. Had I done work like that when at Andrews, they never would have let me graduate, let alone have given a recommendation. The work was terrible. Obviously this newbie had not had much in the way of ear training, let alone any basic grammar. I could handle mistakes if it was a matter of simple style issues, i.e., learning specifics for an account, but mistaking "cranial" for "perineal" just did it for me. Sorry for the vent, but if you're going to spend big bucks, make sure you can do the job when you're done. JMHO.
schools
I need help deciding which MT school to use? I am debating Career Step, Mtecinc and Andrews? I want to be sure I make the right decision.
Schools and such...sm
OTJ training seems to be very rare these days, as I found out when researching this field. A school with an excellent reputation is a must for a newbie wanting to work right away--Andrews School and M-Tec are the top 2 that national employers recognize. Look around here on the New MT/Student board for some of the questions about those schools. All I can say is make sure she does her research extremely well before starting on this path; talk to the directors at the above schools; ask a lot of questions--it will save a lot of frustration and money in the end. Good luck!
Top schools, etc...sm
The top 2 schools that potential national at-home employers will recognize are Andrews School and M-TEC. It was a difficult choice between the 2, but I went with M-TEC. I believe that both have payment plans, and I was able to get a Sallie Mae (SLM) loan for M-TEC. Talk to all the schools that make your short list. They can give you an idea about the job market, their placement rates after graduation, average length of coursework, and any other questions you can think of. Don't be afraid to pester them! :)
Best Schools
If you want solid training with companies standing in line to hire you after completion, then check out Andrews School and M-TEC. Both have a solid, well-rounded education and will open doors to companies that generally require 2 years of experience. There are many good companies and smaller MTSOs who will hire these new grads. You will take your chances going anywhere else. Do your research of all schools to find the right one for you, but in my opinion, you won't find any better than those 2 schools. An expensive school isn't so expensive if you can get a job right away and have the tools necessary to do the job.
Schools
Like you said, the school has a vested interest in telling her a lie. After hearing the truth from you, she must take a considerable amount of the responsibility for her decision to ignore your advise.
transcription schools
Hi,
I just graduated from M-TEC and was extremely happy with the course-I took the Premier Course which is tougher but will help you when you go to look for work. Their website is www.mtecinc.com and it should answer any questions you have. I have also heard good things about Andrews and Career Step. These three schools partner with companies making it a little easier when the time comes to apply for jobs. There was a good article in choosing a school in the HPI online journal. Let me know if you want more info. And yes, I think you really do need to invest the money in a good school or else it's a waste of time. As far as how much money you can make, I haven't started working yet!
Good luck.
Jen
Need advice on schools
Hi - I am currently a chemist interested in becoming an MT and working from home. What online schools would you recommend and which ones should be avoided at all costs? I would hate to waste time on a course not worth its salt. Thanks!
Not allowed at our schools either. sm
You can volunteer and go in and do reading with the kids, etc., but all visitors need to check in with the office and any "in class" volunteering needs to be approved by the teacher and the principal.
I have found this a good thing in light of the world changing. Fathers have shown up in the past to get their child when a protection order had been filed and they were not allowed to have unsupervised visitation. Of course the mom would forget to inform the school and the kids would always run to daddy.
I have one child left in the elementary school, my older two have graduated and one will be a freshman in high school starting day after tomorrow. (Yay! can't wait to see that bus! :)) I have seen a lot of changes, both with parents and with policies. The staff at the elementary school know me by name, but I would never dream of picking up my child without checking with the office first. Every time I check in, the office staff says, "Oh hi! Go on up to the classroom." I still check in after 18 years.
These parents that interfere should be told to sign up for when volunteer help is needed in the classroom or other areas of the school. And only then. They need to stay out of it. If they're so worried about "little Bobby" and have so much time on their hands, they should home school and leave the teachers to do what they do best. I've been through 25 elementary school teachers and only had a problem with one who was finally fired.
I think in most USA public schools....nm
x
What MT schools can you recommend?
I am about to see my voc rehab counselor. I have some information about schools for MT, but would like some input.
What schools would you recommend? I would like to hear from people who have worked as MT's for more than 5 years and are successful and satisfied with their work.
MT schools questions. (m)
What are your thoughts on them? I have a friend who just started Career Step and says they have 98% placement in at-home positions upon completing the course. Does anyone have expeirence w/them or know if this is true? I've never had a client ask about my education, only my experience. This is why I ask about the validity and usefulness of the courses. I appreciate any thoughts!
opinion on schools
Hi, I am very new here and would just like the opion of those of you who are more experienced. I am now taking the At Home Proffesions course but after reading this board and others I am thinking that was a waste of my money. I am considing switching to a school recognized by AAMT. Any opinions on this? Thanks in advance.
Recommendations on schools
I am looking at the online schools and am getting overwhelmed. Can anyone tell me your thoughts on the best schools for training and support? I have looked at VLC, Career Steps, Allied, MTec, and Andrews plus a few others, one offered by IHA as well. They all seem ok......some offer more actual transcribing hours, not as much text material, tuitions vary vastly, and they all seem to follow the recommended critera.
There are a few good schools. sm
My top vote would be for the MT Advantage advanced program. There are only a couple other schools that even come close.
Med Trans Schools?
Hello! Hoping that someone may be able to provide some guidance. I am looking at starting school in about 1 month, but trying to determine if distance or class room learning would be best. And how difficult is it to get started in the field? Any assistance that you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Med Trans Schools?
I did distance learning through a community college for all of my courses, it was the only way I could even go to college with a job and family to tend to. I got just as good an education as some one who sat in class three times a week. However, you must be self disiplined to be able to set aside your own time to work and study. You also have to have a Proctor site, somewhere to go take test. You local community college should be where you go through for that. I also heard some libraries and schools participate too.
Online Schools
How can you knock what you don't know? How do you know that Andrews and M-Tec aren't graduating qualified MTs? No one said that a graduate knows everything straight out of the gate. I'll bet the grads from the vo-tech school didn't either. But, Andrew and M-TEC teach how to research (major plus!), fine tune grammar that should have already been learned, and teach how to take constructive criticism with a positive attitude-all in order to teach how not to make the same mistake over and over. As an Andrews grad (and current Editor for a mid-sized MTSO), I have seen grads from the other schools, and they require a huge amount of "schooling" on the job as compared to the top 2 schools. JMO.
Christine
transcription schools
I was manager for hospital transcription department and our absolute best MT's were "home grown" - they came out of any and every transcription course very inexpert and worked with experienced, seasoned hospital transcriptionists. They did three months as unpaid interns and then the best were hired on at bottom of the wage scale. I told them in two years they could work on their own from home.
Do the MT schools lie to their students?
On another unrelated board someone asked about medical transcription. I mentioned that pay goes down instead of up because of offshoring reports and isn't the most secure job. She came back and said she asked her teacher about offshoring and she said: "They used to do that but they are sending it back to us now because what the clinics would have to do, is hire someone to edit them and then redo them so it wasn't working out. They talk about it at every advisory board meeting apparently." Hmmmm, okay. 
Just wondering.
MT schools and expectations. sm
What do you say to people who believe the hype the MT schools push? I'm having an exchange on another board with someone who absolutely believes that after a 4-month course she will immediately be making $60,000 a year while working at home with 5 kids one of whom is a special needs child. I tried to tell her to be realistic, but she won't listen. She basically insinuates I don't know what I'm talking about even though I've been in the field for 30+ years. I have nothing to gain by telling her the truth, however, the schools have a lot to gain by propagating these unrealistic expectations. What do you tell someone like this? I really have my doubts this person will even make it through the course even after paying $2500.
|
