I don't think it matters. They're not always truthful.
Posted By: Dizzy on 2006-12-09
In Reply to: What do you wish you had asked before taking your job? - MT
I asked several questions that they answered in an unhonest way. For instance, I asked if they were flexible with the hours or rigid. They said flexible. Right from the start were threatening emails about WORKING YOUR SCHEDULED HOURS! I think you get much better information on these boards than you do from a recruiter.
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
Okay. I think you are not being very truthful. Are you saying you do 1,000 in 2 hours? You are a jok
.
Truthful Advice?
As some of you might see I have already posted this on the WAHM board, just thought I'd get it out there as much as I can, so....looks like you guys get it too. lol
I just recently got married and I am working in-house at our local hospital. I LOVE getting out of the house and going to work every day. I love what I do and want to stick with it. We will probably not be having children for at least a couple of years as my husband has a year left in college to get his business degree. I want to be able to stay home and raise my children, but I have seen what it has done to my mom. She sits at home all day in her PJs and type, type, types. I am just wonderng if any of you have any regrets about deciding to do transcription full time from home in order to be there for your children? This may sound a little selfish, but I don't want to have any regrets about my life and want to look at all options before I settle into a decision. I know I have some time to think about it, but it has been a topic that I have really been thinking about lately. What I would really like to do is stay at home with them until they are all in school and then try to get a job out of the house while they are at school. Have any of you made this transition? Any advice would be appreciated. I would just like a heads up before making any decisions. Thanks!
there should be more positive/truthful comments
I am at the opposite end of the MT career ladder. I am a newbie working her first job at home with IC status, and I have no complaints. I was just thrilled to get a job. Fortunately, my program gave me no delusions about what it is really like as an MT. Plus I didn't do an online program-I went to school the old fashioned way for over a year.
I don't care at this point in time how much I make (7 cpl) because this is a career choice and you have to start somewhere. It took hard work to get through school and months to get my first job, but I am happy. I love the medical field and doing interesting and challenging work. That is why I chose this profession. I'm sure there are others out there like me, they are just probably busy doing what they love to do.
What a fantastic, cogent, and TRUTHFUL post.....sm
We at home have been reduced, in most part, to a pair of hands who are there to pound out high-quality work at all times, put out high-volume work to bring in the $$$ for the company/corporation, and because we are employed at home in order to save physicians, hospitals, and other health care systems $$$, we are where the buck stops, and it is a small buck at that. We are all a separate entity, working remotely, and as such it is easier for many MTSOs to offer the slimmest package they possibly can, and squeeze the most out of the workers. When will companies realize that a happy worker who feels valued and cared about is a more productive, loyal, and healthier asset to the company. I have worked in hospitals with unions, and to be honest, we would still be making half of what we now make were it not for union negotiations standing up for us, the dues are small compared to the guaranteed packages, and guaranteed raises built in to the contract for the next five years, as inflation eats up our paychecks. MTs study hard, must be experts at anatomy, epidemiology, grammar, semantics, translations for ESLs, understand clinical procedures during difficult procedures, edit, trouble-shoot when there is a problem with a file, be tech-savvy....I truly think, after almost 20 years, that MT as a profession has consistently been undervalued and undermined by offshoring. Sorry to rant, but all of these problems have hurt and affected most MTs for many, many years, and their families. Thanks!
And this matters?
And you're miffed her E-mails are horrendous? Big deal! She's paying you; you're not paying her.
Where exactly DO you get off? 
She's entitled to fire off horrendous E-mails every hour on the hour if she wants to, and under the circumstances, she should - they don't have to be correct with every 'I" dotted and every "T" crossed, but the work she's paying you guys to do needs to be correct to the "T," so be thankful she was gracious enough to give those who do a substandard job notice and that she just didn't up and clean house.
And this matters?
And you're miffed her E-mails are horrendous? Big deal! She's paying you; you're not paying her.
Where exactly DO you get off?
She's entitled to fire off horrendous E-mails every hour on the hour if she wants to, and under the circumstances, she should - they don't have to be correct with every 'I" dotted and every "T" crossed, but the work she's paying you guys to do needs to be correct to the "T," so be thankful she was gracious enough to give those who do a substandard job notice and that she just didn't up and clean house.
actually, I don't think it really matters where...
you are, everybody is vulnerable to anything happening anywhere these days. These types of things have been going on for years, who knows exactly where.
Well, it matters to me!
nm
It matters not where we were. Only if we remember.
Imagine.
I don't think the experience matters as much as...
the ability to see an opportunity and make it work. As an MTSO you will need to be able to find a way to have transcription done and delivered, accurately and in a timely fashion. So you will have to have something in place in case you get sick or go on vacation, or your computer goes down. You will have to choose a file transfer system. You will have to have QA in place. You will have to have the ability to walk into a physician's office, know what data you need to make a proposal, then go home and put something together that has every step covered. You will need to anticipate problems and be ready to solve them (trouble shooting is a must). You will have to have an idea of what is going on in your field, what the going rate is, and how to use variables to your advantage. By that I mean, as above, things like don't print for the doctors! You don't get paid for any line you print, just the ones you type! Let the office secretary do that. She is paid by the hour, not you.
You will have to be ready to get the work done, no matter what, with no excuses and no compromising quality. And you will have to be resourceful and flexible to deal with things that come up.
That being said, it's a bunch of fun to run your own business 
I'm sorry. I did not mean to make matters
I'm afraid that I am confused by your situation . . . the sound card is necessary for any computer to play any sound, as far as I know, but I do not work in/on any platform and am not familiar with any of them. I download files from an FTP site and then play them in either the free Express Scribe software that I mentioned or the Olympus software that I purchased. I figured you had a .wav or .dss file that you were needing to play.
And the platform matters
You can do more lines in long Word documents than you can individual reports on a platform (IMHO of course)
In neuro, it matters a lot...
It affects how they interpret the results of tests - not just lab tests, but reflexes, maneuvers, etc. Every neurologist and neurosurgeon will indicate this in their consults and HPs.
They are listed in BOS, as if that matters.
x
Ability to get job is what matters most
Yes,Andrews and M-Tec are more expensive than a CC, but if you want to work from home, the companies that are looking to hire you don't know if your CC program is adequate. Some are, some aren't, and there are lots of them around the country. The companies know that if you successfully completed Andrews or M-TEC, you are likely to succeed. There are so many posts on these boards from newbies who can't find jobs, yet M-TEC and Andrews grads get hired. I was hired fresh out of school by a large national, worked there 3 years, and was just hired by a smaller MTSO. Getting both jobs was a breeze. I have never had to test for a job. Both companies told me they hired me because I am an M-TEC grad, and they did not feel testing was necessary.
geography matters too!
I think where you live/work plays a lot into that. I live in a very large metropolitan area and our pay in-house is higher than that for sure. If you check AHIMA's salary survey for 2007, the median salary for MTs nationwide is about $36,000, which is roughly $18 per hour. Again, this will depend on your area. When I taught MT a couple of years ago we told our students not to consider anything under $13 to $14, and that was for our new grads. With experience here you would be starting at a minimum of $16 or $17 per hour.
I don't think it matters if IC or employee
If it is an assigned account, the Transcriptionist assigned to those docs gets all that docs dictations. You get to learn the docs verbalizations, whether ESL or not, and eventually can pretty much anticipate what is to be said next. The account manager does not just assign certain dictations, but all of the dictations from one doc. In other words, you are assigned doctors, not just dictations. To me, that is the fairest way to do anything. I hate these "pools" of work where just anybody can log on and learn the system and how to get around it, and only do the "good jobs." It only breeds selfishness, anger, and resentment. Trust me, the work does not get done any faster, and quality is out the window because everybody is rushing, trying to get more work before someone else takes it all. Again, just my opinion.
Idk if it matters, but I use version 8....
It is at the top next to Tools, Edit, File, etc., just like it is in Word. I just Click on "Stedmans", then click "Enable" and its up. Same as I do in Word.
If there's any question on my knowledge in these matters,
I am a college educated and certified computer technician who has been in the technology field for 20 years now. FWIW, Atomic Clock Sync has rave reviews from PC Magazine, but merely synchronizing your computer clock doesn't fix the underlying problem. If the battery on your computer's motherboard goes completely dead, your CMOS settings will go byebye, which is a royal PITA to fix.
http://www.decosystech.com/Techsupport/Batteries.htm
Instant Text matters
Is Instant Text better than the others and how much of a difference does it make in my production from what I have been using? amj
that one only works with mono, if it matters
nm
All this talk about size-matters!
I'm an 18-inch gal myself. I adore my little flat panel...if only for the fact that it doesn't take up hardly any space on my already dinky desk here. My husband is a freak and has 2 flat panels next to each other and is always doing weird things with them. They have come down so much in price these past few years it's not even funny. I highly recommend scoring one!
It's not the name that matters. It is who you associate with a name that makes it beautiful
:+
I wore one, but by all means DO WHAT YOU WANT! Your comfort is what matters.:-) nm
x
Is endocrinology too hard for a for a newbie to start in? I went to M-TEC if that matters.
.
Accreditation matters. It helps to avoid scams, but not always. sm
Pick a good school. It is extremely difficult to get hired immediately, even when graduating from an accredited school. It is a hard row to hoe. Most companies require at least 2, usually 5 years of time on the job. They just don't have time to train new MTs.
Do y'all think the size of the font matters in line counts?
If your font is smaller takes more characters to make a line? I just wondered this today.
In all due respect, I have more pressing matters to worry about them my dietary supplement freedoms.
I gathered from scanning that long article that they are looking for some regulatory commission on ingredients, along with cautionary labels, etc. I am ALL FOR THAT, as I am one of the many humans who is very allergic/sensitive/intolerant to herbal remedies, vitamins, and "dietary supplements" - wrong stuff and I could die. So I'm not concerned - sounds safer for me.
For Pete's sake, you're not terminating a pregnancy, you're just typing a report after the
It's already been done before you even hear about it, and NOTHING changes regardless of whether you or someone else types it. Sheesh.
It's not funny when you're on a board where language is one skill you're selling.
.
Hope you're gonna have a glass of wine while you're relaxing
in your spa goodies. Congrats!
Well, you're all complaining that accounts are current and work is low, so, gee, maybe they're
focusing on WORK, as in CLIENT and transcribing, as maybe half of you should be focusing on!!
If you're experienced, try for 9cpl or higher, and you're lucky to get that! nm
s
Skip it. No one cares. Either you're good on the test or you're not.
x
You're probably right. Plus we're losing our percentage of good people by .... (sm)
allowing every loser from every 3rd world country on the planet to just stroll on into our country, some legally, most illegally, and take advantage of the social services all us hard working little gerbils pay for by having money taken out of our pay every month. But I don't think we're all lazy. Just the ones on permanent welfare driving around town in brand-new Cadillac Escalades. Saw one just today on the Bayshore Fwy. Brand-new black Escalade with expensive spinner wheels, with 5 or 6 Mexicans in it. Well, who knows - maybe they stole it and it was on its way to a chop-shop. Smart-and-hungry people aren't always hard-working and honest.
You're not going to find a word expander for free. You're going to have to pay
g
You're forgetting all the stuff you can't buy when you're UNEMPLOYED!
Unemployed people have a hard time buying anything, including cheaply made offshore products. How many will have to end up depending on public assistance? That means more tax dollars being eaten up - besides the taxes NOT being collected from the overseas workers. In the long run, are you really enjoying a lower price?
If you're on the job, ask for samples to do it how they want it. If you're testing, separate o
s
You're not losing it, you're burned out on your main job.
I feel for you... I am having my own "version" ;-) of these kinds of struggles. Lots of recent changes at the admin level have made my job do a 180, going from a really great one to a really crappy one.
For me, it's a struggle to get through the day with a shred of motivation. I get distracted in the way you discuss as well.
I just try to make my environment as comfortable as possible and make the best of it while I decide what the best way is to deal with the burnout... I figure if I can't change my inner brain workings so that I still like this job, I need to find another one, or this feeling will possibly get worse!
I hope it works out for you. Wish I had some better advice for you, but this really does look like burnout and extreme job dissatisfaction to me. We all wear it differently. Try to be good to yourself while you figure out a solution.
Don't know what you're complaint you're making with this post. sm
You stated in your original post that you don't want to work weekends or odd shifts. What is your definition of an odd shift? Second shift? Third shift? Sounds like you want to work M-F on days. Sounds kind of rigid to me. 
Personally I like second shift, so everyone working days means more work for me! 
You're not under a rock, you're just like me... an adult with more to
s
It's not because you're beautiful, it's because you're an IDIOT!
Does that make it any clearer for you??
YOU'RE A SACK OF CRAP!! YOU'RE NOT
THE ADMINISTRATOR. WHAT DO YOU THINK WE ARE IDIOTS???
Honey you're not being a shrew, you're being a
I don't get it when husbands and wives *allow* the other to have money that THEY work for...just don't get it. Go buy the flippin' keyboard and tell him to take a hike! (To put it sweetly!)
Why is it the only expander you're permitted to use? How would any know what you're using?
xx
They think they're smart to accept it, but they're
m
If they're withholding taxes, you're not an IC.
As an IC, you should already be paying taxes. That said, the only benefit having them withhold FICA is that your Social Security/Medicare share will be less. Social Security is 15%; if you're an employee, you pay 7.5% and your employer pays 7.5%. As an IC, you pay 15%. Doing the math, 0.0925 would be your 0.10 minus 7.5%--the 0.0924 is just a tad less than you're making now.
We're out here (good MTs) but we're busy! sm
I don't recall ever taking an employment test where I wasn't offered a job. My MTSO does not even look at my work unless I happen to have a question or a blank, which happens maybe once in every 30 or so reports with an ESL. If you find a really good MT, how much training would be involved? Certainly you would save time in the long run once they're trained and you don't have to check all their work.
If you're one of the MTDesk clan then you're ok
wersdffa
You're right if you're single it's tough.
I am an IC as well, but I have a husband with benefits and makes a fair buck. I am fortunate after 20 years to able to work from home. I worked on site for 17 years with a "chocolate cake" the day I left. Nothing more... The loyalty in any profession is gone, gone, and gone again.
Most companies want new employees/ICs that will take low pay and that won't cost much in the way of paying vacation time.
I do take every Friday off and try only to get on to check e-mail, etc.
However, I wouldn't trade being here for my kids at this point.
There are headaches no matter what profession you are in. It seems if it isn't one thing it's another.
Raises? Out of the question in this profession since most are afraid they will lose the account including myself. I also underbid my last account because I wanted the account so bad. I should be charging more.
It is a neverending cycle really.
But, I still enjoy the work, so I guess that's the difference. It does take will power to sit and type. Some people need that boss hanging around to keep the production up and the incentive of a nice paycheck is just not good enough.
Good luck with your new job! Sounds great!
If you're new, good - if you're not a newbie, not so hot
Would need to know how long you have been an MT. For a newbie, this is a pretty good rate of speed.
However, if you have anything over a couple years of experience, then this is not too hot.
Also, what are the dictators like? Is it a "United Nations" account??
If you ARE capable of 200 lph or more and you can't seem to get it, then the problem has got to be with the platform you are using. In my experience, the platform into which you transcribe can make or break your paycheck - so if the platform stinks, then I hate to tell you, but there is no way you will be able to improve your line rate. I have quit jobs because of awful platforms more than once.
|
