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I had a person sound really interested in changing careers and doing this...

Posted By: lil old me on 2005-08-22
In Reply to: I just tell them not right now you cant - sm

until I mentioned that she had to take a really reputable course in this field and that it would cost a fair amount of money but that for this price they would mentor her into a position, and not to pay for a course that offered less than this if it were what she really wanted to do, and this changed her mind quickly.  She didn't know it would cost her!


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Changing Careers
I absolutely LOVE medical transcription work. It is the best kind of work for me. I have always, up until five years ago, made plenty of money to support my family (I am a single 45 year old mom).

However, I have become very scared. So, I have 80% decided that I have to go back to school and start over. It makes me sick, but I can't watch my pay decrease every year like this.

I really, really, really want to continue MT work, but it just doesn't feel secure for me anymore.

AND - changing careers at my age is also scary, but I have a friend who did it at 50-something years old, so I guess I can, too.
Changing careers

I have been an MT my entire life.   I had no formal training - just had a knack for it and always had a job doing transcription.  I was sought out many times. However back about 1993 I started hearing rumors about voice recognition. I at that time decided to go to school and get a nursing degree as I wanted to stay in healthcare. I obtained my LPN- RN - then BSN in 1999.   Took me awhile but I did it.  Since that time I have done some coding, worked as a nurse and been promoted to transcription supervisor in 2000.  I also teach transcription at our local college.  Since I have such a broad range of experiences in all the things you are looking at I would suggest nursing - you are going to get the most valuable education in that field - with many opportunities.   If you don't like it you would have the bulk of your education and could easily slip int to coding or transcription.  Just my opinion.


changing careers

It seems a lot of people are feeling the same crunch.  I have been an MT for 10 years  I too used to have a excellent hourly plus incentive with great bennies in-house jobs which was outsourced to an Indian Company. I worked from home and make ok. Now it's hard to even find a decent line count with benefits at all. I am working as an IC at 9 cpl and no bennies. As a single Mother I simply cannot do this anymore.  There companies who offer employee status and bennies but the line rates are so low or they want you to work 2nd or 3rd shift and with my family situation this is not possible.


I too am making a career change plans.  It seems that nursing is all the rage with the high paying jobs and plenty of them. But as a former nursing student years ago before MT I know it's not for me.  Too high pressure and the bullying in nursing school is unbelievable as is the 2 year committment to school full time.


I decided to try Assocaites degree Accounting/CIS. I hope to enter as a clerk or bookkeeper and work towards the Bachelors degree once working as a clerk.  In the meantime I have been brushing up on Powerpoint, Excel, etc and applying for secretarial and admn assistant jobs. 


 I had considered medical billing but I am somewhat soured on the healthcare system and outsourcing.  I figured Accounting is much broader and can work for more than one industry, but have seen accounting positions in healthcare systems too. 


I wondered if people would share what fields they were considering.


For new MTs... the field IS dying between VR contsantly improving and outsourcing/offshoring our jobs are dwindling as are the pay and benefits.  If you are a married-stay-at-home type of Mom with luxury of a second income and your husband's benefits MT might still be ok for a little extra money on the side.  But for anyone trying to support either themselves or their family on MT -- forget it.   Its a good part-time Mom job these days and that is about it. 


Sad.  There are many excellent and quality MTs who have a ton of knowledge.  I wondered how they intended to transfer skills to another profression.  The writing is on the wall.  I hope to be out in 2-1/2 years tops. 


 


 


 


changing careers
After almost 30 years of MT work under my belt, I'm ready to throw in the towel and hit the pavement. I'm already out there interviewing. Even if I make only what I make as an MT, if it's a job that I like, then it'll be worth it. Wish me luck!
Wow. You sound exactly like the type of person
.
Yeah, you sound like a really nice person
...that I would want working for me.

I didn't say I was hiring right now, did I? When I have posted ads I get a slew of applicants who cannot even spell in their e-mails.

And I "say this over and over?" This is my first post.

Attitude to me, is 95% of the battle with MTs. My crew is all friendly and kind. I don't hire snippy, rude, arrogant, insulting types.
and you sound like such a sweet, happy person yourself
angry, angry, angry
It doesn't sound HATEFUL to me, this person is just saying that suddenly

those who celebrate Christmas are forced to conform for a few minority religions? That's not right. A friend of mine who is Jewish regularly has her children out of school during Hannukah and the school doesn't penalize her children for it.  As far as Christmas plays are concerned, I don't think it's right to force children to be in a play that consists of a bunch of different beliefs if they are not of that particular belief system.  If that is how it is going to be, then they need to completely do away with Christmas/Holiday plays altogether.  There are many holiday songs out there that don't recognize ANY religion at all.  If religion is the issue, than children can easily sing Santa Clause is coming to town or, Jingle Bells, etc. without offending since those songs lean more toward the commercial aspect of the holiday season.  And then, those who want to participate in separate PRIVATE plays can do so.  There are options that can be chosen without hurting anyone's feelings about their religious beliefs.


For anyone that is interested the HR person at Corporate is Donna Jack at ext. 4905 at the corporate
800 number. I suppose we can discuss with her or leave a message regarding this situation in Amherst and hopefully she can directed the problem to someone down there. Enough is enough of this now.
Good for you! You sound like a very nice and generous person and you deserve all your good luck! nm
x
careers
I don't think medical billing is the next logical step for MTs. To me personally the logical thing is something else in healthcare, but for other people the logical thing would be what they are interested in, health care or not, or what opportunities arise. I'd like to slowly start to work on something else as I don't see MT carrying me to retirement in 30 years. I'm thinking about radiology tech, ultrasound/MRI tech, health care administration, or nursing in its various levels since there never seems to be a shortage of need for those.

I haven't done billing before but have done coding and don't see it with a long-term future, either.
When I click Careers and try to get to job back
Am I overlooking something?  Having an operator error?  Or do we not have a job bank anymore?  Thank you!
Legal Scoping Careers?
Has anyone looked into or taken the training course from the lady, Judy Barrett who posts on the "other" board about the scoping career?  I am curious if any one has gone through the course and if anyone has found this lucrative?  Any information on an outcome would be appreciated.  Thanking you in advance.
IMHO and experience, in most, if not all careers-SM
the better your memory and flexibility, the better your success.  If your memory is so-so, then find tools that will increase your success, i.e., account post-its and sample reports, even reading something out loud.  For me, if I handwrite what I am given in print regarding an account/doc, I am more likely to remember it.  Making handwritten notes takes time, but helps things stick in my memory.
And why would you want to switch change careers?!..
I am an MT and not a newbie, about 15 years of experience and I don't make $44,000 a year (oh, how I wish)! Why would you want to break into this business? This career is just going down hill in so many ways. I hear medical coding is on the rise and some seem to be transitioning from MT to just that. I also understand medical coding and billing can be done from home as well. I would be checking into that if I were you. If you are expecting to make $44,000 a year as a new MT, you are SO dreaming! Sorry so harsh, but would hate to see you make a huge financial mistake, IMHO!
Sorry, meant to say change careers
nm
Interesting article about best careers in 2006. sm
http://biz.yahoo.com/special/job06_article1.html
Question for MTs pursuing nursing careers.
I am also considering going back to college and studying to become an RN.  I took a 2-year course in "medical records technology" 18 years ago at a junior college and got a lot of the prerequisites out of the way including Anatomy and Physiology I and II.  If I decided to go back to college, how long would it take me to complete an RN program?  Isn't it typically 4 years starting from scratch?  Any help is greatly appreciated!!  Thanks!!
A-M-E-N! The main reason women in all careers - sm
earn less than men (and employers get away with paying them less) is that it's impossible to get groups of women to stick together on ANYTHING, let alone anything that might involve a little initial personal risk before things are ultimately straightened out and this archaic pay disparity between men & women in the US workforce is resolved. Can you imagine the kind of clout MTs in this country would have if they all stood firm together and demanded that they be paid fairly for a job that not just anyone with a PC and a set of headphones can do? A few years ago when HIPAA first came about, we should have taken that and run with it, when it comes to securing our profession on US soil. We didn't do it then, but I think if we were to dig our heels in, and start writing and talking to the right media, we could still use HIPAA to our advantage. Think about it.
What kind of alternate careers can MT's transition into?

Guys, I've finally made up my mind that the profession that we used to know is gone and is never coming back.  The industry leaders have made it their business to turn MT's into the equivalent of sweatshop workers, and I don't find that dynamic at all appealing. 


Can any of you give any suggestions as to what types of careers we might transition into and make a decent income?  I'm polishing up my resume now, but I fear that I've stayed in this industry for far too long and have handicapped myself from being able to take advantage of any other career opportunities that might exist out there. 


Any and all feedback would be appreciated. 


Time to switch careers. I did and life is much less stressful.
x
But it does open our options to move on to careers rather than joe-jobs
and bring people the respect they deserve.
I work for the person. I know. Very excellent person, personally and business-sense.
It is an INSULT to have QA hovering over seasoned MTs who know what they are doing. She trusts her MTs and again if there are questions there is one person, a trainer, who can answer them via phone, e-mail or instant message or you can send the whole report to them if you choose.
Point was is the person willing to make up for the slack of the person who types 1 job when there is

if that is all they WANT to type.   Is the person who wants to be a supervisor willing to make up for those people?


You have crap supervisors, editors and mts in the business like you have good ones.   Sadly, the really good ones of all of them are few and far between. 


When you have a QA person that is picky and another QA person that is very lenient where does that
leave the MTs because some are getting a lenient reviewer and others are getting one that picks at everything. How do you reconcile that issue with the difference in QA mentality. Some people make out well and the other people could be just as good but dont. I wonder about that.
The person MTSO pays is the person who
dsf
Has anyone disconnected the internal sound card and replace with another sound card?

I am having problems with my sound on one of my computers.  Several different ExText program have been on it so I don't think it is the program and the sound is just now as clear as on my other computer.  Has anyone switched (disconnected the internal sound care and replaced) to a new sound card?  Did it make a difference. 


Everyone on this board is so knowledgeable, I really appreciate you.  You have helped me many times. 


You do sound FAT, but you don't sound RICh.
Go live in Iraq or something.
How do they think that changing their name....sm
would matter diddly squat in the industry?  If their rationale for considering it is because no one knows who they are then changing the name isn't going to change that.  Seems silly that members and supports would be asked to pay for the costs of changing instead of focusing on marketing.
CHANGING COURSE

Well, after the reading and research I have done, I think I agree with one writer that stated that at the rate things are going now in the transcription world that in 5 years 80% of us will be out of jobs!!  Either through technology and/or offshoring!!


So, instead of waiting for another axe to fall on me...I have been chopped up enough by the MTSOs...... I am hoping to decorating cakes for a living!!!


I am waiting to hear back from a local bakery where I just interviewed. 


I have taken all the Wilton cake decorating courses and have done quite a few birthday, wedding, and mother's day cakes in the past...I definitely am not Duff or anyone at Charm City Cakes, but it is something I truly enjoy doing and it was my "therapy" that got me through a divorce about 10 years ago. 


So, I will be working 8 hours a day only, get immediate feed back, paid hourly and not production, and hopefully will be able to transition into this job permanently....


So, I hope and pray that I am wrong about the future of this profession for which I have worked so long and hard....but the stress now is almost unbearable and ain't worth it no more!!!        


Changing Course
That is a great idea. You might work into doing some on the side and go into business for weddings, etc. I had a friend who did that and make good money. She was in great demand too. If you get a business of your own, you would make a lot more and could probably do a lot of it sitting.
Probably not...just changing
I work on a VR account, and trust me, there will always need to be people behind it checking what the computer types.  There are just certain things that need an actual brain to decipher that a computer just cannot pick up. 
Oh, I am not changing what I said
because again, have not seen it ever used with lung.
One person's "custom" is another person's
"house arrest". I'd never go to the Middle East because of how they treat women. I don't agree with their laws or "justice" system. For example, the woman who was gang raped as punishment for the actions of her 12-year-old brother, a boy who wasn't even an adult. How's that for a "custom"? Let's not forget bride burning. Burqas.

Besides, foreigners don't follow our "customs" when they come to this country. Half of them don't even bother learning English. Instead, we're expected to pay for healthcare and foodstamps for illegals and print everything in Spanish.

I won't be oppressed or treated as a second class citizen, and I wouldn't treat others like that either. A "custom" is more like putting up a Christmas tree, not being abused based on your gender.
i'm sure it will vary from person to person.
I recently did the same thing and am loving it! The freedom from time clocks, the better company, make losing the benefits well worth it to me. You need to set up a plan to have $ set aside for taxes though. I should have done this years ago!
Wrong person. I'm not the person you were
any money.  You have a sucky attitude, a "poor me" attitude.  Get off your lazy whiny a$$ and work instead of complaining and you will make money.  I have one account at 10.5 cpl, two at 14 cpl and one at 15 cpl.  I make a lot of money, even on the 10.5 cpl.  But I'm not sitting around whining either.  And I didn't whine when I made $6 an hour.
Oncology because of the always changing...sm
meds. And I have to admit, though I have done ortho a lot in the past and know it well, I just don't like it.
Anyone know anything about changing sim on cell?
Can you remove sim card on Sprint phone and put in a T-mobile?  Please help if you can for I am a "technically challenged MT."
We are changing the company.
Watch and see.  And all your rage and CAPS can't change that.  The lawsuits, the SEC, the shareholders, the clients.  We are all changing the company. 
Who's changing the subject?
and so am I.

Try to keep up.
This is changing the subject a bit, but.....

What about birds?  If people had a bird that they had in a cage, and not let FLY for exercise, is that a bad pet-owner?  Most bird owners that I know of, have birds in a cage and they let their birds poo in a cage on the paper in the bottom of the cage. 


What about cats?  Cats are domesticated animals just like dogs and some people NEVER let their cats go outside.  They let their cats do their business in a litter box. 


I just don't see any difference in this and using the potty pads, and like I said, I have used potty pads with previous dogs I have had.  They do not smell if you pick up the dirty pad right away, which I do when at all possible.  It's the dog hiking his leg on the furniture which is NOT acceptable to me and I agree--it stinks and I have a terrible problem going on with this---I try to clean it up as soon as I can, but he is definitely ruining my floors and thus why I was asking for advice on the hiking of the leg. We need new floors (carpet) in our house anyway and we are planning on replacing them soon but I need to get the dog re-trained somehow before we get the new flooring or else I'll still be in the same boat I'm in now.  I've just got to figure out how to retrain him back to the potty pads.  Wish me luck!


Have a nice day!


Jen, seriously, the face of MT is changing. sm
Get that degree.  Trust me on this.  Yes, it's nice sitting home in jammies with the kids.  I did it a lot of years, but I made way more money then than now.  Things are changing drastically and fast in this field.  Get the degree.
You are changing your position.
I breed Yorkies and was in the pet care business for over 30 years.  Of course, you love your pets and they have a place in your family but you do not let a dog growl at you, as you stated.  One of your original posts you said if a dog growled or bit, oh well, dogs have bad days, too.  That gives a very different impression than the one you are trying to make now.
changing the subject a bit . . .

Does anyone know of a really good hair product for the "frizzies" ?


With summer coming, I'm dreading my hair curling and frizzing with the heat and humidity, have tried a lot of products without success.  Any tried and true methods? thank you  in advance ! 


So what are they changing it to? The Anal
.
Not sure if changing jobs will help...

There are very few places now that have no ESL doctors.  When I changed jobs last November I thought I would lose my mind because there are so many ESLs on the accounts, but honestly after getting the same ones over and over, they should get easier.  I actually miss the days when I was just starting out getting 5 cpl typing nothing but ER reports.  Yeah, it got boring sometimes, but I was bringing in more money then than I am now making 8.5 cpl.  Ah, the good ole days!


Changing jobs ....
I'm wanting to buy my first house this spring.  Ive been working at home for the same national for the past 3 years.  I have been an MT FT for 9 years.  Does switching jobs really affect your credit poorly?  I think I could be making a lot more money, if I changed companies, but Im afraid it will hurt me being at a new job and trying to buy a house.  I have also heard that as long as you are in the same line of work, it won't matter...Any insight on this?
changing jobs

If you are an IC, it would not matter as you do not have to say "who" you work for - just prove your income.


and the QA people wonder why we ever get anything right. It is always changing.
nm
changing email

Hi Moderator:


Can you please direct me how to enter my new email addy?  Either on line and send it to me at my new one? or what? Thanks so much


 


The MT's are now the editors. Everyone changing to SR. SM
They are calling MTs "editors" for doing SR. They are also hiring like crazy, since they predict many new "editors" will quit because of cut in pay.