There is is a "giant sucking sound" at the borders per Ross Perot when NAFTA was passed.

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Write to President Obama about the crisis us American transcriptionists are going through in having out work stolen from us and being sent out of the country.  Not only is this a possible breach of security, but it can cause us to lose our jobs entirely (just look at the Medquist refugees).  Here's the letter I wrote:

Mr. President:  I feel like a feeble voice crying out in the wilderness Help, Help! I am a proud American Medical Transcriptionist and my work is being sent to India through no fault of my own, and soon expect to be out of work because of this. Not only could this be a dangerous breach of the HIPAA practice but I expect to become one of the dreaded ranks of the unemployed. The Indians are under-qualified to do the job and our homeland health is at stake.  Help! Help!  Valerie Stanol

a year ago today and weird things have been happening since. On his birthday the coffee pot stopped working, which was a gift from him. On father's day, the washer stopped working, another gift from him. Today, the dryer decided it didn't like the new washing machine and decided to join its old counterpart in appliance heaven. That was another gift from him. All these items were less than 2 years old. Either he's a bad gift giver or he's messing with my head. Don't know whether to laugh or cry at all the crazy coincidences or call out ghostbusters. Why can't he break the stupid things like the lawnmower?

a year ago today and weird things have been happening since. On his birthday the coffee pot stopped working, which was a gift from him. On father's day, the washer stopped working, another gift from him. Today, the dryer decided it didn't like the new washing machine and decided to join its old counterpart in appliance heaven. That was another gift from him. All these items were less than 2 years old. Either he's a bad gift giver or he's messing with my head. Don't know whether to laugh or cry at all the crazy coincidences or call out ghostbusters. Why can't he break the stupid things like the lawnmower?

I am pleased.

Don't sweat the transcription.  The CMT Review Guide serves more to scare that provide an accurate representation of the transcription portion, IMO.

Just take it when you are ready.  If you don't have the 2 years' experience yet, you will benefit from taking the RMT first because it is very similar in format.  The RMT is far less intimidating than the CMT before you actually sit down to take the test.

It's very reassuring that you can receive the results immediately.  Heck, even nursing boards that are all multiple choice questions don't give you an immediate answer.

Good luck!

Thanks for the responses I received last week and your good luck wishes.  It helped!!  I passed the test!

There are 2 sections - the first is 106 questions in which you have 2 hours to complete.  The second portion is 62 questions and you have 4 hours to complete that section.

Section 1 is multiple choice and is about terminology, disease process, grammar, and some anatomy.  You have the ability to "mark" an answer and then see a list at the end so you can go back to that particular question.  You really have ample time.

Section 2 consists of the actual dictations.  You never have an entire report to transcribe though.  Some questions vary from proofreading to picking the correctly punctated sentences, etc.  You have no foot pedal on the test and use your mouse to play, pause, rewind, etc.  In some questions, you type the entire audio.  On other questions, there is a paragraph already there, you listen to the audio for the paragraph, and then type the ommited text only.  It's very important to follow the directions and do only what you are asked.  Again, you can go back and review your answers before you submit your test.

When you feel you are cmoplete, you click one final button to submit the test and within about 5 seconds of processing, a screen will pop up with your results.  I saw the words PASS and I was so relieved!!!

After leaving the test site, I stopped by the hospital and signed my documents to receive an 8% raise on my base pay and an extra 2 cents per line on my incentive pay.  I definitely think the $150 for the test was a good investment!!!

Again, thanks for your support!!!!

I know there is a lot of debate about the CMT, AHDI etc., but for me personally -  I am extremely pleased that I finally took the time to sit for the exam. 

I agree akward way to say it, but perhaps they changed it because it should've read:  Only lipase elevated, past 3 times normal. 

Thus, saying that NOW the lipase is elevated, however, the last 3 were normal.  ???? 

exactly what she meant, but I think it means pretty much what you said...once something is not a challenge anymore or the "new wears off", for some personality types boredom sets in.  I know it does for me.  I have often thought I may have mild ADD as well, you might have hit the nail on the head there. 

Last year I paid $845 for  600 gal of oil with a 2 months to pay. Yesterday, I recieved our contract for this winter and it would cost $1517!!!!!

Guess who won't be taking the contract.  That's ridiculous. The country is going to go broke at this rate. They want $759 for 300 gallons. That takes us 3 months into the winter, but......where do they think the seniors  and others are going to get this money?

Guess old Mamma Bear is coming out of storage this year. Wood is no problem for us. We have a stockpile for the garage coal & wood stove and a friend that has 11 acres of woods he likes certain areas cleared every year.

I feel bad for others who have no access to another heating source.

when it was a two part exam -- the first part a subjective, 120-question computerized exam and the second part, a practical transcription test administered by a proctor of my choosing and approved by the AAMT who oversaw me transcribing several COMPLETE reports (not little snippets of digital dictation listened through the computer), ACTUAL tapes that were sent to my proctor.  My proctor called the AAMT out in California when the test began and called them when I was finished and immediately faxed my completed reports.

So do not for one minute call me a "do-nothing" MT who could not pass the test.  When the AAMT changed their name, they dumbed down their test so that EVERYBODY could pass it (Indians, Fillipinos, YOU, etc.).  If everyone can pass it, more people will take it, and that means more money in their pocket!

I held my credentials for a while, but found that they meant absolutely nothing, especially when I worked directly as a hospital employee.  The HIM directors I worked for in my career had no idea there was an AAMT let alone transcription credentials!  It made no difference in the salary I was offered.  What made a difference were my years of experience and how well I did on their test during the interview! 

I gave up my credentials when I realized that the organization did absolutely nothing for me.  Did it improve my wages?  NO!  Did it improve my status within the healthcare industry?  NO!  Transcription still is and always will be the red-headed stepchild of the HIM department which is why it has so easily been outsourced and then so easily offshored. 

This organization should have championed medical transcription within the healthcare industry.  This organization should have shown hospital administrators, physicians, and HIM managers just how important the MT is to the healthcare machine.  This organization should have elevated our status.  That is what the AHIMA did for coders and that is what the AAMT/AHDI should have done for us, but they dropped the ball!  And now that they have embraced offshoring and even extended a helping hand to our offshore competitors, they have flushed any respect we might have received down the toilet.

I had high hopes for the AAMT/AHDI and they let me down miserably.  We are viewed as glorified secretaries by physicians and management.  So you go ahead and right your high horse, Ms. CMT!  You're still a big fat nothing in the mind of the doctors you hear in your ears every day and that's how we'll stay if the AHDI has anything to do with it.

While she was in poor health since having her heart attack and stroke a few months ago it's still sad to see a legend pass away.  I'm sure that her kids fighting over whether or not they should try to get the government to buy the King Center and 2 kids stealing money from the center didn't help any.  

May she rest in peace.

Employee status w/benefits

$13.50/hr with 0.05 cpl incentive fo anything above 1200 lpd and $2.00 shift differential (for 2nd shift which I will be working)

1000 lpd minimum productivity requirement

Work in the office first month for training and then home with hospital provided computer.

Dictaphone EXText Word Client transcription platform

Is this a decent offer?  I've worked at the same place in the office forever and haven't actually been out there  looking in several years.  I tried working for a national part time at one time because I wanted to be working from home, but couldn't see how someone could make a living on 0.08 cpl without working yourself into an early grave, so I gave up the part time job and kept the full time in office job.  Now I have a new boss who doesn't know her butt from a hole in the ground and I started looking around and came across this current job and before I jump ship, I want to make sure I'm getting a good deal.

The $13.50 seemed kind of low to me given my years of experience (13 years), but because I was at my other job for so long I maxed out pay wise.

I've been saying it for a while now.  The CMT test is not an assessment of an MT's skills and knowledge medical terminology, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology knowledge you are, but how well you've memorized the BOS.

Well, congrats anyway I guess, for memorizing a bunch of useless rules and regulations that will undoubtedly change in the next five years when a new "updated" version of the BOS is published.

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.