Time to switch careers. I did and life is much less stressful.
Posted By: nm on 2006-01-27
In Reply to: Don't mind me...just a lowly MT... - Broke MT
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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!
Agree. LOVE Switch and use it all the time.
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you have no time to switch from board to board? how can you have time to look for the drug?
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Not me, I have a life with no time for such stuff. nm
If you have the time to get down and dirty with some low-life bad debt,
As for me, I live and learn. Ever hear the phrase cut your losses. The more time you spend chasing down a bad debt the more loss you incur.
5 yrs is a long time for monitor life......n/m
I would be 43 and have no life at this time and wish I was making decent money, but not ;0( ...NM
NM
And if I fight every low-life who cheats, I won't have time to work.
i don't deal with anyone without references when it comes to work. i learned my lesson and have moved on. i leave you to fight the battles of the downtrodden.
Not upset - everyone makes bad choices in their life at some time or another. sm
No one is perfect. Hopefully, someone will give you a chance and your money and time won't be wasted.
Good luck to you!
Your daughter will be better prepared for life by having a part-time job now. sm
Meanwhile, her BF will end up feeling entitled to everything she wants because she's being spoiled now. Hopefully your daughter will continue to work because she enjoys it...the money, the responsibility, the feeling of being a little grown up. Maybe it'll rub off on her BF. If not... well, rest easy knowing your kid is doing all right.
Do you ever feel as though this job takes over your life and you have to work all the time in case
 there wont be work and you just keeping working and you cant get away from it and it gets to be no fun anymore. I am having a problem with that. Is it from working at home or just getting obsessed or what. I hate this. I feel like I am losing my life to it.
get a life, this is extensively documented. Pick up a book some time, ignorance
what is most stressful
for me is running out of work and boredom???? Of course running out of work does not provide a persistent income. How do any of you deal with those issues?? Thanks!
Is way too stressful for me. Been at it for 20 plus years.
dd
If you're job is that stressful and you are
prepared to make a little less if it came to that then my dear you have nothing to lose by checking out other companies.
Just be up front with them and let them know you already have prior commitments and will need time off in December. If they really want you, they'll accommodate your needs.
Good luck!
MTing does not have to be stressful
Just choose to not let it get to you. Let your employer know what you are willing to do, whether or not you wish to do overtime....then just stick to it. Don't let the begging for OT bother you. You are working what you agreed to and when the day is done....leave it.
The only time I work OT is when my company has given me some kind of flexibility. Like over the Summer they let me flex my schedule a bit to drive my daughter to a day camp. So when my account got in a huge backlog I worked extra. Otherwise they know what I have signed on for.
I love MTing. I love working at home. I wouldn't go back to working in an office or hospital for ANYTHING. No thank you. Been there done that.
I hope you find what you are looking for.
Really more stressful than MT'ing? nm
I don't think MT is a stressful career field either.
I work maybe 20 hours a week versus 50+ at my former job. I'm home all the time instead of commuting and traveling. My house is clean and has become my haven instead of just a place to sleep and shower. I do volunteer work that's very fulfilling. I have time for hobbies where I used to spend all my weekends playing catch up on housework, yard work, family obligations, and paying bills. Only you can decide what you'll put up with in your job and in your life. If it's too stressful, find a way to reduce your stress.
How stressful this situation is. Why I work 10-11 hrs a day with a side job.
dd
Sounds amazingly stressful. I'll stick to my 1200 lines a day, thanks. nm
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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.
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!
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.
Sorry, meant to say change careers
nm
Life is life....the haven't bonded the same as if it were a 2-year-old!
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.
I had a person sound really interested in changing careers and doing this...
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!
But it does open our options to move on to careers rather than joe-jobs
and bring people the respect they deserve.
I make sure the job is not my life and that it does not take over my life. sm
I have been at this 25 years, even once had my own accounts and worked 24/7 with cat naps to keep going but no real sleep. I really burned myself out. Now I work a regular 40-hour week, but it is not my life. It is a means of making money so I can go live my life. I work for a company that is not all about production. They want us to take our time and do it right. I am doing that, and it feels so good to be able to work at my craft and be allowed to do a good job while I am at work.
But after I get off, I have my family and I take time to have fun and enjoy life. I think that is the key to not staying burned out. You need down time, time to have fun, exercise, relax, etc.
Exercise is very important, too. It rejuvenates the hormone system so you have more positive hormones flowing through your body and helps get rid of stress.
That's what I do.
Has anyone had to switch from MT...
because of problems with carpal tunnel or other wrist issues? I have been offered a job out of the house doing something other than MT. I would not even be considering the position other than I have started having a lot of problems with my wrists even though I have the ergo keyboard, wrist supports, etc. Has anyone else considered or left MT because of this?
You only need the KVM switch if
you only got the CPU and it is expected that you will use your own keyboard, monitor, mouse.
KVM switches have nothing to do with internet connections.
Are you going to have to switch to VR soon? sm
I was under the impression that it was not an option to just do straight transcription. Thanks.
KMV switch?
I have not heard of that. What is it used for?
KVM switch
I used to use a KVM switch. I never had any trouble connecting to the internet. I found it very easy to set up and use. Good luck with it!!
Do you mean Alt Tab to switch to another app? nm
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...a KVM switch for the 2nd...nm
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You Have a KVM Switch??
Sometimes the monitor gets "caught" when you have a KVM switch and go from one computer to another.
If you do not have a KVM switch, try updating your drivers or reinstalling them. Also, it's good to make sure your BIOS is up to date (you can get updates from your manufacturer's website).
Amanda
KVM switch help - sm please
I know I can switch back and forth from my laptop to my main tower via a KVM switch as I heard about it a few years back on this board. Could anyone write below or e-mail me as to how I can set it up and how it works for you? Where did you get yours and how simple it is to use. I would like to stay in the middle of my report and research a subject without leaving the screen I am working on, i.e., one screen, one keyboard, two computers. Thanks for any info,, I really appreciate it.
Did my doc switch to you?
One of my regulars insists on dictating punctuation (which he does not use, by the way) and I have to constantly go back and take out things that I automatically put in (because it makes sense). And he also spells things for me, which usually are close, but wrong. He tells me things like "Feb. 2, 2008, no, just say of this year" and other things that make me want to get on a plane and go find him and smack him! And he's an eater and a (huge) sniffler. And he complains about me and sends my reports back if I do anything different than exactly what he dictates.
Okay, I feel better. Do you? I didn't know "external hemorrhoids" were so common!
Buy a little switch box.
It is very easy to set up. I think it is called a KVM switch and is inexpensive. I have one that I have used several different times. The only problem I had was that the mouse connection on mine would not let me plug in the mouse, so I had to use separate ones. For the monitor it worked perfectly.
KVM switch
My employer bought mine after I asked for that instead of a second monitor. I was told he paid about $14 for it. I am fairly certain he ordered it online. It was pretty generic- just a little metal box that had a toggle switch to switch from computer A to computer B.
You need to get a KVM switch.
This allow you to hook up two towers to one monitor. All you do is hit the scroll lock twice and it switches between computers. Hope that helps.
Try Switch as well
They have a free program that will do so much, but they also have another one for purchase that does many more types of files. I'm not sure if the free one supports .wav or not, but I know that the paid one does. It is through NCH. www.nch.com/au/switch
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