Advice for new MTs needing help with terminology
Posted By: ... on 2006-01-06
In Reply to:
Please ... AFTER you have done a thorough search on Google, etc., and you come to the Word or Drug board -- make sure you include the sentence the term/drug is in as well as the type of work you are doing. Of course, without the patient's name. LOL
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
NEEDING ADVICE
I have been offered a editing position and have been offered to either be paid by line without spaces or by the hour? Not sure which one but I am thinking it would be to my benefit to get paid by the line? Any ideas? I am a new MT but was offered editing job with some typing.
Needing Advice
I'm thinking about taking an online MT course so I can work from home for extra money. ( i am a respiratory therapist in a hospital) Will the income I receive doing this be worth the time and money?
Also what online schools does anyone recommend? Should it be accredited by the ADHI organization? Do you need to be certified to get a decent job working from home?
New MT needing some advice!
I graduated from Allied 6 weeks ago. I am very excited to get started in this profession but having an incredibly difficult time getting a job! I have applied to many companies with often no response. I almost made the mistake of working with a company that may have been running a scam, but after doing more research on the company decided it was not in my best interest. So, back to the applications/assessment tests. What I am really wondering is how to find a company who will give a dedicated, hardworking professional a chance? I have a pretty solid background in the health care field, I had my own chiropractic practice for 5 years and chose to give it up to have my children. I now want to work from home, full-time, around my families schedule. Any suggestions? I would even be happy with an internship to get me more experience... ANYTHING!!!
Ok, I am needing to vent...
I am in the middle of testing for Princeton Transcription and all was well until I actually went to the 2nd dictation. This guy is soooooo bad that I still can't figure out what he is saying at any speed and with all volumes turned all the way up. I understand that they are using the MTTest site to screen people, but they have a pretty lengthy section for the objective and pretty darn hard. Several tricky questions. The only reason I was even trying this company is because someone had said that they hire newbies. If they hire newbies this test is totally set up for none of us to ever pass it.
Wondering if I should just type a note saying the dictation was not audible for transcription or just leave lots of blanks. I know the more blanks I leave the less of a chance I have of finding out how I have truly done on these things.
I do know that in the real world of dictation this happens ALL THE TIME, but seriously to have him slurred to crap and so soft I can hear the background noise louder than him is ridiculous. Maybe the MTSOs/National Companies need to start training some of these docs just a little. I believe it could be done if they are truly this bad.
Ok. Thanks for letting me vent. Princeton Transcription- if you read this, shame on you!!!!
Jenn
New Grad Needing to Vent
Shame on ALL of the MT schools. They tell us that we can study at home to work from home. HA!! Like most of you on here, I worked my buns off trying to complete my schooling. I sacrificed so much. It was hard on my kids not having mom around as much. It was financially draining, as my husband was laid off from his electrician job. That was the whole reason we decided to take this risk in the first place. I thought I had done my research on medical transcription before I signed up for the program, but unfortunately, I didn't find mtstars until I was up to my elbows in school. Since I was an unavailable wife and mother, this became difficult on the marriage too. We just kept trying to look ahead knowing that when I had a job to help pay the bills it would all be worth it. I graduated from At-Home Professions in April with a 95% and I still do not have a job. I also now know that getting a job as a new grad is almost impossible.
I had to face my disappointed husband last night when I told him that it's not going to happen, and if I am going to be happy again, I have to let it go. I have done all I know how to do. I have had professionals look at my resume and cover letter and they tell me it's awesome. I have spent countless hours and days applying for job after job. I have even tried to find local jobs to work on-site (which was never ever part of the plan), but Michigan is not the place to look for jobs right now. I have only found one local on-site job but they were looking for more experience than most at-home jobs I have seen. I didn't even bother to apply.
Today, I found a posting on here from a new grad who said she is a new grad and got a job after only 4 applications and 18 days of looking. My husband happened to walk in at about the time I saw the posting. I had to try not to cry. I'm happy for that new grad on one hand, but on the other hand, I can't believe that after only 4 applications in 18 days (in 18 days I had sent out WAY more than 4 applications), she got a job. My husband read it and didn't say a word.
I am feeling like I let my family down. Even worse, I feel like my bummer of an attitude is letting down God.
I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening.
New graduate desperately needing work!!!
Hello everyone.
I will be graduating with my technical certificate on December 17. I have been looking high and low for somewhere that will give me a chance since I have no experience. Does anyone have any clue where I can start. I would really prefer to work from home but if not I will survive. I have 2 children and it would make my life alot easier. Please help!!!!
What equipment would be best for my to have one my own in order to help me get work?
Desperate
Never heard of needing a speed test in school, and you certainly won't need
s
FYI terminology
Hi Newbies!
Since I'm so ancient and all, I'd just like to pass a small note regarding a term I noticed while perusing this evening. Believe me, I've had my share of booboos in life (typed hypospadias with "ius" for 5 years before realizing it was "ias"!), so have always appreciated it when someone helps me along. I hope I'm not stepping on any toes. 
When speaking of one nostril, it is a naris. When speaking of both nostrils, they are nares.
Therefore: "The left naris was infiltrated with topical anesthetic" would be the proper transcription.
Have an oh-so-wonderful weekend! 
....I mean 24, not 28, all have different terminology
nm
MT terminology question
Continuing education is a good thing if you can get it. However, a good ear is more than half the battle IMHO. I started with 2 semesters of medical terminology. However, I started in the file room. Those 2 semesters of terminology are the only formal schooling that I have had, and I have been doing this for 16 years now. Get some really good reference books and develop your ears. That helps in the short term, and that may be all you need.
MT Terminology Question
Hi, I was hoping one of you could answer my question about medical transcription.
How well does one have to know medical terminology and surgical procedures to do this job? For example, when transcribing surgical procedures, does one have to understand every term of anatomy and everything going on in the surgery? For me this would be very difficult. And especially for surgeries, are MT's expected to understand everything so well that they are expected to catch if the physician may have misspoke about a surgical technique or other surgical aspect, and then query the physician? I used to do medical coding and for me surgeries were the most difficult.
Thanks in Advance
I would study terminology and if you can
get some practice tapes to use that would help. I know there are places on-line where you can test (google for them) to get an idea of where your weaknesses/strengths are. I don't know if your weakness is terminology or grammar or both and since you aren't getting your tests back and no one is telling you what you did wrong you may not know what the problem is.
If there is a test you can do on-line that you could do and send me and I could also hear the dictation I would be glad to give you some feedback.
Medical terminology
I have to agree that this is one of the most fun courses in the MT program!
That said, do you have a good bookstore nearby? If so, maybe you can go in and take a peek in the "RMT Study Guide". That will give you a great idea of the extent of terminology you will be learning.
Good luck (but you'll do great)!
medical terminology
The medical terminology needed to be an MT is much more in-depth than most people realize. It's not something you can jump right into and start making decent money. There is also the fact that even if you know a lot of med terms, you have to be able to understand the doctors, who often have difficult accents or just don't speak well. Some people have been lucky enough, with a little knowledge of med terms and typing/spelling/grammar skills, to find a company that will take them on and train them (I did this, 13 years ago - I never went to MT school - I had a bachelor's degree in nutrition). I know there are others who had similar experiences. But this was years ago and these days (from what I'm reading on the board)I think the MT training programs are the best way to go. You'd be much better prepared. I know MT sounds like a wonderful work at home opportunity, and it can be, but it really does take time to build up the skills to make money at this. Good luck.
The terminology in MT is much more in depth than
it is in nursing school. I can't tell you have many times I've gone to the doctor or been in the hospital and have had to spell medications for the nurses, or even describe the medication to the doctors.
You also have to be able to decipher dictation, which is just as bad as doctor's handwriting.
You can post your resume on the job boards and see if you get any hits.
scared of medical terminology
Could anybody please explain to me how much medical terminology one has to learn while studying at M-Tec? Medical terminology to what depth? Superficially or like a doctor?
Thank you.
...in our line of work. You NEED to know the terminology
z
You need the terminology/anatomy more. Each company has their own
way of formatting. If you have 25 accounts within a company each account can have a different format, so you learn a lot of that on the job. Being familiar with the Book of Style would be helpful. Not all companies go by BOS, though I think most do.
I don't know if there are specific things about format you don't feel like you learned or just in general ask questions, try to learn the BOS, there are style forums on some of the MT boards. There are also sample reports so you can get an idea of formats.
Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions and I'll try to help if I can.
office experience + Medical Terminology - Is it enough?
Hi everyone,
I've been wanting to take an MT course for quite some time, but still haven't managed to come up with enough money. So - I was wondering. Do you think for a beginning MT job in a hospital, would previous office experience plus courses in Medical Terminology be enough? Have any of you successfully done this?
Thanks for the help! 
Christina
The accreditation is actually the government's terminology. In other words, if (sm)
a school is "accreditated" it allows the student to apply for PEL grants, government loans, etc. Otherwise, they are private schools and not subjected to the government's way of running their program, etc., and the student is not eligible for the loans and grants that an "accreditated" school would be. This is no means changes whether the school is good or poor, just means whether or not they allow the government to dictate how they operate.
I totally agree with you, terminology is horrible!
NM
"Had I been able to even understand a little of the terminology they were speaking I could have d
That's why you need the education from the good schools. If you know exactly what the doctor is talking about, it would be much easier to understand him, even if he is a lousy dictator. And a LOT of them are lousy, and a LOT of them are ESLs. And the dictation certainly isn't any better just because you are doing it from home.
Taking classes for medical terminology and "some transcription"
Most nationals will only consider you if you are an actual graduate of one of the AAMT-approved courses. If not, she may look for local clinics who are willing to train.
Might want to take a medical terminology class at a local college. Anyone nearby to mentor with? nm
s
Get a copy of the BOS II for style guidelines and take medical terminology/anatomy classes at
s
Take a medical terminology class - one class - at a community college (sm)
You don't have to sign up for the whole program, just take a medical terminology class and learn it inside and out. Get some medical terminology CDs and listen to them in your car. Find places with in-house transcriptionists to let you test and start out working in-house so that you will have help. It is very hard the first couple of months but gets much easier after that. I was a secretary, took anatomy and physiology and some other pre-nursing classes. Decided not to be a nurse, took a medical terminology class and that was it. Studied a lot, listened to tapes, went and tested, worked in house a few months. Have been doing this 12 years now.
Would really appreciate advice
Advice
The employer DOES know how well you'll do. At least, he thinks he does. He knows that you have the same training that other failed new-hires had--all the new MTs from that school who didn't work out and wasted his money.
You can do well in your course, but if your course did not teach what you truly needed to know, you've learned little. Your opinion about the quality of the education isn't important at all--you have no basis to know if it's good or not.
You hope it is, but employers are telling you that it is not.
It's unfortunate that you spent your time and money on a bad choice, but that was your choice. At this point, the best thing you can do is try to salvage what you can from it.
Yes, someone might be surprised, but complaining about the injustice you have received as a result of your decision isn't going to inspire anyone to want to give you that chance.
It would be better for you to improve your capabilities and apply again. The employers are telling you that you are not ready to work.
Another choice would be for you to write up what your course did cover, in detail, with a comparison to other schools' coursework. Present that to the employer and ask if they will test you.
You'll have to present yourself very professionally for this to work. You have a number of language, grammar, and punctuation errors in your posts, so you would do well to pay close attention to that. You don't want that to alienate an employer. That may, in fact, already be what has alienated them.
I need advice!
Greetings;
I am a new MT attempting to start my own service as an independent contractor. My issue is this, my husband deployed for Iraq yesterday, he will be gone for 8 months. I will be returning to my home town for this time period. Can/Should I start my own service in that area, or should I try to obtain work with a service until I return to my current home? How does one handle a situation like this when moving is enevitable. What do you think? What would you do?
I need advice!
Greetings;
I am a new MT attempting to start my own service as an independent contractor. My issue is this, my husband deployed for Iraq yesterday, he will be gone for 8 months. I will be returning to my home town for this time period. Can/Should I start my own service in that area, or should I try to obtain work with a service until I return to my current home? How does one handle a situation like this when moving is enevitable. What do you think? What would you do?
Need advice
I need some advice. I have a 5 yr old and a 3 month old. I going through a mentoring program right now and I am also close to completing school and get my certificate in med transcription. My situation is that I take care of the kids during the day (5 yr old pretty much entertains herself but of course the baby doesn't) and I'm exhausted to the point that if I try to stay up until midnight or beyond transcribing I'm grouchy in the morning from lack of sleep. My boyfriend isn't much help. Please, I'm not looking for advice dealing with him but advice on how to juggle the kids, mentoring, and schooling. I appreciate it.
Need advice
The school I am going through provided cassette tapes to transcribe the homework reports from. I do not have a transcriber and don't feel like purchasing one since I will more than likely never use it again and I only have 7 chapters left to do. Does anyone know how I can record them onto my computer? My sound recorder only records 60 sec at a time unless I want to pay for more and I'd rather not if I don't have to. I figure if they are on my computer than I can use express scribe to type them up.
Advice...
 Sell your self. So you don't have experience but you have knowledge of the field. Check the offers on the job board. That is how I found the 2 MTSOs I work for. I've only been in this field for a month! When you email your resume to them type a little blurb that shows how eager you are. Worked for me.
Advice
I am currently in the office from 3 to 5 days a week, depending on the amount of work. I am unable to work from home with his current system. I also think he likes having me there to help with other duties like receptionist work, billing, etc.
bad advice
I am upset by you telling this potential MT that she should look elsewhere. Leave that to her to decide.
I am also a new MT and used to really enjoy this board and its wonderful advice and information, but because of such negativity, I have been getting on less and less. This, of course, does not apply to everybody. If this is true that in 5 years, we are all going be jobless, then why aren't all MTs going back to school now? Why wait for the inevitable?
If I want depressing information, I'll watch the nightly news. In the meantime, I am going to relish in the fact that I am able to earn a living and be there for my children when needed. If this completely dies out in a few years, so be it. I'll deal with it then.
As for which school to attend, they all seem very credible and well-accepted. I would go to whichever one seems to appeal more to your liking.
Good Luck and welcome to our world!
bad advice
then if this is the case and we are all up you-know-what creek without a paddle, then why is anybody even being encouraging at all? I took one of those fly-by-night courses because I was tired of being an admin assistant and a friend of mine was taking the course, so I signed up as well. My instructor suggested this board and I felt even more confident after reading many posts on being an MT. From the experience aspect, it seems that getting your first job is the biggest problem.
So is life. I guess your better off becoming a nurse, if you can't handle the blood, become a medical secretary and deal with the office politics while making $8 lousy bucks an hour.
If this is such a serious issue, why aren't we doing anything about it? We all know (even the newbies)that outsourcing is a serios threat. If none of us are making money in this lovely country of ours, then how are we supposed to put back into the economy that makes it what it is?
Why don't we all just sit here and whine and cry about it. That's how things get done, isn't it?
My advice
Apply everywhere, even if they say x-years of experience. Some will let you test. Take full advantage of these opportunities and do your very best. One of them will hire you and give you a chance. An alternative is to visit/call every single doctor's office, clinic and hospital in your area and inquire as to open positions. Be open to both in-house as well as work at home opportunities. Best of luck to you!
HELP, I need some advice......
I am still a student. I have 2 more classes before I get my certificate. I recently started working part-time in a doctors office doing entry level work. She wants me to start doing here transcription already. This is a fantastic opportunity for me, but I don't know what I need to get started. What type of software or equipment should I invest in. I need some advice from an experienced MT. Thank you in advance!
advice
Okay, the doctor I will be working for has a new patient sheet and office visit form that she made herself. She just goes through and checks off the ones that apply to that particular patient. She doesn't like to dictate into microcassette but she has mentioned voice recognition. It seems really simple. Almost too simple. I have all the necessary research material. I just didn't know if there was a special software I needed to buy or equipment. Thanks in advance for your advice.
No more advice from me
I've had it. All over the internet, people keep asking about this school or that school, all less expensive than Andrews or M-Tec (or Career Step). And no matter what they are told, they insist on signing up with the school they asked about.
Then they come back to all the message boards, whining that "everybody wants 2 years of experience" and "how am I supposed to get experience when nobody will hire me."
They seem to forget that they were told all over the place that MANY employers will waive the 2-year experience requirement if they know that you went to a GOOD school that teaches you what you need to know to get a job. And that they won't even bother to test "grads" of many of the "cheaper" schools.
So why give advice, when people don't really want it? All they want is for me to say that they will do just fine going to a crappy school that shouldn't even be allowed to teach MT, just because it is CHEAPER. Occasionally someone does do okay and gets hired, but ONLY occasionally. Just like people used to be taught by their friends, neighbors, or family. Just try to apply for a job nowadays and tell them "my mother taught me." See how fast it gets you hired.
I'm just tired of people whining that they can't get a job without 2 years of experience, when they were told that was what would happen, and exactly which schools could get that requirement waived because they are excellent schools that teach you what you need to know. Of course they're more expensive! They get the job done! They earn their money. They turn out ready-to-work MTs.
If you insist on saving money with those "other" schools, go ahead. But stop whining about not being able to get a job without experience. Because that's exactly what you were TOLD would happen. If you're going to roll the dice, don't EXPECT to win just because some people get lucky.
I'm outta here.
more advice
Hi ladies I just thought of something else you could try also. Pick up you phone book and see if there are any local agencies or MTSO's that you can talk to about work. I finally got a job myself. I am excited but I won't be getting paid much for awhile. I got an internship. I am so excited and I wish you both the best of luck.
Need advice...
How do you get through the seven minute speed round portion of a test. I am having difficulty with this. By the time I am done reading the question once, have "sometimers" during the process along with "personal summers/hot flashes", the test is done before I am even completed with it.
Advice from me to you..
I have read your post and understand your desire to work from home so that you can be with your young children. This is not an easy field. I have no young children in the home, and find it frustrating at times to concentrate on all the new things you have to learn and never taught in school. My husband can be a cause of distraction just because he does not fully understand the amount of concentration required to do the job well. I can not imagine just starting out and having children around. My loyalties would be split, and ultimately my job would suffer.
Do not get me wrong, I love my job. I love learning new terminology and the challenges that being a MT presents. However, in order to do this job well, I have to pretend I am away from home (no household distractions) and always keeping in mind that I can lose this job, just like in an outside work place.
I do have a grown child who is married. I wanted to be an MT for a long time, but the requirements of my child were greater than the time I could devote to a career change, deep down I knew I could not chose between the two.
Pray… Ask that the doors you do not need to enter will be closed, and that the path you are to take will be open to you. Good luck..
Need some advice
In what ways is this job demanding or hard? Would someone hire me without working in an office? Would they hire me part time?
I am on disablilty, but able to be at the computer for several hours a day. I can only work up to $800 per month of I lose my social security. I need supplemental income and it seems you need specialized education to get a legit job online. I cant work an office job, I need to be able to take breaks, so being at home is crucial for me.
So, anyone know if someone would hire me for that little amount of money per month? Sounds like the school you go to is critical, but they are pricey. How to afford tuition when Im already low income?
This is a great board. Would appreciate any feedback. Dont know if going into such debt will be a mistake or not.
I need advice too
After finishing school, I too am finding it difficult to find employment. Would becoming Certified help?
Need Advice
I need advice about doing MT fulltime. I have a job outside of MT World that has paid my bills for the past 2 years while I have been in M-TEC. I am now done with school, and I'm still working my job, and I have an IC job that just started. I got an offer for a fulltime position, and I am afraid of leaving the comfort of my job since I have a baby to take care of. You know how it is when you first start and being slow. Any advice?
advice from MT if anyone wants it
Hi all. I was just going over this forum, and was thinking how lucky you are to have this place. Many moons ago when I first started out in this field, there was no such place. I attended a school (physically drove there) five days a week, four hours a day, and after nine months graduated with my certificate. I applied at a few hospitals, none of which would give me the time of day without experience. There were no services back then; every transcription job was inhouse, and no-one would hire you without at least two years acute care experience. This was the small bit of information the school did not give me.
Anyway, I interviewed at a hospital (my fourth) and I was a bit desperate. I begged the Medical Records Director for the job. Offered to work for free if need be until I proved myself. Promised not to ask the same question twice and told him I would take diligent notes. He offered me the job at minimum wage, and I grabbed it. I knew the money was not much but had faith that I would learn all I had not learned in school, get those 2 years of acute care experience, and be well on my way.
Well, it all worked out great. I stayed in that transcription department at that hospital for 7 years...until they shut the doors of the transcription department and outsourced. I was offered an at-home job which was unheard of at the time, and even though I was scared to death I took it. I have been working at home since, raising my children, loving and appreciating the chance to do so.
I know that some of the starting pay is low, but I found it was worth it to take the low ball money to start if the training and experience was worth it. I started training with ER notes, then moved to discharge summaries, then H&P's, then consults, then procedures, then op notes, then pathology and finally radiology....All in six months time. I had great mentors at work and working eight hours a day really pushed me to be a success rather quick.
If I had the opportunity to thank any of those ladies who trained me at that small MT Department in Anaheim, California, I would love to. We all lost contact, but I think of them often.
Good luck to all of you here in this forum. Use this forum for positive information. Don't rely too much on what is written by someone else (including me), as everyone has a different story or opinion. Mine just happens to be a positive one.
Need some advice!!
I am an newbie, started working P/T for a company for about 7.3 cpl. The doctor is an orthopedic and very easy and I really like him. The only problem is I have little kids at home so I can only work part time. He averages about 900-1200 lines a day and it takes me about 8-10 hours to get these done. I have been contemplating looking elsewhere for P/t work but am scared of geting an ESL doctor which I don't have much experience with. Are these line expectations full time work? Can I expect to at least cut my time to at least 6 hr or less? I have only been working for about 5 weeks.
Advice please....
I got a job offer with Focus Infomatics and am sort of on the fence about going with them based on all the things I've read about that company. The pay offer was 4/8 for days and 5/10 for nights. I also got an offer with another company that I've worked with before for strickly 4/8. The latter would be primarily VR with some standard mixed in. I have no idea what to expect of Focus. No real benefits with Focus, a few with the other company.
I'm leaning toward the latter company (American owned) than Focus (think Indian owned). Does anyone think the one cent difference with Focus might outweigh the other company by pay? Does anyone know enough about Focus to make that company a really good option? I'm looking for a company to work with for a long time.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Advice
There is no one fixed "rule" for how to do these things. If you see variations in styles, it's just that there are . . . variations in styles. I understand your frustration, though, so I'll try to shed some light on the things you asked about.
Some H&Ps need headings, but a very few do not. It depends on how they're dictated. Usually, though, headings are helpful to the reader. They provide good signposts to help other providers to recognize and pick out parts of the report that they may be interested in reading. They're particularly helpful for coders, who are able to scan for what they need and home in on it using the headings. You may have noticed that physicians don't always dictate material in the same order, so those headings really do help the reader.
Hospitals often have a standard format for their H&Ps, and they almost always use headings. The MT will arrange the dictated material in the appropriate place, adding headings as necessary. They may even have to change the wording of the headings the physician dictates.
Usually, if a physician dictates some of the headings, but not all, you do fill in the ones that are missing. The headings you add have to be correct and consistent.
There are two styles for the physical exam itself. One has it all in one paragraph, while some facilities and providers prefer it broken up into separate "lines" by body system.
I'm not sure what you're asking about the blood work. Diagnostic testing is not a part of the physical examination that the provider performed, so it would be in a separate paragraph. It often comes after the PE. (There is a style of H&P which has the history portion separate from the physical exam portion, in which case the lab is on the part with the physical exam, but it's not part of the physical exam per se.)
Advice I need it bad!
 I was wondering if anyone could help me out. I recently just started out on a job where I have to average out 1000 lines a day. I'm in training to get there in 3 months. On days I have English dictators its quick but I only get in about 12 reports.The days that I have ESL I'm lucky if I make it to 6. The reports are short which have 60 to maybe only 50 lines. How am I ever going to make enough money If I'm stuck at around 6 to 10 reports a day. It is a 65 character per line or something like that. I need help seriously. I'm taking all suggestions into consideration. So please be honest and upfront. Also I want to know for the experienced MT's how long did it take for you to accomplish your lines.
|
