And...letters in all caps means you're yelling! Shhh...nm

a lot of community college programs are far better than the "top three." Just make sure you get plenty of actual dictation. If you don't have good grammar skills and aren't a literary-type person this may not be the field for you. I can't tell you the unbelievable applications I get for MT jobs - misspelled words, sloppy grammar, and how about those st*pid email addresses  THEHOT1@aol.com, etc. Sheesh. If you're one of THOSE, then be prepared to look for a   l o n g   time to get your first job LOL

Oh, just relax...Of course I want MT's with experience - and as long as there continues to be MT's with experience that want work at a certain rate, they will be hired in front of a newbie. In the work place it is all about what the market will bear. Nursing shortage? Nurse pay goes up. Until Filipino nurses flood the market. Then nurse pay goes down (just as an example). All I'm saying is as long as there are experienced MT's who are willing to work for 6-7 cpl (and I get plenty of them asking for work all the time at that rate), then a newbie can't be worth the same. It's all about what the market will bear. Therefore, you have to give the employer something to make hiring you more attractive than the next person....which is what? I'm always surprised that a newbie doesn't take an internship or something- whatever it takes- to get that experience. Without the experience, your chances of being hired go waaaaaay down.

My own suspicion is that it's the MT schools who keep telling newbies to go out and try to get jobs at 6 cpl - sometimes I even get resumes asking for 8 or 10! If the MT schools were honest about how difficult it was to break into the field - would people sign up and pay the money? No. But they take the money, train 'em and don't tell them that training isn't enough. Then the boards are full of postings from newbies complaining about how hard it is to break into the field. Well, for crying out loud - I would rather work for free for six months and then be marketable than to get 0 work at 6 cpl for years and years, holding out for that one chance in a thousand that someone would be willing to take me on

And I recognize that.  However, when my employer reviewed my first few batches of reports, he was quite impressed and surprised at the quality given that I was just getting started. 

So, I ask again- what is it that makes AHP an inferior education to other schools like Andrews and M-Tec?  Do they not provide enough anatomy/medical terminology instruction? Are they deficient in practice report experience? 

The only thing I felt under-prepared for was how quickly the doctor's dictate in real life versus what I was used to in practicing.  Other than that, doing real transcribing was actually easier than the practice tapes I was doing because AHP uses a good deal of difficult foreign accents on their practice tapes.  The account that I work on now has no foreign doctors (which is probably unusual), but some of them are ridiculously fast and incoherent. 

I'm really not trying to stir up anything here or argue that anyone is wrong.  I truly am just curious to know why AHP is not a good school.  I have many people ask me about what I do and where I got my training, and when I tell them that I've read online that the quality of an AHP education is questionable, I have no reason to give.  Thanks!

');

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You're not alone...
I graduated about a month ago and haven't been able to find a job yet either. The biggest hurdle has been trying to find a company willing to hire a "newbie". I've passed tests, then been turned down because I don't have two years of experience.

Let's just hope the economy improves soon and more jobs become available for new graduates.

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If you're just learning...
Why are you giving advice?

You're just beginning training. Where have you had marketing experience?

Also #1 priority in transcription and "landing" a job, be able to spell.

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You're kind!
appreciate the support ... this is harder than i ever imagined it would be (as a seasoned clerical for many, many years). i don't see how any of you make a living at this.
though i was told it was hard before i started, i didn't believe it could be that hard. famous last words!

surprisingly, most of my challenges come from the simpler things like hearing "a" instead of "the" (or where there isn't either).

how on earth did you get through this? my hat's off to all of you seasoned MTs.

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you're doing it correctly *the pt* until they..sm

tell you differently.  I have a surgeon who gave me lip about it, until I gave him specific copies of the HIPAA laws and showed him that not only was I protecting myself but I was also protecting him from any future lawsuit.

The thing is this....many medical records are used as examples in studies..., blind studies, and the like.  In today's world, as long as no patient name is mentioned in the medical record, well that record could be used in a study.  If the patient's name is mentioned in body of report, the people conducting the study(ies) CAN be sued down the road for exposing a patient name......being possibly sued by the patient whose name was exposed.

There usually is a method to most madness.....*lol*

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You're absolutely right!
I think it really depends on the individual.

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you're the one who is unrealistic...
you've got to be kidding. To see the technology changes and all the forces aligned and to think American MT field will survive? What do you do, sitting around watching American Idol all night? You are sadly out of touch with reality, though not my desire to inform you. I was simply sharing experience with newbies. You the one who judged me as negative, pessimistic and toxic. That's like telling the doctor who diagnosed you with cancer that he is negative, pessimistic and toxic. For Pete's sake, Heartland just completely 100% outsourced to India and Spheris has gone as VR as possible, except for the crappy ESL dictators...but no, outsourcing and computer technology aren't a serious threat to the field. Tell that to the folks on the company board, why doncha?

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You're confused? (sm)
I didn't make sense? Someone is posting using the name I always use. But I'm not really sure how to write for the 2nd grade level, which is obviously what would make sense to you.

If I didn't make sense, perhaps you need to learn to read something other than board books.

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Can I ask what state you're in? nm
nm

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They're Junk
Look here in the Classifieds or somewhere like Transcription Gear.

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Oops. How about you're or you are NOT your
Bad!!!!

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If you're already in an MT program, then do get it and
s

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I'm sorry you're having so much trouble
I know it is hard. It took me a while to find work after I graduated. The only thing that saved me is I had a great paying job as a legal secretary so I could afford to wait. Have you tried applying to Spheris. I know I've said this in numerous posts, but have you tried local MTSO or local doctors' offices. I started out with small local MTSO as an IC and now work for a local doctor's office regularly transcribing for 4 doctors and 1 NP. If you want to work for the big Nationals, this may help get experience.

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If I understand what you're asking...
It is mostly editing VR, but there is some straight transcription as well.

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You're too funny....

I do not work for any school, nor did I ever claim to.  I am an MT and have been for a long time.  You can say what you like about this school or that school, but the truth is there are many routes to success in this industry.  Why don't you put up a survey on the Main Board and ask what school, if any, the MTs here graduated from.  I think majority will tell you they did not complete a program through one of the "top 3." 

And here is a little splash to cool you down since you become so hot over outside opinion:  .

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Obviously you're not going to believe anybody unless they say what you want to hear.
So just go ahead an spend your money, and then come back here like all the others and complaint that no one will hire you without 2 years' experience, because NOBODY will waive that experience requirement for graduates of Allied. MANY places will waive that requirement for Andrews and M-Tec grads, and let them take their employment test (which they will most likely pass). The companies know that grads of Allied can't pass the employment tests because they are not trained well enough. So if somebody comes on here and tells you Allied is a great school and they had no trouble getting a job afterwards, go for it. Maybe you'll be one of the RARE lucky ones. Just don't hold your breath.

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Yes, and they're great.

Pay always on time.  Great counts.  Always good communication. 

Training can be tough because QA's pretty tight, but if you make it through it...wonderful place to work for. 

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