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Choose either CareerStep, M-TEC, or Andrews...all 3

Posted By: AAMT approved. All 3 get their grads to work!!! on 2006-10-18
In Reply to: Newbie failing test HELP!! - Barbara Tucker

I know. I accept grads from Career Step!



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If you choose Andrews or M-TEC, you won't need a fast track or extra training.
You also will receive, with your course, many of the books that CS students purchase on their own - the Book of Style, the Language of Medicine, better grammar books.

I graduated from CS also. And if I had it to do again, I'd choose Andrews or M-TEC.
If you graduated from CareerStep, M-TEC, or Andrews,
But there are other good schools too. Those are just the well-known online ones. Just keep applying and applying--and ACE those tests. Make sure your resume is EXCELLENT. You'll find something. Good luck!
You can't miss with Andrews, MTEC, or Careerstep. NM
x
Andrews, MTEC, and CareerStep produce graduates that are regularly hired. NM
x
Why did you choose that course?
Did you do any research on transcription schools? I took on a graduate of AHP, and she didn't know 1/3 of what she needed to know just to do radiology, which is an easy specialty.


why did i choose this course

This is a complete career change for me.  I was a mortgage broker for ten years, had three years of typesetting experience for a newspaper when I was young and decided it would be a good idea.  Why this course - just because you had one bad experience doesn't mean the course isn't a decent course.  Maybe the person was one that skimmed by on the seat of thier pants?  Who knows? I've found a couple of people already that took the same course and have jobs.   So I believe a lot of it has to do with your resume, wherr you post it, and what you did before school.  I managed a mortgage brokerage firm and worked my way from the bottom to the top.  I think I am capable of doing this.  - if i can't find a job I'll just kill myself - NOT.  But I can tell you this I have more constructive things to do with my life then to go around bashing other people and their choices.


 


i would choose another fied.
you won't have a career in this one. it is phasing out fast.

i seriously doubt in 5 years you will have much of a job, let alone a career.

go to school for something else.
many schools to choose from
from reading other messages.. PCDI is a 'no' Penn Foster.. is inexpensive.. but.. is it good???
I can't afford to go, nor is my credit score high enough for SLM.
rochelle
Trying to choose a school
Hi,

I have been trying to decide on an MT school, and I am so unsure as to what I should do. What things should I be looking for in a school? Has anyone ever heard about the online programs at Brighton College, or Blackstone College? Are they any good? I want a school that will provide lots of practice dictations, what is a reasonable number of practice hours to expect? Any other input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

~Bea
Which school should I choose? Is this right for me?

Hi all!  I've been researching this profession and would really appreciate some input from 'those in the know'!


I need to be at home with my family (long story), but my children (all 3 of 'em) are getting older and I'm in need of some 'mental stimulation'!  I would like to find something that will hold my interest, keep my thinking, and requires constant learning (I like that!).  I saw an article in our local paper a few months back about med trans, and it really sparked my interest!  I had no idea about this profession before, but it seems like it could be my cup-o-tea. 


I'm an accounting clerk by profession (if that makes any difference), so that would probably come in handy if I become an IC.  Also, I've had a great deal of training with voice recognition (Dragon Speak), which I think could be of an advantage to me as I have an idea of how these program behave (and misbehave!).  Also, since I was a child, my preferred reading has been medical books (....weird kid!).


I'd probably prefer something part time, and I'm not in it for 'the big bucks'!  My husband has a great job and that has allowed me to stay home, but I would find it fulfilling to make some kind of financial contribution to my family. 


To make a long story long.....I'm looking at a Canadian online school called CanScribe  (I'm Canadian, by the way!).  They seem to be very legit, with a good reputation and are recognized by the AAMT.  They are kind of expensive, but it seems to me that the good ones are!  I'll be receiving a 'settlement' soon, and I think investing in my education is always a good bet!  However, I don't want to be foolish with my investment, and would like some input, like I said, from 'those in the know'!


Good day to you all, and thanks so much!!  Margaret


She is right - choose another profession

I too have been an MT for almost 20 years.  These MTs schools will train you to become an excellent MT and they will be glad to take your money too.  Then you are a highly trained and skilled MT.  If there are no jobs, what do you do with it?  It's useless.


Because of EMR and all the outsourcing that has increased since January 1 - you have old MTs with 10, 15, 20 years of experience out job searching again because they have so many years in and  they do not want to change professions before retirement.  It is so competitive that MTs with 2, 3, 5 years experience will not be able to move in their jobs.  A brand new MT is not going to stand a chance.  Don't waste your time and money.


Choose the best school... sm
You have experience in general transcription, but that's not the same as experience in MEDICAL transcription... Unless, of course, you typed a lot of brain surgeries and cardiac caths for the police department. *winks*



Right now for a newbie, competition is absolutely fierce for landing that first job. Don't cut corners on your education. Your 'experience' in general transcription will NOT open any doors for you, but completing an MT course from Andrews or MTEC will.
Choose a good school!
M-TEC or Andrews. Then follow their program to the letter!!! Best of luck!
If you choose your school solely because it is cheap
you will get a cheap education and pay for it over and over and over again in lost income. Many people who have chosen the crappy schools end up having to be retrained by one of the good schools before anyone will hire them. Just something to think about. It has ever been true that you get what you pay for. And don't let anyone snow you with that old lie "You get out of it what you put into it. Just work really hard and you'll get a good education." Not true with education. You can only get out of your training what is there to be gotten. If it is deficient, it doesn't matter how hard you work, your training will still be deficient. Get a part-time job to save money for one of the good schools, hold a yard sale, wait a few months while you save money, whatever, just don't waste your money and time on an inferior education.
newbie trying to choose a reputable school

Hello all,


I am trying to decide between the MT schools approved by AHDI.  Does anyone have any experience with M-Tec, ExactMed, and Andrews?  Any suggestions..thanks for the advice!


Why did you choose this post to voice your opinion?
It appears as if the OP was so happy about passing the test and receiving that phone call that she rushed to the computer to share her good news with the world. Would it have been so awful to just wish her luck and share her joy? I have been an MT for a year, and I still feel proud and happy each time I pass a test. It is hard for a newbie or someone with less than 2-3 years of experience to get a company to even let you test. When you then pass the test and get a phone call, that is veryexciting and makes you feel good. You could have wished her luck publicly and then sent her an email making her aware of her mistakes along with some tips. This New MTs forum is the last place on this board to post a message like yours.

Why can't some people just let others feel good about themselves?

Whichever you choose, you might find one on www.half.com. Great spot for books! nm
s
CareerStep
I've finished the Cs curse and found a full time at hme position with no problem, and with merely a certificate of completion (no diploma).
areer Step is fine if you can work without any help and are satisfied iwth no instructor or instructor comments. Also all of the transcriptions are computer graded, never seen by a human. therefore discrepencies are classified as "style".
I would suggest Andews which does pre-test and uses human beings.
I firmly believe I found my job because I did well on the employment test (98%) and had transcription experience.
Good luck :)

Considering CareerStep or ?
Hi everyone. I'm new to the board, and am seriously considering being trained as an MT. I've spoken to someone who does this PT, and she said to be careful not to spend more than necessary to get training; it's just "not necessary". In your experience, is CareerStep or other online training sites necessary to be successsful? (I want to train at home, and work from home.) I am self motivated, and disciplined, but would do better with a structured curriculum, I think.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!!
CareerStep
Hi everyone.  I am hoping to get some information on the school CareerStep.com.  I am looking to get into this field because I want to work from home (having our first baby in Sept.)  I sort of know someone who has been in this field for about 3 years now and she said that Medquist and spheirs are the top 2 MT companies.  So I went to both websites and saw they use CareerStep for online classes.  If you have any knowledge on this school that would be great.  Any info would be much appriciated.  Is it worth the money?  How is the information you get?  Can I work as fast or slow as I want to complete the school? Please I want to get as much imput on this school as I can.  Thank you everyone.
CareerStep
I would hire someone from Andrews or M-Tec much quicker than someone from CareerStep.
try www.careerstep.com
best training for the money.
CareerStep

Hi,


I'm researching m.t programs...I keep seeing ads for CareerStep. I guess what I've noticed the most is the ads and links for CareerStep on these large m.t companies when I've been researching job opportunities. Is CareerStep the "preferred school"?, or are they possibly just a paid advertiser on these sites? I'd like to hear from C.S students and grads and know what their experience was. Were companies willing to test you with no exp., given the fact that you went to C.S? Are they more willing to hire C.S grads with no exp? Thanks, Laura 


careerstep.com
You can go to Careerstep.com and I think it tells you the exact cost. I think it ranges from $1300-$1500 depending on which package you get. I think you have to make $300-$400 payments over a 4 month time frame or something like that. They do offer a 10% military discount if that applies to anyone!
CareerStep
I found CareerStep through the AHDI website, and I was very impressed. I have not found anything bad about them, the only problem is the price. Right now I would be approved 100% for the Pell Grant, which would be like $4,800, but from reading over their website they don't take the PG. And the only thing I've been able to find is my local community college who of course takes PG. But then again the problem with that is I have to wait til' classes start, and then go by their roster and only go so fast... and eh. I'm the type of person that would MUCH rather prefer CareerSteps type that you can go as fast or as slow as you want.

So I was wondering if anyone could share their thoughts on CareerStep, preferrably someone who has actually gone to school through them, as I'm not big fan of "my friend...." stories. I don't care if you have negative or positive thoughts, as long as it was you personally who experienced it.
This all sounds nice, but newbies have to choose MTSOs wisely and this one is not a wise choice.
me, I will explain.
Can someone tell me the difference between M-TEC and CareerStep?
I'm trying to decide on which school. I hope to work at home and I do have a job lined up after I get training.

M-TEC looks so complete (their Premier program), but of course more expensive and longer than CareerStep. Does M-Tec offer open enrollment and working at your own pace? Do they have scheduled classes you must sign on for at a certain time? Are their classes a work at your own pace type?

I know that CareerStep has open enrollment and allows you to work at your own pace. It also doesn't have classes at specific times which is something I need since I have 7 children and I homeschool 5 of them. I just cannot stop everything in the middle of the day to do a class. Also, CareerStep is more affordable. I'd be able to afford to get another computer (my kids use this one for school much of the time and it would be too difficult to use it for schooling) and still pay for the program and the extras.

Anyway, I'd like your experienced input if possible. Thanks for your time.


I went to CareerStep, considered one of the top three
.
MTec/CareerStep
If you train at one of these online courses, do they help with job placement or is that just something they say to get you in the door?
CareerStep is also an excellent school. Their
.
That is simply not true. CareerStep's course is NOT
through the entire course.  And you get everything you need to become an excellent MT.  I know because I took the course and am now working in a good job.  But don't take my word for it.  Call some MT employers.  Ask them about CareerStep.  Ask them which course they recommend.  You will see how many employers LOVE CareerStep!  Don't listen to any naysayer with an axe to grind.
Yes, and while you're at it, check out CareerStep
.
That is a book that is part with the CareerStep Course.
You would only need it if you are a text student. Otherwise, it is a unit in the online course.
New Careerstep Student, Need Advice

 Hi everyone,


 I recently started the CareerStep program and I need advice on any good websites that have additonal study info? or reference books? or memberships? What is the average starting pay? etc.


I miss the CareerStep message boards

The boards are closed to people who didn't go to that school. I didn't go and love the school I went to, but that board was great because it had a lot of job leads and information on companies, especially smaller MTSOs. I would love to be able to access it again.


Please see inside for info on grads/Spheris/CareerStep
http://www.careerstep.com/clientspromos/spheris/

Career Step is pleased to announce an innovative partnership with Spheris, a leading national employer of medical transcriptionists. Beginning in 2005, a select group of Career Step students will be offered the opportunity to participate in the exclusive Spheris Training Track. The Spheris Training Track has been designed around Career Step’s proprietary medical transcription training program. Portions of the training program have been tailored to meet the specific training and hiring requirements of Spheris.

Program Objectives
The primary objective of the Spheris Training Track is to minimize the training period for new employees by incorporating on-the-job training directly into the Career Step course. It is expected that graduates of the Spheris Training Track will move quickly and seamlessly into a production-based medical transcription position with Spheris. This innovative training is designed to systematically expose students to a wide variety of practice sound files that more closely approximate the actual Spheris working environment. Additionally, students who enter this program will receive intensive training and practice on Spheris' proprietary web-based medical transcription platform.

Advantages of The Program
Although Career Step graduates are eligible to apply for Spheris entry-level positions, the special training that students receive through the Spheris Training Track will enable them to apply for more advanced positions within the Spheris organization.

How it Works
Spheris Training Track classes will be formed frequently, based upon the current recruiting needs of Spheris. At the formation of each class, a select number of Career Step students will be offered entrance into the Spheris training track. Selection and participation are based on student performance and Spheris' current recruiting needs. While the demand for well-trained medical transcriptionists is high, the selection process for entrance into the program is rigorous and competitive.

More About Career Step
Career Step is one of the nation's leading providers of online medical transcription training. Career Step enjoys a tremendous market advantage in the industry by virtue of its reputation as an innovative, competency-based training company. Career Step believes that the success of any training program is defined by the success of the graduates from that program. With thousands of Career Step graduates enjoying successful careers as medical transcriptionists, Career Step is the leader in quality medical transcription education. Career Step has been in business since 1992 and is based in Springville, Utah.

In recent years Career Step has rolled out additional high quality products, such as an online medical transcription testing service, and a medical coding certificate program. Career Step is now viewed as a purveyor of leading edge technology solutions to companies throughout the industry.

Each year, for the past four years, Career Step has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the state of Utah by the Mountain West Venture Group. Career Step was additionally the 335th fastest growing privately-held business in the country, according to Inc. Magazine.

Career Step also currently maintains relationships with dozens of prominent community colleges nationwide that offer the Career Step training program to their students under an exclusive licensing agreement.

More About Spheris
Spheris is the world's second-largest outsourced medical transcription company and currently works with practitioners in 450 health systems, hospitals and group practices. Spheris provides medical transcription services to clinics and practices as well as some of the largest, most prestigious medical centers throughout North America.

Today, Spheris employs more than 5,000 professional Medical Transcriptionists which support the company’s clients through secure networks, using a Web-based system with integrated voice, text and data.

Spheris is headquartered in Franklin, TN, with major operations in St. Petersburg, FL and Sterling, VA.

Good MT Schools--CareerStep Medical Transcription Program
Hi--saw your message and I am a graduate of a really good MT school--CAREERSTEP.
Just type in www.careerstep.com and check it out!! It is really a good school and they have either textbook and tapes method or online course--2 types, I believe--Gold online and Platinum online. Goodluck!!!

In answer to your question, top schools are Andrewsschool.com, mtecinc.com, careerstep.com
/
Andrews vs. M-Tec...

Is M-Tec every bit as good as Andrews as far as:


1.  Preparing a person to enter the MT field


and


2.  Almost guaranteeing a job for a student upon graduation. (Realizing, of course, that this depends on the individual.)  But all else equal, does graduating from M-Tec virtually guarantee that many companies will waive the normal 2-year experience requirement and allow a new graduate to test?


Thanks


Not at Andrews
As an Andrews grad, 95% was the minimum required of each assignment of each section before you were permitted to advance to the next section. And, 95% was no guarantee that you wouldn't still be assigned extra work! We were strongly encouraged and motivated to achieve 98% and above as we were told from the beginning of the course that this is the norm in the working world. They(the instructors) were upfront from the beginning that it would take lots of work (read: blood, sweat, and tears)to pass the course at the level expected. The plus side of Andrews is that they don't turn you loose until they are confident you can attain that high goal of accuracy. An 86% would have been absolutely unacceptable.
Both Andrews and M-Tec
are top-notch MT schools. Either one would be an excellent choice not only for MT skills but also for any required improvement in spelling and grammar skills that might be necessary.
Also . . . about Andrews
Have you spoken with Linda Andrews yet? Looking on their website, I see that the payment plan has an option with a lesser down-payment of $1000 with a monthly payment of $117, instead of the $98 it would be with the larger down-payment. There is no interest on that, I see, which would be a considerable benefit to you.

Also of importance is that this covers everything. Their students traditionally do not need to provide anything else for school--not one book, not one bit of software, nothing. And, when they go to work, they already have the references that most employers require.

The first question above asked about whether one school allowed you to retake sections until you got them right. This focuses on "failure mode." The thinking is that "this is so hard, nobody can succeed." It sets up the expectation that it is NORMAL for students to fail at transcription.

Students should not fail at transcription. The concept of having some students do well, others ok, and some fail is a concept dragged over from traditional education. Private MT schools are not public junior colleges. They do not need to follow that model.

Frankly, if I were thinking of putting down a fat down-payment on a course and the school thought that it was acceptable to have any students fail, I'd be a little worried. And I certainly wouldn't expect that I'd be the exception who did well, because a school which has students failing, or not doing well enough to be employable, seems to stack the deck against you.

It would seem better to me to simply select a school in which the students do not fail, instead achieving a high level of skill across the board.

Select a school where you KNOW your money won't be wasted, where the risk is almost nil. Select a school where students do not flounder around unassisted, failing and re-failing. Select a school where they achieve and are routinely offered new, extra material to improve their already high levels of achievement.

Medical transcription training does not need to be difficult, nor does it need to culminate in unemployability.



The best are M-TEC and Andrews
M-TEC has an abbreviated course for previous medical professionals. I don't know if Andrews does.
Andrews
I'm mentoring an MT right now who went to Andrews and she seems very knowledgeable.
Andrews
I graduated from Andrews in December of 2004. I was hired immediately after graduation and have been with the same company since. I work for a smaller MTSO, and she has been very happy with how well Andrews prepared me.
M-Tec or Andrews (sm)

M-Tec and Andrews are the only two schools that are approved by the AAMT right now. I am sure there are other good schools too, but these two have been around for awhile and are proven to produce job-ready MTs upon graduation.


www.mtecinc.com


www.andrewsschool.com


www.aamt.org


M-Tec vs. Andrews
I think I am going to end up going with either M-Tec or Andrews. Please help me decide! All opinions, comments, pros and cons of each are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
M-TEC, Inc. or Andrews are the very best...

Companies waive the 2-year experience requirement for their grads.  Pick one of the very best.  Your future success as an MT depends on it. 


 


So, you went through Andrews AND M-TEC after CS?
I'm really curious.

You sound just simply disgruntled over CS and have no real experience comparing the other schools to CS.


Andrews is the very best, IMO.

Look at Andrews or M-Tec
Andrews or M-Tec are simply the best programs out there.