Choosing a school
Posted By: SM on 2007-11-09
In Reply to: A Career Change - Brandi
If you want to work at home, I would suggest that you look into Andrews School or M-TEC. If you do search on the forums, these are the most recommended and reputable with graduates having little, if any, trouble finding a job at home on graduation.
I don't know what the successful employment rate of Allied graduates is.
Good Luck, and be sure to do a lot of research before deciding if this field is right for you.
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Choosing a school
Before choosing a school, you should definately do your homework. I can tell you what my experience was and maybe it will help you out a little.
I decided to go to the local Community College in my city. I weighed my options heavily against the "Big 3" schools that are offered online and found that the program that my CC offered was very similar in nature but the cost was quite a bit less. All of the classes I took were offered online except one. I could have opted to have gone to campus and taken the classes, but I chose to do it from home. I still had the use of all the on-campus facilities and was able to go to campus and speak to my instructors if I needed to get advice or if I had questions or problems. That hands-on aspect was one of the things I really did like about it. I did have to take one class on campus, but now I am certified in infant, child, and adult CPR, first aid, and the use of an AED as well as being a Notary Public. That is a plus sometimes when looking for an in-house position.
I am not sure about the proper number of practice transcription hours you should get. I can tell you that my program had 4 levels of transcription courses. Pretranscription, Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced. The program followed AAMT guidelines and utilized the SUM program as well. The dictations were live dictations. That is very important. You do not want "actors" who are just reading copy. You want real, live dictation to practice from so you can get a real feel for what you are going to be dealing with. I also had experience with ESL docs. I would say I transcribed close to 700 reports by the end of my program.
I also had billing and coding classes integrated into my MT program. Now, if I choose, (which I probably will do in a few months), I can go back to school and take 3 more classes and be a certified billing and coding specialist as well.
I was hired right out of school to work from home for a national transcription company. Choosing a good school is important. Good luck to you!
Help Choosing a school
I am a stay at home mom, and I am wanting to do a online course for medical transcription. I just don't know which distance learning school would be the best one to choose. Any advice?
choosing between the 3
Hello. I am currently enrolled at MTec and I can tell you that I researched this decision a loooong time b/f I jumped in. Personally, I would only consider MTec or Andrews b/c if you plan to work out of your home they prepare you best to be an independent MT. Many CS girls have even stated that they felt unprepared in the real world.
Also, I chose MTec over Andrews b/c of their technology support. They have a technology instructor, technology classes, and technology support which I think is vital for the future of MTs.
The good news is that you can't go wrong if you choose MTec or Andrews. I would encourage you to contact the Susan Francis at MTec or Linda Andrews with any and all questions. They were very helpful and informative for me. Good luck!
I'm on the verge of choosing between
Career Step online or taking an MT certificate program at my local community college (4-5 semesters in length, and twice the cost) Right now, CS seems the better choice b/c of flexibility; learning/.studying at hours that are convenient for me, etc. I just want to be sure that local dr. offices will hire me with an online certificate instead of a local one.
Good luck to you in your decisions! I think an MT career will be a very positive one after speaking directly with MTs who are in the field right now in my city, prospective employers in my area, and other MTs around the country. I think if we are committed to working hard, it will be successful!
Choosing between MTec or Andrews
I would encourage you to call and speak or email both of the directors with a list of questions. That's what I did and I was able to speak with the directors from each school. Although I felt both schools were top notch and would prepare me well, I chose M-Tec b/c along with excellent training, they offer technical classes and support geared for the MT. The tech instructor is a genius and very helpful too. Just my 2 cents!
Agree with an outside school, but I went to a business & tech school. Great experience, better
s
You CAN get a job at home, right out of school, but it has to be a GOOD school.
You should enroll in Andrews School or M-TEC. I know you don't want to spend more money, but at least you WILL be able to get a job. If you thought At Home Professions was a good course, you will be totally amazed at what you DIDN'T learn in that course that you WILL learn at the two good schools. There is no "required" curriculum for MT, anybody can open up a school, charge what they want, and teach what they want. Companies will waive the 2-years' experience requirement for graduates of Andrews School and M-TEC, but NOT for the other schools.
School?
Has anyone graduated from Thomson Education Direct and got hired anywhere?
Just wondering about choosing the right school for medical transcription course.
MT school
I attend the Andrews School. It has a very good reputation among national services--some will even waive the minimum 2-year experience requirement and allow you to test for them if you are an Andrews graduate. I have heard good things about M-Tec as well. I would suggest that you contact hospitals, nationals, etc. that you might want to work for and ask them which schools they suggest as far as turning out job-ready graduates. Good luck!
$ for MT school
No, I don't. We have debt out of our ears but you can make payments or charge it or whatever it takes. I've always had to spend money to make money. I just want to make sure I can make it back fairly soon. When I do the math it seems like you have to be pretty darn fast at transcription to earn a living. I admire the people out there doing it!
School and $$$
Hey, sorry about your ankle. Sounds like this could be a perfect time to study for MT. I'm sure I saw scholarship information that was based on financial need on one of the "3" schools...Andrews, MTEC or Career Step. Go to their websites and see! All the best to you! 
What to look for in a school
There are three things to look at in choosing a school and neither of them is money.
The first is whether national services already hire their grads and keep them longer than 6 months.
The second is what percentage of the grads score adequately on the employer's test.
The third is how many students complete the course with a grade of 95% or better on the first try.
Even if an employer is willing to hire from a school, if few grads pass his test and qualify to be hired, then the school isn't so hot. If the employer hires, but the grads can't keep the job for even 6 months, then the school isn't so hot. If the school has a high drop-out rate and many students (sometimes "most") don't make it to graduation, then the school isn't so hot. If it takes students several tries to pass, then the school isn't so hot.
You can see that just examining whether an employer will hire a grad isn't such a good measure. You also have to look at how many students get to graduation, how they got there, how many of them passed the test, and how many of those didn't get fired or quit in frustration.
You want a school whose grads are almost uniformly hired by nationals and which graduates nearly all students (all have drops, but you want a low level of those) on the first try.
Considering all that, you have two options: M-Tec and Andrews. And Andrews has a pre-admission test you'll need to pass to get in.
In your case, you should not go for a school which will allow you to skip any courses. You don't know anatomy and terminology like you'll need it for MT--what you know is what you need for billing, and that is different. Unless you hold a PhD in anatomy, you need to refresh your memory. Any school that lets you get away with not doing that does not have your best interests in mind.
School
I recently graduated from Thomson Education Direct. Recently changed to Penn Foster.... I made 49.00 month payments with no interest. Is a good school!
yes, I'm still in school ..... nm
zz
Still in school????
I assumed from your post you were a recent graduate.
school
I agree.....Accept a challenge to succeed.
School
Education Direct,,,now called Penn Foster.
Great School!
School
HHHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMM! I just graduated and landed a job within one week.!!!!
School
Are you stocking me? Your a stress ball!
Is school a must?
I have been an administrative assistant for 8 + years and I will be graduating from my Medical Office Specialist/Billing and Coding class in May. Do I absolutely have to go to school to become an MT or can I just test to get a job? Any responses will be greatly appreciated.
Shona`
re: Is school a must?
Yes! Have you mastered anatomy and physiology? Do you know pharmacology? Can you know medical abbreviations? Can you decipher various dialects of providers well enough to produce a medicolegal document? How about the body systems, brain functioning, neurology, endocrinology, cardiology, orthopedics, pulmonology, etc., operative techniques? Medical terminology of all the above specialities, plus more, then if your answer is yes, then test away. Transcription is a labor intensive occupation that requires medical knowledge, dedication, and accuracy.
Is school a must?
If you are really good at learning from a book and feel like you lack experience in just a few areas, then study that way. I got a little training but mostly I was self taught. I knew what I wanted and studied from books and listened to any dictations I could find. The hardest part is getting your foot in the door. I put applications in everywhere and was lucky to have a small MTSO let me show them what I was capable of though. If you have the extra money for the schooling, then go for it. I dont believe that it's a must though.
Good luck!
What school did you go to?
They should be able to help you, if the school was any good. If not, then you need more education from a better school.
school
I graduated from Career Step recently and I felt they thoroughly educated me on just about everything i needed to know. I took the online course and it took me about 9 months to finish.
School
NC Newbie -- what school did you attend? I assume you're from North Carolina, and so am I. Since I have done acute medical transcription years ago, I am in the process of trying to find a school for refresher courses. A lot of medical stays the same, but there are a lot of new procedures, drugs, etc.
Perhaps your school? (sm)
I would first check with your school for assistance. Many schools will offer some type of program to help get you pointed in the right direction.
If you went to one of the top three I know for sure that they offer assistance in this area.
Get your school to help you.
Your school knows which ones of the employers really like graduates of the school you attended. They know where they have been successful. If they have no employers clamoring to hire their graduates, you've got a problem. That means the employers have seen what their graduates can do and they don't like it.
Then you may have to work in a doctor's office. The pay isn't good, there are rarely opportunities for pay increases, but at least it's something.
I hope the first scenario describes you. Good luck with your new career!
The School you went to?
Career Step. I've heard of this school before, but like you I am still in the researching process for the best place to take the on-line course. How expensive was this course? Can you email me your answer. Thanks
My email address is: louisem@cinci.rr.com
Thanks again. Awaiting your response.
Where did you go to school?
Many comapnies will waive that 2-year requirement if you attended a school with a solid reputation of producing work-ready grads. Again, you get what you pay for.
school
I wouldn't go by one person's opinion. I am going through that program and I think it is good. It is very detailed and they teach about everything. They didn't even say what they sent the 14yr old there for anyway, maybe that particular course was bad.
The best school for you
In the MT world you will hear people talk about the Top Three. That would be Andrews, MTec, and Career Step. These are all good. The best school is the one that is going to be the most comfortable fit for you, and you will find that out by visiting their websites and forums. Like everything else in life, cost may be the determining factor. All three of these "top three" schools are good and their courses are very comprehensive, so you will have tons of work to do whichever one you choose. Be sure to choose a program which will help you find a job. It is surprising how many people enroll in courses which do not offer them any assistance at all. Courses also vary in length and instructional methods, so you'll have to decide how much time you can spend studying each day. Good luck!
Best school
A good school to look at is Janet Stiles electronically taught transcription. You can get more info at www.settinc.com
Best school
I took Career Step and it was great. I graduated within 7 months with high honors and I got a job in less than a week. If you go directly through careerstep.com you will only pay about $1350. Yeah, it sounds like a lot of money, but it's not when you actually see how much experience you get from just taking the course. I got a job that was looking for 2 years of experience.
Anyone know anything about CAI School?...sm
I have a friend who is finishing up the course and wondering if anyone here has graduated from this school. I don't really see anything here about them.
TIA!
school
I graduated from the Virtual Learning Center.
just got into school!
OK, I've been lurking around this board since 2004 can you believe it and just now started a program! I was registered in '04 but dropped it due to financial and health issues, I start EvCC's program in Spring (community college program that is linked with Career Step). Thank you everyone for all your info that has helped me make an informed choice.
school
Just wondering if anyone can give me advice on going to school for mt. Do you think an at home program is okay?
School
I went through Career Step. I loved it. I graduated with Honors in Feb. 2007 and have a job already. I would recommend it to anyone. At least have her contact the school with questions. Good Luck.
Which school
Thanks folks! Hope to hear from more of you! Just read that CanScribe is the Canadian extension of Career Step. Margaret
And you went to school where? (nm)
.
School
I did a transcription course at home. (At-Home Professions.
school
You absolutely cannot go wrong with Andrews or M-TEC. They may be a bit more expensive, just remember you get what you pay for I graduated from M-Tec in May and had a job within hours of sending out one resume. If you work hard and keep a good GPA you won't have a problem finding a job when you graduate. M-TEC has contacts with many companies that are willing to work with grads and will hire them without experience because of the good reputation they school has.
Good luck with your decision! 
school
I am trying to decide between MTec and Andrews now. It's a toss up between lower cost of MTec vs faster program at Andrews. Any help in this decision would be great as well!!
school
what seminar did you attend and is thw name of the program you took? i too went to a seminar. i was just wondering if it might have been the same. thanks for any info you can give.
School
I have been an MT for 10 years. I do not have my certification. My sister is an MT and she trained me. With all my experience, I have had no trouble passing tests to get MT jobs. Not having a certification has never been an issue for me. How much you make really depends on you. It depends on how motivated you are, how able you are to work with distractions (i.e. kids, phones, etc). As my kids get older, it gets easier for them to understand that even though I am home, I am still working. In addition, being sure that you have a ShortHand program and are using your autocorrect option in word are a big help with speed and allowing you to make more money. Hope this helps! 
Go to school all over again?
Hello! I graduated from one of the main AAMT approved schools, but now that I have been working 6 months and reading about the other two bigger schools, I am thinking that maybe my original school did not prepare me well enough. I know I am capable of way more than where I am at now. I know that if I had known then what I know now, I would have gone a different route education wise.
I was thinking of going back to MT school and enrolling in one of the better reputable schools, but I was not sure if this would be a waste of time and wanted some opinions. I could get trained again the right away, or I could just stick it out and continue learning on the job.
Just looking for some opinons on that matter....thank you very much!
Why not go to a school that
is proven to prepare students for anything?
M-Tec and and Andrews are both on-line schools that will have you actually ready to work from home. Go to their websites and find out what a good program is all about.
Where did you go to school?
?
Which school is the other big school? nm
nm
Which school then?
MTACC does sound cool, but you're right, you do get what you pay for. Their tuition is $1995..until the end of the year..and then it goes up to $3500 again (so they say)
Andrews is $3800 and M-Tec is $3395. Question is, which school has more "bang for your buck?" They both look pretty much alike. I've taken both their pre-enrollment tests and scored 85% and 90% respectively. I just can't decide. Anyone have any insight?
School
Unfortunately I attended Penn Foster and they don't give any help with job placement. I haven't given up hope yet, but I am close!!
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