Glad it works for you
Posted By: green green green on 2006-02-21
In Reply to: No way, No how... (sm) - Family FIRST
You sound like you have a system that works for you. I tried getting more hours in at night after the kids went to bed and found that I was too tired, would get bad eyestrain and was just not that effective when I did not get enough sleep.
I actually make more money at home as an MT than I would in an office. Like I said below, mine are in dc. If it were just my 3yo daughter, I would be able to do it with her around.
Even though I have a 2 and 3yo in daycare, the benefit of working from home with a flexible schedule (have to get 35 or so hours in per wk, but whenever as long as its steady) is that I can pause my workday at 3pm when my 7 yo gets out of school - I pick him up, then I pick them up. I am also able to send my 3yo to preschool 3 mornings per wk and take the time to drop her off and pick her up. I have also been able to work on sick days. I estimate that since December, I would have had to take 8.5 sick days to care for my children if I worked in an office.
After being a SAHM for a long time, I am enjoying having some time where I am working and the kids are in school.
To each his own - I have fielded opinions from both sides on this one. 
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
Yes, that is how it works. I have..
looked at class notes for classes that occurred several years back. There is a wealth of information there since the classes are led by various experts in the field on a wide-variety of MT-related topics. I learned a lot about making time-saving macros and keeping my computer running from Mike DeTuri's tech classes, and I learned a lot of helpful shortcuts from Laura Bryan's MS Word classes. However, the classes are really not the core of the M-Tec course. The core of the course is transcribing the SUM program dictations, taking tests, and getting feedback from your instructor. You also have various textbook exercises to teach you the anatomy, physiology, etc., that you will need to know. The classes are really a very helpful extra, one of many that you get with M-TEC.
An expander works much the same as
auto-correct, though your space is limited with auto-correct. It may take you a year or more, but you will eventually reach your limit. I really haven't used auto-correct that much but I don't know if there are character limitations so that you could only enter a sentence, where with an Expander you could enter entire physical exams. Also with an expander you can automate some of your functions such as automatically spellchecking, copying and pasting, etc.
I don't know if you can transfer auto-correct entries either, so when you get an expander you may have to start from scratch and rebuild your expansions, though I don't know for sure about that.
I'm not a fan of ShortHand, but lots of companies use it and it is compatible with most platforms. You can do to their website and download a 30-day free trial to see what it is like.
Not all software works with the same pedals.
It's just a software issue.
Good education works. sm
The reason why most newbies can't get a job is because their education is lacking. The top 3 AAMT approved schools have a proven track record in producing employable graduates. Those are the facts and they'll never change. However, it's unfair for you to spread the false message that you're spreading of how education doesn't count. It does count and there's enough unemployed newbies on this website alone to prove it.
not everything works for the every person, but what i have found.....
I started out many years ago working for a few doctor's offices (neurosurgeon, infectious disease, oncologist, urologist) in the same building. I would pick up tapes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and deliver work those same days. I worked seven days a week back then (probably still do). After years of doing and the cost of gas skyrocketing, I realized it would be more beneficial for me to work for a service (either independent contractor or employee). I signed on with a national company (MedQuist). I know there are a lot of people out there who are not happy with MQ, but I am. My accounts are good, so I can make a good line count. The only problem is that my accounts are so good that there are many MT's working on them, and I tend to run out of work early in the day. I have signed on with an additional company to fill the void in my day.
I think I saw somewhere that MQ was hiring MT's with little or no experience. If that is the case, I would consider MQ or another national to get started.
I don't know anything about the benefits offered, as I rely on my husband for that.
Good luck.
Just be careful not to get Office Works or Suite
that is advertised as compatible with MS Word. I accidentally bought that once, the packaging was similar and the box said it did everything MS Word did. Well, it sort of did, but that software changed every document I had in my entire computer upon installation to its own version. That certainly would not have worked in transcribing and transmitting reports. While it did work with Word as the packaging said, it did so by changing Word to something else. I don't recall the exact name of this, but just read the packaging carefully and get Microsoft and not a lookalike. Just wanted to give you a heads up to avoid one of my many mistakes. Good luck.
For a newbie, that's pretty good pay. Works out to about 10.5 a line, nm
:
Auto correct within Word works great. nm
LOL - glad you liked it.
I should try and find that Parents article, but I'm running out of time myself.
glad to help
I certainly didn't mean to imply that you didn't know your terminology. I just know that if there is a specialty that I start transcribing that I am unfamiliar with, well, I need to brush up on my knowledge......and I have been doing this for 21 years. For instance oncology, ophthalmology, etc.
I didn't attend one of the "big 3". In fact, I went to the local vo-tech school for medical office assistant just after high school. MT was just ~part~ of the cirriculum. Got an MT job before I even graduated covering for a local MT on maternity leave....that doc office ended up keeping me and it has gone on from there. Worked in doc office for 3-1/2 years, radiology office for 4 years, acute care hospital for 3-1/2 years, and now MQ for 10 years. I am just suggesting that having good references, either books or awareness of good web sites, can make all the difference when you are trying to prove yourself.....because we all get stumped every now and then.
Good luck!
Glad to help!
nm
Glad to help!
Mmmm, French silk pie. Great choice.
:oD
I'm glad it will help
I really love my book. You're right, the size of the print is very nice. If you notice, when listing references for this book, it lists the Medical Phrase Index, which is the very pricey version of this book. I think that particular book is aimed more towards coders, and this book is specifically for MTs. Anyway, glad to help! 
I'm glad you brought this up...
I'm glad you brought this up, because there are scams out there and new MTs need to be aware of them. Just look at the threads below regarding Proficient Transcription.
Best of luck to you in your job search!
glad you agree
I didn't even realize I was on the Newbie board. I've posted this before and people always thank me, some argue with me, but it's my stand and I'm sticking with it!!
Newbies especially get suckered in by this line the companies feed and it's not right. Sounds good and emotions take over and then the spider has you right in its web. How can a woman hold her baby and think "If I'll just take less pay I can stay home with him/her and watch them grow up" and then say No to that! All I'm saying is go for BOTH -- stay home with your baby or for whatever reason you want to work from home but DEMAND for yourself and as a group with all of us the best wage you can get as well! Go for the cake AND the ice cream. You DESERVE both! Just be professional about your work responsibilities to prove to your boss that you DO take your job seriously and CAN do both and are worth the pay which isn't likely to get any better when this tactic works so well.
Many seem to forget this is a PROFESSION. We're not at home making home-made preserves to be sold at the county fair or something. Sometimes we come off sounding like that, though. I'm sure the doctors and lawyers on the golf courses talk about the benefits from working from home too but they don't share that with their patients whom they still charge the same. We keep shooting our cause down all by ourselves. If MTSOs were not allowed to read this site, it would be a different matter. But, like I said, we're being watched.
If you want to move this to the Main Board go ahead. I don't know how to. I've only replied to threads.
Good luck to you and all newbies!!!
Thank you! I am so glad to hear
that using the pinkie to shift will not interfere with the program.
Glad you found it helpful! :) NM
x
Glad to hear such good news!
I am happy for you and your family, and I hope he continues to improve.
"Continue to be happily employed?" I'm glad you put THAT in writing
because those are words you are going to eat within the next five years. Better wake up and smell the coffee.
I've been searching for quality MT school- glad I found this Board
It appears that everyone can agree on M-Tec or Andrews School--by the way is that Linda Andrews and not Andrews/Holbrook?
I want to get started with training soon and I'm having difficulty deciding. I've taken both their tests and they both seem like good choices. Decisions, decisions...
|
