Guess what, it's not just the testing. MANY doctors are terrible dictators.
Posted By: deb on 2009-01-28
In Reply to: Hello - sonnett
Sometimes the dictation they use for the test is from the actual doctors they are hiring MTs for. If you can't do it on the test, you can't do it, period.
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something you like! seriously, MT is a terrible choice
for a full time job; much too isolating and much too hard on the neck, back and fingers to do 40 or 40+ hour week. Even if you work Wed and Sat at the flower shop, you will be better off in the long run.
ESL dictators
I'm sure they are, but certainly there must be entry level positions that would not require ESL transcribing. I would hope to gain some on the job experience first. Just out of curiosity, I was offered a job but the contract that they wanted me to sign seemed way out of line. I'm wondering if this is customary?
Difficult dictators
Ask for one week of dictation of nothing but this one dictator. I guarantee you after a full week of listening and getting used to the "cadence" of this particular person, you will begin to know what is being said. ESLs oftentimes have limited vocabulary in English and you will find them using the same phrasing throughout the PE, for example, which they reel off very quickly and then will slow down for pertinent findings. We have a few difficult dictators and have found the only way for someone to train is to do that one dictator for at least one week and no one else. Once that occurs, you will be requesting that dictator (believe it or not) and will spin through the transcription. I have seen it happen with at least 6 MTs already. I hope this helps.
As far as fast dictators,
you should be able to slow it down with your program. If not, you'll just have to do a lot of stopping and starting.
ESL dictators are everywhere in the MT world.
If you can't do them, you are going to be severely limited.
Fast talking dictators
What do you guys do when you get a dictator who rattles off words so fast you have no idea what they are saying? I have tried to slow down the dication but it still doesn't help. I can barely make out a word this guy is saying. Half of my typed document is blank spaces and I don't want to turn it in to QA this way.
Unfortunately, if you can't understand the dictators, you're not going to be able to do the wo
That's the reason for testing in the first place.
Probably make in the low teens at first, unless you get lucky with great dictators. nm
b
Easy or not will depend totally on the type of dictators
s
foreign doctors
Should I make more money for foreign doctors transcription? What is the going rate for nephrology transcriptions for a foreign doctor??
In the few doctors I have done that are verbatim - sm
they want it exactly as they say it, even if it does not make sense to you. That is every comma, period, new paragraph, etc. On others, my QA mgr says we can clean up grammer as long as we don't change the meaning of the sentence (as he says, as long as it is not going to kill them). We NEVER guess on drug names or doses if we cannot make them out clearly. As for the BOS or keeping with the style of the company, most doctors want it done their way no matter what the BOS says, it is not their handbook. Every company you work for does things differently, some do p.o/PO, q.i.d/QID, q.d., q. day/every day, mL/ml instead of cc, etc.
i know that ahp uses ESL doctors on their tapes
because they want you to get used to listening to accents. my original question was asking if there was anyone on here who is taking course 5 of AHP because then we could help each other, but mostly so i could get some help on a particular report. hahaha. i hate sending in reports with so many blanks. i actually really like ahp and they do send your reports back with corrections and tell you what they think your weak areas are.
my intention when i get done with ahp is to get a job working at a hospital and then when i have experience work from home. is it harder to get a job with a hospital than to get a job with a company like MedScribe or ProTrans?
Doctors' offices pay little or nothing anyway. see message
I've seen this happen before. It usually turns out to be a mess and they go back to a classic transcription system. As far as coding, they use a Superbill anyway. They don't need a coder. They just list the codes and check off the appropriate ones for each student. They don't get paid as well as if they had an actual certified coder, but they won't or can't afford a real coder. That's nothing new. As far as the transcriptionist, most dermatologists don't hire transcriptionists anyway. They scribble the notes in the patient's chart. Even if they use some voice recognition system and get poor results, it may be easier to read than the scribbled notes. I've also noted that doctors who do have transcriptionists who know what they are doing are not willing to replace them with a machine. Others are easily replaced. That's just what I've seen and I have access to small and large organizations.
The doctors should dictate better, but it is our job to decipher
whatever they are saying, flying, mumbling, eating, etc. I recommend typing what you can and then go back and relisten and see if you can get blanks. If you still can't hear listen a few more times. With experience you are able to decipher. You can slow down the dictation and that may help.
I had about 6 years' experience before I started doing the difficult ESL dictators and I was not very good, mainly because I was majorly stressed out with the whole job. I've got about 18 years' experience now and can pretty much do any ESL without any blanks. Sometimes I do have to listen 2 or more times to a word though. Sometimes when I hear it first I swear they aren't speaking English at all and a couple of times that has been the case.
Doctors speaking too fast!
Ok i need some help here, i can not understand what some of these doctors are saying because they are speaking way to fast!! I have tried slowing down their voice and speeding them up but it is not helping me at all. Please please help.
doctors speaking too fast
Well thank you for your response. I am really worried about this issue...... especially if there is a whole sentence I cant understand but I guess blanks are the only option.
Doctors generally won't just contract with an IC from an ad-- too much risk...sm
pretty much all the docs rely on word of mouth to find services or transcriptionists. Can you imagine turning your office transcription over to someone brand new? As an IC, not only do you have to still get the work produced when you are out sick or on vacation (do you have a back up plan?), you also have to troubleshoot file transfers, etc. all by your lil' ol' self. Yesterday, I went into the office of an internal medicine doc who had dropped our service. He moved and decided to just try to keep up with the charts himself - but after 3 months finally called desperately saying, what would it take to get set up with you again? I walked into the office, programmed his Olympus recorder, set him up with a user ID on the FTP site, and then installed an program that would allow him to place his recorder in a docking station, press OK when the "Do you want to import?" window popped up, and the software is automatically going to upload his file to the ftp site, and download the completed dictation. Then I showed him how to print it, and made some recommendations as to how he could archive his work. So you see... handling the account for the doc isn't as easy as it seems, is it?
So you can't do the ESL doctors? Your skills may be what's limiting your success
Your skills may be limiting you. Do some work on them. See if you can bring your work up to the level necessary to do well. You can do it!
Have you tried local clinics or doctors' offices?
I went to a local community college and decided I didn't want to work for a large national so I sent out resumes to local offices and I got a job working for a Nephrology office with great benefits. I can be done, just send resumes everywhere and test when you can.
Mumbling doctors cause major frustration!
Why can't someone just speak clearly? Grrr. Sorry, really needed to vent to someone who understands. I have re-played and re-played and it doesn't make it much better. This doctor clearly mumbles. 
Have you tried local hospitals, doctors, small MTSO's
That's how I started out working for a very small local MTSO, then I went on to become an employee of a small local nephrology group where I still am today with great pay and benefits. I had no experience when I stated but the small MTSO decided to give me a chance. Don't give up.
i'd guess
that employers are always looking for those willing to work weekends, evening or night hours; of course, someone with common sense, English skills and terminology knowledge, and esp someone they can depend upon. But above all, someone that does quality transcription, not just someone going fast for the money they can make. Blanks are much more acceptable than errors. When looking for a company, there are so many factors to consider. But definitely beware of any outfit that requires money up front of any kind (and avoid). Try to go with a company you see represented on this or other legitimate boards. Age should not be a problem. Most will try to hire cheap so have enough confidence in what you bring to the table that you don't sell yourself short, even while trying to break into the field. Good luck!
Guess I still need
A LOT of help! ;) Thank you for everything. I will definately remember that one since I embarassed myself on here.
Guess what
My doctor recommended this course to me. He and his fellow doctors perfer AHP graduates.
And guess what? I am smart enough to research online and in other books about transcription. I love reading the word help postings and trying to find the answer myself. That is good practice. I have purchased extra dictation to transcribe too. If you want to do anything well you have to give it your all.
It's okay for a newbie I guess
Generally (not always though), 1 minute of dictation equals 10 lines of transcription. So, a 60-minute dictation would be 600 lines. At $40 per dictated hour, that would be equivalent to 6.66 cents per line.
Thanks!!! =) Could be better, could be worse I guess!
n/a
Guess I got lucky!
I worked with a great group of people who were more than happy to answer a quick question if they could, and after a while it went both ways. I really didn't understand the competitiveness until I worked for a national inhouse when they had an office here in town. What a rude awakening.
I guess I have two questions?
1. Why is it such a shock to newbies that the field is so hard to break into?
2. Why aren't the people who sell these MT training programs telling newbies that it is so?
Well I guess I have never had a job then. I must have imagined that I did.
x
I guess I was lucky
I graduated in June from At-Home Professions. I had a job a few weeks before I was finished. Now four months later I am done training and making 10-cents a line! I had a mentor until last week and now I am completely on my own working for a hospital in California in Neurology. I guess I was just lucky...keep on trying. I could not afford the "top three" schools. I feel that my school was adequate, it gave me a start and I've had to work really hard, but it has been well worth it-I am making awesome money, work about 4 hours a day and get to stay home with my 2 boys. Find someone to mentor you-the best thing I ever did.
I guess no one, huh? Wow! Bad sign maybe?...nm
nm
I guess you did not understand
what I said then.
I guess I should proof my work better too...ha ha
guess it's true what they say about newbies...sm
a bunch of eager-beaver pants-wetters who know everything from their 20 hours of transcribing "real" tapes, plus entitlement attitudes
I guess I'm just not willing to work THAT hard
But you are right, if you are IC you have no health care benefits, 401k, etc, so you'd get paid more. Also working for 3 different companies helps. Good luck to you.
Should be exception....... I guess my emotions
i guess when they moved your post
they deleted my answer. Did you (OP) see it first?
I guess I should have clarified this since posts have been
what I meant was why anybody would go to the trouble of starting out now to be an MT..the intense training it takes. I certainly can understand those of us who have been in the biz for a while... but now I see the post above is about "being a part time MT" Do newbies not understand the amount of training it takes? That is my point...it takes years to be proficient to cover all acute care...and only to make a small wage...that was my point.. And I stand by it. It is a profession that absolutely does not pay off for new hires.
Agree with below, leave blanks, don't guess
You should never guess. If you are not sure, leave a blank. I don't know for sure, but companies will most likely hold you to the same QA standards as everyone else, but they may be more understanding that you have to send more blanks to QA. Ask QA to send the corrections back to you so you can review them.
I guess you don't mind working for $5-10 an hour.
I don't feel 5 cpl is worth my time. Even doing 200 lph (it took me 7 months to get to that point), I would only be making $10 an hour. Why would anyone waste their time? Their are companies out there that offer new MTs much better rates. But if you don't feel you are worth more than that, by all means, go ahead and accept minumum wage.
Guess I didn't link it! Pasted inside...sm
http://www.unitedtran.com/default.htm nm.
I guess most of us weren't responding to that...just commenting in general. sm
...especially regarding the comments of the comment on the comment....ya know?
Testing for a new job
I am testing for a new job. Anyone know where I can find some reviews or quizes on passing written exams? I have been out of school for a while. I need this job, it has benefits.
Testing
Unless they specifically tell you not to, yes, it is acceptable, and in fact, expected.
Testing
Hey anyone have any clues to how you pass the test's. I have messed up 2 now.
They are fine all except one file, then you can't fingure hardly anything he says.Any help would be great!
what is testing like?
I second the summary given about testing for a job!
What is the testing like...I'm new!
Hello,
I just found this board today and have been sorting though the posts. What is the testing like when you apply for a job? So far I haven't gotten to that in my studies. I am studying from home and am curious what to expect. Thanks for your help.
AD
Regarding testing - sm
Different companies have different types of testing. A lot of times when you apply on-line for a position, you will be asked to take a test during the process, usually general transcription questions, terminology, spelling, and some grammar questions as well. If the results of the on-line test are acceptable, you may get a call and may be given a verbal test. Then, you may be asked to download and transcribe a few reports. Most of the time, especially if you know your stuff, the testing isn't too bad.
Best of luck to you!
Testing ?'s
I recently finished an MT course, I haven't done any testing yet and would like to know if I can test myself and how? It seems like I'm really slow so I trying to find a job or networking is difficult, I'm still trying to figure out alot of the lingo everyone use.');>![](http://forum.mtstars.com/smileys/sowhat.gif") Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
re: testing
Hi Chris,
I just use this rule for testing, type verbatim exactly what is being dictated. If they dictate numbers for a list then type it, if they don't then don't type the numbers just paragraph form. I think they just want to see how accurate you are and how long it may take you if it is a timed test. They'll give you acct specifics if they hire you, just type verbatim and you should be safe!
God bless you in your job hunt and testing!
re: testing
Hi!
I usually just type verbatim and if they make a mistake correct it for grammar's sake. I think they look for seeing how you correct things as well. Unless the doc is extremely picky and you have been told to type EXACTLY what he says, I would correct any common sense mistakes.
Just my advice having taken tons of tests.
God bless!
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