I'll sign that one...I quit reading her posts about a month ago
Posted By: anon on 2008-06-24
In Reply to: Can we start an EvaEv banishment petition? - XanaX
because they are so negative and condescending. If she was nearly as smart as she thought she was, she would be kinder. I haven't read one of her posts in at least a month. If I see her name as the poster, I simply skip that particular message. She is a nasty individual, in my opinion anyway.
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I wasn't being nasty - quit reading between the lines
x - but do not think that you are just going to walk back into this like it's a walk in the park. It's not. Things have changed and it's not what it used to be and it is not where the money used to be.
It's been only a little over a month since the last posts about this (sm)
Tsk, tsk. This woman needs to go away and stop ripping people off.
you overcome it by doing it..you'll never learn if you quit.
bn
If all you get from reading the MQ posts
is about ASR, you're not paying attention.
I love reading your posts Patti!
 nm
Spend some time reading through posts on this board
and you'll find your info about the preferred schools and the ones to avoid. I don't know of any MT company that is setup to work with MAC.
If you spent any time at all reading this board you'll
see what a struggle it is for newbies to get jobs at home. If you go to one of the better schools your chances are better, but still no guarantee. I think anyone looking to get into this field now is crazy. Lots of work being offshored and lots of working going to ASR, which leaves fewer jobs for available. j
Go thru ALL the posts on these many pages and you'll find most of
s
If you read through the past posts here you'll
see that M-Tec and Andrews were the best. They help with placement and most grads have a job by the time they finish up. Career Step is the next choice.
Read ALL the posts on this board & the Company board and you'll
s
If you'll check the company board you'll find
they have been talked about several times recently. They are an Indian company and no one has had anything good to say about them.
You'll just come to trust yourself as you go. You'll stop replaying the
s
Sign me up!
I would be honored to be signature #2 on the EvaEv banishment petition!
Hope this is not a bad sign
I just finished a dictation that the dr. cancelled 20 seconds into it because he "already did it on EMR".
Acct still has a large volume of work, but I wonder if they are easing into EMR.
Has anyone else started to run into this?
I work for a service so at least this one account is not my only source of income, but it does provide a lot of work.
Keeping fingers crossed.....
I guess no one, huh? Wow! Bad sign maybe?...nm
nm
That is definitely a good sign,
because there will be MANY times you have to research, so good thing you like it!
Do not quit your old job
I have found the Medical Transcription field is a tough to get into. There are so many more qualified MT's who are looking at the same postings we are. I would suggest that you keep you day job until you have permanent employment. Job seeking is not for the faint of heart. It takes a great deal of determination and never ending cash flow.
Should I quit?
I was hired as an MT Editor two weeks after graduation. Needless to say, three weeks later I was told that I didn't have the experience and the trainer had quit so I was sent home to type. The first two weeks I couldn't even type because the software wouldn't work on my computer. Since then I only type two-three days a week because they never have enough work. Recently I was told that I have been on hold status too long and have been given a deadline.
Should I just give up? And should those first five weeks even count? How are you supposed to come off of QA if you rarely type? Also all of the QA editors are new (they started when I did even though they have transcription experience) and each one has their own preferences. So what one editor changes, another one doesn't. They constantly change the acct. specifics and when I complain they tell me that they are aware of the situation and working to get everyone on the same page.
I need the experience but this seems like an impossible situation. Any advice?
Should I quit?
Thanks for the reply. I think so too. I love medical transcription but I dread working every day and I work from home. I am just concerned about finding another job with so little experience.
That is why I quit doing VR.
I did VR when I started. I liked the work, but I could see the pay was never going to be what I needed. I only make 7.5 cpl for transcription, but because of my templates, macros, and Instant Text, I can get good line counts.
That is why I mentioned the future of this field and my Plan B. I will not do VR again unless the pay rate for VR seriously increases.
Sign off blocks - Pathology
I'm taking the Gatlin online course and muddling my way through it all. My facilitator does not respond very quickly and my frustration with trying to figure these things out alone is mounting. [img]http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/7072/dry4hz.gif[/img]
On a Pathology Consultation I am supposed to put in an additional signoff block after the Gross Diagnosis. My question in concerning the dates. The answer key gives an earlier date than the Transcriptionist would have obviously received it. The D: and T: are the 7th at the last block, but the first block is supposed to be two days before, according to my answer key.
So, is this just standard acceptable cheats on dates or am I missing something?? [img]http://img116.exs.cx/img116/934/z0tdntknw.gif[/img]
Wow! This is a sign to beware of her start up costs.
what your MTs will get. By not giving an answer you are causing us to jump to conclusions...
Ready to sign up MTEC/Andrews - Confused
I have taken the pre-enrollment test for both Andrews and MTEC and I am really torn between which school to go through. They both look like excellent schools, especially after reading all the posts from the graduates out there.
I know that MTEC's Tier 1 Premier program is about $400 or $500 less than Andrews, which is a plus, but I want to make sure I'm making the right choice.
As of last week I was ready to sign up at Andrews, but for some reason I am leaning towards MTEC. I have done transcription in the past, but I am definitely needing to start over because that was a long time ago.
Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.
I make good money at it, wouldn't quit for anything.
This particular board has a lot of "the sky is falling" mentality but in reality, there are many, many MT jobs.
I make about $30.00 per hour, well worth my time.
Quit telling people they HAVE TO GRADUATE FROM ANDREWS (sm)
to get a freaking job in this field. I didn't go to any overpriced overrated schools, I have my own accounts and I make well over $40K a year. I have plenty of work (too much in fact) and I am so sick and tired of you people saying the only schools that are qualified are Andrews or M-Tech.
If you want to work for a slave-wage national, sure, then spend your money and get the "good credentials" and see how long it takes you to get your $ back.
However, if you want to succeed, it's possible without being suckered in if you are willing to pound the pavement, sell yourself and do a good job. It is possible. I, for one, am proof of that and frankly I'm sick and tired of all the negativity towards people who didn't go to the coddled 2 schools.
Most smaller MTSOs don't give a flip about where you got your education. We care that you can do the job. Period.
Two years this month.
I was just telling some gals that I have made the mistake of attaching versus copy and paste more than once. I was applying to many companies and simply not reading directions word-for-word while doing so. With "many" companies actually preferring the attachment method, I just honestly got in a hurry and didn't pay attention. I did this as a new grad, I've done it with a couple years' experience! I also caught it right away too, and resubmitted, but that's not the point. Just like MTSOs "scan" resumes in a few seconds, I scanned ads. Just a fact! I'm busy too, whether I'm working or not. I know better now though!
I think as a newbie, and with so many companies using the "two-year experience clause," I just felt like a submitting machine. I didn't put a lot of thought into what I was actually submitting, because I really didn't expect anyone to pay much attention to me no matter what I did.
I did, however, make sure that I spellchecked any communications and tried to be as professional as possible. You might be surprised at how "unprofessional" some MTSOs are! I am hearing them say that they don't want to hear about personal issues, but I have also had many come back and burden me with their own! They sometimes set the tone for casual-type communications, which I find offensive and unnecessary.
I started out with all my resources in place. I think that MTSOs have to remember that a newbie is just that. We have just spent thousands to be educated, bought a new computer in some cases, bought a library maybe, and had to set up an office in our home as well. I invested thousands before I applied for my first job! An experienced mentor and friend told me not to scrimp where resources were concerned, and I didn't! The generalization of the MTSO about newbies was what ticked me off. We might make mistakes, but who doesn't? That was unfair!
As far as the $400 phone system, that I would have noticed and passed on immediately. Some schools don't even explain what these are. I had to ask! I now own one that I haven't used in over a year since I bought it. You are trained with Wav files, which is the more prevalent of the two forms of obtaining voice files, and no, I don't have one sitting around "just in case." These bad boys cost from $300-$800. Get real. I doubt there are many experienced MTs who have this or would spend that kind of money upfront before ever hearing the dictators and knowing what you are getting into.
I do, however, think it is perfectly fair to expect that applicants have the basics in place, i.e., resource books, Word processing program, updated computer with protection, and at least a USB pedal.
There is no excuse for punctuation, spelling and grammatical errors in any communications related to finding work. I agree with that.
I hired on with Medquist out of school, or soon thereafter. Here was their attitude at my office: Leave a ton of blanks, time is money, you will learn from your feedback (if you are lucky enough to get it).
I was very uncomfortable with that! I wanted to learn and grow. I was perfectly willing to spend ten minutes researching a single word or phrase in order to learn, and I felt good about my results. Fact is, more companies than not could care less. I've been told that we hire editors for that, so move on. Time is money!
I continually st rived for perfection, and that does take time. You have to be willing to spend countless hours in research and then verification through viable resources your first years. I did, and I don't regret it. Let's take into consideration also though that I was in a position to do that! I do this because I'm good at it and I love it. If I had to pay the mortgage and support a couple of kids, I might look at things in a whole different light.
I think that schools and their ads are a big problem when it comes to moms at home. They give the impression that having children, as well as not being able to pay for child-care services is some sort of prerequisite for this work! If you have these needs, this job is for you. Bull!!
Then, you have people replying to questions like, "why did you choose this career" with responses like, "I have kids and can't afford child care," versus, "I love this work, and I am good at it."
I personally strive and always have for perfection. I have done my time in downtime, and that is with an extensive medical background beforehand! You really have to be willing to give your all, work hard and for little to start. That's a fact!
IMO, schools are failing sometimes to provide their students with essential information in important areas. I see new grads out on the moon alone the day after they pass their exam with nothing but a lousy outdated list of companies to apply to.
Yes, I think you addressed this issue appropriately. I hope it turns into a revealing and learning thread for all concerned!
Thanks,
Missy C
I applied about a month ago, but they said they
.
$30 a month is more than you can afford?
That's all I paid per month on my Sallie Mae loan that I used to go to M-TEC.
I reported her to the BBB about one month ago (sm)
I still haven't received anything from her. Good Luck!!!
6-month job assessment
I have been employed as a full-time MT for 6 months now, and I want to give myself a 6-month job review to truly assess my progress and outlook for the future. To be honest, I am a little depressed and frustrated. My story is below. Maybe some of you newbies can relate to what I am saying. Maybe some of you old-timers can help me put things into perspective. I welcome all comments and input.
My Story --
I graduated from one of the top 3 transcription schools last spring (the best of the 3), and I had good grades when I graduated. Even with this training, it took me several months to locate a full-time transcription job. I finally found a job last July with one of the major national MTSOs transcribing acute care dictation. I work from home. The company has a strict policy against allowing newbies to transcribe operative reports, so I don't do that work type. I transcribe everything else -- ER reports, H&P, discharge summaries, admission notes, consultations, and even a few SOAP notes for individual physician offices. I also do some procedure notes like cardiac cath and colonsocopies.
My primary account is a group of 7 inter-related hospitals under one ownership. Each hospital has its own formatting rules for the reports, and it took me a long time to memorize how to format each report type 7 different ways, and which hospital wants which format. It may sound easy, but it is not. The formatting rules are very specific and very picky, and it is easy to get mixed up and make mistakes. Imagine trying to play baseball using 7 different rule books at the same time. Imagine the chaos that would ensue and you have the general picture.
This brings me to my main problem -- speed.
Right now, I'm transcribing 80 to 90 lines per hour on a typical day doing straight transcription (no speech recognition). I seem to be stuck at this speed, and no matter how hard I struggle, I can't seem to raise the production. I use a ShortHand Expander and add to it every day. Still, the problem persists.
Here are the main speed issues:
1. I have 7 hospitals, hundreds of dictators, and almost no repeats. How do you build normals and templates if the doctor you transcribe for today is someone you may never hear again?
2. I have about 50% ESL, and that percentage is apt to grow to 80% in the future as they move more and more of my native English speakers to speech recognition. I feel good if I can transcribe these ESL guys at 60 lines per hour. I can't imagine whizzing along at 150+ How do you gain speed on ESL dictators you may never hear again?
3. Teaching hospitals yield resident dictators who yield lots of page flipping and no dictation. How do you do these guys quickly? Some dictate so slowly that I almost fall asleep waiting for the next word or two.
I really don't have answers to these questions, and that's why I am depressed. I am doing the hardest possible transcription (slowly), and I am earning minimum wage for my effort. I'm beginning to think I need a different job where I can learn the dictators and build speed. Clinic work for a few good doctors is looking better and better to me all the time.
Do you think I should change jobs? Should I stick to this job in acute care a little longer?
Thanks for reading all of this.
Want to start MT course this month
Hi -
I'm new and looking for information. I would like to start a MT course as soon as possible. I need a way to make some kind of income for my family. Right now I'm looking at Academy of Medical Transcription & Professions out of Maine and CareerStep. Would there be any recent graduates from either school that would be willing to tell me the pros / cons they found of their school? It's hard to compare and would like some input. There's some difference in money, but I really would like to take a course that is going to prepare me to start working right away after graduation. Any thoughts or advice?
Thank you for your help!
Becca (in MI)
"Guaranteed" but will you have the job after 1 month??
Sorry, MT courses are NOT what you make of it. You have to have adequate training with teachers who know what companies want and produce the best possible medicolegal document. You haven't even finished the course?? Talk to us after you've held a job for a month and THEN tell us your experience.
Signed, QA who wishes newbies had enough education and training.
After I graduated, I took about a month off.
When I started applying I was hired, the day after I began sending out my resume.
I found a job after about a month of searching
I have read the threads with so many negative comments about Softscript, but they do hire new grads.
You can get a Sallie Mae loan for M-TEC and pay only $30 a month.
,
You can get a Sallie Mae loan for M-TEC and pay only $30 a month.
.
If you enjoy reading . . . (sm)
If you enjoy reading, then MT may be a good choice for you.
If you enjoy reading dictionaries and encyclopedias, then MT may be a good choice for you, because you'll be doing both those things big-time.
If you enjoy reading about medicine and you like the "idea" of medicine, but you don't like actual patient contact, then MT may be a good choice for you (there is no patient contact).
If you like the idea of medicine, but you're afraid of hurting someone or making some horrible, life-threatening mistake, then MT may be for you, because there is little chance of that in MT.
If you are able to decide to do something and stick with it in spite of some parts of it being not quite what you enjoy, then MT may be for you. There are boring parts of MT, just like there are boring parts of any job.
If you prefer to function in self-directed mode rather than in closely supervised mode, and if you are actually successful functioning in self-directed mode, then MT may be for you.
If your concept of "accuracy" is what most people consider to be obsessive and nit-picky, then MT may be for you. If your concept of accuracy is "yeah, whatever," then MT is definitely not for you.
after reading some of your questions,
I wouldn't say you got the best MT education to be had. I also don't see where you have interest in doing for yourself (that Stedman's Work At Home issue). While you are looking at your insular little world, you haven't been around the past, well, even 10 years, to see the changes that have brought down this industry. Ten years is not even considered one generation. There will be need for GOOD MTs still for many years to come, but those positions will be held by the very best MTs to be had and who are still willing to work for the pay that goes down over time. Many other positions that are now MTs will transition into something different, something still with a living to be offered but different just the same.
Just this year, my employer restructured its pay scale so that in order to make the same cpl, I had to produce an additional 4000 lines per month. If I didn't, I suffered a pay cut of 1 cpl. Obviously this has not happened to you. I've been at it much longer than I suspect you've been an adult. I do not plan to leave the industry although my alternate education is already in place. I'm lucky because my skill set is very much in demand. I am a high, accurate producer with flexibility and if I'm making money, my employer makes much more.
But I didn't get there by patting myself on the back and asking questions that some research would help with and save myself the embarrasment of my peers for not having done the research.
As to what school to go to, read the writing on the wall and take one of the top 3. This industry has changed just in a few short years and if you don't know everything that everyone is doing, someone without education from the top 3 will have a more difficult time getting placement after schooling.
JMHO, which is free, and you're welcome to do with it what you will.
Been Reading awhile
I just wanted to say, that I have been lurking here quite a bit. My husband and I are both wanting to get into medical transcription. We plan on starting with Career Step next month. I don't have any questions as of yet, but I just wanted to say hi, and thank you all for giving the good, bad, and the ugly of it all.
I don't expect to make $80,000 a year, I don't need to.. I would just be happy if we(my husband and I) can make $30,000 a year between us once we have finished school and gained experience.
Again thanks
Just Venting!! Thanks for reading
How come we spend our time and our money to go to school for this for something that is such a high demand for and we cant get a job doing it??
This is messed up.
MANY people? I saw one! What board are you reading?
nm
Working for them and doing fine. I think you are reading into wrong. nm
xx
You are good at "grammer". I suggest reading
your post again. I can't type but about 45 wpm if I'm typing from a piece of paper, but doing transcription I can type about 100 wpm. Some companies request you type so many wpm, but I don't know how they measure that or what difference you make. Many companies do require a minimum lph though. Of course accuracy is more important than speed, but if you are getting paid on production you want to be able to type fast as well as accurate.
Reading between the lines, the work is coming
from India and no experienced MT would be willing to work for peanuts to basically have to redo the report.
If you have spent any time reading this board you
would know M-Tec would be the better option.
My deepest apologies because in reading my response and that icon, it came out much more sinister
of a remark, which was not intended as so sarcastic.
Here are some great links and I hope they help!
Grammar errors: http://esl.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsu.edu%3A8080%2F%7Ebrians%2Ferrors%2Ferrors.html
Miriam Webster Online: http://www.m-w.com
OneLook Dictionary: http://www.onelook.com
Grammar Slammers: http://englishplus.com/grammar/mistcont.htm
Guide to Grammar and Writing: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar
of these posts before I enrolled in an MT course. Thanks
Please read through the posts below (sm)
and be forewarned that there are so-called "companies" and "MTSOs" out there who say they hire newbies but then ask for money upfront in order to work for them. Bottom line: do not pay to work, except for purchasing your own software and equipment. Reputable companies and MTSOs will not ask you for money and will not need you to buy a footpedal from them. Take care and good luck!
Maybe it would help if posts had times on them
so we could see when each was posted. Sometimes it's two people posting at once, and one person got interrupted in the middle and took a while to finish and send.
I agree with both posts above...
I have over 30 years experience and started in a hospital.
Good luck!
All of your posts are helpful, but
I'm an almost Newbie who has become very confused reading all the posts about good schools, bad schools, good companies, bad companies -whew - my head is turning. This is something I have wanted for a long time. I've gotten taken by 2 bad schools and I'm just about to finish my third attempt and this time I'm determined to work. My problem is I can't afford to quit my current job in insurance and maybe not make enough money as an MT. I also don't know where to start to find a reputable company to even try to get MT work. I got into the Trans-Scam deal about 4 years ago and that had just completely discouraged me. I thought I would never be able to be an MT. I just didn't have what it takes. This time I'm determined and would certainly appreciate all the feedback you all have. I read some posts from MT's making pretty good money - but does anyone ever reveal what those good companies are?
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