I find that lots of companies are using ShortHand these days.
Posted By: me on 2008-02-04
In Reply to: what word expander program - bma
They have a 30-day trial.
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Be sure to investigate the company first. Lots out there, lots
that are not legitimate.
I agree Shorthand is great
I use ShortHand it is the best investment I made
Word expander Shorthand
Can anyone tell me if the word Expander program of ShortHand works well with Editscript? If not or if there is another program that will work well, would you please comment and let me know? I am ready to make this purchase and I work on the Editscript platform. What I'd like to know is what you like and dislike about the program and how difficult it is to install, learn and use.
Before anyone posts to tell me to do a search, please know that I have searched and have not been able to find this kind of information. I just don't have much money and don't want to waste money on a program that may not suit my needs. So, your honest comments on how well this program works for you as an MT, particularly on that platform, would be very helpful and appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
Shorthand will give you a free 30
day trial to try it out. After 30 days, if you choose to buy it, it'll cost about $100.00. It's pretty good.
Good luck.
ShortHand is another good one. I didn't like IT; not simple enough for me! nm
s
ShortHand is very good and not complicated to learn. nm
s
I personally love ShortHand for Windows
www.pcshorthand.com
Shorthand versus Instant text
Looking for a great word Expander to work with. I am clueless at this point as to what is out there and how they even work. I have had ShortHand and Instant Text suggested to me, but not sure which one will be better.
Thanks for your help.
MTStars FlashType is also just like Shorthand only cheaper in price.
l
60 days is too long even for me
/
Thank you all. I will give it a few more days
I will call them. I still feel really uneasy, but maybe this is just the way it is. I'm too much of a newbie to know any better! Thanks!
A Few Days Late?
My Discover Card was billed for the first payment on August 10th. I finally received a dictionary on September 8th - nothing else - no study aids - just a dictionary. I authorized the charges for the foot-pedal and CDs on August 17th. I still have not received them. So after 10 emails and several phone calls, and the 4th week since I paid for the second part of the materials, "a few days" is not an accurate depiction of their shipping practice. As for Carol, she writes short, precursory responses to questions - I'm not quite sure why you're singing her praises over that. I've gotten too many responses from students who have had my experience - not yours. Several said that they never even received the certificate after completing the course. So, good for you - but don't criticize others for telling the truth about their experiences. Last time I looked, there was free speech in this country. The VLC erases grades when someone speaks out.
What hours/days are you available. sm
Please email me with your the above info and where you received your education.
Ha! Some days are less productive
than others. He has times where he plays by himself. We also have a swing. Other times he just sits on my lap and we deal with it. I love nap time! Thankfully, my husband is in school and is home during some of the day to watch him.
Why the gross is 2 days before . . .
You may very well be missing something, and that something is the date the gross exam was done.
If they did not tell you, then you would have no way to know when it occurred.
Here's what happens. A specimen (biopsy, some organ removed at surgery, etc.) arrives in pathology. The pathologist looks at the specimen, describes what he sees, and then slices it up into pieces small enough for processing. That is the "gross exam." He dictates this. It's transcribed with that date.
After the tissue has been processed in the lab and slides prepared, the pathologist looks at the slides. This is the "microscopic exam." He dictates his impression and it is transcribed with THAT date.
In actual practice, you would not know the date of dictation unless you saw it somewhere. It's either on the tape or on the dictation system.
In your example, it looks as though the gross was dictated and transcribed on the 5th, two days before the microscopic was dictated and transcribed on the 7th.
This was a good question. It shows attention to detail, which is a good trait. Rest assured that there is nothing in MT -- no rules, no fancy calculations -- for determining dates of dictation or transcription. You just use whatever the dates actually are, and someone has to tell you what they are in order for you to know.
Redpen
Andrews School
work for MTSO as an IC - days
nm
From my typing school days
I recall learning that a word consists of five characters, spaces, symbols, etc., so it seems to me that they are asking for a 65-character line rate.
and yes, my children go with me to pick up tapes on their off days from MMO...nm
That company that asked you what days/hours
As an independent contractor, a company cannot dictate your days/hours unless they "employ" you. Glad it works for you! However, the IRS does not see it that way. You are providing a service whether it is transcribing or building a brick wall. They can guide you with what tools to use, how they want the job accomplished, and for that matter in regards to time constraints, but they cannot have you punch a time clock. With that said, I also IC for a company that requires 24-hour turnaround, which I am willing to accept as "part of the business". In this business, the vast majority of companies gain these accounts for you and I to work on by providing 24-hour turnaround. Most companies will train you on their equipment if you do not have experience. They will provide samples of reports if you are not meeting QA and also provide input to bring your QA score up to par. I make my own hours in that I will not say to this company, I'll work, for example, 9a-5p, because there may be days when I cannot do that due to the fact that I have other commitments whether it be with my children or with the fact that I have my own accounts that I need to tend to, which quite frankly is not their business to know. You are providing a service, which just happens to be transcription. If this company is getting away with setting your schedule, then you should most definitely be an employee. That is your choice, however, to allow them to dictate that to you. Most companies do not pay, as you already know, for your benefits. Bottom line really is you are a subcontractor. The MTSO is the contractor actually, and then you subcontract for the contractor.  Thank goodness the company I work for knows the difference. 
I started working from home within 2 days of graduation.
I have been with my same company for coming up on 6 years now. I had some tough days in the beginning, but I dug in, learned as much as I could, and made it through the hardest part. In-house may be better for some starting out, but it worked for me being at home as long as I was willing to work hard. Good luck to you. :-)
Lots of feet....
I never expected such a response, but wanted to say that I opened that door to one person, from about 60 responses, and am happy with the decision. Best of luck to you all!
I've done lots of looking
and have never seen a work from home opportunity that doesn't require a few years' experience.
There are lots of schools
I don't really know anything about the school you are referring to, but you are right about there being a lot of schools out there. I graduated from Meditec and don't hear much about them on the boards. What I have heard hasn't been so great. For all it is worth, I graduated, went through their internship program and am working as an IC MT now. I can't complain.
As far as schools go, sure you get what you pay for. But you also get out of a school the effort you put into it. I've tested with several companies and have never had even a hint from any of them that my school was a bad. Not everyone can afford the top three. Not only that, not everyone even starts out knowing about them. I'd already started in my training program when I learned the "top three" were even there. I did not frequent the boards then and that's the only place I see and hear this stuff.
Cut yourself lots of slack...
I worked so hard for so little money when I first started out. I wondered often if I had made a huge mistake becoming an MT. But you do gradually get the swing of it and learn how to "work smarter, not harder." For me, it really was more like a year or so before I was happy with the money I was making and the stress level. Try not to look at your hourly rate too often, and focus on the things that are getting easier for you and better. You may work long hours for a while, but look at the gradually increasing paycheck. It's a process. This too will pass!
I'm sure you will be fine. The fact that your work is looking so good that they're giving you more already is a GREAT sign that you have what it takes to succeed! I'm much more concerned about people who sacrifice quality for speed.
Keep it up! You'll get there!
and lots of grammar errors.
It is always good to have dreams.....
No, lots of transcription work available, though
ASR and the like are becoming more prominent.
Lots of stress and long hours doing MT especially - sm
when you are first starting out. If you have to live on this, then in the beginning it is not a good choice. But if you are married and have a spouse income to live on and yours is just supplemental then that will work. When I first started 5 years ago I made $5K the first year, granted that was PT but I worked FT hours basically. I still work PT but practically FT, 30+ hours a week. I made about $16k this in 2006. Now I am not a fast typist (100-160 lph depending on dictator), and I find it hard to sit here and type for a solid 6 hours so I get easily distracted and goof off instead of working or else I am sure I could do $20K+ easy as I have more good than bad dictators. But some companies have mostly ESL and it is very hard to make money that way especially starting out. So many factors factor into to your income, your ability and typing speed, the ease of dictators, and if you can be dedicated and not get distracted. Obviously the more you can dedicate yourself and work consistently the more money you can make, just depends on your personal goals. Good Luck.
Tiger Direct and New Egg....lots of computers
xx
lots of links provided at the angelfire link.
http://www.orthoguide.com/ortho/
http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/transcription/translinks.html
lots of good info at M-TEC and Andrews web sites - nm
x
Still lots of in-house jobs on the big job search sites. The at-home US MT is going the way
s
Not as a newbie! Lots of new drugs, lab values, tests, implants, etc. Clinic would be better. nm
,
Don't know TTS, but if the program has errors due to lots of ESLs, sloppy docs, etc. you'll ha
s
Just type what you hear. Lots of things are repeated in differnent notes.
s
Still plentiful jobs in MT if you want to do it in-house. Lots of jobs
s
She's been trying to find...
I agree, there were some at the online course I took who have been 'taking' the course for 2 or 3 years. I suspect that to many the lure of $$ takes over with little concern for the amount of work and the responsibility of the job.
I can't find a job!!!
I just graduated about a month ago from Career Steps and I can't seem to find a job anywhere. Everyone wants 2+ or more years experience. I am going to try and go out on my own so I hope that it works. Does anyone else find it hard to find a job that is new??
I can't find a job!
This is what I did 6 years ago while in the same position. Send a letter or flyer to all the speech and language pathologists in your area. It's easy transcription, but charge by the page. I currently charge $4.50 a page and do about 250 pages a month. These people are usually psychologists and don't want to deal with the line count thing. It worked for me. No ESL's and they pronounce each word correctly.
Good luck! E-mail me for more information.......resume@enter.net
I can't find a job!
No, speech and language pathologists are NOT PSYCHOLOGISTS. They are speech and language PATHOLOGISTS, which has its own separate certification and is very different from psychology.
How do I find them?
Could you give me a clue as to where I could start looking for these places that will give me an opportunity to sho them what I am capable of. This would solve child care and the fact I have no way of going anywhere.
Cant find a job
You need to find out what companies will hire Career Step graduates. They are partners in education with alot of transcription companies that will waive the 2+ years of experience. Check with your instructor from Career Step, to find out what companies to apply at. I graduated from Career Step- with honors, and it still took me just under a year to find a job. I happened to graduate at a time when no-one was hiring, so I had to wait it out. This is a hard profession to get into (working from home), unless you are willing to work on site for the first year or so.
can't find a job
I finally starting putting in my resume that I was tired of compaines not wanting to hire anyone without experience. That got my foot in the door and I will be starting with a company next week. Go for it don't let it discourage you. I too graduated from Career Step, BTW
You might find more help at
http://www.aamtstudentalliance.org/forum/
AND would like to find out what else to
study. Bought Stedman's Cardiology Skills Builder to further my skills.Would like to know another book I can study to improve skills without going to Andrews yet!
I am in AWE of the ladies who answer questions about words on the main board. They are amazing.
Can't find a job
I'm happy to hear that someone found a job. I also graduated from Career Step in late December and can't find anyone willing to train. They all want 2+ years experience. I think the only training is in other coutries. I'm getting discouraged.
She's been trying for some time to find
someone to tell her she can take the $1.95 MT course, then get a job making big bucks working only when she wants. She's been told the truth, she just doesn't want to hear it. And I don't care what you think of me, Carol.
It's hard to find...
someone to even give me a chance. I've been really lucky so far.
Thanks for the advice though.
where do the newbies go to find a mt job
I just granduated from my school as a Medical Transciptionist and would love to find a work at home job and everywhere I look they want you to have all this experience. Where does one get that experience? Please help!!!!
Why not contact them and find out?
.
I can't find a website. I think
they should give more information about the company than they did if people are to send their sensitive information by e-mail.
The ones that I see above went to school and can't find
jobs. They weren't nurses hoping to change careers. 
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