I make more as an MT than I did as a nurse...
Posted By: jenn on 2007-11-02
In Reply to: Heck no! Your nursing definitely helps in this job, but you still need - MT training. Expect a BIG pay cut! nm
Nurses do not make the big bucks, let me tell you....I make more now as an MT...plus do not pay for daycare, etc....
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I make 2-3 times what I made as a nurse. nm
20$ an hour?!!! I couldn't make this as a nurse where I live! You are VERY blessed! nm
s
Nurse to MT
I went from nursing to MT. I did train for MT while workig as a nurse. One of my biggest problems during training and through an internship was the medical abbreviations, they differed from what I had used for the previous 16 years (lower case instead of upper case, periods used in MT abbreviations, but not in nursing, abbreviations you are not supposed to use, etc.). Eventually, I worked out those and other kinks. Each client you have will have their own specs as will the company you work for. There is a lot to learn that is new and specific to medical transcription and not really applicable to nursing.
My nurse background was very helpful in knowing the content of reports and "what was actually going on." But, overall, that was not enough to get a job right out of training, so I did an internship. I've been working since I completed that, but not for much money. I've not seen any really good money in MT yet, though I hear it is there. Having made the transition, I would suggest MT training. On the other hand, you may get lucky and land a nice side job without it, I don't hear of that kind of luck often.
The money is better in nursing, but it is a trade off. Personally, I find MT more rewarding than the abuse that goes along with nursing. If you are a long time nurse, you'll know what I mean. With your background, you may find you don't really need to take the most expensive MT school training. The top three are always recommended, though, since they seem to turn out really good grads.
Good luck to you and God bless.
Nurse to MT
I am a nurse, and I EASILY went into MT and found a job quickly! I will have to say that nurses seem to have more knowledge of med terms, drugs, and the like. If you are good at typing, spelling and the proper english language--go for it! I only do MT work now, because I am home with my 2 little ones, once they are grown, I will return to nursing. Good luck to you and ignore the negative comments!
NURSE TO MT
I'M A REGISTERED NURSE, AND LOOKING FOR A SIDE JOB. THIS APPORTUNITY CAME TO ME THROUGH CAREERBUILD FROM TRANSAMASSOCIATES. THEY'RE OFFERING AN MT COURSE FOR 450.00 DOLLARS ONLY! WHICH THEY CLAIM IS THE COST OF THE SOFTWARE, AND ONCE I PASS THEIR TESTS, THEY GARANTEE ME WORK FROM THEM. HAS ANYBODY HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THIS COMPANY? OR IS IT A SCAM? THEY CLAIM TO BE ON THE BOARD OF DIR. OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND THE BBB. ANY HELP ON THIS MATTER? THKX. MINA
Being a transcriptionist is much different from being a nurse,
even if it's a medical transcriptionist
How much does the average nurse know about surgical procedures? How much time does the average nurse (not surgical nurse0 spend in the OR? Radiology? Neurology? Just because they know medical terms does not mean they are ready to be a Transcriptionist without getting any training.
And I'd like to be a surgical nurse, but I don't have the hands.
Did you ever consider whether you had the skills and tools to become a technical writer (medical language specialist, specifically) before you went into this profession? Did you ever take any career personality type testing in school or on line?
I'd love to assist in surgery for my career, but realistically, I'm too clumsy. But if I were determined to do it, I would certainly have researched schools and paid whatever was necessary to make sure I went to one that could have prepared me so I could have had a chance at it. Otherwise failure would be a given, right?
Also was a nurse, still am. You NEED an MT program to learn about this job, not
s
I went straight from being a nurse to doing MT work with
no extra training. I worked in a local hospital and picked up quite easily on the medical transcription end (worked in that department for 18 months). I then tested for a national company that actually required 2 years experience or certification from an approved school, but I passed the test and did well enough that they hired me and waived the 2-year experience qualification. Been at that same company for 7 years, have worked on multiple accounts, received raises and had no complaints about my work. So, yes, you can go from nursing to MT. It takes some practice and some on-hands learning, but you can do it.
A nurse does not have the proper training to be an MT, anymore than an MT could suddenly decide to b
nm
Even some of us most experienced MTs don't make that. Make your
s
make as many as possible
expanders equals $$$$. But you have to be careful not to use the wrong one. If you have two that are similar you may end up with something ridiculous in your report so proofread well! I like to make Expanders for entire physical exams and operations. Some operations by some doctors are so similar it's worth it to do that.
Low MT pay v. those who make $40k+
I see so many people complain about the current rates of pay for MT's and say that they're barely making it. Then, every once in a while there's a post by someone who says they've been working as a MT for two or three years and are making over $40k. What gives?
Are the MT's making this much money just "lucky", with the right company or in the right situation, or just very fast? Are they working for their own accounts with no benefits and have to take a lot of taxes out of that $40-45k? Are the people who complain most about pay just newbies? Or, do many of you consider that amount to be barely making it? I live in the midwest, and that salary could easily support a somewhat modest lifestyle for myself, my partner, and our baby while he goes back to school.
I have a pretty good understanding of all the variables that go into MT salaries and that it's slow starting out. I realize this isn't a profession you get into solely for the money. I'm just wondering if it's reasonable to shoot for (for example) making $40k/year as an MT three years after graduating from Andrews.
Try these guys. They make (sm)
all sorts of handy gadgets like that.
I'm sorry you couldn't make it
Business actually is growing at a record pace. I'm truly sorry that you weren't able to meet the standards (one error per page...50 pages, 50 errors). It is not unusual for disgruntled students to forgive their inadequacies and blame it on the Company.
However, once enrolled in our program you can always come back and display your "talents". If you have been inactive for 6 months, you can pay a $50 reinstatement fee, submit a new application, and resume.
If you are that talented, making all that money, what do you have to lose? Another client, hospital, clinic?
I really don't think I'll hear back from you, $50.00 reinstatement isn't "petty cash," right?
Lin
Then you don't have what it takes to make it
as an MT. If you can't digest truthful information being given and have the courage to digest it, apply it to any areas of yourself that might need tweeking, then you will not last as an MT. This industry can be pretty rough at times. If you have thin skin, you won't make it. I can only imagine how you will take QA feedback.
Good luck to you.
Did you make the wine?
Some friends of mine like to make muscadine wine, here in Georgia.
Make sure you present yourself at your best
There is a lot of competition out there. You have to make sure your resume reflects you at your best. Have someone review your resume for typos, spelling, grammar, puctuation, or other errors. Make sure it is as perfect as it can be. Make sure your cover letter is perfect as well. The MTSO I work for has commented more than once that when she gets a resume with errors (for example, run-on sentences, missing punctuation, typos, etc.), she just drops it in the trash. When she advertises a job, she gets so many applicants that she doesn't waste her time with those who don't even look good on paper.
Y would it make it MORE DIFFICULT?
Having NO school experience is worse than having school experience????? I find that very hard to believe.
Actually, someone did make the statement
above that if you graduated from M-Tec, Andrews, or CareerStep many employers will waive the experience requirement. I'm thinking that is where the discrepancy lies. The statement is being misinterpreted to mean that they will waive experience altogether instead of just waiving it for testing.
do you mean you make 9 per every 65 char?
x
It isn't going to make much difference either way because
you're not producing a lot of minutes, a lot of lines, or a lot of pages.
That sure is a lot $$ for the course. You can easily make
$15K/year, but getting that first job will be difficult. I personally would not have invested that much money in taking an MT course.
Yes, this does make sense...
in the fact that I see the differences between these two sentences. The problem is, I don't know what to do with that information.
Forgive me, but WHAT do I have to do to make $40,000
a year? After 18 months I am so frustrated...0.07 cpl at 1000-1200 lines per day. Did I make the wrong choice or am I just not SHARP enough?
TIA
To make 40K per year,
You have to make roughly $20./hr for a 40-hour week (if my math skills are any good!). To do that, you need to either make a higher line rate, or produce more lines per hour. That means doubling either your lines per day or your cents per line.
I would venture a guess that most folks making 40K a year do NOT work for nationals, but have their own accounts which tend to pay more per line, which ups the $ per hour. Of course, with that comes a whole new set of headaches and probably more incidental hours (billing, delivering, bookkeeping...time spent maintaining an account in addition to transcribing hours.)
Unfortunately, by the time we see ads everywhere for big money opportunities (transcription, selling on ebay, raising alpacas, etc.) the prime time to get involved has probably already passed, and then folks who respond are stuck with disillusionment and bills for starting costs/prep.
Just my humble (and maybe a bit pessimistic) opinion.
You make more editing???
I make $22/h transcribing...interesting
We all make mistakes
No matter how long we've been at a job. It happens. You'll learn more and more and make less and less mistakes, but they will always happen. I see mistakes that even QA make while looking for samples, often.
Want to see a silly doozie I did the other day?
ERROR |
poor glucose tolerance (managed by died alone) |
CORRECT |
poor glucose tolerance (managed by diet alone) |
This error was upgraded because of this mistake and when I got my audit I was like huh? I kept looking at it wondering what was wrong with this. Finally I saw my mistake and felt so st*upid. And, I've been doing this for almost 10 years.
So, either you feel better knowing that you are not alone or worse knowing that you'll still be making these mistakes 10 years from now (just not nearly as much).
you can make up to $40 per hour.....
if your speed is good and you have a good expander. anyone who types less than 70 words per minute, will probably have a hard time earning over $20 per hour. Those who are making $5 to $9, well that's just crazy. Terrible account, terrible dictators, terrible expanders...something is definitely wrong.
Trying to make the right choice
I have spent months reading and learning about becoming an MT and I am still left with questions that I hope maybe a broader range of people might be able to answer (you all  )
Is Career Step's program the same as what's offered at M-Tec? The price is clearly not and I have spoken with enrollment at both locations and asked them directly the cost differences but normal everyday people who do the job is who's opinions I'd like most.
1. Training (are the both relatively close in what they teach)
2. Certificate vs. diploma
3. 4 months for one program vs. 9-12 for another.
Any honest, none school bashing, opinions would be very gratefully appreciated.
Need to make a decision soon....
Here's my situation: After months of research, I finally decided that I would like to go to M-TEC. Actually I would LOVE to go there! But I have one problem. I don't have the money for the down payment. As a teenager, I made a mistake of maxing out a couple of credit cards so now my credit is really bad so I cannot get the student loan they offer. Actually I can't get any student loan (that is credit based). So, I can either go through Everett Community College and use financial aid, and then maybe go back in a couple of years and go through the M-Tec Program? (I'm saving a little at a time so I can get my debt paid off) I guess I am just wanting a little advice on what to do or maybe hear from someone who went to Everett, because I don't want to go through this program and end up with no job! My son is already three and my husband and I don't want to wait too long to have another baby so I would really like to stay at home. Thanks a ton! You guys give really good advice on this board and that's why I came here to ask :)
Make your own hours?
absolutely not.. that's a myth..
Make Sense?
Does this make sense?
On sight apnea secondary to number one.
Yeah, and if you can't make it as an MT after taking the VLC course,
you can always take their basket making class.
You make some good points, BUT please SM
It's interesting how you only see PCDI grads and the like complaining that no one will hire them as new grads.
I can't remember ever seeing an Andrews, MTEC, or CS grad complaining they can't get a job.
I know a couple of recruiters who have told me they won't even look at PCDI grads. Are they possibly short-sighted? Maybe, but sometimes it's just not worth picking through the haystack to find the needle when you have another source of needles.
I would suggest looking for a smaller MTSO or a local physician/hospital to start out with.
How do people make a living in ....
this business? I'm new and realize how lucky I am to have a MT position in which I can work from home. I was hired by a MTSO who needed people on a new account she was getting. Now I am not needed on the account because it's just not rolling in all the work it was suppose to (maybe that is how is going to be or maybe just cause of the holidays). She continues to give me as much work as she possibly can and is constantly stating how amazed she is by my ability to catch on quick to the new doctors she throws at me. However, I am lucky to make $100 every two weeks. I am looking for a second MT job. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am wonder if even a second job is going to bring in enough money though. I actually just have to bring in around $500 (rent because my husband can pay everything else) but of course to be financially comfortable I would like to bring in more. Is it worth getting a second job or will I eventually have to get a third? I really want to stay working as an IC for the MTSO because she is so nice and it lets me be more flexible than a national would. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
I'm working, why would I need to make myself feel better?
I'm sure if they wanted them to know, they would have told them. I think you know we don't give out names here!!
Facts are facts! Good job cheering them on though!
It's okay as it is, or make it 'of the' oropharynx..nm
s
first year as IC, you don't have to make payments...sm
you could pay all of 2006 taxes by April 15, 2007. But in 2007, the IRS will send you forms that you use to pay quarterly. You pay 100% of last year's taxes in 4 equal payments and then make up the difference when you do your taxes. For example, you started as an IC in 2006. Your taxes were $2000. You pay $2000 by April 15 2007 and you also pay your first quarterly payment of $500 (1/4 of $2000) by April 15. I also would suggest you make all your payments in the current year - don't pay the last quarter by January 15 when it is due because it screws up your bookkeeping and state and feds handle it different. Pay your last quarter tax by December 31.
If you are on a network, make sure it is okay to use symbols
x
Blessed is more like it. Many of us oldie MTs don't make 10 cpl and never will. nm
s
You make the most sense of many, many people
On these boards! What you say is what I have found to be true, anyway. My problem is getting enough work without getting too much work. Right now, I do acute care part time through a woman who does the local hospital overflow. But, I'm her only part-timer, so some days there's a satisfactory amount of work, and other times I might go a couple weeks without any.
I'd love to get one single doctor and do all their stuff, that seems like a good amount. LOL Now, I just have to get off my tookus and find it!
Read thru all the New MT pages and make
s
How do you make such an expander list?
I just bought ShortHand and have a few words/phrases in it. I have no system as for deciding what to put in it. How do you decided what to do? I really need to improve my line count. Any info appreciated.
It's the incentives that make the difference
After transcribing for 7 years, I was making 13.60 per hour. I believe the starting wage back then (12 years ago) was around $8-9 per hour. Luckily now, most hospitals also offer incentives, differentials and bonuses. That's what really made a difference for me. The more lines we typed, the more $$ we made. With the incentives, I averaged $4 more per hour. $10 an hour starting doesn't sound too bad, considering you're in a small midwest town. I also live in a small town now and wages are never competitive unfortunately.
Gee, 0.06 to 0.07 cpl? At 150 lph I might make enough to get something from a vending machine :)
x
I'm not sure employers care, I would make sure
to pick a training program on the AHDI list ...
http://www.ahdionline.org/scriptcontent/mtapproved.cfm
they make it sound so good
They make it sound so good when you call and talk to them about the course. You know the $50,0000 or more a year for a course that takes less than a year to get through and the false promise of job placement. I have decided to go back to my old job ( at least for now) as good as it sounds being able to work from home and still be a great parent, sitting here waiting for work isn't going to buy my kids christmas. So I am going to go back to work and get my paycheck every two weeks and learn from my mistake. I will be looking into more course from a better school so that I can do this job someday. I can't just keep putting out resumes and keep being turned down and not passing tests and try to keep my chin up. I am starting to feel really stupid and getting seriously depressed. No career is worth that. So good luck to all of you out there.
it's interesting to me that newbies want to make the same as experienced...sm
what I did was beg my way into a job for next to nothing ($5 an hour - this was 20 years ago and it was an 80 mile round trip hike). But then I got experience and moved on from there. It never fails to boggle my mind when I post a job opening and get 700 responses, including newbies who believe their MT teachers who told them that is what they should ask. Remember you are competing against 699 other people who want that job, including people who have years under their belt. So what makes newbies think they are worth that? Bottom line is, they aren't, and proof is: What does the market bear? If newbies were worth 6 cents a line, they would be hired at 6 cents a line. You cannot believe all the work that I have to do to take on a newbie. The last one I hired offered to do it for 3. She was smart. Rather than get 0 lines at 6 cents she is getting 2000 lines at 3 cents - and "buying" her 2 years experience. In two years, she will be in the job market while the other newbies are sitting at home, pouting that they can't get their 6 cents a line job. JMHO. I know there are some who will flame me for this but like I said, bottom line is newbies can't get hired for 6 cents - therefore proves not worth it. It's sure not worth it to me.
How do you make lines and maintain quality?
I'm trying to get up to company's line requirements but do not seem to be catching all my errors. Any suggestions?
make sure your responses are squeaky clean...sm
in terms of grammar, spelling, typos etc. This includes every email you send, resume, etc. Follow directions in posting exactly. Be willing to invest in equipment you need to run your business if you are wanting to work from home as an IC. I've been preaching for quite a while for newbies to offer their work for less. There is an unbelievable amount of training that happens post grad from course, and frankly, I'm not interested in doing that for free...so tend to hire experienced people. Go in house temporarily if you have to. Experience is key, so do whatever you have to, to get experience, IMHO.
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