I start Jan 8.....more inside
Posted By: Jill on 2006-12-29
In Reply to: Jill, have you started yet? nm - l
I start with the tech call on the 8th, training on the 9th, and begin work on the 10th. Any insight no how to start off great? Any recommended reference books? Are you employed with them?
Jill
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I quit my stressful job to do MT full throttle. My hubby and I planned it for months. In MHO, MT is not something you should squeeze in at the end of your day. There is FAR too much to learn not to be able to give it your full attention. I looked at it like a job to learn. When I was not working on the course itself I was looking at message boards, seeing if I could figure out the answers on the word help boards, reading the AAMT magazine, you name it. I breathed, slept, and ate MT. Now, not everyone is as anal as this, but for me this worked. I had numerous job offers before I even graduated based on my test results, so I feel I got out of it what I put into it! Good luck to you. 
see inside
SM means "see message"
NM means "no message"
LP is a new one. I don't know what that means or I even saw that before. Hope this helps!!
See inside
Just about anywhere you ask, you will hear that Andrews School, M-TEC, and Career Step are the best, and the only ones worth the money. Many companies will waive the 2-years' experience requirement if you graduate from one of these three schools.
Good luck to you.
See inside
I know you don't want to hear it, but you are wasting your money if you choose one of the cheaper schools. You will not be able to get a job afterwards. Most of the big companies will waive the 2-years' experience requirement if you go to Andrews, M-TEC, or Career Step, but not for the other schools. You get what you pay for. Those 3 schools will also help you get a job after you graduate.
see inside
Northeast Transcription email gail@ntitech.com - they were looking for new grads. Focus Infomatics hires new grads, I think. Good luck and keep trying.
See Inside.....
Precyse Solutions and Spheris take MTs with dial-up. Precyse Solutions is smaller with about 300 MTs and Spheris has about 1000.
see inside
Any purchases:
computers
equipment
desk/chair
books
supplies
Gas for any deliveries or pickups to customers.
A percentage of your rent or mortgage and utilities IF you have a separate room dedicated to work.
Telephone and Internet expenses if applicable.
Maybe that will help you get started. It is best to ask an accountant. :)
Heck, I don't see why not...see inside
It'll at least give you good experience in testing. However, actually getting the job is a long shot unless you ace the test or have a good MT education to your credit.
Well, there's this link inside, too...
http://archives.mtstars.com/main2005/32964.html
no message inside....
f
I see typos.... see inside
You need to check for spelling errors yourself. See below.
Before you hit the send button, Char, you might want to stop and give some consideration to your audience. Many of the people who read this board are people who hire MTs. If your post is sloppy and full of ignorance, you will be dismissed as a sloppy, ignorant MT, and any potential employer will not give you another thought. If your post is intelligent, well written, and error-free, you just might be contacted by someone willing to give you a chance. I have contacted three newbies who posted intelligent comments in complete, accureately-spelled (accurately)sentences on this board. I hired one of them. I would have been happy to hire the other two, but two other MTSOs had (2 had) had the same idea after seeing their posts and beat me to it. Think about that the next time you want to post something incoherent and badly spelled because "it's just a message board". A sloppy, incoherent post might (be?) hilarious to you, but to someone assessing your suitability for employment, it's just really depressing.
see link inside
http://www.mtbot.com/links/index.php?PHPSESSID=87548e85937eae92e899386c81c6c8e1&PID=4
Maybe this will help.
Link inside
See instructions inside.
At your desktop, right click and choose Properties, Advanced, under item at the drop-down arrow select window, click on the drop-down arrow by color 1, and either choose one of those colors or select "other" and you can create whatever color you want. It will have no affect on your document, just your screen.
I used to use light purple, now I use light blue. I change colors just to alleviate boredom. :)
See message inside.
I am a CS graduate, and if I had it to do over, I'd choose Andrews School or M-TEC.
Almost all of the books you receive from CS are written by the lady who started the school. The other 2 schools use real reference books that contain a LOT more. That's one reason the other 2 schools cost more.
Also, the other 2 schools have real instructors who go over your work and point out errors, and help you along. At CS, your work is "automatically compared" against the same report done at some unknown time and place by some unknown MT, who may or may not have done it correctly. All you get is a comparison between the two, it only shows the differences, like holding two pieces of paper up to the light to see if everything matches. Whenever there are differences, it's up to YOU to figure out which one is correct. The only time a real person actually looks over your work is when you take your final exam (which over 50% of students fail the first time they take it, and that statement comes directly from CS itself, not from me).
Yes, I did get a work-at-home job after graduating from CS. But I feel my first year of work was a lot harder, I spent a lot more time looking things up, there were a lot of things I would have learned at Andrews or M-Tec that I didn't learn at CS.
See message inside.
If she's already made her decision, I suppose this doesn't matter much.
But the fact is, if she takes the course from Andrews or M-TEC, she will indeed be able to pass most TRANSCRIPTION (not typing) tests right out of school. Many companies will waive the 2-year experience requirement for grads of those two schools because of the excellent training. Also, she should not need an internship if she takes the course from Andrews or M-TEC.
Response for Teresa - please see inside.
I'm not sure what "Medical Office Occupations" is, but if it's a school for medical transcription, they should give you some idea of how to find a job. If they can't help you find a job - then I hate to tell you this, but you're going to have a hard time.
Frankly, it is VERY difficult for someone with no experience to find a job unless they graduated from Andrews, MTEC, or Career Step. Some have found they can only get local in-house jobs at the beginning (and are lucky to find those).
When you say "no one will listen to you" - who exactly do you mean? Have you applied at any of the companies mentioned here? Taken any transcription tests?
You never know who is going to be on boards like this - recruiters, small MTSO owners, etc., and I would recommend making sure your posts are professional and reflect good English skills.
Read these posts and go through the archives for more information, as well.
Link to article inside
http://www.adminsupportservices.com/parentsmagarticle.htm
Ditto what Misha said and more - see inside
I transcribed and did QA for more than 4 years before returning to just transcribing. I can tell you hands down that the best MTs were the ones that already had a very solid backround in English and a huge love of learning before they spent big money to attend a GOOD school. IMHO, MT is not easy to learn unless you put forth a lot of effort, and if you struggle with English then you may not learn as many medical concepts as you need to, which in turn will make you struggle on the job. I saw this time and time again as my company shuffled people in and out who could not cut it. I may also add that some of these people who did not make it were from the Big 3. It is not for everyone. I agree that the big money is not really there these days.
Not that I disagree with you totally, but (see inside)
there just aren't many hospitals in many areas any more where people can work. Many of them hire services.
Graduates of Andrews School and M-Tec seem to have no problem getting hired or keeping their jobs at home right out of school. "Grads" of the "matchbook" schools are the ones who need all the extra in-house assistance.
I use the ABCZ method. See inside.
http://home.earthlink.net/~agjon/abczrule.htm
This thread is locked. Please see inside.
I have had to delete part of this thread due to vulgarity, which is unwarranted.
Please understand that responses from all perspectives may be posted but civility and respect still can be demonstrated.
Cher/Moderator
R U LAZY? do your own work..link inside..sm
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/
More Career Step Info Inside
I just purchased a platinum course from an individual who was selling on www.mtdaily.com. Just go to the website and click on General classifieds and the other classified heading. Also, there is someone selling, I believe, the gold course for $750.00 on ebay. there is only 13 hours to go on that one. Hope this helps.
Are interns paid for the work they do? (see inside)
I see there is a fee for this program. If one has to pay a fee, and do work without pay, it doesn't sound like such a great deal for the newbie.
You don't need a dictionary if you have internet access (see inside)
just use www.onelook.com it has all you could ask for in a dictionary, has a search function, and is much easier than lifting a heavy book!
it will start low
I started with $200 or less every 2 weeks when I started. Currently, I make around $500+ every two weeks. That's good for me considering I am just doing this part time while taking care of my baby. Hopefully, I can bring that figure up.
Start looking now
It won't hurt to start looking now. I'd go ahead and start sending out resumes and test with any company that will allow you to test with them. One of the most important things companies need to know is that you have skills and a good base background. Actual experience in the market will come after you land that first MT job. Good luck to you.
Where did you start?
Where do newbies get their start? I have been applying everywhere, but everyone wants 2 years experience.
HELP!
Possible start...
I took the classes, graduated high in my group, etc. And I was facing the same problem; nobody wants a newbie that they have to babysit. I actually got my foot in the door through a temporary staffing agency, working in the medical clinic at the county jail. After that, I was on a role -- 1 more in-house position and now I'm an independent contractor. There are companies out there that will take a chance with a newbie (the lady that picked me up on contractor status, for example) and be very patient with them until they learn the ropes.
Don't ever give up (I've been fighting for this for 12 years now, and am finally able to say that I have 2 years under my belt)!
Where/how to start?
 Hello,
I am currently looking to find a part-time at home transcription job. I have been endlessly looking at all different websites and just am not sure how to apply myself and what is real or a scam. I've been working as a full-time Certified Ophthalmic Assistant for the past 10 years as well as transcribing consult letters and in office surgical procedure reports. Though my work experience is all Ophthalmology, I do hold an Associates Degree in Office Technology with courses that included machine transcription, medical/legal terminology, business english, etc... I also took a refresher course last year in Medical Transcription. It was a 59 hour course which included medical terminology, typing with daily timed testing and actual transcription from taped dictations. I would really like to expand my experience and skills but am leary on who would consider me with my lack of experience in anything other than Ophthalmology. My speed was estimated to be 65-70 wpm but I have been trying to keep up on it with timed testing and practice. My accuracy was about 95%. Most places seem to want higher speed. I know I can learn and get my typing up to speed and accuracy. I am willing to do what it takes as I could really use the extra income. Any help to go in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. I just don't know where to begin.
Thank you.
Guess I didn't link it! Pasted inside...sm
http://www.unitedtran.com/default.htm nm.
Please see inside for info on grads/Spheris/CareerStep
http://www.careerstep.com/clientspromos/spheris/
Career Step is pleased to announce an innovative partnership with Spheris, a leading national employer of medical transcriptionists. Beginning in 2005, a select group of Career Step students will be offered the opportunity to participate in the exclusive Spheris Training Track. The Spheris Training Track has been designed around Career Step’s proprietary medical transcription training program. Portions of the training program have been tailored to meet the specific training and hiring requirements of Spheris.
Program Objectives
The primary objective of the Spheris Training Track is to minimize the training period for new employees by incorporating on-the-job training directly into the Career Step course. It is expected that graduates of the Spheris Training Track will move quickly and seamlessly into a production-based medical transcription position with Spheris. This innovative training is designed to systematically expose students to a wide variety of practice sound files that more closely approximate the actual Spheris working environment. Additionally, students who enter this program will receive intensive training and practice on Spheris' proprietary web-based medical transcription platform.
Advantages of The Program
Although Career Step graduates are eligible to apply for Spheris entry-level positions, the special training that students receive through the Spheris Training Track will enable them to apply for more advanced positions within the Spheris organization.
How it Works
Spheris Training Track classes will be formed frequently, based upon the current recruiting needs of Spheris. At the formation of each class, a select number of Career Step students will be offered entrance into the Spheris training track. Selection and participation are based on student performance and Spheris' current recruiting needs. While the demand for well-trained medical transcriptionists is high, the selection process for entrance into the program is rigorous and competitive.
More About Career Step
Career Step is one of the nation's leading providers of online medical transcription training. Career Step enjoys a tremendous market advantage in the industry by virtue of its reputation as an innovative, competency-based training company. Career Step believes that the success of any training program is defined by the success of the graduates from that program. With thousands of Career Step graduates enjoying successful careers as medical transcriptionists, Career Step is the leader in quality medical transcription education. Career Step has been in business since 1992 and is based in Springville, Utah.
In recent years Career Step has rolled out additional high quality products, such as an online medical transcription testing service, and a medical coding certificate program. Career Step is now viewed as a purveyor of leading edge technology solutions to companies throughout the industry.
Each year, for the past four years, Career Step has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the state of Utah by the Mountain West Venture Group. Career Step was additionally the 335th fastest growing privately-held business in the country, according to Inc. Magazine.
Career Step also currently maintains relationships with dozens of prominent community colleges nationwide that offer the Career Step training program to their students under an exclusive licensing agreement.
More About Spheris
Spheris is the world's second-largest outsourced medical transcription company and currently works with practitioners in 450 health systems, hospitals and group practices. Spheris provides medical transcription services to clinics and practices as well as some of the largest, most prestigious medical centers throughout North America.
Today, Spheris employs more than 5,000 professional Medical Transcriptionists which support the company’s clients through secure networks, using a Web-based system with integrated voice, text and data.
Spheris is headquartered in Franklin, TN, with major operations in St. Petersburg, FL and Sterling, VA.
Have you tried Open Office? It's free and very similar - see inside
http://www.openoffice.org/
Apparently, the AHDI can't make up their mind! See inside
From the FAQ on their website (as mentioned by someone else here):
"Two years of transcription experience in the acute care (or equivalent) setting is required to take the CMT certification examination."
FYI - ALL commas and periods go INSIDE quotation marks!
This is a good start for you (sm)
In light of the fact that you are new, this is an excellent rate of pay with a reasonable (generous, really) production requirement, even though you may not be able to meet it at first.
Add 20-25% to it for the benefits and you'll be making more on the lines of $13.08. As an on-site employee you will not have to pay self-employment tax or overhead.
When people scoff at this rate of pay, remember that everyone starting out in a new career field starts at the bottom. You have to work your way up. As an MT, your value lies in your ability to produce quantity work while maintaining high quality. Newbies aren't able to produce much while maintaining quality.
The incentive pay makes this better, and if it has good benefits, then you're doing well.
The most important thing about this job is that it will give you experience. You NEED that experience. If you can get it while being paid hourly, so much the better.
Unless someone scoffing at this can produce a job for you which pays better, do not listen to them.
If you do not have a job and you need a job, you are in no position to be turning one down because it doesn't pay top dollar. Take this job and do your best with it.
Is this a good start
I've heard Sten-Tel is a good starting company, is that true? I need to gain experience. I recently finished up an internship, but need 1-2 yr experience to be able to work in clinics or hospitals in my area. So I thought if I could work online at home PT or FT(I need to make around $400/mo to pay all my bills) for a year, then I could start applying again at the hospitals... anyone have any good leads?
start up costs
to start up, you need a medical spellchecker loaded in your PC, electronic version of Quick Look Drug Book, high speed internet and Google. You will probably need to get some version of a .wav player in order to test. And for goodness sake, you don't go buying reference books full price at Barnes & Noble's. You get them used through the classified ads on MT sites and you only buy the ones that relate to your specialty. At this rate, you'll never be out of debt.
I would start with PT. Good way to
get your speed up, familiarize yourself with macros. Easy work - no drugs or labs, usually no ESL, lots of repetition. Start with PT and then go from there.
So it's better to start out in the clinic
area rather than the hospital setting? How do you find clinics who are hiring? I look in the paper and I don't see any.
Start in-house!
Meryl, I can't believe no one answered your post! If you are new, I highly recommend that you start in-house, as a lot of us did. You can get the help you need starting out. Benefits are usually good working in a hospital or doctor's office.
If you don't see any jobs in the newspaper locally, put out some feelers. I got my best job, one I have been doing for 13 years, at my daughter's oral surgeon's office. I mentioned I do transcription and asked who did theirs. Turned out the bookkeeper did it when she had time.
It is difficult to work at home just starting out due to the lack of the support you need.
Good luck, Meryl. We all wish you the best.
Start applying.
x
start stop
i do
how does a new MT start testing?
How does a new MT take tests to prove to employers she can do the work?
Start testing and see what happens ...
Good luck!!!
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)
great start...
I agree---the program gave me a great start. I have posted many times on Focus. If you search the forum you will see many posts.
Good Luck---Sue
bright start
I've been racking my brain trying to find a good MT program. I looked at Bright Start and it sounds good. They have the BBB logo on their page but I've yet to find them listed with them. That makes me a little leary. I did see though that you can take for an extra fee 2 levels of advanced specialty training.
Just graduated.....where should I start?
Tomorrow night is my last class. The school does not help with finding jobs. Any suggestions as to where I should start looking?
I saw a posting for PT entry-level MT position with Rider & Associates, Inc. Does anyone know who they are and are they reliable?
I was told by a former graduate form my school to look out some companies are not cracked up to be what they seem.
Where to Start MT part Time
 Any ideas on where I start if i want to get into MT part time at home? Do I join one of these places that you pay for them to train you? Take training on my own? HELP.. Or am I totally nuts and really dont want to get into this? I have had Carpal tunnel in the past and work full time also...
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