I started working from home within 2 days of graduation.
Posted By: mtecgrad on 2006-06-13
In Reply to: New MT, Can't find In-house work - Amy
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. :-)
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When I started working from home we only had one
I just made sure that my programs were closed out before my husband or kids got on. The only problem with letting others on is that they will surf the net and download things that bog the computer down. I would suggest if possible for you to have your own PC. Usually bare bones is okay as long as it's fairly new. Actually, Vista does not work with some companies, so you may want to look into a refurbished tower running XP and maybe Office 2003. I've also seen others post that they work from a laptop on the go, which I haven't done yet, but it seems to work well when MTs need to travel. Good luck in your endeavors, and welcome to the MT world. It is a satisfying job.
I have worked at home since day 1 of graduation from M-TEC
I had multiple job offers when I graduated. I make excellent money now, after getting out of the learning curve of new accounts, etc. You might contact them and see if some of your training already received can be credited. Just an idea. I called around before I even went to school. All the employers told me to choose Andrews or M-Tec if I wanted marketability.
Just Started working PT
I just graduated from Career Step and got a PT job within 2 weeks. Mind you it was the only company that was interested in doing the PT thing, plus I have dail-up, so I was really limited on my options. But, so you know, PT jobs are out there. Good luck.
I did a community college certificate and immediately started working as an IC
I always recommend the community college route because it is VERY inexpensive compared to the MT schools. You can always do an MT school after your community college work if you think you really need it.
I am NOT a certified medical Transcriptionist (CMT) because that can only be obtained through AAMT. I DO have a certificate of completion of the MT course through my community college though. I have found it to be more than adequate for me to work as an IC MT, and my teacher has been very willing to help me with problems and questions that I can't figure out myself through these wonderful MT boards!
Good luck!
I enjoy MT, but I see the writing on the wall. I have started another at-home business....(sm)
I love the tax benefits of working from home, so I have gone into another business. I am probably about six months away from having this business surpass my current income. Once that happens... I am out of MT. Sad, but true.
I don't want to be the last rat off of the sinking ship! (Not that I consider myself a rat, mind you. More like a cute, fuzzy mouse, perhaps...)
Ha ha!
Working at home
Just because you work at home does not automatically mean you get to pick your own hours. MT companies all have different needs, and coverage is needed, in many cases, 24 hours a day. Many companies will allow you to pick your own hours, but they will expect you stick to that schedule. Other companies will let you work anytime in a 12-hour window. It all just depends on the needs of the company.
working at home
I was just wondering what insurance company you worked for at home and what the name of the place was in New England. I would settle for something like this until I could get into a hospital.
Thank you!
working from home
I agree with the last post. It's so hard to get hired with a company. I was in the same situation you are....just finished school, had a baby, wanted to stay at home and do transcription. So, during one of my office visits, I got the nerve up and asked my OB doc if I could do their transcription and they said yes!!!! Their office manager was doing it and she hated it. It was great!!! I then got another account on recommendation from that office manager. I think this is more doable for you than working with a baby, meeting quotas, not being able to pass tests, etc. And, you may like "having" to get out of the house to pick up tapes! I know I did! It was a reason to get out every other day or so. Also, you may have some flexibiltiy with having your husband or friend pick up and drop off your work. I did that also. One time, the office manager dropped it off to me because she lived nearby!!!!! Good luck!!
working from home
 That is encouraging because if someone has been a Transcriptionist for twenty years and still has to leave blanks then there is hope for us newbies! 
working from home
Have you tried testing with Medi-Voxx? They gave me a shot right out of school. I'm 53 and my kids are grown but I only wanted to work from home. I'm still with them after a little over a year and they are a great company that took a chance on me as a newbie.
Working from home
In case I wasn't more clear earlier, I am interested in hearing from people that have experience in working from home. I'd love to get advice on where to send my resume that doesn't necessarily require prior experience to be able to work from home immediately.
working at home
Try this link below, because my frriend did and she eventuaslly found some work. I actually found this link on MtStars. I have 12 years experience and finally did find something by sending out over 350 resumes. You can also go to MTJobs.com and look at the company sites, that's how I found work. Here is the other link.
http://www.tiptopwebsite.com/websites/index2.php?username=mtjobfind&page=7
working with kids at home - sm
That is another thing I forgot to mention that these schools have a tendency to do .... "oh, it's great, you can work at home and pick your own schedule and work when you want." "Oh sure, you can work AND take care of your kids at the same time."
NEWSFLASH: There are very very few companies that will let you pick and choose when you want to work and let you stop work, pick up your kids, type for an hour, go make dinner, type for another hour, play with your kids, type for 2 hours, help with homework, etc. Very few.
Although, currently I am recruiting for a hospital that needs a full time transcriptionist. They will let you work full time at home and around your kids schedules, but you have to live within an hour of the hospital and have to work onsite for six months before going home.
Working at home question
Does anyone know of legit work from home besides MT. Just a question while I'm in school I would like to supplement my income without having to go back to the office after having a baby.
I have been working from home since the day I graduated!
I had numerous companies wanting me to test with them. The ladies I know who graduated at the same time I did echo similar experiences. I have also made excellent money. With the right training, the ability to be a good MT, and the drive, it can be done!
Newbie MT working at home
Currently, I am working at home as an IC MT and will very soon have one year in as a paid MT post an internship. I am hoping to be able to make a change soon to another company I am now getting a decent paycheck, but I spend virtually all my time doing this because of a low newbie cpl.
I've read similar plights from other newbie MTs and from more experienced ones when talking about their beginnings. I've got to tell you, starting out is tough. Yes, it can be done, but you will probably find yourself working much more than you expected at first. Many MTs say to start off onsite somewhere. I believe that is a good idea.
The one thing I would have chosen differently is something touted on this board often and that would have been to do whatever I could to go to the best and most recognized schools. As also mentioned on this board, you just don't know what you don't know until you run into it. You will find a learning curve once you get your first job too.
I agree with you about doubting the MT industry will dry up before you finish training. But, I do think we will all have to become somewhat flexible and change as the industry changes. Change is often difficult, we all like to be in our comfort zones. Sometimes people forget or perhaps don't have the business experience to understand that business (and markets) always evolve. The MTs that can evolve with the industry trends will work, those who can't will be working at The Bates Motel or some little mom and pop transcription company. And, that's okay too, if that is what they want.
My parents always said that anything worth having was worth working for and if it wasn't worth working for, then it isn't worth having. I like this work and, to me, yes it is a worth working hard for.
I don't know if any of that is helpful, but those are my thoughts. Good luck to you in whatever you decide.
working at home - kids
I can't advise you on schools because I did not train at one.
You did not say how old your son is. If you are working at home, is he old enough to entertain himself? I started MT just before my son was born and I did not really save any money on child care although I was home. Until he was 7 or 8 I had to pay for child care. Because he wanted/needed my attention when I was working. But maybe you can arrange your schedule and your husband can help out so it will work out for you. Good luck!
Working at home as a newbie is
no fun. Unless you go to one of the 2 schools we know prepare people, you need experienced ears sitting nearby you to listen to every mumble you can't puzzle out. On-site, hourly jobs are hard to come by, even for experienced people. It's true that the medical records department is usually in a dingy basement, but when you're new you concentrate so hard it doesn't matter.
Been working from home since graduating from M-TEC 10 years ago - nm
x
Would the docs trancription system allow you to keep working for him from home? nm
s
If you're young and don't HAVE to work from home, then working in-house
s
One school tells you to put "MT" after graduation
I know one that tells students they can put MT behind their name as in Jane Doe, MT when they graduate. That is so bogus! Any school that tells you to do that isn't being honest with you. They are telling you what they think you want to hear.
HELP! I need to find work before graduation due to disability!
I am currently enrolled in an online medical transcription course at M-Tec and have 6 more months to go until graduation. The reason I chose MT is because I can't work a regular job due to physical limitations. I have had 10 laparoscopies for endometriosis and my body has been destroyed from the adhesions and chronic pain.
My question is- Is there a way that I can find work as an MT before graduation? I am desperately in need of money and would like to be able to find an entry level position using my MT skills that I have learned so far.
I know this is a lot to ask, but I really need some help. My COBRA medical insurance runs out next month. I am desperate to find some sort of in home work, preferably as an MT, but could also do other computer related online work as well.
I looked into Trans Am and Thank goodness I didn't fall for the $400+ software and books for "training" scam. I've already put well over $5000 down for my MT training + books and supplies- I can't afford to invest much more.
Any info would be much appreciated!
Thanks for your help!
LMF
Yes it is all it claims to be. Upon graduation, I received info for least 50 companies that
.
Upon graduation, I received a lengthy list of companies (see message)
that were willing to test grads of M-Tec without experience.
I now have my own MTSO. I require experience of everyone except Andrews and M-TEC grads. In my experience, they have performed wonderfully, even without experience.
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 find that lots of companies are using ShortHand these days.
They have a 30-day trial.
company was sold so they have no company to hire you after graduation!
They are not a reputable school and I went there so I should know. Even when they did have Trans. Relief Services they never answered my email about employment upon graduation.
It has started already and I'm
A friend wanted me to try to get her a job where I start next week. I'll be doing MT for an hourly wage. I have an educational background and training in everything related to it except actual transcription, but I am being given a training period to get my ears up and running, and I hope that I can get fast enough. I am working through a medical transcription text at home (bought it a year ago used to get more information about MT) to brush up and get some more information before I start. I am also gathering some reference materials to shore up what I already have at home from my previous studies.
Anyway, she said something like "maybe you can get me a job there too". She thought that I could get her "up to speed" with MT skills and recommend she be hired. I told her the reason I was hired w/o transcription education was because of my medical studies background. I had to take a terminology test as part of the assessment. She said that she would definitely fail that. I told her then, first of all, she should take a med terms course, to which she said pretty vehemently that she did not have the money to do so. I kind of stuttered at that point and kind of repeated what I had already said about my background helping me land the job. I think she got annoyed with me . But this is a job where you cannot wing it at all, and you need to invest in your training. Why is it so hard to explain that to people without upsetting them?
Recently when she knew I was looking for a job, she let me know that the tax prep firm she works for offers their tax preparer cost at a deep discount in January, and that once I pass it, I could apply to do part time or prn tax prep for them at the office where she works. While that was kind of "insider" info that I did appreciate, I feel like maybe now I upset her by not agreeing to try to get her a job where I work.
What do you do when people want you to get them into MT like this? If she asks again I am considering finding a practice dictation to listen to. I just know I can't put a word in for her if she doesn't even want to take a med terms course.
I started with
15 to 180 range per 2 weeks last year and now am getting 650 to 700 per two weeks. It depends on the account that you get. If you are working for somebody right now with work coming in regularly, concentrate on it. When you get your speed and accuracy up and believe that you can tackle more reports, try looking for another account.
however, when I first started out, I DID....sm
I DID pay quarterly when I first started out....gave the IRS about $500 every 3 months....totaling $2000 for the year for the IC side of my business (I also work for a national who takes out taxes with each pay period...which is good, cuts down on what all I owe the IRS by April).
Started out at 9, now up to 12.
Just depends on where you work, how much they need you, etc. If you are happy with that then do not worry about it!!
I started at .065 cpl
... and I was thrilled to make that, as a High Honors grad.
I started at 8 cpl
Considering how slow newbies are and how much they have to learn, I think 8 is very reasonable.
I started at 8 cpl
about 7 months ago. It isn't all about typing, really. I type about 98 wpm now, but with research, entering identifiers, finding doctors or city names, etc...the typing isn't as important, even though it still matters. Plus, after typing all of the reports Career Step has, you'll be typing faster in the end. When I started school I was typing about 74 wpm roughly, just to give you an idea.
Plus, there's always Typer Shark  . I bought it while in school to get some typing practice. It's helpful and fun.
When I first started I had no MT
experience and no MT schooling. This was in the day before we had expanders. I did just under 700 lines a day and that was a hard 8 hour day. It was gross lines, so maybe 600 lines based on 65 characters. I don't know how long it took me to get to 1000 lines/day, but it was probably 6 months. You just need to build up your Expander a little bit and work smarter. Don't get on-line, build up your reference materials so that you don't have to get on-line much, you can look it up in the book and not be tempted to check e-mail, etc. Set an egg timer and work until it goes off, don't think about the laundry that needs doing or what you are going to fix for supper. Every hour take a 15 minute break and do the laundry, or lay out something for supper, etc.
How to get started
I have my BA in something totally different but I want to start looking into medical transcription so I can have the opportunity to work at home when I have kids. I just don't know where to get started. The places around where I live require 2 years of experience and a number of classes. Are there any places that you can just take a few classes and start working? Any information will help!
getting started
Hello- I am actually a dentist- and have been for 18 years. I am currently staying home with my child and thought MT might be a good avenue to travel for awhile. What sort of training do you recommend for someone who has a medical/dental degree. I have all the medical terminology and pharmacology etc I think one might need. I do not know anything about the digital transcription or have any equipment. What do you guys recommend?
Getting Started
Hi Andrea:
I've been doing transcription for 25 years and I love it. I've been working at home for about 6 years and for Medquist for 3 years. One thing I would tell you right off the bat is a lot of graduates have problems getting that first job because everyone wants experience. I would talk to the schools about what they offer in terms of finding employment once you graduate. I know Medquist used to have a school called Career Step and would hire you directly upon completion, but I haven't checked into it lately. I think the website is careerstep.com.
Other than than, it is never too early to start building a medical library. I would start with Dorland's Medical Dictionary or Dorland's Medical Speller. They aren't cheap, but you will get your money's worth over the years. I love my noise-cancelling headphones that I found on Medword.
I hope this helps you get started. Good luck!
I started with going to
Monster.com and placing a resume there. MTDaily is another place you can put in resumes. Keep passing resumes out. Look for a company and check out its reputation here and other MT service blogs or boards. I came here first and discovered that some companies don't pay until they see their names lit up here. I went looking for transcription companies advertising for doctors to type for, and then found the back door to their recruiting department.
Getting started
Just finished school-looking to start slow as IC- not fast, but accurate and dependable- any suggestions?
I started by doing transcription
for veterinarians! You might try a local specialty veterinary hospital to see if they need any transcription help. You do need to know a little bit about dog and cat breeds, but the body parts are pretty much the same (except for the tail)!
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