It really isn't a very good course and doesn't
Posted By: what is so difficult on 2007-09-24
In Reply to: anyone doing the at-home professions course 5? - brianne
prepare you enough to get a job. Most who take it have difficulty passng testing with companies and end spending more $$ to take another course of a mentoring program.
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AHP doesn't have a very good reputation. SM
I have heard from many MTs who have a VERY hard time finding a job because major companies will not usually accept a newbie from that program. Some smaller MTSOs or offices might, but why make things more difficult? I recommend checking out Andrews, MTEC, or CareerStep. I have no bias towards any of them, just have heard good things about those 3.
Why doesn't someone give some good reports on other schools
One person on this board constantly rips the so-called Big 3. Instead of doing that, why doesn't she bring some good facts forward about her own school. That would be more productive.
Um, no. Actually, it doesn't.
In any event, the OP knows what MTSO means. She wants to know how to find one. This was in the message.
So what? That doesn't mean we have to be members. I'd
rather not be involved in an association at all than a two faced one like AAMT.
So you got lucky. Doesn't mean everyone will. nm
x
...or maybe even a 3rd if the different formatting doesn't
s
Thank you. It doesn't hurt to
.
That doesn't sound bad at all (see msg)
What I have seen for new MTs is about 500-600 lpd for the first couple-few months.
I work an 8-hour shift with a 30-minute lunch and two 15-minute breaks (I'm an employee). I start getting slower around midshift or a bit after that point. I have found it very helpful to have a timer on my desk and take a break when it goes off, whether it be my 15-minute break or a 5-minute one to stand up and stretch. I usually have my timer set at 2 hours. It's a pretty nifty digital timer that has hours/minutes and minutes/seconds (your choice) so you can set it for more than 90 minutes, although 90 minutes might be good for you since you're still new.
We don't request work at my company; it's already there and as soon as I submit a job I grab another one which helps me stay focused and not want to take a break.
I don't know if I was helpful in any way, but don't fret about speed; it will come with time.
CS doesn't even supply you with real
reference materials, except for the dictionary and drug book. All other books were written by the owner, who was trained by her mother, who taught herself.
I would rather have had real instructors instead of an "automatic grader" and real books instead of "home made" ones.
Form doesn't matter. I just do
it all is the usual format, headings capped and then just type. I make paragraphs if needed. Be sure and check for grammar (see your original post) because bad grammar will surely count against you, probably even more than a blank will. Just do the best you can with what you have to work with. If you don't pass it will at least have given you some experience and you have an idea of what to expect on the next one.
It doesn't sound familiar and
I don't see it in my Stedman's ENT book.
Sorry.
Sounds like my DH, doesn't care that he - sm
is leaving behind a wife and 2 kids(me and our children)---and I presume you have at least 1 child from your name. I hope you had life insurance already in place since no one will undoubtly touch him now. ---Good luck in your new job.
Andrews doesn't grade that way
The "high honors" bit doesn't apply to Andrews. They don't grade that way. It isn't just their top students who get jobs, but every graduate.
They begin the first day coaching you to achieve work that is good enough to be marketable. Their students go for 98% accuracy. Any time a student has trouble getting there, they do extra dictation to improve. The instructors work with them on this. Andrews doesn't use computers to grade or just sit students down with answer keys and expect them to grade themselves.
Andrews works with students until they are ready to graduate. When an Andrews student graduates, they are able to do work good enough to get a job with a national.
There isn't any make-or-break final at Andrews, either. Their students know exactly where they stand from the beginning, so there are no surprises at the end.
I so agree! Doesn't matter to me what school...sm
what matters is how you do on grammar and such and then the test files. I can spot a good Transcriptionist a mile away and it has nothing to do with the school listed on her resume.
Um. What? Your message doesn't make any sense.
Why should any MTSO be expected to hire someone who is clearly unqualified. Why should someone who broadcasts his or her poor skills in the initial contact be given "equal opportunity" with someone who really is qualified? It takes time and money to test and set up a new MT for work. That's time away from earning and money out of the MTSO's pocket. You think she should give that clearly unqualified and incompetent applicant a job? Why? It's not going to work out, as any experienced MTSO can tell you. You can tell from the initial contact when you've got someone who will not be able to do the work, no matter how much you try to help her or how many chances you give. It's not a matter of just being new, it's a matter of wheter the applicant is qualified, regardless of level of experience. New people with good skills will know enough not to make egregious errors in their communication with potential employers. Those people get hired. Those newbies get the opportunities. They deserve to get the opportunities because they can do the job. The unqualified, poorly trained newbies make their incompetence clear very early on, and MTSOs have learned to identify and eliminate them "right off the bat" (or bet, or whatever you think it is). Get down off your high horse and understand the needs of the person doing the hiring. Your message makes it clear you know nothing about the MT business or how to run any business. No one deserves a job just because he or she wants one. An applicant is going to have to show some potential before an MTSO is going to take a chance and make a job offer.
Doesn't work in Word XP (2000)
Dern it lol. I was told this answer a long time ago and was so greatful to finally have it, but have lost it..literally!
Well now I'm confused. She doesn't even make sense. nm
x
I'm an employer and I say it doesn't matter where you go to school.
I'm impressed by an applicant who shows the ability to follow directions, troubleshoot and stick-to-it-ness. I have seen crap come out of the big three and I have seen crap come out of community colleges and matchbook schools. I have seen superb MT's come out of community colleges and I dare say matchbook schools. As a matter of fact, I didn't even go to school. I was a paramedic and just applied for a job typing x-rays. So I say it matters more what your natural abilities are. If you a linguist and type like the dickens, and know the medical field, you don't even have to go to school. 
I'm saying a certificate doesn't sway me either way. Performance does. nm
Yes, new MTs have value. Doesn't mean companies should lose money on you, though.
There's an extremely high cost to mentoring/training new MTs. You've come into MT work with the wrong expectations, I think, regardless of where you got your direction.
It still doesn't sound like you're getting the point
It would be great if we could just do our job, but when you're thrown into a national workpool where some MTs are getting 45 different clients with 45 different client profiles to try and keep straight on any given shift, that's next to impossible. I don't think any of the MTs want to be nurtured, but some simple respect would be a step in the right direction.
What else do you want to know? Some of the service areas have gone through numerous production supervisors in a short amount of time so that an MT may never know who they are supposed to report to or direct questions to, especially if a PS doesn't answer e-mails. (I am fortunate in that I have a PS who is very good with communication).
Add to the national work pool the fact that daily bonuses that a lot of the MTs depended on as part of their pay were done away with and with very little notice . This was replaced with a quarterly bonus, the formula of which is so convoluted and confusing, I have no idea how it's even calculated. If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, confuse them with BS, I guess.
This is the "real deal" from where I'm sitting for the next 2 weeks before I go elsewhere.
Exactly. Just because you get a certificate doesn't mean you're certified.
.
Allied doesn't care if you learn anything OR if you get a job. They just want their $$. nm
x
That's because CS doesn't have an entrance exam, they will take money from anyone
regardless of whether they have a snowball's chance in you-know-where of ever making it as an MT.
59 hours doesn't come close to teaching
you even the basics. You could apply to do only ophthalmology. Typing speed isn't that important, but 95% accuracy isn't good enough for most companies. It might be enough to pass their test, but QA usually requires 98+%. You might want to look into a menitoring program.
"approved" by AHDI doesn't mean its great (nm)
TRSI is "approved" and they are a terrible school. They ignore students, they don't teach you anything, and I wasted my money there. I'm at Medline now and its a great school, yet both are "approved," so just because a school is approved doesn't mean its the best. Its how the school treats the student, I have learned. Jeni.
Newbie from here was earning 3 cpl with them in January. Much too low! And your first check doesn
s
If you file jointly it doesn't matter who paid for them, it all comes
from the same pot anyway.
You don't need the medical education for GT but that doesn't make it easier
"General" covers a lot, some of it is easier, some of it is a nightmare - just like MT.
Doesn't land her a check when she sends potentia students away
Private schools have the luxury of not having to enroll people when they know they can't do the work. Public schools do. Private school managers, owners, or directors can be honest with you and tell if you if they don't think you can type or spell well enough and would be wasting their time and your money.
Wow, this busy message board and no one has a response? Doesn't matter anyway, I've already s
nm
Good. The lab book was a good choice.
Be sure you look through each book when you get it. Put tabs on sections you will want to refer to quickly. I know my lab book (not Stedman's) has all kinds of extra sections. I think my next purchase would be the cardiac book. Then neuro or OB-GYN after that, depending on which you are getting more of in your work.
I didn't find it rude that you didn't agree with me. That doesn't
matter. We don't have to agree. What I found rude and condescending was the way you hammered away at how you had to have training, saying that anybody with common sense would know that you had to go to school to be an MT; things like that are what I found rude. Some of us did just what you said couldn't be done. Like I said, it doesn't matter if we agree or not. We all have our opinions and are entitled to them. Just don't try to tell me that what I, and others, have already done is not possible. 
that's good to know
At least there's a little hope for me
Good for you!! - nm
.
Good for you!
.
I know a good MT when I see one - regardless of
credentials, school or references. One run through the grammar screening knocks most of 'em right out of the ballpark...
good for you, 10/cpl is good
/
That is good
That is great to hear that someone else was exactly where I am now. Where did you land your first job, not the MTSO, the other one?
I do not think I am TOO GOOD.
companies that pay these low wages are taking advantage of new MTs that don't know their value yet. The MTs that received this offer had all spent thousands of dollars and a lot of time learning to become an MT. I just don't know why anyone would sell themselves short for 5 cpl ($10 an hour is generous by the way as most new MTs won't get to 200 lph). As I said, there are companies out there that pay better. If you are trying to help, steer the newbies to these companies, not the companies that have a reputation for not respecting their MTs. If you take the time, do your research, and graduate from a good school, you should have no problem finding a good job. I had 4 offers before I even got my final score. My first company paid 7 cpl and after 6 months, I took on my own client making just about double that.
good to know!! Thank you!
good to know!! Thank you!
Good For You!
My late Mother did the same thing. We didn't do homeschooling, but she did it all and did it exceptionally well. She was brilliant but never acted like it. She was a taxi to more than the 6 kids in our family. She taught piano, voice, directed the church choir, wrote plays (we were in them), was busy in RNC fund-raising, and on and on.
We just called her "Mother."
So good luck to you. It really warms my heart to hear stories like yours. As for the MT thing, it sounds like you could teach yourself. That's what I did.
Good luck!
Appy anywhere and everywhere. There are a lot of companies who say they require at least 2 years experience, but you would be surprised at how many will give someone who has just graduated a chance. If you pass their test they will hire you, 2 years or not. I know from experience. I graduated last year and I applied to every ad that had a 2 year minimum, before I graduated. I got hired 1 week before I graduated, and I have been working ever since. Good Luck!
Nothing is good for a newbie.
Ya, I think I won't take the job because it may be a little difficult. That's real smart.
I have not heard anything good about it.
If you are looking for a quality MT education, the gold standard training comes from Andrews and M-Tec. Some graduates of Career Step have had good luck in finding and keeping employment also. The top schools turn out job-ready MTs. Employers are eager to hire them. The cheaper schools do not turn out graduates that employers are eager to hire.
What do you consider a good living?
I'm thinking of work from my house instead of the office, changing careers.
a good living
Sounds like you are quite successful. Please share with me what is involved in actually earning this level of income. Have you been at it for a long time? How many hours/week do you work? Thanks. I'm strongly considering MT but I hear such variables on the pay.
good point
Knowing that pay=production can be a great motivator, especially if you are working for a company that provides consistent work flow and good HR relations.
Thanks for your input.
Good point!
Peggy, what excellent advice! I had not heard it put that way, and after thinking about it, I know you're right! thanks for opening my eyes to think "bigger".... better to be excellent, and more "employable", than to be somewhat limiting. I do plan to study in such a way as to be excellent! That's just the way I'm "built"! :) thanks again for your post.... -Anne (amh) :)
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.
Yes, this is still a good field!
Hey Porr - Welcome! First of all, you have come one of the most negative MT sites on the internet. If you are easily discouraged or depressed, I would advise you NOT to come to this site. I have been an MT for over 30 years and every time I come to this board, I leave so dejected, I wonder if I have wasted my life doing MT. I have finally realized that this board drags me down, so I don't come here very often. The people who do come on here legitimately, come to relieve their frustrations, get advice, vent about work situations, etc.... we are not all this stressed out all the time But there are a lot of really good people on here, too, and you can get a lot of valuable knowledge, you just have to learn who the "trolls" are and ignore them (easier said than done at times!) The MT world is undergoing a lot of changes these days. A lot of work is being sent offshore and now they have the voice recognition platform that they are working on. The nationals make you feel very unappreciated, but I have worked for doctors, hospitals, clinics and had my own service for a while, and there are a lot of people out there who will appreciate your skills, just not the large nationals. Stay away from them until you are more seasoned, then, if you feel like tackling one of them, I say go for it. They have their negatives, but you will gain valuable knowledge and you will be able to get a job just about anywhere with one of the nationals on your resume.
This is a great field, just keep your nose to the grindstone and stay away from negative websites (). Do not let the comments you read here sway you one way or the other. I find this to be a personally rewarding field to work in. I hope that you do, too! Hang in there and don't give up!
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