Just like home MT courses, not all SM

community college courses/programs are created equally. 

I respectfully disagree with you about community college graduates receiving a sub-par education.  Some maybe, but definitely not all.

I attended an EXCELLENT program at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon.  The program director is a CMT.  We had 2 semesters of medical terminology, 2 semesters of anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, a medical calculations class, a medical ethics class, 3 semesters of medical coding, 5 semesters of medical transcription (we transcribed the beginning and advanced SUM tapes two times each), business communication (intense grammar course), a 360-hour externship at a local hospital or MT service, along with all of the general education courses needed to receive an associate's degree.

So, while some CC programs may not put out qualified transcriptionists, others do an excellent job of preparing their students to succeed.  I tested with and was hired by Medquist the month before I graduated, and I started the Monday after graduation.  Granted I was a newbie and was slow and made some silly mistakes (as all newbies do), but I had a solid education, which made a huge difference.

So if you are trying to decide which program to attend, make sure you do your homework (whether you are choosing a home correspondence course or choosing to attend a community college program).  Find out what classes are taught, which transcription tapes they use, whether or not they help with job placement, who is running their program, etc.  Knowledge is power! :)  Good luck to all of you who are struggling with this important decision.

Warmly,

Chickadee

• Newbie - Jennifer
  • Get a solid education and doors will open - another MTSO
    • Just like home MT courses, not all SM - Chickadee
    • solid education is right! Your advantage with the comm. college is you have credits so when... - Lily
      • It matters where you go to school. - MT
        • I'm an employer and I say it doesn't matter where you go to school. - MTSO
          • Yes, and we have a bridge we would like to sell you too - :)
            • the previous post said it only matters what the employers think. I'm an employer and that's wh - MTSO
              • Maybe you are and maybe you are not. We don't know. - Lori
              • Employers = Verifiable companies with job offers, often well-known nationals - Practically Speaking
                • I'd also rather hear from a successful employer with a good plan for continued success - MT
          • Schools - GC in NC
            • Your situation may allow you to test without further education - :)
        • My 2 cents - please sm
        • Not all of them! Community College - sm

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Hi all,

I'd like to take an on-line MT course; can anyone recommend one over any others? I plan on doing an internship for experience when I'm done for a while so I can get an actual paid position. How hard will it be to start working from home as I have a 20 month old that I want to stay at home with.

Thanks!

Some, not all, seasoned MTs are not very helpful.  They can be very discouraging and try to convince new MTs that unless they get their training from some expensive school like M-Tec or the Andrews School that they won't find a job; I wanted to train with one of the aforementioned schools but just could not afford it.  Most of my MT training was on the job.  In later years, I took a Medical Terminology course.  Currently, I am enrolled in a formal training program, because I would like to become an RMT and eventually a CMT.  This is how I found a recent MT job:  1) posted my resume on MT daily; 2) posted my resume on Transcription Matters; 3) company contacted me and made me an offer without my even testing with them; all this occurred within little over a week's time.   I only have 4 solid years of MT experience (specializing in Urology, Rehabilitative Medicine, and Psychiatry).  Hallejulah!

Hi everyone,

I really need some advice. I've looked into all sorts of different MT training courses - all I want (and need in the amazing job market in which I live) is a basic course to learn Medical Terminology and basic MT skills.

With this in mind - would taking a course like Stratford Career Institute's course, or ICS Canada's course help me get an entry level MT job? From there, would I be able to train on the job and take additional courses to gain more skills?

I am fortunate to live in a market where there are too many of these jobs and not enough workers. I even heard from one person that with just Medical Terminology you can sometimes get an MT job.

But, I thought at least one of these courses would teach me the very basics. Opinions?

Thanks,

Christina

8th grade education, which should tell you they aren't that great right there.  My teen son took one of their courses (not MT).  It was very poorly written, if you flunk a test you can take it again and they will pass you, even if you flunk it again.  There were lots of errors in it too. 

I would look into a different program to take or try to find a menitoring program.  It is difficult for people who have gone to some of the better schools to get jobs.  Penn Foster does not have a good reputation so it will be much more difficult for you to get a job.  I would try to find something local where you could work in-house for at least 2 years to get some experience.   

are usually able to get jobs without 2 years of experience that is normally required.  Is if worth it?  Do you have small children, a husband, do you want a social life - then no it isn't worth it.  If you just want to do this PT, in addition to a FT job, it might be okay for a short time, but it gets harder and harder to make a living as an MT.  A lot of companies use offshore MTs, they get the good work and the crap gets left for us, or it all goes and we get stuck editing it for pennies and you end up working for minimum wage.  You'll also burn out in a short time trying to do both. 

if there is just you and you don't care to have a life then it would be okay and if you have a knack for it you can make some decent money.  If you are a respiratory tech in a hospital talk to people in your department.  Maybe you can start out doing work-related transcription without having to go to school and you can get a small taste of what it is like to see if you really want to pursue it. 

I would go back to those doctors you  know and let them know that you are going into business for yourself.  If they don't need someone, ask them if they know any of their colleagues that does.  Give them some business cards and let them work for you.

Another thing is to get your card into the doctor's lounges at your local hospitals.  Also, make some cold calls to the business/office manger of some other doctor's offices

There are three words you need when you begin marketing.  They are "network, network, network."

Hope this helps.

Ray

Does anyone out there do home transcription in the evenings as a second income? I am looking to type about 15 hours a week at home with nonspecific hours. I was wondering if anyone else is doing this or if there is even an opportunity for that available.  Thanks! 

Kristy

I have a name of an excellent at-home MT course.  That is The VLC.  It is an excellent school with all of the latest technology to help you learn all of the things it takes to be an excellent MT.  I know, I graduated from there and got my first job within 2 weeks of graduating, and have been working full time since then.  Do yourself a favor and check it out.

4 days a week I work for private mds from home, and at least 16-20 hours a week for a nat'l also from home.

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I didn't see anything.

I just went to one of their seminars last night.  I was just wondering if anyone else has gone through them and what they thought about the company?

Thanks a lot!!

Its starting to sound like the lucrativeness of this "work at home" profession was too good to be true.  Just by what I see and hear, it seems nobody wants to hire a "newbie" and all require 2+ years of experience.  Where do they expect you to GET that experience if nobody wants to hire you?  As for working at home, that's the ONLY reason I chose this profession.  I wanted the flexibility in my schedule to be there for my daughter.  Now I'm getting discouraged right out of the gate.  As I mentioned, I have a 97% GPA and have an eye for detail.  I have an uncanny ability to spot grammatical errors.  My husband said my true calling is an editor, which I thought perhaps I'd have the ability to do as well in this field.  I'm still open to any and all suggestions.  I plan to send out letters of introduction to local area doctors and offer my services.  If anyone has any leads or other advice to offer, I'm all ears!

Thanks.

Jenn

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!