Lisa/Tech Skills
Posted By: Karla on 2005-09-08
In Reply to: Hard to find MT jobs for newbies - Lisa Cowans
Lisa,
Did you attend that in AZ? I almost did that but decided to go another way.
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Do not give up Lisa.
Hang in there. Do not give up because some people are just jeolous and do not want to face their insecurities and would rather tear other people down to gain some self-assurance. There is more to life than that. Take care and God Bless in whatever you decide.
Hang in there Lisa!
Hang in there! Something will come your way that is the right fit. Our oldest son was killed in an accident and his two young babies came to live with us for a year. That is the same time I finished my MT education. I was hired before I finished school. I have worked from home from the beginning. I set my own hours, accept work or turn it down; however, I always meet my 24-hour TAT. There is the right "fit" for everyone out there. Don't get discouraged! 
Lisa do not get discouraged!
Only you can make it happen. I would suggest you look at the job seeker's board here on this site. There is actually a job posted there today that is looking for "newbies". Everyone was new once. I did not attend a course per se. I learned anatomy and transcription in high school. I have many years of experience and am still learning every day. Please, do not let negative posters here misinform or discourage you from your endeavors. Do not fear the fact that you did not graduate from one of these so-called 3 great schools. Your work ethic will say it all, and yes even after 20 years, I still use a spellcheck and still leave blanks. It is inevitable, and you learn each and every day. Keep your chin up, and I am actually liking your attitude towards these negative people. Stand up for yourself as no one else will. There was another company called CLK Transcription that had posted a while back on the job seeker's board that wanted to mentor. This may be an avenue for you to stroll. You may not make the big money (none of us do on-line), but you will gain experience, hence, making it easier to find even your own accounts on-line. Kudos for taking life by the horns and riding it out. This is a great profession and much to be said for a job well done!!!! 
Lisa, I don't mean to discourage you (sm)
but there are really only 2 factors to consider here:
1) your 6 children, and 2) the funds for MT school.
Personally, I think the fees for the so-deemed "best 3" are
exorbitant. I don't know the ages of your children, so the only comment, or advice, I can offer you is....by the time you get through school and get the number of years of experience to even get close to swimming above water, well....I think you get my point. When I tell people I work for pennies they think I'm kidding. LOL>some things never change. Unfortunately, this line of work is one of them.
Anyone else wish to chime in and help Lisa out please???
Please read my thoughts on this, Lisa
I think part of the rub from your post, Lisa, is that you seem to think that you seem very self-centered. Honey, unless you have a disabled child that requires you to be in that house 24/7, you do NOT HAVE to work from home. You just want to really bad. Nothing wrong with that!
However, just because we don't tell you what you want to hear does not mean we are being rude. You just simply don't want to hear the truth.
You even said in one of your own replies that you have decided that your children's welfare was more important than hitting the TAT expectations. Great! You've made your decision! At this time in your life, this is probably not for you.
You can have it all, just not all the same time dear. Concentrate on getting your babies into school, then sit down and concentrate on your career while they are safely looked after in school and learning.
I don't see any reply to your thread as rude in the least. Even the newbies who are encouraging you will probably come back shortly to say they have had it with this profession because they cannot make what they want. Most do.
You've taken the really tough road by starting out at home. Learning inhouse is far better, easier on you, and easier on your family, actually.
While they see you typing at the computer all the time right in front of their little faces, they believe that computer is more important than they are. Wait until they are out of the house with school and then work. This way, when they are at their safe, loving home they feel their mommy is really there for them, not the computer.
Trust me, even later as teenagers, they will constantly complain that all you do is work, all you do is sit in front of the computer. You have tough enough times ahead! Don't rush it!
Good luck, dear.
Lisa, I understand your frustration, but I do have to agree with (sm)
Amanda that this must be looked at as a profession and simply not a convenient way to work while staying home with the children. I don't necessarily think you feel that way, but your post does come across as someone who wants their cake and eat it, too! It is very difficult to become an accomplished MT without the benefit of on-site experience, but it most certainly can be done. However, there are dues to pay when it comes to gaining your experience in a home setting and one of them is to be able to gain that experience at someone else's convenience.
Now, I am not saying that you have to be at available at someone's beck and call, but you do have to realize the time, effort and expense it costs the person mentoring you and appreciate the knowledge and insight so freely given to you. Many companies will not even give that chance anymore, so I would take it as a gift rather than an obstacle.
I have raised 2 children by the grace of working at home and without the benefit of a spouse, as I became widowed at a very young age, but that took a lot of determination, scheduling and humility to do so. It is not impossible and my long days and exasberating nights paid off in the end, but only because I was willing to work at it. I can say quite proudly that I have wonderful, well-adjusted children who have reaped the benefits of having their mother with them and have also learned the respect of a hard day's work.
Of course, you can always obtain your own clients and set your own hours, but you will not gain the knowledge that is required to become a proficient MT, as there really is no one to guide you in what you just don't know. However, if all you are after is a paycheck at the end of week without a true respect for this field, that might be the alternative.
I know it is hard - it is very hard, but if you truly want it you will to the lenghs to achieve it with an open mind and the willingness to reach your goals.
I wish you the best!!
Amanda, you know what? I sat here all weekend thinking about offering Lisa an IC position (sm)
that might be able to help her out, as I work in 12-hour TATs, but the more I saw the posts left from her, the more I chose not to get involved. I come to this board for the specific reason of offering help, as I feel anyone who truly needs a break should be given the opportunity. However, Lisa has made it blatantly clear that the only opportunity she wants is on HER terms and I actually feel slighted that I was willing to take a chance with someone who comes across the way she has.
Also, I am offended by the fact that Lisa states her first job is "Mom," as if mine is not. Yes, I do WORK as an MT and I work hard at it, but I also am there for every single aspect of my children's lives, including class mother, PTA chairperson, basketball, softball, baseball, dance, etc. I work hard daily for the balance (without the benefit of my wonderful husband) and I MAKE it work for all of us and for that I am rewarded and blessed. How dare someone even critique my abilities, especially as a mother.
Med-Tech
Does anybody know anything about Med-Tech?
Neither. You should look into being a rad or U/S tech, or something
else in the medical field. That is, if you want a job over the next 5 years.
Med-Tech
The only two I know of that sometimes hire "newbies" are Med-Tech Resources and ProType. I have worked for Med-Tech for almost 2 years now. Their pay depends on the report types that you do. I do believe they are hiring right now, though.
Med-Tech
I live here in Atlanta and I am about to graduate from school in March. After I finish my externship I was looking at working for Med-Tech resources in Marietta. I an wondering if anyone has any new information about the company that would help. I have seen a few post here about them but they were old. If you have any information about shifts, pay, and staff helpfulness I would appreciate it. Thanks.
Your writing skills
concern me more. It appears you have not learned punctuation. I'm not trying to be mean, but there is enough to learn without having to learn basic writing skills too. I'd rather see English whizzes go into MT.
writing skills
well, I wasn`t being all picky on here. I see mistakes,typos on here all the time. Sorry
Med-Tech Resources
I have worked for this company for almost 2 years. No complaints; however, I am IC so really don't know what they would expect from full time.
Med-Tech website is
www.med-tech.net and that is the correct one for Northeast.
M-Tech or Andrews
I am about to apply for MT school and I am not sure which school to go to. I have read that M-Tech and Andrews are the best. Is this correct? If so, which one is the BEST?
What do you consider good grammer skills?
What is your very good in all the other parts of MT and only average in the grammer.
Continuing to improve your skills
Continuing to improve your skills will help you convince someone to give you a break.
Your posts are full of spelling and grammatical errors. If an employer needs someone whose work is well-written and has NO spelling or grammatical errors, and they see writing from you that looks like your posts here, do you think they will believe you're capable of doing the kind of work they need you to do?
Your school should have pointed this out.
interview/skills assessment
I go in for an interview/skills assessment for the job I talked about in a thread below in a few days.
The employer knows I have never done MT before and have not had a transcription course. Also knows I took Med Terms, lots of health science courses and MS Office training. I am thinking I need to brush up on what I already know and say I know, but do you think I should spend any time looking through an MT textbook I have at home (author is Fordney - its the text they use at our local tech college)? There will be about 1-2 mos of FT training if I get the job. I'm just thinking that when I get to the part where I have to do some transcription, I would be more comfortable if I had a basic idea of how to format some of the more common reports.
I plan on reviewing mostly med terms, and how to use special characters in MS Word and just plain old spending some time messing around in MS word so if I have to use it at the assessment, I can do it blindfolded. I was thinking about looking through a list of the most commonly prescribed medications too so I have the spellings fresh in my head - I tend to have a photographic memory when it comes to spelling so simply reviewing a list might help me if I have to spell a drug (and most likely will have to do so).
Does anyone have any other recommendations?
Excellent skills are very much in demand
Excellent skills and a teachable attitude are always marketable.
If you have excellent skills and do the work the way the employers want it done, you will have many more options to choose from. If you take a course that doesn't teach all that employers expect you to know, it doesn't matter how hard you work and how much you put into it, you won't get anything out of it. You can't get out of a course what isn't there, no matter how hard you work. I recommend getting the best education you can and working hard. That pays off in the longterm.
It has to do with the education you received and what your skills are.
If you paid for a crappy course and didn't learn half of what you need to know, why should a company let you prove what little you did learn? They know which schools provide GOOD training and which do not. You also need grammar help, it's "should have" not "should of," if you don't know simple English grammar why should anyone trust your medical terminology skills?
M-Tech vs. Career Step
Need advise/personal experiences to help in choosing between M-tech vs. Career Step. Do you feel that the higher tuition M-tech charges is worth it?? Was it helpful to have a mentor? Your response is greatly appreciated.
You can also do the tech school thing
You can also go to a technical college (if you happen to have the time). Most offer a certificate program (which is not the same as being certified as a CMT), of course. I think it costs a little less this way...at least for me. I went a couple of years ago and both semesters cost me $3500. Most also help you find the first job. I did an internship for a clinic and was hired after I finished the program. I worked in-house for one year and then at home the next. My starting salary was per hour (which I personally don't recommend, but at the time I did not know better). My starting yearly income was $22K gross (I think it was about $10-something per hour). I am now an independent contractor being paid by the line and last year I made $45K. Good luck to you...hope this helped in some way!
M-Tech wannabe...wish I could get the money together right now
I just finished 18 months training at a community college to become an MT and I am not marketable. The provided no books, no equipment, and only 3 months of actual transcription practice. It cost me 4 times as much as the M-Tech program and I walked away with nothing...now I'm back at square one. I've researched online schools and narrowed it down to M-Tech, but after reading the great posts about this school, I'm sold. I am not giving up becoming an MT.
I didn't go to Andrews or M-tech
So no, you do NOT need experience in order to get a job.
Just Ordered M-Tech's program
I just ordered M-Tech's program. What do I expect! I don't know if I am scared or exicited!
As Mr. Tech Support so accurately said...
'this profession is not at all about 'fast typing', it is about 'knowledge.'
It does not matter if you type fast or slow, if you don't know what you should type.
Being in the right place with the right skills at the right time helps too
//
However, I might suggest you work on your grammar skills!
I agree 100% with you on this "social skills" thing..sm
I am sure you will get some flack on this one, but I agree with you. Daycare has become way to convenient for some moms to dump their kids for eight hours, and sometimes more, a day.
I also have to disagree with the other poster who says a teacher can spot the kids who never got out of the house and went to daycare or preschool before entering school. That is just not true. My 11 y/o never went to preschool and she has been an honor roll 4.0 student since day one. She will actually advance to 7th grade next year and skip 6th grade.
I have a bachelor's in business and I am a CMA. I dont use either right now because I want to be home with my kids too. I chose to stay home and do transcription to keep me in the medical field and be home for my kids.
I will never chain myself to my computer and put my kid in daycare in order to meet a line requirement for the day. It just wont happen. I am lucky to have found my employer who lets me have that freedom.
So you can't do the ESL doctors? Your skills may be what's limiting your success
Your skills may be limiting you. Do some work on them. See if you can bring your work up to the level necessary to do well. You can do it!
This is a wakeup call for those with inadequate skills
As technology allegedly improves and new medical procedures and techniques are created, we all have to keep our skills up. Those who have not are having a tough time keeping job these days. They may want to blame it on the changes, but it isn't the changes, it's their lack of skills. We finally have come to the place in this industry that people can't just listen and type what the doctor says. Anyone who got into this business with less-than-excellent skills is now getting a wakeup call. I think that's what this poster is telling us. She has had a wakeup call and she has seen other unqualified MTs getting a wakeup call. Those who are prepared and continue to build on their skills have a present and a future in this industry.
Do you mean Med-Tech Resources out of Georgia or another company? nm
d
Looking for a newbie in South Fla. with excellent communication skills
For cardiology account.
Agree with an outside school, but I went to a business & tech school. Great experience, better
s
Excellent WORKERS, not just excellent skills...sm
those who are conscientious, accurate, dependable will always be able to find a job somewhere, though probably not MT.
Considering M-Tech-tier 1 or tier 2
Anyone with knowledge on this subject please respond. I have no medical background and do not have a MT job secured. Is tier 1 a must?
She didn't say she didn't have the skills. She said she didn't have the experience.
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