No instructors, and home-made materials = CS.
Posted By: deb on 2009-05-21
In Reply to: Sorry, but I am a CS grad. I can - attest not only to the quality
I'm also a CS grad, and if I had it to do over again, I would definitely choose Andrews or M-TEC. No more "training track" for Spheris from CS. Focus no longer hires newbies from CS. People are finally waking up.
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home-made wine
First time in a while I have sit down at a computer and enjoyed it with a glass of wine.
How do you know that these instructors
can't afford to live on what they make at the CC? How do you know that they don't work part time for a transcription company? And I would be very leary of attending a school that offered a course and didn't have the books to go along with the courses. Every single course I took in my program had the books available for purchase in the campus book store. I responded about the name of my school at the top of this page.
reference materials
personally, if you can look up info real quick, i dont see how they would know. i say why not.
practice materials
has anyone used the practice/study materials listed by a particular ebay vendor? prices are good, and the seller's feedback is terrific.
practice materials
was it from a power-seller w/ a rating of about 1600? i looked at those, too. thought it might be handy for getting my ears back in shape 
and instructors of many CCs aren't even MTs
Most community colleges can't afford good instructors who really know how to transcribe. They also can't afford the kind of books and materials because administrators don't think they can get jobs anyway.
MT as instructors in College
I attend a College here in BC, Canada and our instructor is a MT in a Surgical office by day and she teaches at night at college! She likes the schedule for her family and really enjoys teaching.
reference materials
Can anyone recommend a good lab book, and a good surgical word book? I have my dictionary, abbreviations, and drug books covered, but I have a Career Step surgical word book, and I have not heard good things about it, so I would like to get a better one. I have never had a good lab book, and would like to hear recommendations from others before buying one. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!
Oops, meant instructOrs.
/
4 CMT instructors of community college course? I don't think so
4 CMT instructors of community college course? I don't think so. Prove me wrong.
Someone below said 4 CMTs instructed their community college MT course. That is so hard to believe since CMTs can make more transcribing than teaching and community colleges are hurting for money. When they get money, it doesn't go to the MT course. There may be 1 or 2 exceptions. Would you post the name of your school and the web site so we can give them the credit they deserve?
CS Has to have instructors or AAMT could not approve them
It's part of the approval process. It's a requirement. They have to have instructors who are qualified.
Andrews vs M-TEC reference materials
I have been leaning towards M-Tec because their site is well-presented to my eyes. The students on the easily accessible boards have been enthusiastic and supportive.
Today I wanted to be thorough and investigate Andrews. One difference seems to be that M-Tec focuses a bit more on the software/technology than Andrews. I don't know whether that is a relevant factor as employers might have their own software. The big difference that popped out at me is the reference materials provided. Andrews seems to come out on top here. Again though, I suppose employers might have their own recommendation.
It's been hard for me to determine which school provides the better education. They are probably tied and graduates from both are always positive about their experience. I wish I could thumb through the books myself since that could be the deciding factor. Ease of learning and the ability to use those books on the job are important to me. Maybe someone who went to one school that knows someone from the other school could jump in with their opinion
Andrews vs M-TEC reference materials
I am in the same boat, trying to decide between Andrews and M-Tec. Did you ultimately make a decision and if so, which school and why?
Thanks - Renee
More can be made
The problem with MT pay is that it's all over the board and dependent on so many factors. If you're really good at MT and fast, you can make pretty decent money. You also have to be fortunate enough to find a good job fit. I'm into my 3rd year as an MT and averaging $20 an hour as an employee of a large national. During my second year I made about $12 to $16 an hour. I believe that many people who go into this field are not really well-suited to do this kind of work, and it shows in the paycheck. If I were making anything less than $15 an hour, I'd sure be looking for a new place to work.
And yes, I now see that I have made a typo
and "it's" should be "its".
LOL.
see, I just made one with only 1 parenthesis lol
/
I have not seen this comment made yet....
I am a newbie to this board and trying to decide on a MT school. I find it very interesting that while there are many negative comments out here, there are virtually no negative comments about Andrews school or M-tec..... I understand that they are considered the "best" but "best" is not "perfect". Does anyone out there have any thoughts on this or have any not-so-perfect experiences with these schools? Just something to think about.....
I only made $13.00 after 20 years
If you want to just get the experience, then go for it. Once you've gained talent and speed and enough experience, you can take that and make more than that much per hour by working production, but at least hourly, you can slack a little at times and not worry. 
I too made a mistake
I received my certificate from them in May, The guy that I talked to at the school said this field paid 10cents per character at 65 in a line making it $6.50 a line. haha and we paid the extra $1000 for job placement for life. with the promise that as soon as I got certified they would send me a doctor to work for and if I didn't like that one they would send me a different one. Only to find out that they do not send you doctors, they send you assessment tests and you have to do the background check on the company yourself. I was sent to a company that has been scamming people for over eight years by not paying them, so I got my first and only job in June and worked for no pay until September and it is now November and I have no job and no money and very little help from the school on finding one, and I am seriously considering going back to unloading semi trucks for a living. Oh yeah and most of the places they have send me suggest I go to a Career Step training course. So I am very sorry about the decision I had made to go through that school. I hope you have better luck than I did. I would not recommend anyone to go to that school. I feel like I have been lied to from the very start.
Good luck.
Almost made a mistake
I too have been considering this and went to a seminar - was led to believe they have a very high reputation. I would have made a big mistake if it wasn't for this board! Thanks so must for the inputs!
I really think I made the wrong choice
All I keep hearing about is how hard it is to land a job in this profession. No one wants to go to school and then find out there are no jobs available. I have almost given up on finishing my school for fear of there being nothing at the end of the rainbow for me. I was naive in thinking that I could just work from home immediately and have no cares in the world. Oh well, live and learn - right? I guess I better just go back to college and get a degree in something else.
I made 7.75 with MedQuist my first year.
I started out with Medquist making 7.75 based on my all-around experience and test scores I was told. That was PTE.
I went on to make 8 as an employee, and I work a second IC job making 16, 13 to start, 16 after 90 days.
I made the Wal-Mart post below, and
I've only been working for a little over a year, so I am still a newbie. I do not think this is something anyone should go into if they need money quickly, but I do think it might be the right choice for some. I make a very small income, but it works right now for me and my family.
Sounds like they made a poor choice of EMR...sm
the whole point of EMR is not to type the notes into the system - it's to choose from a menu and point and click to get the information in. Think
chief complaint: sore throat. choose: erythematous edematous purulent drainage and so on
if it's a speciality with a lot of redundancy, i.e. podiatry, they fly through their notes. If it's more unique situations a little tougher. But don't worry... the EMR companies will soon figure out the missing link...
You've made some good points.
Thanks for posting.
It sounds like your mind is made up that you don't need an adequate course,
and that hard-working MTs in your area are just waiting to complete your education so you can be of help to them. But you did say you wanted advice, so mine would be that your future co-workers, supervisors and customers will all wish you were ready to transcribe when you got out of school, which can only be guaranteed by two schools: Andrews & M-Tec. So instead of wasting a few hundred dollars on an education that won't land you a job, spend what it takes for a real education. At these schools you can learn at your own speed with lots of support from the teachers, and when you graduate you will be an asset to the profession.
Everywhere I have worked, coders made more money than MTs.
nm
I make 2-3 times what I made as a nurse. nm
Not much money to be made for new grads at MedQuist.
Guess it is pretty profitable to get rid of experienced MTs and then fill their spots with new grads at half the rate.
I was lucky if I made $1 an hour my first week! sm
It was horrible! After a month, I am now up to $8 an hour.(I know that is still not much!) I would look up every single drug and doublecheck the dosages. Now, I am familar with many of them and it feels good not to have to look them all up. It is great that your company thinks you are doing good work!
Not true, I made a 95 once. But grammar and spelling
are key issues as stated below.
They're templates or shortcuts that you've made yourself as you go along...sm
All the physical exams you've saved for each doctor, all the op reports that you've saved as templates, shortcuts, or macros. Your opening and closing sentences in your letters saved by doctor...your lab tests that get repeated over and over...your doc versions of any tests that you get over and over - their EKGs, cardiac caths, PFTs, etc. Your normals are what make you even more successful at this job in addition to just having words and phrases in an expander. nm
6 or 7 cents? :::snorting::: I made 7.5 at the job I landed even BEFORE I graduated from (lm)
The School That Dare Not Speak Its Name. I then left that job for another one making 8 cents. I am now making 8 cents a line from home, and my one-year anniversary of graduating from MT training is not until May.
Six or seven cents? Not in THIS life. And I have had NO trouble finding jobs. I still get people calling me based on the resumes I sent out back when I first started looking, and I have to tell them I am no longer looking for work.
Nice try, MTSO. But trying to convince people to work for 6 or 7 cents a line shouldn't play as long as some of us are here to bring a little reality into the situation.
CS website says there is money to be made for those who promote the training program!
No wonder people are so quick to promote CS. I don't think M-Tec or Andrews pay people to promote their school! If they do, they owe me some money, LOL!
mt/at home mom
I am 29 years old. This is literally the perfect career for me. Before, I always thought that work from home jobs were just a scam, until I found out about mt. I bring in an income and i am home for my kids. I went to a local technical school. The course was 4 months long and I got a job 2 weeks out of class. I love it! I used to be an admin assistant and hated it.
Getting that home job
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
At-Home
I took the course and it will definitely prepare you for the job that you have to do. My first job, almost fell through because I did not have "experience". I literally begged them to let me try at a probationary rate for three months because I knew that I could do the job. When I turned in the first job, they said this is not your first job; you have done this before. I told them only in my training. The probationary rate lasted one week!! This training will not get you a job. Getting your foot in the door is the hardest part because no one wants to help you gain experience. Once you get in, you will be prepared for the job. I finished the course about 6 years ago and although it took me a few months to find my first job, I had actually no trouble getting the second job with good results. I have about five friends who have taken this course. One chooses not to work now, but the other four are employed. Two of these individuals had jobs before they even finished the course.
I am looking for a " at home" MT job
I am expecting a baby in October and I am despritely looking for an at home MT job. I don't have any experience, but I will graduate June 15th in Medical Coding/Billing. I am a fast learner also. If you could e-mail me and let me know any info. I would appreciate it greatly. Thanks, Rachel Link
2nd income MT at home
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
2nd income MT home
I do. I work full-time and part-time from my home. I work 12-20 hours per week for my part-time job mostly in the evenings. Is is possible.
Professional at home MT course
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.
Has anyone taken an At-Home Professions course?
I'm feeling very confused and overwhelmed with what I should do. I enrolled in an At-Home Profession course last week, but I'm still waiting for my first shipment. In the meantime, I received an e-mail from M-Tec saying I did pretty good with the enrollment test and they feel I'd be a good candidate to take their course. I heard good things about M-Tec. It's a little more expensive than AHP, so I would have to get a student loan. I guess that's where I worry...MONEY. I was wondering if there's anyone who has taken the AHP course and what their opinion is on it. Also, I would love anyone's input on my situation. Thanks for your help!!
My experience with an at-home course
Hello, I took MTatHome course. You have to learn everything on your own.. which I did. It has helped me alot. I have been testing with MANY companies.. and they tell me that I score around 92 when they prefer 98%. I really dont think 92 for a newbie who had to TRAIN herself and has absolutely ZERO experience is too bad! I will keep training myself by reading sample reports, etc. Oh, I got offered a job at Spheris which I accepted. I hope I can pull it off! Thanks all!
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.
MT business from home.
Thanks so much for your help. It's people like you that I hope will answer my emails. I'm going to keep making phone calls to schools locally and online. Thanks again Dee
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!
You might be able to work at home.
You might be able to work at home if you are successful in passing their course.
Look carefully at schools before you sign up. Andrews and M-Tec both have high graduation rates and their students get jobs easily. They are worth the money.
They are both approved by AHIMA and AAMT, provide personalized instruction with experienced CMT instructors, and have a proven track record. They provide more and that is why they cost more.
Don't try to save money by going with the cheapest school you can find. You'll end up spending twice as much in the long run. You'll spend for books and materials, for references, and in lost time on the job, and you may end up being unemployed for months looking for a job.
I went to CS and work at home, but...
I went to Career Step and had 2 job offers from national companies within a week of graduating. Both of these jobs were to work at home. While I had no trouble finding work, if I had to do it all over again I would have gone to Andrews or M-TEC. Getting feedback from an instructor as compared to just checking your own work would have been invaluable!
at home professions course
i have taken 2 courses through them and was very happy with them. since then i have received 4 diplomas in 4 of there programs and am now seeking work as a vet technician and soon to be a private investigator for animal cruelty investigations thanks to AHP
At-Home Professions...
What happened is people finally learned that AHP doesn't teach you more than 1/3 of what you need to know in order to get a job as an MT. Once a company finds out that you got your "education" at AHP, they will not even bother to let you take their employment test. Once so many people learned of this, AHP changed their name so they could keep cheating people by taking their money but NOT teaching them enough of the proper things to get a job as an MT.
Andrews or M-TECH are the two best schools. EVERYONE who graduates from those 2 schools GETS hired afterwards.
At Home Professions
How far into the course are you?
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