This same issue was on the WAHM site. sm

• Anyone who is not happy with outsourcing... - Dazey
  • This same issue was on the WAHM site. sm - Jenn

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I have new headphones too so I don't think it's a headphone issue here.  Unfortunately, the tape quality is so poor I don't think hearing from both sides will make much of a difference - at least for me anyway.  I just deal with it.  :)

lived overseas.  Many ads say no offshore MTs, but I don't know how they feel about an American that was overseas and if that would an issue for you or not. 

and have seen a definite trend afoot. Let me say I have over 20 years experience in health care and MT. I also own a transcription service. I spend a lot of time networking with other people in this field. This is what I see.

1) Nearly all the major transcription services have gone to Voice Recognition platforms.(See Company Board) When they did this, they chopped the wages in half, with the idea that you should be able to produce twice as much edited work as transcribed work. However, this penalizes the fast experienced transcriptionist. It was nothing to be able to make $30-$40 an hour if you were good. As an editor, you make approximately $12. It is very difficult to increase production as an Editor - there are just not many tricks.  In addition, they also have gone offshore, nearly 100% of the big companies. We are not talking small change here. We are talking about a major shift.

2) A significant number of medical offices are switching to electronic medical record systems (EMR) which often have a computerized charting component that would replace medical transcription. We definitely are seeing FREQUENT posts about people losing accounts to EMR.

3) Every year, the physicians coming out of medical school are more and more comfortable with technology.  They live and breath with their laptops. They pay their bills on-line, they get their music on line, they find houses, cars and dates on line. They can type faster than I can. They will certainly be even less resistant to technology.

4) The AAMT which could have been the unified voice among MT's to deal with these challenges, has sold out for getting more members overseas - an untapped market to buy books, training, and equipment. $Cha-Ching$! And they ditched us.

So, say you have 150,000 jobs in an industry and 1/3 are lost to off shore and 1/3 are lost to voice recognition and EMR. What kind of competition do you think is going to be left among the remaining 1/3?   Do you think you, as a newbie, are going to be able to compete? Do you think wages are going to go UP if there are more than enough transcriptionists, all competing for the same job?

So you can be scared and upset and deny it's happening...or you can adapt...Me? I enrolled in nursing school. When MT collapses, which I believe it is on the verge of, I will be ready.

http://www.mtjobs.com/

That's how I found my first at home MT job.  Of course, I came with years of hospital and doctors office experience.  I started with one company then moved to another with higher pay. 

Also, do a Google search, just type in "medical transcription jobs". 

You may want to try Medquist - www.medquist.com.  I'm not sure if they're hiring folks with no experience but from some of the word help questions I've seen, I get the impression they might be.  If they hire you, it would be at tier I, which is just clinic notes.and around 7 CPL. 

Don't give up!  You went through the training.  Also, consider sending resumes to doctors' offices.  That's the easiest transcription to do - I've always had the charts with me when I've done their transcription so if there's something you're not sure about, you can go thru the chart.  Say you're willing to cover their MT's vacation.  It will get your foot in the door.

Good luck to you!

There are 3 schools listed here and it shows their prices and their web addies and stuff like that.

Below is a link to an Internship program for MT's

The best schools I know of are M-Tec and Andrews.  You get what you pay for.  Their grads never have problems finding employment after graduation.  Best of luck. 

Most companies will not let you use your "school" time as experience. 

I am no expert on the hiring processes, but new MTs need more attention which costs the company more money to pay QA.  It is sad, but all new MTs get lumped together it seems.

What suggestions does the school have for you at ths point?  Unfortunately, if you did not attend Career Step, M-Tec, or Andrews, you may have to work harder to find that first break in this field. 

MT is not what it used to be.  You'd have been better off to become a biller/coder and find a job at home.

Speaking for myself....it's always nice to have another MT to bounce things off of when I'm stuck on something.  I can't say enough positive things about this site.  It's amazing at all the helpful people on here willing to help someone else.

Can any of you that have been at this for a long period of time answer me this question?  When you first started out...did you feel overwhelmed?  How long does it take a person to really see if this is something they'll be good at?  I find myself getting headaches really easy and only after a few hours of typing.  I feel fatigued.  Is it normal to feel this way in the beginning and what suggestions do you have to help?  When do you feel that things are finally settling down and you start to move along at a normal pace? I'll give it a few months I guess...I'd think at that point I would have a pretty good idea if this is something I'm going to be productive at or not.

Sorry for all the questions.....I guess I am feeling uneasy and was hoping for some reassurance or words of wisdom from none other than another MT.