To answer your questions

• Hourly pay - mtOH
  • That's a first for me. I've never heard of an IC being paid hourly. - Me
    • hourly IC - frzldmum
      • IC versus employee has nothing to do with either - production versus hourly pay
  • For a newbie $10 an hour is good I would say - sm - XXX
  • Do they do annual reviews? - Me
    • To answer your questions - mtOH

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http://www.lartechinc.com/home.html

Check on Google.Com they have many links to the company you are looking for.

Why don't you call Linda and discuss your concerns with her?  I'm sure she can put them into perspective better than I can, but I'll share that you won't need to use that website in your studies.  Nor do you need to participate in any social activity whatsoever.   In fact, should you wish to be completely invisible to all the other students, you won't have any problem doing so. 

My cyber-office masquerades as a pub, but I won't be teaching you, so you don't have to go there.  Even if I was teaching you, you wouldn't have to go there!  Many of my students interact with me only by email.   

Yes, our board is private.  That is because our students voted to have a private board and because the school administration feels that a private board is best for everyone.   That way, you can speak and participate freely, or not, without worrying about it coming back to haunt you some day. 

What's most important is that you choose the school that makes you feel the most "at home."   You need to be comfortable and happy, and you need to feel that the school meets your needs as far as is possible.   We want you to select the school that you feel is "your" school, and if it's not us, that's ok. 

I have been doing this job part time for 6 months now and absolutely love it. I am looking forward to the day when I can do this full time.  To answer your questions:

1.  There is no reason nor excuse to attach a resume when your prospective employer says to paste it.  When I applied I made sure I read everything and did everything that was asked.... because I wanted the job.

2.  There is no reason nor excuse to apply for a job where you do not have or are not willing to buy the equipment needed to do the job.  I made sure my software and foot pedal were compatible.  If a high speed internet connection is required, and you don't have one, then you can't do the job.

3.  When I applied for positions, I checked, checked and recheched my spelling and grammar to show that I did have a grasp of the English language... because I wanted the job.

4.  I did get the job, and now I rely heavily on the QA corrections that I receive.  I pull my reports to see the errors before I start my shift so I won't do the same mistakes again.  I want to learn the words and phrases of difficult docs, get the account specifics down, and improve my accuracy... because I want to KEEP my job.

This is just good business common sense.  I think feathers were ruffled because of the tone of the post, not the content, although I can certainly understand her frustration.  A MTSO owes a newbie nothing.  A newbie must prove themselves able to do the job, and a good first impression is a big step in doing that.

Just my take on it.

only cap medical Transcriptionist if it is a company name....I am an MTSO with my first name and surname coming before, i.e.,  [My Name Here] Medical Transcription Service

Instead of the traditional straight keyboard, they have a keyboard that is split down the middle so your hands can be at a more natural angle.  Its called an ergonomic keyboard.  I LOVE mine. 

If you go to this URL you will find the exact keyboard that I use. 

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=043

Has anyone heard back from "Jen" regarding the internship that her company is offering? If so, please email me with your thoughts and opinions of the offer.

Thanks!

hi, all.  didn't want to hijack "not sure's" thread...

i know what to ask when interviewing for a nursing position; the from-home MT thing is going to be a new one for me.  i've searched before asking this (maybe didn't use the right key-words).  any suggestions for what to ask a company? 

here's what i've jotted down:

1.  CPL;

2.  percentage of ESLs (not terribly huge, as i've worked with lots of foreign docs, both as a nurse and as MT);

3.  soft-/hardware used;

4.  TAT (if not stated in the offer/job-description);

5.  not sure how to phrase this...what the company considers "a line" (as in "how many characters);

6.  whether the rate includes spaces.

any other ideas?

BTW:  you guys are terrific.  thank you!

I just received a position as an IC. I have never been one before so how do I figure taxes and such? Also, I have been told that I would be able to deduct a lot of things since I do this out of my home.  What are some things that I can deduct? I was guess internet service but couldn't figure out anything else.

Thanks for the help.

I wouldn't say you got the best MT education to be had.  I also don't see where you have interest in doing for yourself (that Stedman's Work At Home issue).  While you are looking at your insular little world, you haven't been around the past, well, even 10 years, to see the changes that have brought down this industry.  Ten years is not even considered one generation.  There will be need for GOOD MTs still for many years to come, but those positions will be held by the very best MTs to be had and who are still willing to work for the pay that goes down over time.  Many other positions that are now MTs will transition into something different, something still with a living to be offered but different just the same.

Just this year, my employer restructured its pay scale so that in order to make the same cpl, I had to produce an additional 4000 lines per month.  If I didn't, I suffered a pay cut of 1 cpl.  Obviously this has not happened to you.  I've been at it much longer than I suspect you've been an adult.  I do not plan to leave the industry although my alternate education is already in place.  I'm lucky because my skill set is very much in demand.  I am a high, accurate producer with flexibility and if I'm making money, my employer makes much more.

But I didn't get there by patting myself on the back and asking questions that some research would help with and save myself the embarrasment of my peers for not having done the research.

As to what school to go to, read the writing on the wall and take one of the top 3.  This industry has changed just in a few short years and if you don't know everything that everyone is doing, someone without education from the top 3 will have a more difficult time getting placement after schooling.

JMHO, which is free, and you're welcome to do with it what you will.

I just got an account with a local doctor doing clinic notes part time.  Will I be considered an MTSO since there is no middleman?  Is .11 cents a line reasonable for 24 hour turn around?  How long do you stay at that rate?  The only transcribing experience I have is from Career Step where I graduated two years ago.  I am in the southern Illiniois area.  Is it recommended to charge more for consult notes?  I have seen examples of $2 per page and .6 cents per line. 

Also, is anyone aware of the HIPPA requirements for emaling transcription files back to the doctor?  He sends them in WAV files and I send them back password protected.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

1.  Why is it such a shock to newbies that the field is so hard to break into?

2. Why aren't the people who sell these MT training programs telling newbies that it is so?

I'm just finishing school with At-Home Professions (doing my final now) and have 2-3 job possiblities. One is working for 2 physical therapists and I will find out more about it today or this week. The other is the one I am leaning towards and would like your input on; It is working in Neurology Surgery (very specialized) and at first it is working for a very good friend at a lower pay scale just until I get the confidence to do it on my own. What do you think of this option? There is a chance I can get a job with my friends boss, however I thought it might be good starting off to just work for her, that way I can have someone editing my work etc. After I have the confidence and a little experience I can work for the my friends boss.

By the way, all the newbies looking for work-all of these job possiblities have just been from friends and asking my husbands cardiologist about who he uses.

Hello Everyone! first of all, I want to say thank you for all of the great information I have found so far from these boards.  I am very seriously considering being an MT.  I currently work full-time as a Transcriptionist in a Psychologist's office and I really enjoy it.  However, I believe I would enjoy the medical field more.  I have a few questions that I would really appreciate you guys answering...

Can you make a decent living as an MT working for an online company? (i.e. Spheris, Focus or accuscribe?) Currently, I would need to make at least 25k a year to suppliment my husbands income for our family, and I do not mind working full-time. 

I believe I am going to being training with CareerStep... will companies like that consider hiring me if I test and score high enough, even without prior MT experience?

Thank you so much for your help!

I am looking into becoming a MT, can anyone tell if there are any other references or templates available for formatting a medical transcription document or is formatting info only outlined in the AAMT Book of Style? Also, are there different formats for different reports?

I am very interested in working at home for an MT company but have a few questions regarding doing so and would appreciate any help and advice anyone can give.

If hired to work part time, say four hours a day, do they have to be consecutive hours or any time, so long as four hours are worked during the day? What about full time hours? What is a good production amount for both? Also, if hired to work four hours a day and you finish the work in three hours, can you "sign off" early?

I realize that some companies provide equipment; what equipment would that be and does that include the word processing software? Which is preferred: WordPerfect or MS Word? What would you recommend as the absolute "must haves" for starting out as an MT? Does the company provide report templates to base your work on?

Which company would be the best to start out with? I've only noticed Spheris takes MT's with only one year experience; are there others that are better? Are there companies that hire brand-new MT's; what are they?

I realize that some of the questions seem rather silly, but I am trying to convince my husband that, with a little bit of help with the kids, I can have a lucrative career with benefits and the added bonus of staying at home. Any advice is greatly appreciated and I thank you in advance.

What types of special software would I need to work at home as an IC? This is for a school project.

Thanks!

Firewall, Security Suite, Medical Spell Check, Line Count, etc. Anything eles anyone can add to this list?

I am a new MT and very proud of my achievemnt. I have just been approved to enter an apprenticeship program with Focus Infomatics. Is there anyone here that has had some experience (good or bad) with this company?

Thanks for any input!

Hi,

I want to go back to school to be a MT.  Could any one answer a few questions

for me?

1. What company do you work for?

2. How long have you worked in the field?

3. What are the duties and responsibilities of your position?

4. Did you receive on the job training in your position?

5. Are there opportunities for advancement in your position?

6. What do you enjoy the most about your job?

7. What do you enjoy least about your job?

8. If you were starting again, what would you do differently?

9. How is your job different from how you expected it to be?

10. What is the current starting wage?

11. What are the working conditions of your position?

12. Can you refer me to anyone else I should talk to?

If you would like you can add any other info.

Thank you,

Debra

Canada