You are good at "grammer". I suggest reading
Posted By: uh oh on 2007-08-06
In Reply to: do all schools require a speed test - carolyn
your post again. I can't type but about 45 wpm if I'm typing from a piece of paper, but doing transcription I can type about 100 wpm. Some companies request you type so many wpm, but I don't know how they measure that or what difference you make. Many companies do require a minimum lph though. Of course accuracy is more important than speed, but if you are getting paid on production you want to be able to type fast as well as accurate.
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I would suggest
I would suggest:
AAMT BOS (Book of Style)(www.aamt.org), Stedman's (www.stedmans.com) Quick Look Drug Book (I like the hard copy better than the CD - Also, I have Bilips Drug Index and I don't like it as much as the Quick Look Drug Book), every Stedman's Word Book Series and Stedman's Medical Dictionary. If available on CD get them! If only available in book form, then you are stuck with the book. It's easier/faster to look things up when you have the software (I just find the drug book cumbersome on CD). The CDs are really awesome. You can search on partial words/phrases, etc.
By the way, if you join the AAMT (you would be a student member I assume - the membership is discounted)... you can get 30% off of most of Stedman's products. You might think I am crazy for buying ALL of Stedman's Word Books, but when I was doing the hospital account, I transcribed for EVERY specialty out there and I got my moneys' worth for every last one of them. The Pathology and Lab Medicine Words is a especially needed..these doctors abbreviate all over the place and it really helps.
As far as foot pedals go, I started out with an Infinity USB pedal (www.martelelectronics.com - they seem to have very reasonable prices) but as accounts change, so do the pedals. I now have the USB pedal, a 9-pin foot pedal, and a dictaphone pedal. Whatever training you choose, they will tell you what pedal you need for the course and it will probably come with the training (my opinion is that Andrews seems to be the best ... they say M-Tec and Career Step are wonderful too.. but if I had to do it again, I would go to Andrews). Then when you get a job, if that pedal isn't right, they will provide you with one or tell you what you need to buy.
As far as expanders... when I started out I bought Stedman's Smartype, a good program, but never used it. Word has autocorrect which I was using and I loved it. Just started a new account that doesn't use Word or have its own expander, so I purchased PC Shorthand. It's wonderful and works with everything I've tried so far ... it even works in IM, web searches, Word, Excel, e-mail, etc. My plan is to use PC Shorthand forever now even if I get another account in the future that uses Word. You can download it free for 30 days and buy it later (www.pcshorthand.com). If you get it and start training, I suggest you add everything you learn as you go so that you are ahead of the game when you get a job.
I hope this helps. If I remember anything else, I will send you another post. With all my stuff on CD.. the only thing on my desk is a little pad, the drug book and AAMT BOS..everything else I use consistently is right there on my PC.
Good luck to you!
I would suggest
utilizing a word expander. Especially on drug names. Every time you have to type the name of a medication, put it in your word expander. That way the next time you have to type it you only have to use your abbreviation and you don't have to think about the proper spelling or capitalization. I would also start entering every commonly used phrase and *normal* words in your Expander as well. A Word Expander will help you a lot.
Which is why we always suggest (sm)
the only 2 schools that have graduates who do get jobs right out of school.
Otherwise it's a jungle out there.
I suggest you take an MT course
I believe it would be in your best interest to take an MT course because there is more to being a productive MT than just knowing a few medical terms. If you choose an accredited school, they will have a list of companies that will accept you after you graduate even without 2 years of experience. Have you inquired about trying an internship locally to get an idea of what MT is all about? You could be done or almost done by the time you have your first child, so why not gather information from at least the well-known schools and do it the right way? As an MT your earnings will be based on production, which means the better prepared you are for the job, the more you will make. If you are looking for a job you can do from home, why not try virtual assistant, and then you would not need to worry about medical terminology! Good luck.
I would suggest trying (sm)
Mavis Beacon. When I began MT school, my speed was around 70 wpm. I am now at approximately 120 wpm after years of transcribing daily. Before I began MT school, I would spend approximately 45 minutes daily on Mavis Beacon trying to practice my skills. Actually, I still do typing practice, even now. It's just something I love to do  . As others have said, typing speed is not the most important part of this job. I find that I move fast because of my knowledge (not having to look up words very often), macros, shortkeys, knowing the physicians' names at my facility, etc. Just practice and you should be fine  .
If you enjoy reading . . . (sm)
If you enjoy reading, then MT may be a good choice for you.
If you enjoy reading dictionaries and encyclopedias, then MT may be a good choice for you, because you'll be doing both those things big-time.
If you enjoy reading about medicine and you like the "idea" of medicine, but you don't like actual patient contact, then MT may be a good choice for you (there is no patient contact).
If you like the idea of medicine, but you're afraid of hurting someone or making some horrible, life-threatening mistake, then MT may be for you, because there is little chance of that in MT.
If you are able to decide to do something and stick with it in spite of some parts of it being not quite what you enjoy, then MT may be for you. There are boring parts of MT, just like there are boring parts of any job.
If you prefer to function in self-directed mode rather than in closely supervised mode, and if you are actually successful functioning in self-directed mode, then MT may be for you.
If your concept of "accuracy" is what most people consider to be obsessive and nit-picky, then MT may be for you. If your concept of accuracy is "yeah, whatever," then MT is definitely not for you.
after reading some of your questions,
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.
Been Reading awhile
I just wanted to say, that I have been lurking here quite a bit. My husband and I are both wanting to get into medical transcription. We plan on starting with Career Step next month. I don't have any questions as of yet, but I just wanted to say hi, and thank you all for giving the good, bad, and the ugly of it all.
I don't expect to make $80,000 a year, I don't need to.. I would just be happy if we(my husband and I) can make $30,000 a year between us once we have finished school and gained experience.
Again thanks
I would suggest contacting the...
director of any school you are interested in and explaining your situation. I was in a position very similar to yours and contacted Susan Francis of M-Tec and Linda Andrews. Both offered me a discounted rate, M-TEC's based on the materials I already owned, and Andrews based on pure sympathy I think. I don't know about a "shortened program," but M-TEC does have more than one option (Basic, Premier, Tier I, Tier II) and I think both programs are self-paced, so the fact that you have experience should help you to fly through the material quickly.
If all you get from reading the MQ posts
is about ASR, you're not paying attention.
My suggest would be to spend some
the Medquist board on this site and forming your own opinion. Frankly, I don't know anyone who works there who is happy anymore.
Honestly, I would suggest you try to
locally find a job in a hospital, clinic, or doctor's office. You would be getting your foot in the door and getting some on-the-job training all at the same time. That's how I got started, and I would highly recommend it. There's also a lot to learn in the beginning, and it's so much easier to have others around to ask.
Just Venting!! Thanks for reading
How come we spend our time and our money to go to school for this for something that is such a high demand for and we cant get a job doing it??
This is messed up.
Google it. I would suggest staying away
from TVPS.com
I have used this company and had no problems. http://www.theprogrammers.com/wavp.html
MANY people? I saw one! What board are you reading?
nm
I highly suggest you get a computer with XP - sm
99% of the companies out there do not use Vista. So either get your hands on an old one or buy a new one with it (I special ordered mine from Dell), or reformat your existing computer and get rid of the Vista. I use an Aircard which works great with every company I have tried it on so far, I would just say yeah, I have high speed....you do, it is just wireless. I had some trouble recently and the tech guys kept telling me my aircard would not work, etc. I told them I had been using it for 6 months just fine.....turns out it was a problem at their end and once they fixed it my aircard worked fine as always. Try www.lts-inc.com they will hire newbies and always have lots of work.
I would suggest the Wav Pedal Infinity
You can try e-bay, transcriptiongear.com, or executive communications. This Infinity reads all files. Also, you can download Express Scribe for free from www.vancedigital.com. I would get the newest Stedman's spell check, I love Stedman's. I have no clue on expanders, sorry, I only use word and autocorrect.
The company usually provides the software if they use an online platform. Some do require you purchase a particular software, i.e., DocShuttle. It all depends on where you apply and what they use.
Welcome to MTing....
I too was going to suggest switching feet.
Also, check yourself to make sure you are not sitting there with your heel down and your toe hovering over the pedal while you catch up with yourself. Even after 37 years on the job, I still catch myself doing that one. Be sure and take your foot completely away every possible chance you get. You could also try rearranging some things under your desk to try out different angles and positions of your legs and feet, and make sure you are not straining in any way to actually reach the pedal. Best of luck!
However, I might suggest you work on your grammar skills!
I love reading your posts Patti!
nm
Working for them and doing fine. I think you are reading into wrong. nm
xx
Reading between the lines, the work is coming
from India and no experienced MT would be willing to work for peanuts to basically have to redo the report.
If you have spent any time reading this board you
would know M-Tec would be the better option.
I wasn't being nasty - quit reading between the lines
x - but do not think that you are just going to walk back into this like it's a walk in the park. It's not. Things have changed and it's not what it used to be and it is not where the money used to be.
I would highly suggest getting Stedman's Smartype and Spellcheck -sm
if you are using MS Word or Wordperfect. If using WP 5.1 DOS then find the above programs I mentioned for DOS (hard to find but out there). You should be able to do at least 800 lines in 8 hours if you apply yourself. As for looking drugs names, Smartype is a lifesaver, also with repetition you will learn the drug names. My first year I looked up a lot of drug names, though once I had some experience and then I had my Smartype those days pretty much ground to a halt. I rarely have to look anything up anymore. I am no speed demon myself and only average about 140 lph after 4 years, sometimes more, sometimes less, just depends on who I am doing.
If you spent any time at all reading this board you'll
see what a struggle it is for newbies to get jobs at home. If you go to one of the better schools your chances are better, but still no guarantee. I think anyone looking to get into this field now is crazy. Lots of work being offshored and lots of working going to ASR, which leaves fewer jobs for available. j
Spend some time reading through posts on this board
and you'll find your info about the preferred schools and the ones to avoid. I don't know of any MT company that is setup to work with MAC.
Hi, 'me': You suggest taking a mentoring program
for newbies.
Could you name some companies or schools which offer mentoring programs?
TIA
My deepest apologies because in reading my response and that icon, it came out much more sinister
of a remark, which was not intended as so sarcastic.
Here are some great links and I hope they help!
Grammar errors: http://esl.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsu.edu%3A8080%2F%7Ebrians%2Ferrors%2Ferrors.html
Miriam Webster Online: http://www.m-w.com
OneLook Dictionary: http://www.onelook.com
Grammar Slammers: http://englishplus.com/grammar/mistcont.htm
Guide to Grammar and Writing: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar
I'll sign that one...I quit reading her posts about a month ago
because they are so negative and condescending. If she was nearly as smart as she thought she was, she would be kinder. I haven't read one of her posts in at least a month. If I see her name as the poster, I simply skip that particular message. She is a nasty individual, in my opinion anyway.
Good. The lab book was a good choice.
Be sure you look through each book when you get it. Put tabs on sections you will want to refer to quickly. I know my lab book (not Stedman's) has all kinds of extra sections. I think my next purchase would be the cardiac book. Then neuro or OB-GYN after that, depending on which you are getting more of in your work.
that's good to know
At least there's a little hope for me
Good for you!! - nm
.
Good for you!
.
I know a good MT when I see one - regardless of
credentials, school or references. One run through the grammar screening knocks most of 'em right out of the ballpark...
good for you, 10/cpl is good
/
That is good
That is great to hear that someone else was exactly where I am now. Where did you land your first job, not the MTSO, the other one?
I do not think I am TOO GOOD.
companies that pay these low wages are taking advantage of new MTs that don't know their value yet. The MTs that received this offer had all spent thousands of dollars and a lot of time learning to become an MT. I just don't know why anyone would sell themselves short for 5 cpl ($10 an hour is generous by the way as most new MTs won't get to 200 lph). As I said, there are companies out there that pay better. If you are trying to help, steer the newbies to these companies, not the companies that have a reputation for not respecting their MTs. If you take the time, do your research, and graduate from a good school, you should have no problem finding a good job. I had 4 offers before I even got my final score. My first company paid 7 cpl and after 6 months, I took on my own client making just about double that.
good to know!! Thank you!
good to know!! Thank you!
Good For You!
My late Mother did the same thing. We didn't do homeschooling, but she did it all and did it exceptionally well. She was brilliant but never acted like it. She was a taxi to more than the 6 kids in our family. She taught piano, voice, directed the church choir, wrote plays (we were in them), was busy in RNC fund-raising, and on and on.
We just called her "Mother."
So good luck to you. It really warms my heart to hear stories like yours. As for the MT thing, it sounds like you could teach yourself. That's what I did.
Good luck!
Appy anywhere and everywhere. There are a lot of companies who say they require at least 2 years experience, but you would be surprised at how many will give someone who has just graduated a chance. If you pass their test they will hire you, 2 years or not. I know from experience. I graduated last year and I applied to every ad that had a 2 year minimum, before I graduated. I got hired 1 week before I graduated, and I have been working ever since. Good Luck!
Nothing is good for a newbie.
Ya, I think I won't take the job because it may be a little difficult. That's real smart.
I have not heard anything good about it.
If you are looking for a quality MT education, the gold standard training comes from Andrews and M-Tec. Some graduates of Career Step have had good luck in finding and keeping employment also. The top schools turn out job-ready MTs. Employers are eager to hire them. The cheaper schools do not turn out graduates that employers are eager to hire.
What do you consider a good living?
I'm thinking of work from my house instead of the office, changing careers.
a good living
Sounds like you are quite successful. Please share with me what is involved in actually earning this level of income. Have you been at it for a long time? How many hours/week do you work? Thanks. I'm strongly considering MT but I hear such variables on the pay.
good point
Knowing that pay=production can be a great motivator, especially if you are working for a company that provides consistent work flow and good HR relations.
Thanks for your input.
Good point!
Peggy, what excellent advice! I had not heard it put that way, and after thinking about it, I know you're right! thanks for opening my eyes to think "bigger".... better to be excellent, and more "employable", than to be somewhat limiting. I do plan to study in such a way as to be excellent! That's just the way I'm "built"! :) thanks again for your post.... -Anne (amh) :)
This is a good start for you (sm)
In light of the fact that you are new, this is an excellent rate of pay with a reasonable (generous, really) production requirement, even though you may not be able to meet it at first.
Add 20-25% to it for the benefits and you'll be making more on the lines of $13.08. As an on-site employee you will not have to pay self-employment tax or overhead.
When people scoff at this rate of pay, remember that everyone starting out in a new career field starts at the bottom. You have to work your way up. As an MT, your value lies in your ability to produce quantity work while maintaining high quality. Newbies aren't able to produce much while maintaining quality.
The incentive pay makes this better, and if it has good benefits, then you're doing well.
The most important thing about this job is that it will give you experience. You NEED that experience. If you can get it while being paid hourly, so much the better.
Unless someone scoffing at this can produce a job for you which pays better, do not listen to them.
If you do not have a job and you need a job, you are in no position to be turning one down because it doesn't pay top dollar. Take this job and do your best with it.
Yes, this is still a good field!
Hey Porr - Welcome! First of all, you have come one of the most negative MT sites on the internet. If you are easily discouraged or depressed, I would advise you NOT to come to this site. I have been an MT for over 30 years and every time I come to this board, I leave so dejected, I wonder if I have wasted my life doing MT. I have finally realized that this board drags me down, so I don't come here very often. The people who do come on here legitimately, come to relieve their frustrations, get advice, vent about work situations, etc.... we are not all this stressed out all the time But there are a lot of really good people on here, too, and you can get a lot of valuable knowledge, you just have to learn who the "trolls" are and ignore them (easier said than done at times!) The MT world is undergoing a lot of changes these days. A lot of work is being sent offshore and now they have the voice recognition platform that they are working on. The nationals make you feel very unappreciated, but I have worked for doctors, hospitals, clinics and had my own service for a while, and there are a lot of people out there who will appreciate your skills, just not the large nationals. Stay away from them until you are more seasoned, then, if you feel like tackling one of them, I say go for it. They have their negatives, but you will gain valuable knowledge and you will be able to get a job just about anywhere with one of the nationals on your resume.
This is a great field, just keep your nose to the grindstone and stay away from negative websites (). Do not let the comments you read here sway you one way or the other. I find this to be a personally rewarding field to work in. I hope that you do, too! Hang in there and don't give up!
Good luck!
You can't give up hope if this is the field you want to work in. I had been doing my job for 17 years and needed something new. I did a lot of research and liked the opportunites that being an MT provided. I'm sure it would not be for everybody, but I love what I do and have great docs to transcribe for. Plus, perhaps more important, it is an ongoing learning process. I like to stay challenged and this job certainly does that. Good luck to you!!
Good point..lol
nm
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