hard work pays off
Posted By: newgrad on 2009-05-18
In Reply to: mt - outofhere
I am a stay-at-home mom, and I just finished the Allied program a week ago. I think the job market is bad for all areas. I got into this not only to be able to stay home with the kids, but because I love what I do. I think we have to work hard no matter what it is. It is not looking good anywhere right now. Best of luck. :)
Complete Discussion Below:  marks the location of current message within thread
The messages you are viewing
are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select
the boards given in left menu
Other related messages found in our database
Accustat Carolinas pays some 2 after they work for free for six months...just crazy.nm
nm
Hard work and determination will
to find you a job or help you every minute. No one is promised anything in life. In my day of beginning MT'ing, there were no computers, and there were no boards. So before jumping to conclusions and screaming about India, you need to look at yourself and what tools you have used to become an MT. No one is handed anything in life no matter what profession you are in, but I personally like hearing your input and wish you the best of luck! 
I guess I'm just not willing to work THAT hard
But you are right, if you are IC you have no health care benefits, 401k, etc, so you'd get paid more. Also working for 3 different companies helps. Good luck to you.
Go for 8 and come down to 7 if you have to. I know co. that pays 9-10 but for experience.
You're only posting your opinion & website b/c CS pays you for you referrals
nm
Local hospital pays hourly + production incentive
I was lucky enough to find a job that gives me the best of both worlds. A decent hourly base and then incentive pay on top of that.
GOOD LUCK!!!
You are trying to do it the hard way.
Contact one of the best schools, work at your own pace with all the tools and help you'll need to learn this craft efficiently. Your way is trying to build a house using toothpicks and cotton balls just because you have part of the framing up. ;oD
Really hard to say - sm
Graduated from MTEC 11 years ago and working at home as an MT ever since. Very burned out right now and actually considering coding, but MTEC does not do coding training. From what I understand anyway, most coders work in house. You need to research both career fields extensively and decide what might suit you best. 
Hard Decision
I am trying to decide between Andrews and M-Tec for my MT education. I realize this is beating a dead horse, but I would like to share some of the things I've noticed about the two and hope someone might have some insight for me.
Andrews: Has had an excellent reputation for a long time. You can take as long as you need to finish the program. Students have same instructors, i.e. everyone gets to experience REDPEN.
M-TEC: Very good reputation also. New website is very professional. Long list of well-known CMTs and AAMT members on staff. You are assigned an individual instructor. You need to finish in 18 months.
I've been weighing these things in my mind trying to decide. I had a bad experience with MT training before. I was completely dependent on one person for feedback, etc. This was great while it worked, but all of a sudden this person stopped responding to my messages, phone calls, etc. I never want to get in that situation again. I am attracted to M-TEC because I know I could track down some of the people on staff there in other contexts if need be. I realize this is probably paranoia on my part because neither program is likely to disappear like mine did, but... The no time limit that Andrews has might be good if an illness or emergency arose. On the other hand, a deadline could be good because I tend to be perfectionistic and overwork things before handing them in. I'm a little nervous about being assigned one instructor at M-TEC because this puts me in somewhat of the same position I was in before of being dependent on one person. However, I would be able to contact Susan Francis or Kathy Kropko if there was a problem I suppose. Still, I kind of like what seems to be more of a traditional classroom experience with a lot of students under one instructor at Andrews.
Thanks for any comments or suggestions.
Hard decision
First of all, let me say that you will get a good solid education with either school. That said, here are some further points to consider:
Redpen is no longer teaching trancription; she teaches coding now.
Andrews has been around longer, their teachers are more experienced, both in teaching methods and transcription. For instance, a recently hired teacher for M-Tec has only been a Transcriptionist for less than 5 years.
M-TEC only requires you to have an 86% score on your final exam to graduate; Andrews hold you until you get a score in the high 90s. Of course, you could compensate for this by just not allowing YOURSELF to graduate until you can achieve a high score.
HTH.
It's hard to find...
someone to even give me a chance. I've been really lucky so far.
Thanks for the advice though.
It is hard enough now for newbies to get a job, but if she
is going to take a program like this she will have a tougher time to find a job with a reputable company. There are 3 good schools M-TEC, Andrews, and Career-Step and there are companies willing to hire newbies provided they have graduated in good standing from one of these schools. Another option would be a local community college who might help with job placement. I worked for a company that used to let the MT student some into the office and do a short rotation to get real hands-on experience.
Some people are just determined they are going to do something and you can't do much about that, but I feel she is throwing away money if she goes this route. I don't have any personal experience with any of the above schools, but they all come highly recommended.
I had a hard time
I had a hard time getting through this course too, I found that I was marked off for things that were not wrong on the previous chapters. So I would argue every grade I got and although most of the time they fixed what they counted wrong they still never gave me a higher grade. I finally got finished with the course and the only job I got was one that has a severe history of not paying their employees. I trusted the school to provide me the jobs for life like I paid for and being new at this I didn't know any better, so I took that job and never got my money and when I contacted the school they said that they had looked up and researched that employer and was very sorry for all my troubles. I have not gotten another job yet and it has been since September. They do not provide doctors to work for like they say, they provide assessment tests and I have tested with hundreds and still had to take a part time job that has nothing to do with transcription work. I strongly urge you to research any job you get from them. I think the grade all depends on the mood of the grader that day, I did great the first half, above the expected grade and then about chapter 10 they were confusing on the grading and it took sometimes 2-3 weeks before they posted a grade and by then I was ready to submit my next test and was again waiting, Very rarely did anyone return my calls and so I e-mailed everyone that I had an e-mail address for with my questions, I figured somebody would answer. haha. It worked. Well good luck to you, but one thing I did find when I was working is that you learn so much more on the job than the school ever teaches you, Good luck to you.
maybe your reports are too hard
I am new too, but I know the answer as well. And I just type office notes right now at my first job going on 4 months. Hmmm.
Hard to fiind MT job for newbies
Why is it so hard for newbies to get employed? You go to school and pay all this money and don't know one want to hire a newby. If someone knows please let me know why.
Its hard to even ask a simple question here...
Roxie, I have to respond to you. I feel as though you are being attacked here and it is just wrong. I look at this board and I have been transcribing about two years. I feel that many transcriptionists here are just rude. I know what you were asking and I can say that I worked with an internship program for three months and that got my foot in the door to work for another national company. The pay was terrible but that was okay. I just wanted to work and learn about the real world of transcription outside of the schooling environment. I am sorry you felt attacked. I hardly ever post because I see how new MT professionals get treated here. It is just a disgrace to our profession. Seasoned Transcriptionist must not remember what it was like to just start out. Give her a break. Please.
Hi Emtee! Yes, it is a very hard test (IMO)sm
I'm the kind of person who usually passes tests with flying colors, yet I just barely passed that test by the skin of my teeth.
They go by the BOS II book...so, if you have the book, make sure everything conforms to the rules in that book. I don't own the book (yet) and just checked the style board to learn of differences between the two books. Off the top of my head, q.4 h. (note the space between 4 and h), cancer classifications (some differences), using Arabic numbers for 1 through 9 instead of spelling them out, etc.
Don't give up! If you are able, buy that book. If not, use all the internet resources (reliable ones) that you can think of.
Good luck to you!
Regards,
Chickadee
HARD GETTING FIRST JOB, NO WONDER INDIA IS AHEAD OF US!!!!!
I finally got my first job for 6 cents a line. I found the job myself. Keep looking around and do not give up. I encountered a lot of road blocks. Everyone basically cares out themselves. Sad to say, but the majority of Americans do not care about teamwork, and helping others. That is why India and other countries are ahead of us MTs and many other professions. TEAMWORK 
Newbie finding it hard to get first job.
I recently finished an online course in medical transcripts. Now, I am finishing an internship. I am finding it very difficult to find an at home job. Most companies require at least one year of full time experience. If anyone has any suggestions, I would really be appreciative.
Newbie finding it hard to get first job.
Yes. I should be done the first week in April. Will this count on my resume for experience? Maybe I am just impatient. I have tried some online tests, but I do find them very difficult, although I am doing quite well with the internship. Thanks for your advice.
Newbie finding it hard to get first job.
Thanks for telling me that. I think I will stick with the internship and take as many tests as possible. I am getting better at them. I do believe persistence will pay off eventually.
I think most of the new grads are having a hard time.
I still haven't found a job myself, and I graduated this May. I would go through your local phone book and start calling all of the transcription companies if you haven't already. Call the hospitals, too. Start applying everywhere. MTdaily has a list of companies and most of the companies have a carreer or job opportunity link on how to apply. I know how frustrating it can be. I am actually considering switching to legal transcription.
Dont' be so hard on youself
I never heard of the top three MT schools until I was well into Meditec. When I graduated I did not even make minimum wage with my first job (but I got a job right away). My first two week paycheck was less than $75 and I put in full time work. I spent a lot of time looking things up and double checking myself. Also, my research techniques and proofreading skills were stumbling blocks for me back then. Improving those two things sped me up tremendously.
I'm doing okay now. So, if I can do it, so can you! You will get much better over time. The more experience you get, the better you will be. You might consider ShortHand or some other expander. That is a help. However, my best friend is the Stedman Plus Medical Dictionary. I love that.
Good luck to you. Hang in there. We all struggle in the beginning.
God Bless.
I went to the school of hard knocks...
... working strictly for doctors' offices for 36 years, when my last boss of nearly 28 years decided to close down his practice. I was hired at one of the nationals, starting on clinical work with the promise to up-train me to acute care (and the promise has been kept). The same day I was hired, a brand-new graduate of Andrews was hired, to work the same accounts, with the same promise. As far as I know, my co-worker (the Andrews graduate) had no trouble finding a job.
For what it's worth.
Hard to find MT jobs for newbies
I attended TechSkills. The course was 32 weeks. I have a desire of being a transcriptionist. By me being a firm believer that I can make a career of being a transcriptionist, my positive attend has brought me a long way.
Hard to find MT jobs for newbies
Lisa, unfortunately I expect that you are going to have a hard time getting a job with your current English-language skills. Even from these brief messages that you have posted, it is patently obvious that English is not your first language. In any type of transcribing or editing position fluency in English is one of the first requirements; if you don't have that, you are not likely to succeed.
Hard to find MT jobs for newbies
Ian, Please consider a career in MT. I have been truly rewarded as my career has changed from working outside the home as a surgical technologist to a full time mom. The field is growing by leaps and bounds especially with all of the outsourcing that is going on. this would allow you to work at home if you wish and work at your own pace. You would not regret it. Now as for the school, VLC is an excellent choice, but remember that you get out of it what you put in it. I am a graduate and have been working steady for the past 2 years and am now preparing to take the AAMT certification.
Good luck on your choice.
It's hard to tell because you are leaving out one important item
it says "can work from home after training period."
Is this a place that is local to you? Why don't you try googling the email address and see what comes up.
There are some hospitals that are willing to train people for this job, but I have found that happens in very very tiny hospitals where they may have something like 40 beds or less.
Per your own words, you're having a hard time.
Obviously you weren't trained correctly if you can't understand what the doctor is saying. Regardless, a lousy 36 reports and a piece of paper doesn't mean much. You're going to have to handle the truth one day.
Okay, but most people have a hard time living
in a different state from their family, let alone another country.
You're probably right - I was laughing too hard to see straight.
.
Hard to tell as each company does things differently.
I'm sure they'll ask the basics about your experience, what work type you prefer, hours/lines you can do each day, etc. They may ask you questions to see how well you know your stuff. They should also ask you if you have any questions and they should tell you what they are looking for, what their platform is, how they pay, etc.
Not a hard and fast rule anymore. Strictly up to QA and
s
Penn Foster & PCDI can't help with job placement because it's too hard to find jobs for their
Not being mean, just honest. There's a reason they won't help with placement. They take your money for their course and don't care if you can get a job afterwards or not. And most people can't, because they are not trained well enough by those courses.
I've seen awful work from "experienced MTs and good work from new graduates
I've seen awful work from "experienced MTs and good work from new graduates.
Training and education really does make a difference. Some people just have 15 or 20 years of very bad experience. They may be fortunate that one employer was willing to hire and keep them, but if that one closed, they would be in trouble. It all depends on the person. some new graduates are a better bet then some experienced MTs. I would prefer to find an experienced MT with great skills and a teachable attitude, but many experienced MTs know everything and are only willing to do things the way they've always done them.
most psych work is included in multispecialty hospital work..sm
contracted to a medical transcription service that requires multispecialty experience because of the hospital work. Unfortunately, very rarely can a medical Transcriptionist these days be given only one specialty when working for a service or hospital. We have to be well versed in multi specialties. The Turn Around Time on demands have increased, and thus the service or hospital gives the MT many different types of work. Learn as many specialties and gain as much experience in different specialties, which in turn will make you a more valuable MT and more apt to gain employment.
Just be sure not to pay for work. There is an MTSO below who apparently charges to work for them (sm
It might be tempting when you're getting desperate for work to pay someone so you can work for them, but don't do it. You can buy software and a foot pedal on your own, so don't let them fool you. If you are approached via e-mail from this site by an MTSO saying they have work for you, please read the posts below before making any decisions.
It is hard to transcribe radiology notes as compared to usual notes?
Can a new MT without radiology transcription experience be able to do it?
Can you share where you work that the work is plentiful? nm
s
Work for MTs
I was hired before I even graduated or had begun job hunting by a large transcription company. It was the easiest job I have ever gotten. I was hired because I attended a top-notch school (M-TEC) and did well in the program. There are plenty of jobs for well trained MTs, even new ones.
Work through it
Type the report thorugh the first time. Look up any you are not sure of to gain understanding of the report. Listen again full through and fill in blanks. Then listen again to problem areas to pick out works. Never guess. Leave blanks where you are not sure. Any hard dictator takes time to learn and multiple listens to the voice file to complete it to the best of your ability.
FT work and PT Mt work...
can this be done or am I getting in over my head. FT in-house, not MT and PT MT at home.
Anyone else doing this?
looking for work
Hi,
I would suggest NOT going to companies.....try docs you know personally or that have their own practice. That is how i started, just walked in, gave them a business card and flyer and made a deal, that if they gave me a chance, i would reduce the cost for the first 30 days. i got my first doc that way five years ago and he has referred me to many and i am still with him in addition to two others he referred to me! It is wonderful.....set your own hours, no rush on anything. good luck!
Cindi
Not enough work
I am actually an employee and they do have set hours kind of. Technically they say set hours but I have 2 split days and was told at the beginning as long as you get hour 40 hours in. But also at the same time, the first 2 hours of my work day I have been getting mabye 10 dictations, but they still ask you to tell them if you are not going to be around at any of those times, and when you will make up those hours. It is just frustrating because everything was starting to click into place. Finally getting up to 1300 lines a day and making some good money!
Not enough work.
I have been working for about 1-1/2 years now in med trans, almost a year for this one company. Still pretty new at the lingo and how the business side of things run. But lately, there has not been enough work with the company and I am sitting around for hours getting only a few dictations downloading. Your are assigned an account and also a backup but I was just wondering if this slow time thing is normal? This has been going on now for 3 weeks, also kind of has been occurring every now and then since this summer. I am just wondering how long what the usual is and how long should I wait until starting to look for another job?
Thanks
maybe her son will go to work for her too. nm
:)
Here's what seems to work for me
I have a very active 16-month-old and there's no WAY I can work when she is awake. She needs my attention every minute at this age. She stays home with me fulltime. I get up at 7 am and spend the mornings with her till naptime (around noon till 2 or 3pm) and work when she is napping. I then work after she goes to bed at night, usually from 8ish to 11 or midnight. I still get about 6-7 hours of sleep a night and although I could use a little more, it's so worth it to have my sweetie home with me :) I'm lucky enough to have a 24-hr TAT with no set hours and this helps immensely too. I tried part-time set hours and that was a bust at this point in our lives.
I also have a mother's helper (a 14-yr-old neighborhood girl) who comes 3 afternoons a week for 2 hours to watch and play with my daughter so I can get a little extra work/catch up on housework time. I pay her $4/hr and she is thrilled to get it.
Where there's a will, there's a way! :)
work!!
I work for a local dermatology clinic. I applied like crazy to more than a few nationals and no one would hire me even though I was passing their tests. But I like the fact that I can still work at home the majority of my work day, I have to go into the office to pick up my tapes and print what I typed the previous day. I live close to the office so it's not like I'm breaking the bank driving into an office 15 to 20 miles away everyday, and my children don't have to spend 9 hours a day, 5 days a week in day care like they did when I had my office accounting job.
want to work...
I am looking to work from home as an MT. I just finished school and have no experience. I am willing to do an apprenticeship is necessary. Anybody got any ideas?
I did some work for them.
They are a pretty good place to work, as far as I know, I am new too. Good luck!
Need work!!
Hello,
Im a new MT graduate looking for work. Please if anyone knows of any companies that will hire new MT graduates, please let me know. Or if you are company willing to give a chance let me know.
Thanks,
Sonnett
|
