i am. i've done this 25 years and making top $
Posted By: i've earned that right. on 2006-02-07
In Reply to: boasting? - newbie
newbies, however, who get all puffed up about how much they've mastered, omg i am laughing here trying to type this, are quite the funny.
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I'm making that after 19 years of experience
It would depend on what you're doing in three years as far as a job or having your own clients. I wouldn't expect to make $40,000.00 after three years. I think it will take a lot longer than that to build up to that kind of money; however, if you work 2 or 3 jobs, you could probably come close. You'll just always be transcribing and you'll have no time for anything else especially if you plan to work for a national.
so you've been MT'ing for 6 months and I've been at it for 25 years but I don't know
what I'm talking about...that's a good one. The purpose of this board is for experienced MT's to give information to new MT's. One of the developments in this field is its recent downturn. We have a responsibility to be upfront with what we see, know and any conclusions we might draw. With less than 1 year of experience in the field, I hardly think you're in a position to give an educated answer regarding things like job markets, global influences and technological challenges. But then again, people like to only listen to things they like to hear...so have at it!
I remember my first job quite a few years ago and making about $2 an hour until I learned...sm
the account, got used to the doctors, learned how to efficiently research etc. I also needed to create my own expansion program as the system I worked in back then would not allow an outside expander. Keep at it and good luck, it will get better.
Look I've been at this for 20 years
It really isn't something you just go to school for a while, and then go and grab a part-time position and think it's going to make you some cash. I have always encouraged others who wanted to enter this field, but I can tell you that after 20 years, I am only being offered 7-8 cpl and the accounts I can get on my own are few and far between with the VR, EMR, and large national MT companies taking all of the clients at low rates and offering spit shined reports and fancy platforms for easy access.
Your best bet is to go ahead and choose the closest flower shop and work the register. It will be much easier on your heart, soul, and sanity! Trust Me!
I'm only 38 and I'm so burned out I could scream and throw my headphones. I make 45K a year, but I work long hours and put up with a lot of crap from the offices I service as they know they can find someone cheaper in a heartbeat. I've had no raise in 10 years. I worked on-site for 17 years at 13 dollars an hour with benefits only to find out I would be training my replacement (C-Bay). I gave 2 weeks' notice and here I sit.
My rt hand throbs, my back aches, and my stress level is high. If you really think after hearing this that it sounds like a good idea to go to school and become an MT, then have at it, but it will have you in a tail spin and wishing you never did.
My sis-in-law thought she'd be on easy street! Well guess what? Two years later, and she's not an MT but has the education. She gave up because it was too hard!
I wish you all of the luck in the world, but keep you day job and keep your money in your pocket that you'll pay for the education because we're being sold down the river and fast without a paddle or life jacket!
I've worked on-line for 15+ years and never
had to take a timed typing tests. I've had to take terminology tests that were timed and I've had to transcribe some reports, but never a typing test.
I've been an IC for five years and never had to pay more than $600 one time a year for taxes...
I have so many deductions that I almost don't pay taxes. Yes, I also have a tax professional do my taxes. I keep a clear plastic envelope on my desk and anything I buy related to the business or phone expense, % of electricity/gas, health insurance, medical expenses, etc., all go in the envelope so at the end of the year I'm not searching everywhere for my deductions.
Anything you use for your business is deductible, but used items. If you buy a used computer on e-bay it isn't tax deductible. It has to be new to be a deduction.
Linked the website. They've never responded the few times I've tried. nm
,
You have not been transcribing 10 years. Your resume reflects about 4 years tops. I am going to put
very little MT experience and now you're pushing software that posters can get for free. There is a problem with that. You need to search YOUR heart ands ask yourself just how helpful you are really trying to be to new MTs or if your lining your own pocketbook because you don't know how to transcribe yourself.
I've never heard of that school, and I've
been doing this for nearly 20 years. Maybe they have in Canada, but in case you work for a company in the US, you might want to consider M-Tec and Andrews. They are on-line and their students get jobs when they graduate because they are in demand. Again, not sure how much it will complicate getting work since you live in Canada, but I think you should at least compare the programs closely.
You are still making typos
I hate to burst your bubble, but this is a tough field. Any smart client is going to ask you how much experience you have. In fact, they may not have to ask, they will know by talking to you or by your email or correspondence to them that is filled with typos. You need to get a job first and get some experience behind you first.
I do not have to run after children, etc. so making a
schedule is just great with me. This is a place where I was up and running right away with the work because it was work I have done for the past 16 years. I was so happy to find who had the acct when the other service lost it, just luck in that a person from MTs told me who had it. I love op notes and was working a 12-5 p.m. and guess what, that is exactly what they wanted so see we fit just like a glove. I am so lucky to be able to choose what I want now. They wanted those, I wanted those. I think the IRS could care less as long as they get their money. I have yet to find out much I need to sit aside but again will have to talk with my tax person pretty soon. I just started at this new job at the end of November. By the way, read on this post about how others are treated in their jobs with QA, etc. This job is a DREAM. They leave you the heck alone. Anything coming from QA in an email and really constructive criticism and taken as such. I love my job and my life. Happy, happy!!
Missa, I'm making 5c
And it is depressing. But like you say, you have to pay your dues. Just finished my first year of MT. I was getting 3c at Sten-Tel for VR, but that's IC.
Goodie for you for making the decision SM
to not use your degrees and stay home with your babies...but in the REAL world most women do not have that option if they want to be able to feed and clothe their children. You really CAN'T live on love. I had to put my oldest son in daycare at 6 weeks old. I hated it, but he certainly couldn't stay home by himself! It had nothing to do with "social skills" or "convenience." It was "necessity." I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home with my other 2 children (as my paycheck would have just barely covered the cost of 3 kids in daycare, so it wasn't worth it).
You really shouldn't be so judgmental and self-righteous. There are 2 sides to every story...not just YOUR side.
Seriously.
Chickadee
Try making a handwritten list as you have to look up
the drug names. I have a lot of experience, but I also get stuck on drug names sometimes. That is my weakest point as well even though I hate to admit it, but one thing that helped me is to handwrite on a piece of paper that sits next to you all of the new drug names and their correct form (whether to cap or not), and then for some odd reason (it worked for me) when I'm transcribing I'll think to myself, oh wait, I know that one is on my list. Googling is good too, but you have to watch the sites as not all are consistent or may not be correct. Googling can pull up all forms of that word being used, so just be careful there. You'll get there, and happy MT'ing... 
Making decent money here.
I was one of those stay-at-home moms that wanted to make my own hours and earn a good living and I am doing just that. I have been an MT for 2 years now. I work at home while caring for my 3-year-old son. Yes, it is not easy, stressful even, but I make more money at home (close to $20 an hour) than I would make at a B&M job and I don't have to pay $1000 a month for daycare anymore. I have a completely flexible schedule and I work early in the morning while my son sleeps and during his nap times. If I have to, I work again in the evening to finish up work.
This profession is difficult and takes a lot of work, but what career that pays a decent salary doesn't. It is possible to make more than $4-8 an hour. It does not take years and years. I was up to $12 an hour after 6 months, comparable to what I made in my previous position, where I had been employed for 3 years.
Just because you can't make it in this industry is no reason to discourage others from trying.
No way to tell. Is the software easy to use? Will you be looking up addresses? Making a log? Having
s
you are making an assumption (a dangerous thing to do)...sm
you are assuming chiropractic care and chiropractic adjustments are the same thing and I don't think you can make that assumption. For example, he may be thinking of doing some myofascial release under chiropractic care and then specifying adjustments. I would put "chiropractic care, (the other treatments,) and chiropractic adjustment.
a) he probably won't even notice what you consider a redundancy, if he reads it all
b) why would you want to take OUT words from a dictation - you get paid for them, don't you? 
In the healthcare field, we don't make assumptions.
I personally did not incorporate until I was making over $50K a year because
of the added fees (paying CPA for one thing), corp taxes, etc. MT services carry so little liability I don't think incorporating to install a corporate shield is really necessary, especially since they go after deep pockets anyway. But incorporating if you are making $50K or more per year is a very important tool for income tax savings. If you are sending work out to other people and they are doing the work, then you turn around and send it in to the client, essentially YOU are not doing the typing, YOU are not earning the money, YOUR BUSINESS is. Therefore you should not be paying social security tax on earnings that are not YOURS but YOUR BUSINESS'S. If you incorporate you can pay yourself a reasonable salary for any transcription you do, plus shuttling the work back and forth. Let the rest of the earnings ride as the company's earnings. You will pay income taxes on them as any profit flows through to your personal taxes but you will save on that big 15% bite from social security. Other advantages though of incorporating are to set up your 401K and let your business make contributions to it. Again, though, that's something that's not likely to happen until you are making a lot of money. As you are a newbie, I don't see that in the near future...
&that rate is experienced MT. Figure you making
x
Thanks all for your input! It helps alot in my decision making! nm
Who are you?? I think at this point someone is making up names to post. Get a life! nm
xx
OOhhhh - they have basket making classes? Too bad they don't offer a class on maturity.
**
Wow..how does that work. Your making $5 an hour. Didn't minimum wage go up? If you pay or line co
does not go up, I'd probably move on. I understand right now your probably just getting the experience but you work a whole day and make $40??? I'd be tempted to change jobs soon. I know personally I could not survive on $5 an hour.
I've also done both
As an LPN of 16 years years and an MT of two years, I can attest to the fact that the pay is better in nursing, but the stress is FAR greater. Yes, there is a huge demand for nurses alright. You will be doing much more than your own share of work. Support and back up is often not available (though not admitted to by administration), you often will not be able to care for patients as you were taught and know they should be cared for, your body will ache everyday (provided you don't get an actual physical injury that will always be your fault for "lack of technique") and your feet will scream in agony from being on them day after day all day frequently for 12 and 16 hour shifts. You may find yourself forced to work over a second shift because your relief person simply doesn't show up, don't expect your daycare or babysitter to be understanding of that - it won't be "their problem" but you can't leave your patients without coverage, which means you will be stuck.
Most patients are decent, just ill, in pain, therapy or basically maintenance. Other patients are going to spit on you, kick, hit, pinch, scratch, gouge their nails into you, bite, scream, yell, curse, throw things at you (food, medications, equipment, feces, whatever they can get their hands on). Then there's the unintentonal things too, such as sneezing or coughing in your face, vomiting on you or passing gas.
Administration always talks about how nursing is a 24/7 job, that what one nurse can't get done in her/his shift, the next one can pick up. That's bull! If you miss something or don't miraculously get it done, they are all over you like white on rice and writing you up one wall and down the other! It is not legal to have to work through your lunch and breaks, but you will eventually. Don't think you won't! You will also find yourself clocking out and going back to finish whatever you need to for your shift. You can't even report staff or administrative abuses to authorities because of HIPAA and confidentiality clauses, there is no protective whistle-blower clause in nursing. That's a good way to get yourself fired and blackballed, then you can't work anywhere in the same area.
Most doctors are okay, others are pure asses. If you want to be a nurse, do yourself a favor and only be an RN. That way you will get paid much better and have at least two levels below you to delegate to - the LPN and CNA.
When I went into nursing, I considered it an honor, the most noble thing I could do for God and my fellow man. I have since found it to be the most brutal profession of my life. Short of professional boxing, I don't really know what would be worse. You will be thrown around as a nurse some time or another and jerked around by DONs and others in supervisory or administrative roles even more frequently. When I got my last beating, all I did was start walking down a hall in response to a staff member calling my name. I went to assist her, didn't know what I was walking into till I was up against a wall getting my head punched by a 6' schizophrenic man. And, of course since he was a patient, he couldn't be blamed or "responsible" for his actions" and I couldn't do anything aobut it but feel the pain.
And as if that isn't enough, there are many people with dangerous, negative attitudes that won't life a finger to help anyone that they are not forced to do (as if that wasn't what they are paid to do in the first place!). Some people are just mean and nasty to work with. You probably get that anywhere, but you WILL get it in nursing - especially nursing homes.
Speaking only for myself, I find taking the pay cut and working behind the scenes from my own home to be safer and much more satisfying. I would never have thought that 16 years ago. No one could have convinced me that anything I've just said here was true, now I've lived it. Maybe MTSOs are not the most caring souls out there for MTs, but healthcare administratrators and DONs are not either. Nurses are in huge demand because the support and working conditions are horrifying. The older the nurse gets, the less resilient. There may be some great nurse positions out there, but I never found any that lasted. That usually changed with the next DON that came along.
Good luck to you in whatever you choose. If you choose nursing, I hope you have a better life experience than I have had. As far as MT goes, it is an evolving field. VR cannot do the job alone, someone needs to go over each one. I wish you peace and happiness.
You've never taken
a class on making friends and influencing people, have you? Ha! Usually it works best not to insult the natives and then ask for the favor of information. Fortunately I have a sense of humor.
Since you have never made a lot of money anyway, the pay isn't going to bother you, right? If you are motivated you can certainly make more than $16,000. I would not have recommended CS as the best place to take off from, but it may be enough for you since you are good at English.
However, are certainly careers in the medical field that pay much higher if you could go to school for 2+ years. Most of them have a more certain future than this one.
But if you want to try this one, have a go. Nobody will stop you, and I'm sure you'll be able to find decent work, at least for a while.
Yes you do, around $400. It's a little less if you've already been
s
I've got a JOB!
I don't know how much the start out pay is, when we get paid, or any of the details, but I am so excited I can't hardly see straight. I passed a test. All of my effort has paid off. All I can say to all of my other fellow newbies, is that it takes a while, but don't give up. Someone, somewhere, will give you a chance. I'm so happy, and life seems a little less bleak. Thanks for everyone's advice, and support. Without you guys, I would have given up, and went back to flipping burgers.
I've done a little GT... *sm*
It's not easy. I have found that medical transcription is straightforward and somewhat predictable, GT is usually not. It is particularly difficult if you have multiple speakers. I would take MT any day of the week. BUT if it is something you are interested in, then you should try it. There are a lot of forums where you can pick up overflow or you can test with some GT companies.
I've
run out of small companies to apply for.
I took their course 5 years ago - sm
I was quite happy with it and the price, cost a little bit more now but still reasonable. If you do all you are supposed to it does prepare you well enough, though I skipped a couple things (learning the abbreviations); and I skimmed on the actual practice dictation which was a big mistake but I wanted to graduate and get working. But I still passed the final, though not as well as I would have if I had practiced more in advance. Took me 2 months to land a job, another 2 to actually start that particular job though; in the meantime I cold-called and landed a job with a small local MTSO and started that one first, then the other fell into place about 6 weeks later (acute care where I was thrown to the wolves basically). Nothing beats learning on the job though and I learned lots while testing my butt off to land that first job. There are plenty of CAI grads, just many look down on them though the program is very good and you come out adequately prepared though I think no school can prepare you for the real deal, it can at least give you the tools and knowledge to deal with reality.
They have been saying that for years, but...
from what I gather, MT's will always be needed, even to just proof the voice recognition. I will say, however, that I am a recent grad, and am finding out that it doesn't pay very much unless you get perfect dictators, which is very slim to none in this business! Good luck with whatever you choose, but I would look into something else as far as medical to do.
MT for 5 years sm
My advice to you is to do as much research when looking for a job as possible. I did not do this and until I came to MTStars I thought the 0.7 cents per line was what everyone was making. I did not realize I was making almost the lowest rate in the business. I have been doing this parttime for 5 years and there are jobs out there, just make sure you do the research into the companies like you seem to be, and as others have said make sure you go to one of the reputable schools that companies will look for. Do not get discouraged, this can be a wonderful and lucrative business if you make sure to take your time before jumping.
With almost ten years of MT, I would say...
If 'q.d.' follows a medication as part of a medication sig, you must type 'q.d.' If 'q.d.' is dictated within context as a "short cut" for the doctor, you must type "daily".
These edits are required to produce more professional medical/legal document...and we all know that some dictators need all the help that we can give them.
IMO...
-Jade
I took this course years ago.....
I did get a job at a local hospital, but I had an advantage. I had previously worked as a CNA at multiple hospitals and nursing homes, and ward clerk at a hospital. This is a basic course and you will probably have a hard time finding a job. I'm not trying to be rude, just truthful.
How I did it and have been doing for over 10 years....
Okay, it is time to let the cat out of the bag on how you are going to be successful as a Transcriptionist out of school.
The first thing I am seeing is that these schools promise that you will be working from home making in upwards of $40,000 a year. Forget about that. You are new to this. If you come out of school working on a production basis you may very well fall flat on your face and make $3 an hour by the end of the day. I was a transcriptionist for almost 5 years working for a hospital and I decided I could make more working on a production basis.......I failed miserably my first year.
First off, get experience under your belt and make an hourly rate in the meantime. How did I do this? Well, I started out getting a job in a hospital, any job I could get. I started out in billing, even though I wanted transcription. I watched and waited for openings, when finally someone in the psychiatric unit called me (I made friends with everyone, the key to getting calls like this one) and said they were losing their transcriptionist and I should apply. I applied and got my first transcription job, making an hourly rate. Had I not gotten pregnant with twins I would probably still be there.
After babies were born, went back part time in the evenings. This time since I had experience and another local hospital was willing to hire me in the radiology department. Again, hourly. I watched and waited once again (I hated radiology transcription). I got to know who was in charge in the transcription department. I sent her a fax asking her if she needed any part time help (back then there was no work related email). She said, yes, I could work part time (I now had "experience"). The part time went to full time with benefits. However, I got bored and decided to work for, of all companies, Medquist. I thought with my speed I would be making at least $20 an hour.....hahahahahahahahaha, what a joke. I was lucky to make $8 an hour with them. After about a year of struggling I finally got my foot back in the door of a hospital in another state. I had to commute to the hospital every day during training, it was awful, however, now I again work from home, have the ability to make about $20 or more per hour, I own my own home, own a half decent car, I am divorced and don't take any child support from my ex, instead we share in the custody 50/50.
The moral of my story........
Get your foot in the door. Look for jobs that are front desk, secretarial, whatever. Once you are in there and they realize how great you are you can go wherever you want. My first transcription job in the psychiatric unit also involved secretarial duties, so not just straight transcription. I highly recommend getting into a hospital. The bennies are the best and lots of hospital transcriptionists are working from home with full hospital benefits. If you can't get into a hospital, get into anywhere where you can do some sort of typing/transcription, that way you have your first reference/experience when you apply to a company that is strictly work from home. Everyone wants experience, they just don't want to be the ones to give it to you.
I am so tired of seeing these schools and companies swindle people.
If you are looking into training, I highly recommend your local community college. You will probably take some credit college courses that will be able to be used should you decide to do something else. My local community college has a course for under $3000 and there are college credit courses that are able to be used towards another degree.
I did my training as a medical assistant, transcription was only part of the course. However, now I am so bored with transcription that I am going back to school to be a nurse.
I hope this helps someone out there. Good luck to you all!
I know 2 different MTs with 30 years
in this business. One lost an account to EMR and the other lost a good portion of an account to "writing in charts" which is a clue that particular account is going EMR most likely in the near future and trying to save money to purchase it... It is very expensive for the doctors (more than our pay). My PCP uses it and he said it is very costly but he is still using it.
Now those MTs that lost accounts are working for nationals and averaging between 6 and 8 dollars an hour because they are being thrown horrible dictators and platforms that aren't up to par.
Everyone in this business is struggling and thankful for what they have and afraid to ask for a raise. I have 2 of my own accounts that I haven't had a raise in 10 years because I know someone will underbid me in a New York minute if I were to raise my rates.
I just like what I do and like the flexibility, but if I were to spend $4,000.00 it would definitely not be to become an MT, not by today's standards anyway.
1look.com is the best I've seen. nm
xxxsxxx
I've never heard of them, but you should really
ask on the company board.
I've had that problem before, too.
I'd sit there all day waiting for work that didn't come in until I was ready to quit for the day, then the MTSO got mad at me for not sticking to 24-hour turnaround time. I never agreed to work all night for her. I told her the schedule I was available. I'm sorry, but I don't work at home to sit on my backside doing nothing all day while the kids are at school and ignore them all evening to work.
Then working for the nationals is a whole 'nother ball of wax. You have to hit certain line counts per day, they don't pay as much as the small MTSO's, you have to stick to your schedule with little flexibility. Many of them make you rent their computer from them.
I wish I could find something in the middle, but it would probably be a combination of the worst of both! LOL
I've already gotten applications at several DCs
she is 10 times more stubborn than I am and I think we are trying to see who will blink first. I've had more rest today so I feel better...she ended staying home because she was exhausted. She knows I am her best support network and the feature I'm hinting at now is the child's lack of ability to connect to other children of the same age, which is what happens when there are no peers around.
Daycare would have to come out of my pocket and I would have to work an extra day a week to afford that, which I would do if I could get her to agree to it, even if just for a morning program. I have to tread lightly and steer things in a subtle manner to achieve small successes.
She has the other GM scared that if a mistake is made, the child won't get to keep visiting, but who is she kidding when she wants her weekends free...she just hasn't grown up yet.
I was seriously considering seeking legal counsel to try to get custody this weekend as she had a hissy fit worthy of a 4 yo in front of the child. Still could be an option. Please parents! It's never to young to talk to your kids about birth control!! :)
I've also done quite a few reports
But haven't stopped to count them (at least until now LOL). I know in my last lesson there were 7-8 I did, plus partial reports to reinforce terminology, etc. The current lesson I think has that same amount, I preparing for the mail-in test now (yes, it can be e-mailed, I just prefer mail for some archaic reason). I'm just now in lesson 3 of course 3, so I'm right about halfway through I think.
I've put in what he says both ways
I would start again from the original and unless he was saying EXACTLY what he said before, which usually isn't the case, I start the paragraph afresh with the new stuff and mark for QA. I leave it up to the doctor to decide which version he wants.
I've gotta ask...
How could you not know you were typing with the caps on? Were you looking at your fingers instead of the screen? Do you always do that?
I've done lots of looking
and have never seen a work from home opportunity that doesn't require a few years' experience.
I've been at this for 6 months...
I'm an IC getting paid per MB of dictation, but it averages around 6 cpl. I've been trying to decide if I should stick it out until I can put 1 year of experience on my resume or get out of there. The problem I've seen is that none of the companies are paying newbies worth a toot. Right now, I have a dream of a dictator. I'm the sole MT on this account through a national. Is your work easy at least, to counter the lower pay? That's what I keep telling myself when I'm tempted to run for the hills. You never know what you'll get with another company. The work may be awful.
I've done both and all I can say is to think long and
hard before you choose either one. Neither job is all it's cracked up to be once you get to the "real world" of work.
Seems a bit late to ask if you've already
plunked your money down. And it sounds like you will only accept the answer you are looking for, so good luck.
I've had that happen
I've tried a few accounts and currently (unfortunately) am pretty much stuck entirely on voice recognition on escription (equates to low pay). As a newbie, you've got to get work and cut your teeth somewhere. With each account I've had, even on platforms other than escription, work tends to run low and out at times and there is a learning curve when starting new accounts between the MTSO, account specs and dictators. Often, the new account won't even start up when it is schedule to.
Just persevere and keep the faith. As long as you are working and getting your "newbie time" in, you are doing well. Many grads and new MTs don't even find work.
I can sympathize, however, after you've
been doing this for 25 years, then you can TRULY state you are tired.
I've been there and know how you feel...sm
First of all, do you have a text expander? This really helps out a lot. Also, if you are able to, keep a sample of all of the different reports by all the docs that you have typed handy. I'm allowed to print off reports (crossing out the name and other personal information with a black marker of course) and keep them in a 3-ring binder for easy reference. It really helps to look back at a sample of an H&P or discharge summary, especially for docs that dicatate the same thing all the time. Your text Expander will also come in handy for things like that too - physical exams and op notes that are always dictated the same. I know it can be frustrating, but practice makes perfect. The more you type, the better you will become! Hang in there!
Got trained, got a job, and now I've got...
...pedal edema from sitting at the computer so much!!! (I am, however, proud and happy that I actually know what pedal edema is--thank you transcription training program!) Has anyone else had this problem?? I know I need to get up and walk around periodically, but as a newbie my line counts are so low that I feel like I need to type all the time. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do while sitting--is there some kind of leg stretching or foot rotation that helps? Thanks in advance for any advice.
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