what a great suggestion
Posted By: starstruck on 2008-08-27
In Reply to: picking up the speed - RJ
I never thought about expanding medications, but what a great idea. Many of them, especially in the ER, are almost always given in the same dosages.
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Thank you for the suggestion! (nm)
Any suggestion
I am a new MT, who transcribed for 5 months with an experienced MT of 15 years. Who now is seeking new employment because the hospital she worked for has gone to offshore. How should I lable my experience? Looking for work, I am finding it hard, because I don't have 2 years experience. I transcribed for ortho doctors.
my suggestion
It can be hard to get your foot in the door, or back in the door. How about this:
Contact local doc offices about filling in for their MTs this summer -- covering for vacations. Even if the MT works in-office perhaps they would let you take it home. Maybe even do this sort of thing until baby #2 arrives and then try applying with the WAH companies. You would have some more names on your resume, perhaps some new specialties you would have experience with at that point. I would also advise that you get some good reference books if you will be doing stuff that is new to you.
Good luck. It can be tough.
I want to thank you for your suggestion...
It is greatly appreciated. I live in a really rural area, and the closest hospital clinics are 20-50 miles and have no openings. The closest specialty office is 90 miles away. I did find a job through this board, and am happily a working IC MT now.
I appreciate the advise though, any bit of knowledge from an experienced MT is so wonderful to receive! 
One suggestion would be... (SM)
 work on-site. If you try to gain employment at home, then ask for sample dictations of the "hard to transcribe" physicians. Not all hard to decipher are ESLs. Do not expect to make a lot of money at first, it won't come until you've had quite a bit of experience. You have to "get your feet wet" so to speak. Try to apply with smaller companies who are willing to train and work with you. Larger nationals are looking for quick typists with lots of knowledge, so this is usually not a good fit for newbies. If you have completed a course, then you are actually one up on people that have not because you've had formal training. Now, all you need to do is apply it. Think about the part of the body, think about the type of report, think about the physician's specialty. Look for hints such as syndromes, diseases, maneuvers, etc., and do your search under those terms instead of trying to find a word by the first sound. Think anatomically! Also, loosen up, relax and back listen if need be. Sometimes, the physician will repeat his "hard to learn language" in the Impression and final statements of his/her report. Ask for samples, samples, samples! You can never have enough of those. Hang in there, and it will get better.
My suggestion is
My suggestion would be to send your resume anyway, and take their tests. It's a great way to get a feel for what they expect. Most places will at least allow you take the test, and sometimes that will lead to a job - even if you don't have the 2 years experience. They'll see that you are able to pass the test and maybe give you a chance. It may take many failed attempts, but don't give up. Just keep taking the tests and one will eventually pan out!
A suggestion
Potential MTs typically do a lot of research to determine if this is really something they want to do. The decision often hinges on the need for a portable and/or home-based career.
If you are a respiratory tech, you will already know a good bit of the background material required for MT. You have, after all, taken courses like anatomy and physiology, and you are already familiar with patient care, medical records, and so forth. In that respect, you know that you enjoy the general field.
If you have not already done so, stop by the HIM (medical records) department in your hospital. Ask the director or some other supervisor if they can let you listen to some dictation. Since you already work in the hospital with access to patient records, they may agree to this. They can often let you listen by dialing into the dictation system over the phone, and they don't have to let you hear the patient identification. If they have in-house MTs, visit them to see what they do. They may have some training material you can listen to.
If you are just looking for a job change, stop by and visit their coders. Have them explain what they do and how they do it. With your background, coding might be something you would enjoy. It requires superior skills with respect to attention to detail and reading comprehension--you have to be able to understand medical writing and be almost hyper-focused on quality--but does not require the knack for excellent writing and the keyboard skills. Coding is a continual challenge, with a requirement to keep up with constant change. If you enjoy solving problems and investigating solutions, coding might appeal to you.
Same suggestion plus . . .
I think some distance MT schools will be able to work with you if you have a MAC. You would be able to complete school, which will take about a year, before you have to think about a new computer.
If you attend a school which will prepare you for a job with a national service, you might not need to worry about the new computer, because the employer is likely to supply one.
In other words, trying to plan a career around a soon-to-be-outdated model of a computer you now have isn't worthwhile. If you want to do MT, do it without concern for whether you will eventually need to use a new or different computer.
Another suggestion
Have you tried contacting the local doctors and hospitals and offering to be a "sub" MT? In case one of theirs gets sick or they get to much overflow? It may be a way to get your foot in the door and get some experience!
Suggestion
Look them up on the job board here and at www.mtchat.com. Read the postings there. When you do that, you should be able to figure out which ones are "major" and which ones are not.
Also, you might want to stop posting on the internet about this using your real name with the information that you have only 6 months experience. If you do not, you might as well not bother applying at all, because every recruiter will be able to search for your name on the internet and find out that you have no experience and had to post all over the place just to find names of companies to apply to. What you're saying here now will NEVER go away.
A suggestion
If you want someone to hire you, you will have to look and sound as though you are a desirable candidate for the job. Your course should have communicated to you that this work requires exceptionally good writing ability. Good spelling and grammar go with that.
Your posts are filled with poor English, grammatical errors, and misspellings. If your school did not tell you that your abilities in this area need improvement, they did you a disservice.
Take time NOW to work on those areas. If you can get to the point that your writing looks literate, someone might hire you. If you cannot see, or won't admit, that you need to improve, you should not expect to succeed in medical transcription.
Here is your post with some corrections: "I know what you mean. I, too, graduated from an MT program in November, 2008, and have had no luck finding anything yet. Everyone wants 2+ years of experience, but how can anyone gain experience if no one will hire them? I'm getting so mad!
Well, good luck to you, too,"
Suggestion
AHDI put something out called "Getting Your Foot in the Door." I looked at it a little bit, and it seemed to have a lot of really helpful information for how to get started in the MT business.
Online Course suggestion
Hi,
Can you please suggest me online MT course which is not expensive.
Thanks & Regards
suggestion to job hunting
Hi, I would like to also suggestion checking your local hospital postings, stop by their HIM department to introduce yourself, go to your local doctors' offices and drop of resumes for PT or prn work. Even if you are offered low pay, grab it to start with, it would count as experience on your resume. Maybe if put ad in local newspaper. Good luck and congratulations!  mb
suggestion to job hunting
Hi, I would like to also suggest checking your local hospital postings, stop by their HIM department to introduce yourself, go to your local doctors' offices and drop off resumes for PT or prn work. Even if you are offered low pay, grab it to start with, it would count as experience on your resume. Maybe even put ad in local newspaper. Good luck and congratulations! mb
Excellent Suggestion
It's funny that I just read this. I just applied to a company for an editing position and offered to work for them for 2 weeks sans pay to get my foot in the door and so that they could evaluate my performance. I just finished up an externship of 8 weeks with a company based in Utah and loved it although that wasn't nearly enough time to get "experience". I would be very willing to work sans pay for a few weeks (I've already done 8 of them, lol) to be considered for a job. I also have most of the stuff already needed to get right to work. I have the foot pedal, reference books, spellchecker and computer. Any chance I could have to get the experience needed to get me started works for me. I live in a very very small town and all the places here (clinics and offices) all send their work to a company in Indianapolis (3hrs away from me) so of course there is no chance of me getting work with them that would be in house.
My suggestion: Call Linda from Andrews & Kathy or Susan from M-TEC, explain your concern for their
x
Great way to put it
Thanks so much for your response. That helped a lot!
I think I am just scared and need to get over it.
Hopefully some day soon I will be stopping by your pub as a Module 1 student. 
great
 yeah, some positive messages for newbies/students!
LOL! Thanks. I did wonder a bit. Have a great
.
great
Awesome, great to hear before I waste my money! Thanks!
I know it's not great, but...
it's a start. I don't expect to become a millionaire overnight, but I didn't expect that when I took the course. I didn't say that the MTSO was sainted, and done nothing wrong. I also won't be dissappointed if my check only adverages about 400.00 a week. I don't have to pay for gas, I get to stay home with my kids, and most of all, I get the experience that I need to find a better job. And to be totally honest, since my husband is dying and can't work, and I have two small children to take care of, right now, anything is better than nothing. I know that all of you are just trying to let me know that I probably will not make as much starting out, and not to get my hopes up. I really appreciate that, but you have to understand my situation to be able to understand why I'm so excited.
I have 0 experience. This is the first company that gave me a chance. I also have an associates degree in business. As soon as I learn the ropes, and get a little experience, I plan on opening my own company. With a little hard work, I can make this job work for a while, and I am willing to do that. No one starts out at the top. I just have to be excited because right now, it's all I've got to keep from giving up all together. Please let me enjoy my happiness for a moment at least. I don't get much of it.
Everyday, I watch my husband die a little, I watch my children grow up without a father, and until now, the four of us lived off of 700.00 a month. Now, maybe I can afford to by them a bag of m&m's if they ask for it.
great
I will definately check out that website. I'm assuming it is adhi.com? And yes spell check is not a bad idea. Is there anything bad about putting medical terms that I commonly have trouble with into my user word list? My school said that spell check is a no-no but it has saved my butt a time or 2.
that is a great question
One I have been wondering myself.
Thanks for the great advice! nm
Great idea!
Thanks for the tip!
I went to a not-so-great MT school. However,
I supplemented my weak areas with other materials and was able to pass MT employment tests before even graduating my course. I did the SUM tapes for practice dictation, read every sample report I could find, and independent study for pharmacy and A&P.
Great information.
I will definitely keep that in mind.
Wow, great comeback!
nm
That's a great idea! Let's do.
Best idea I've heard all day.
I am doing just great without having gone to any MT school.
I'm sure all are great, but I chose CS.
I also posted my answer on the main board for you, but here it is again.
I am also working right now typing acute care. I was hired before I graduated, so now I'm trying to finish the course in my spare time. Andrews and M-Tec are great schools, I am sure, and any school you choose would be a good choice. Good luck!
Great way of explaining it.
I was trying to not sound so.... ya' know. I just didn't want her to think that you needed some sort of special phone line. However, some companies that use C-phone may require you carry a long-distance plan, but they may reimburse you. Happy C-phoning. I kind of liked it when I used it, but I no longer do.
great post... nm
x
Great Post!
Couldn't have said it better mahself!
great advice!
I just wanted to say I've been transcribing 10 years and I think this is FANTASTIC advice!
A great site
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
M-TEC is a great school. They will help you. nm
x
Great Schools
I have also heard nothing but great things about these schools. I signed up for MTEC three weeks ago and have learned so much already. They are SO thorough and comparing them to a local home-study class I took about 11 years ago, they are wonderful!
If you go on the MTEC website to the message forum, you will see messages on there every day from current and past students and they are pretty much all 100% positive. I'm not sure about Andrews. I almost signed up with them, but I changed my mind at the last minute for some reason. I am soooooo glad I'm with MTEC. They make it fun and interesting to learn.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
It's a great course, and it would work
your brain. You'd learn a ton from it. You would use everything you learn from the course, and have the skills to research new terms.
Being afraid of medical terminology and wanting to be an MT would be like wanting to be a plumber but being afraid of funny smells, working in small places, and getting dirty.
:o>
What a great gift
I hope he continues to improve and get stronger.
That's great news!
Wishing you and your husband the best. I hope the news continues to be good for both of you.
Thanks DJ! That is a great list! nm
Focus is great
I started with them as a newbie and they have a great mentoring program. I now work for them part-time and another company and I will always be grateful to Focus for giving me a chance.
This is a great school. sm
I didn't graduate from there but am very familiar with the school and their teaching methods and would hire anyone from there in a minute. From what I understand they have 100% job placement rate and will work with you personally until you get a job; however, many students get job offers even before they graduate because the demand is there for good MTs.
great start...
I agree---the program gave me a great start. I have posted many times on Focus. If you search the forum you will see many posts.
Good Luck---Sue
great info!
I just wanted to let everyone know that I am a newbie, and just completed an MT course at a local community college. I have yet to find employment, but would like to let you all know that you are giving great advice and wonderful words of encouragement. I get discouraged from time to time but all of you give me hope that if i continue to work at this, something good will come of it. For that, I thank you.
Yes, and they're great.
Pay always on time. Great counts. Always good communication.
Training can be tough because QA's pretty tight, but if you make it through it...wonderful place to work for.
Great post...
Definitely agree that any new MT needs anatomy and physiology and word parts and systems to have a solid base. Formating will definitely depend on who you work for and all the rest will come with experience. Sounds like the OP is off to a good start!
Great post
I, too, am tired of hearing that there are only 2 schools to go to to get MT training. I hadn't even HEARD of either of them when I decided to be an MT and I've been working at home since I graduated over 4 years ago.
That is a great idea
I just recently completed all of my course work towards my degree and am just waiting for my degree to get to me and I think it is wonderful that you are even considering reaching out to others in the same shoes as me.
Experience is required for almost every MT position, but you can not get it until someone else is willing to help you.
I know if there was a company or established Transcriptionist that was willing to offer their help in helping me start my career I would jump at it, but many times the cost is way to high for me. I just keep looking ahead to my student loan payments that are coming up.
Since I am trying to find entry level work, or an internship/mentoring program, I think that what would be the most helpful to me is more practice. Building accuracy takes time and since my experience is limited to my training in school and my externship I feel that I may not be able to build that accuracy fast enough. I think being able to find an internship/mentoring program that allows you to get more "real" experience done would be the most beneficial to the new graduate. It also allows us to find our weaknesses and the things we need to do to avoid them.
Best of luck in making your decision, I am sure it is not an easy one to make.
---Christina
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