Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Do it, you have nothing to lose and lots to gain -sm

Posted By: Laura E. on 2006-06-04
In Reply to: I am seriously thinking of going back to college at 38 - collegemom

Years ago I started a Paralegal certificate program in Annapolis, was 4 or so courses into it, then we moved to Richmond, VA and I started to go to University of Richmond for their Paralegal program....I took 4 classes there but then "dropped out" right after my second child was born....that was 6 years ago. I had every intention to go back 2 years ago but then my mom got sick and life when down hill from there. Things are finally normalizing now and I (again) plan to go back in the Fall, have to budget it in as it is over $900 for 1 class, I have 18 more classes to take, this will be one expensive certificate but it is an excellent school (private hence the high cost). I have extensive office administration experience so this can only enhance my current abilities and I look forward to working in the law field one day. So IF I keep at it at 3 classes a year, I will finally be done in 6 years. At that point my kids will be 12 and 14, and I will be 47. I plan on doing it though I will be an old lady (LOL), so age is relative. I do not feel old even though I am 40, remember "Life is a state of mind".....quote from "Being There" (I think I am remembering that correctly).


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

Dial up works, but you lose lots of $. sm

Dial up works, but it is sooooooooo slow.  I originally had cable hookup that would shut down all of a sudden for days. Tech support was from India and one guy asked me how I liked the snow and it was mid-June. Then I went "wireless" and that would shut down all the time.  The "wireless" company offered me free dialup as a backup. I lost tons of money because the stupid dialup was so slow. 


I finally went to Verizon DSL.  Have not had a problem.


Stand up and what get fired. Lose benefits and lose my house. Can't risk it.
I wish I could. That is why this business is as bad as it is. We can't afford to not work, so we settle for whatever gets thrown at us.
I can tell you, 75% GAIN weight. But you might need them for a while anyway.
x
Gain knowledge sm
I think I addressed this before, you cannot get enough knowledge to put in your bank. If they are willing to pay you, soak it in like a sponge. It's hard, I wanted to quit so many times but I went from "duh" to "diva" by blood, sweat and tears. It's worth it, hang in!! Knowledge is power.
BBQ, slaw, cornbread, ham, casseroles, lots of veggies, chicken pastry, lots of desserts!! BIG fami
.
time to get gain control again
Hayseed, I feel for you.  It's not worth it, no matter what you are paid or the benefits.  Sounds like THEY are in control of your life, not you and you resent it, as you should.  My advice would be to get control of the situation again if you are able to (work something out with them) or move on.  This is just not worth it.  It really isn't.  Not worth your health, the sacrifice of your peace of mind.  Your body and emotions are rebelling big time.  You deserve better.  You know it and that's probably part of the anger you are feeling.  You're no newbie who must endure just to get experience.  Think about a change for the sake of your own health. 
Gain 100 pounds! That's pretty sad that anyone
would want to LET themselves go like that!

I hope you're kidding, but in some ways, I do know that transcriptionists sure do gain A TON OF WEIGHT!
weight gain and depression!!! nm
x
Lots of inexpensive decorations at Big Lots. Had a party last year.
s
not out to stir the pot or gain brownie points
Okay, I'll tell. I work for an MTSO that is known for its standard of hiring only the best of the best MTs. The only feedback I get is for the exceptionally good work I do and the raises it earns.

I just think the OP is conflicted...trying to "set" us all straight while s/he studies to move out of this profession and still projects that the rest of us should care about it - as if anyone who has been in this business has not kept up with the changes; where it used to be, where it is now and where it is heading.

I do my part through the work I produce. My work ethic would hold true whether I produce reports or greet people at Wal-Mart. I have nothing to prove or need the attention as it seems the OP does.

Again, this is a waste of bandwidth.
What percentage productivity gain do you get with InstanText?

Am thinking of switching.  I currently get 400% productivity with SH8 (it types 3 characters for every 1 I type).  Can anyone out there get similar figures with InstanText? 


Not many. A lot of Indians use Canada as a crutch to gain US business and
for processing.  You'd probably do better at MTGab since it is a Canadian MT site.
I started MT to gain skills to eventually work....sm

outside my home. I was working another small business from home too and had been home for 13 years total. My MT skills got me a job as a secretary for the Army. My first position didn't pay a lot, but it was still about $3.50 more an hour than I could find anywhere else locally. In August 2006, with promotions etc., I will have had total increases in salary of 45% in two years. My next move is to start taking some college courses (which my employer will pay for) and applying for positions with a more defined career field. Having a hard time figuring out which field, as I have a lot of options/opportunity.


Working from home served a huge purpose, but since DH is also self-employed, my current job adds a lot of security to our family in terms of health/life insurance, retirement, paid vacations, etc. I added up the cost of all my paid benefits vs. paying out of pocket as an independent contractor, and they were worth another 35 - 40% of my salary, which will increase once I start taking college classes.


If you are not looking in the medical field, gear your resume towards your other skills. MTs have a myriad of skills (research, computer, organizational, listening, following instructions, bookkeeping). If you are an independent contractor, you are more than an MT, you are a small business owner, which puts a host of additional skills on your plate. Get creative and look at some on-line resumes in different fields, you will probably be surprised how many skills you have. 


When I decided to look for a job, I researched all the highest paying companies/opportunities within the distance I was willing to travel and only applied to those companies. It took about a year and a few interviews, but I eventually got exactly what I was looking for. I still get calls from some of the places I interviewed/applied offering jobs.  


No, the problem was HER and then don’t use the kids as a crutch to gain sympathy.
Some of us are not into the reasons she listed for her plight or lack of as we heard from her. I have no sympathy to her, for her, towards her, nothing. I am sure others feel exactly the same as I do. This person trying to get over on you, me and any others she can. What a deadbeat.
LOTS and LOTS of video tapes and DVDs.
x
Does hormone replacement (specifically low dose Prempro) cause you to gain weight? nm
nm
What type of doctor specializes in helping people gain weight?

I'm kind of baffled on what my mother should do, and I'm hoping that someone out there has typed a report on something like this. 


My mom weighs 78 pounds and cannot gain weight through diet.  She has seen several doctors, and they are not sure what she should do.  Is there a type of doctor that specializes in this? 


Her history is that she had a severe H. pylori infection.  When I was a kid it was so severe that her stomach ulcers hemorrhaged and she went into a coma for a while.  By the time H. pylori became an actual diagnosable condition, the infection had eaten away most of her stomach.  She went on antibiotics finally, but by that time she had to have the majority of her stomach, some of her intestines, and her gallbladder removed. 


She now eats quite a bit, but everything runs right through her.  She can't gain weight no matter how much she consumes.  She has tried all the protein drinks and even tried eating large quantities of trail mix with no results.  She can't gain weight no matter what she tries. 


She has seen several doctors and a dietician.  None have have offered any real solutions and all have questioned whether she is anorexic and just hiding it. 


Does anyone know of a clinic or hospital that specializes in this?  Are there any types of treatment for this? 


It depends. The side effects can go either way - weight gain, weight *loss*... sm
Or no weight change at all, but maybe some other unpleasant side effect. Or you might have only mild side effects, or none at all and it's like a miracle cure for you. ;o) Everyone is so different, you never know until you try a med. for yourself.
POLL: Productivity gain using your expander and what expander you use.
Guess I need to make it work harder.
You lose out if you don't get
paid for spaces.
Before you lose it....
Call her up and politely ask her where she got the number of your HUSBAND and then ask her if she knows the other person is married.  He really may have been snockered and not even remember giving it.
Lose him

Yeah - - don't think I haven't thought about leaving the situation


whatever you do don't lose that job! sm
There aren't many jobs like that anymore! Good for you.

Can I ask what state you live in? Just curious.
It's so hard to lose a pet
I'm sorry for your loss. My own old girl Tildy died on April 21 and I miss her so much. Last week, I finally adopted another dog, and we are going to be great friends I know, but I still miss Tildy. I probably would have put off adopting a new dog longer, but a friend of mine sent me a *comic strip* called "Shelter Stories" - it shows this dog lying there with his eyes closed thinking "I'm afraid to open my eyes. I'm afraid yesterday was ALL a dream and I'll wake up and still be in the shelter. "Sigh, okay, I've got to open them. Here goes...one, two, three! it's a picture of this dog lying there on a nice soft bed and when he opens his eyes, there's a person there too, just smiling at him.

Sometimes we're all each other has. I hope your heart feels better soon.
I don't need to lose weight, but I definitely need to
x
You could probably lose 10 lb. just from exercise. SM

Go to www.collage.com. There are hundreds of good exercise videos.


I could not get into t pep rally thing of WW.


You won't lose anything with the upgrade.
x
You won't necessarily lose your job,
but you will get the absolute worst dictators and dictation possible. All the good stuff goes offshore and we get what's left. And make sure the account you're offered pays for headers and footers to make up for them not paying for spaces. No all accounts pay for headers and footers, and that really makes a difference.
Lose 5 lbs. I saw the doc last week and
gained 10 this year and was already overweight, so I'll start this week by losing at least 5 lbs.
But don't you also lose money when...
you are paid by the line, and you are sitting there waiting for Mr. hem & haw to start talking again? When you are paid by the dictation minute, you are paid for the length of the sound file, whether the ditator is talking or turning pages or hemming & hawing. I had a few times when I had a 20-minute sound file, which I was paid for, even though there was only 5 minutes of dictation on it!

Also, you know EXACTLY how much money you will make on the report before you even start typing it, regardless of what type of dictator it is.
How to lose an MTSO

Just curious here . . . how to you deal with a MTSO who, for all accounts, seems like they are stalking you for hire.  I checked out the company, realized I was lied to about a number of issues I specifically asked about up front and disliked the platform tremendously.  I gave it a few days – determined it was not for me because I could not be productive and I informed the recruiter that I was no longer interested in working for the company.  Since that time, I have been contacted no less than 3 times.  I cessated my contact after the verbal communication only to be hounded with E-mails and packages via snail mail.  The owner of this company is really starting to scare me.  Personally, instead of running a business, in my opinion, should be running to the psych ward – and quickly I might add.  I have not communicated since I made my final decision – I’m almost afraid to.  What would you all suggest?  I really just want this person to leave me alone.  This particular MTSO is one that seems like the “no” answer is just not even an option.  I have no interest in working for someone with this type of personality and I have no interest in running my business in the red because of a poor platform.  Help please.  Can you report someone for stalking if they are in a different state?  I cannot change my E-mail address as I do have my own business contacts to think of. 


So in other words, pay will be cut, and WE lose. - sm
If the MTSO is bringing in more lines per hour with this system, (and you just KNOW they aren't going to slash their prices to the hospitals!), why cut the MTs pay per line? The MT (who actually PRODUCES the work, after all) should be sharing in some of the rewards of increased productivity, rather than being SHAFTED.
what features do you lose?
I think it's the program I want but what would I lose?  TIA
Call them! What do you have to lose?
I applied to a company I really wanted to work for, waited a week, sent an email, waited a day, called, and was called back an hour later and hired.  The squeaky wheel etc etc.  Good luck to you!!
firm 15 cpl --you will lose it
Sorry but at 15 you will lose it.  Once you get used to the dictators you will easily make $35 to $45 per hour even counting in the delivery time.  Define your line as gross lines with 1" margins and if they want smaller ones, then you revert back and do your line count that way.  If you want to cover yourself, tell them that at 12 cpl you want it written up in the contract that should they cancel at anytime  -- unless it is due to gross errors, incorrect billing (cheating them), not keeping TAT, etc. that they  will pay your average paycheck for the term of the contract. Again look at what you can make per hour not what the cpl is.  If you come across too high, they will advertise and get someone for the 12 easily.   Good luck.   Get it all spelled out ini black and white.  Also go back at 12.5 -- again good luck
Which is why this country will lose its
xx
And quick way to lose your job.
I work for 2 companies and cherrypicking is the quickest way to get taken off the accounts. It is absolutely not tolerated at either place. I would not ever work for a company that allowed cherrypicking.
If you have as much as you say you need to ultimately lose,
have you considered gastric bypass or Lap-Band?
ironic.... it's lose
nm
Monday - I will lose an account

I just did the stupidest thing.  I could cry but it would not help.  I will lose this account due to my carelesness and not thinking.  I accidentally just erased two "undone" tapes and kept two "finished" tapes.   So on Monday I have to tell the doctor and if I were them I would fire me.   They have been my account for 4 years but have been patient with me at times through some personal problems -- yucky divorce -- and I do a good job at a very reasonable rate but I would not blame them if they fired me.  I just want to take myself out and beat myself silly.  But there is nothing I can do right now and so oneward and upward -- I guess.  But this will hurt as it is my largest account and I am a small MTSO so I will be out pounding the pavement for something. 


Thanks for listening. 


They are both excellent and I would hate to see either lose.
Kind of leaning towards tattoo boy though.
Did you lose the weight after coming off?

I'm gonna check into the things you mentioned and go by my local health food store. Before I went on the HRT, I did try the OTC stuff which seemed to work for a little while, but after a few months started having the hot flashes again. I did purchase some progesterone cream a few years ago while I was still having periods (after watching a segment of Oprah), but never used it right, then went on the HRT. I really do want to get off of it and get my weight down. Did you have trouble getting weight back down after coming off?


 


Thanks again for all your advise! You're great!


I need to lose 160 sticks of butter
so I joined dance class. Willing to share my butter for christmas baking.
Why do you want American MTs to lose their jobs?
That's what will happen if we get a "union" and try to convince employers that they have to conform to "union rules" and "union wages". They'll just find even more people overseas who are happy to work for peanuts. Unionization will not benefit the American MT at all. The same with licensure. Some people just work for small clinics doing one type of work. If everyone has to pass the AAMT CMT test (which is what AAMT means by "licensure"), people who only know one type of work won't be able to pass. If you have to have the license to work, they will lose their jobs. What good would that do anybody except AAMT, which would get all those exorbitant fees for taking the CMT exam? None of these ideas will benefit American MTs. They're all obviously part of AAMT's campaign to outsource all MT work in this country. AAMT does not work for us; they work for the MTSOs who are making big bucks by outsourcing our jobs overseas.
Dont Lose Hope!
We need to curb the outsourcing of this industry. The big boys already have the voice recognition systems but will still need MTs and the other countries have armies of MTs and still training more. Wait, im the one losing hope. HELP
I know I need to, but $$. Did they lose thier house?..nm
/
You can pretty much expect to lose about 1/2 - 1/3

You will be required to turn in your tax papers and refund check to the Bankruptcy Clerk...he/she will then in turn tell you how much you can have of it back.  They will disperse what they keep between some of the creditors you filed bankruptcy on.  The portion you are allowed will be sent to your attorney.  Our refund was about $3100...we got back $1200 from the bankruptcy court...then the attorney took out their fees for the bankruptcy and we ended up with about $200.


It definitely sucks..but compared to what we owed and got out from underneath of because of the bankruptcy, it was worth it.


You are not stupid, so lose that thought! Your
post might be deleted, though, cause you put someone's name. Odd rules. But if it gets deleted, just repost without a name! I was in the same boat about 2 years ago, and we all have to learn sometime. First you need to contact the doctors in your area. You are right - you need to see what equipment they use and go from there. If they are still using tapes, which a lot of local doctors do, you just have to find out the size - the office I work for used microcassettes, so I went on E-Bay and bought 2 used microcassette machines - one Sony and one Panasonic for back up - cost about $150 combined. If doctors use tapes, chances are good they will also let you use Word. So I had no software to buy - just type on Word. I happen to like the Word expander, and just added my own medical short cuts. I bought a printer, a Lexmark for approx $35, which also came with free ink. As for paper, most doctors have their own letterhead. That is the only thing the doctors supply me with - their own letterhead. So I use that for the first page, and then use plain white copy paper from Staples for the other pages. I also bought a tape eraser, at my doctors' request, for about $5 also thru Staples, I believe. Set up cost was well under $300. I was very scared and unconfident at first, but its been smooth sailing! Just fake it as far as the processing end.Its so easy to type on Word, print it out and deliver it. I also save patient records on floppy disks (per doctors' request), and that cost is very minimal as well. This office loved my work, and has recommended me to his colleagues - I get $300 a page, and type about 6 to 10 pages an hour - cake work! Be confident - you CAN DO THIS!! And it is fun. I do it part time, though I could do it full time. Feel free to write me with any questions. I'd be more than happy to help you out. Good luck! I'm just a regular person, by the way, don't worry.
I suspect that with the name change they will also lose a lot
l
my fave: How to lose a guy in 10 days (nm)
also the wedding planner.
Very HOT!!!!
As we all know, the only effective way to lose weight
is diet and exercise. I have tried MediFast, SlimFast, phentermine, all of them. In the end, the only that really worked and help maintain my figure is eating right and exercise, exercise and more exercise.

I always wanted the fast road to a "skinny" body, but guess way, the weight crept back on faster than I lost it. So, I decided to just eat right, limit fatty foods and carbs, and exercise. I joined a gym and go 3x a week. It really does stimulate you.

Good luck to you, but really none of those plans work unless you change your lifestyle.