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

I have 13 years' worth here and sm

Posted By: Trying to encourage you on 2008-11-15
In Reply to: Question for the experienced - Polly

I will say that mastery of this craft does bring a certain pleasure in the job. For me, challenges are few and far between when it comes to terminology, my favorite part of this job. My challenge at the moment is a difficult ESL who is a cardiothoracic surgeon. The other cardio queens will not touch him, so he is all mine. Lovely.

When it comes to OP notes, which is something I did everyday until recently (was made a cardio queen) I did love it. I felt competent, capable and I loved how I had my Expander so well tuned. Yes, I enjoyed it a great deal. Right now, not so much.

You have to know, even when you get to where you are more comfortable and have that certain level of mastery you will still have days when this is just a job and not a very pleasant one. It is the nature of being human, I think.


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

I quit doing that years ago. It has never been worth it to me. SM

I think, though, that one reason is this. I worked for 15 years on a hospital platform that had NO spellcheck, NO NOTHING. I had to learn to proof as I went along. It gave me the terrible habit of backspacing when I make an error - something I've not yet learned how to avoid - I'd really like to type and have the spellchecker catch the errors because I think I'd be more productive, but it's turned into kind of like a facial tic, something involuntary!


I would never relisten to anything - unless it's something that gave me trouble while I was doing it - and when that happens, I leave blanks, go back to the first and listen.


Have over 25 years worth of experience and do you think
I made more because of all the years? Better think again. My salary now for straight typing is 8 cents a line. Most of the companies are not willing to pay us like we made in the past. I am not upset about this for myself but I know others are not as fortunate in that they have to raise families on less and less.
It will be so worth it. After seven years at home, I pull in $100/day sm
just working around naps and early mornings before the kids get up.  I could probably do more if I wanted to at night after DH gets home, but $100 is my goal and I can usually reach that in three hours.  It's easy, go for it!
15 years worth of hearing loss
I have experienced this also, mostly in my left ear. Almost daily I get doctors that are speaking so quietly that I have to blast my sound - then someone in the background laughs or drops something. Too bad they aren't on the other end of the headphones.
I am worth that...not home course training or ESL..takes years to achieve
x
After years of sitting in "cheap" chairs, I bought an Aeron chair and it was worth it!!
.
58, AHP/self-taught, trained at hospital 5 years, now with 2 of my own accounts for 10 years, employ
Also worn out 2 keyboards in 4 years. I will never retire. DH will come home some day from work and I'll be slumped over my keyboard. I put in 14 hours a day 7 days a week.
Pack years = packs smoked per day x years of smoking - sm
25 pack-years = 25 years of 1 pack a day, or 12-1/2 years of 2 packs a day.

I don't think pack-years applies to someone who smokes only cigars. But I don't know for sure.
I worked for Cbay for 3 years. I was also part of their lay off back many years ago. sm
Even though I got stuck in a lay off era, I still love the company. They paid well then. The people were nice (exception of 1 person) and if I had the opportunity I would go back again. Fortunately (or unfortunately - depending on how u look at it), I have a great paying job right now, so I am not looking for a change. I do know that at one time, they asked management to accept late paychecks, but never sure of the reason why. My check was never late.
A job worth doing is worth doing well ...
If you do not want to do your best, get another job.
But that is what I would do - worth the $.30
nm
what are your worth?

To do business at this rate, the hospital would have to be contracting the jobs themselve.  Most hospitals I am aware of, go through a service, which has overhead.  So to that 7 cents you have to add pay for management, building, utilites and all the other costs of doing business.  The services I work for charge anywhere from 11 to 13 cpl, so it really isn't any cheaper to go through a service or have your own accts from the hospital point of view.


And is it worth the $189?
It sounds quite interesting, but that's a lot of money to shell out for an expander. Do you find your production is a lot higher compared with regular word expanders?
For what it's worth...SM
I did say that in my opinion, drinking on the job, regardless of amount, was unprofessional and somewhat irresponsible. (I stated MY opinion of the SITUATION, not directed at anyone in particular.) I think most employers would agree with me on that one. You obviously do not. This topic has been discussed and removed several times now - if you don't like the "unpleasant" posts, why keep bringing it up? Do you need the validation from complete strangers?

Don't post the topic if you're not prepared to deal with multiple viewpoints. Simple as that.
Worth it?
YES! An ergonomic keyboard does take a couple of days to get used to, but I doubled my typing speed after those couple of days and do not get "tired" hands as quickly. I would strongly recommend getting one!:)
Yes, it is worth it! sm
We have VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance--should be on the web) and it's great. You can pay monthly or all at once. It doesn't help much with the little bumps and bruises, but our boxer had a major ACL repair done and it saved us tons of money. She's worth it!
for what its worth
your marital relationship is the most important relationship in your life- its who you chose - you din't choose your parents, siblings or kids- everyone deserves to be valued and respected in that most important relationship- if you are being repeatedly hurt by your spouse or you are hurting your spouse -after you are aware that behavior is causing pain, no matter what it is - then you are not valuing your relationship or being valued in that relationship... Either way, you need to do something about it- get counselling at the least
Not worth it!

In my opinion, it would be better to wait for something that pays a little more.  At 6 cpl you are going to work your butt off.  I mean, if you think about it that's what the people in India are getting paid, either 5.5 cpl or 6 cpl.  I think American MTs are worth more, much more, but that's just my opinion.  If your current job is not too, too bad where you can't wait it out, I would say look around and give it a little more time.  Gook luck!!


Is being an MT really worth it?
I've been doing it for about 10.5 years and have interacted with a number of fellow MTs. One thing I notice is that very few of the wonderful MTs I've known have been WITHOUT depression, anxiety, and/or panic disorders.

Is it possible that sitting in front of a CRT doing the same thing all day every day in complete physical isolation isn't healthy?

There are lots of reasons I want out of this business. There's one. Have a good day :)
worth it
You are right about being isolated. Right now I have my 3-year-old at home with me, but in a couple of years, it is going to be me and the cat until the kids come home. I'm not really worried about it though. I know a few moms and other MTs can call if I get lonely.

As for the depression and axiety, I had before coming into this profession. You just have to take every day as it comes and enjoy the sunshine when its there.
Very worth it
I bought mine of ebay about 7 years ago for around $700 new and love it. It is well worth the money as it will never wear out.
I tried it. It is only worth it if you -
want to read about how wonderful it is that they are now training and credentialling overseas MTs. That is the truth. If you don't believe me, you can waste your money on it.
Not worth it
I didn't quit smoking with Wellbutrin, but used the generic nicotine gum 4 mg then 2 mg, which tasted awful, but stopped the waves of rage from quitting smoking. Wellbutrin made me giddy for a few hours, then I crashed almost instantly and would become solemn and depressed, which made me want to smoke. Does anyone know why there is a drop off like that? Is that normal with these types of drugs? I don't take anything in the way of medications unless I am deathly ill.
Yes, well worth it (SM)
It was definitely worth the $15K, but after years of trying all the other fertility treatments and having them *fail* (total of all of those was probably $10 to 15K as well) it was just such a risk. I knew if it worked it would be worth every dime and then some, but if it failed it would only send me into a deeper depression. Not a good thing. Thank goodness for happy endings. Make that thank GOD!

I'm so glad to hear other success stories. No one knows the agony of infertility unless they have walked in our shoes :-(

Thanks for the post.

Would it be worth it?

Hi everyone. Been reading your postings and thought you could help. I presently work in a clinic but have been mulling the idea of working from home. Would it be reasonable to assume I could make at least $9.00 an hour working from home (realizing I would get paid by cpl) Should I quit my job and go for it?


Thanks


Here is my exp for what it's worth: SM

I used to do what you do....I felt like I had a lot to offer, never had a problem getting a job that paid a good wage, great insurance, great vacation.


I got into MT as a fluke and for the 1st 5 years I made a ton of money and worked at home.  Along the way, I became less desirable as an administrative assistant--had been out of the field for too long, I think. 


When the MT pay started going down and I found I had to work 12-14 hours a day to make less than what I was making in the beginning, I really have tried to get an admin. asst. job again, but I am losing the job to people who have been employed right along the way while I was here at home.


Stay with this job--ride it out.  You are likely to have to work 12 hours a day or more to get your lines in and keep your benefits if you come home to work.


What you are worth
I don't believe it is true that MT is a bad field or a declining field. It is a great field and anyone who is capable of going through the education and gaining experience will find it is well worth it. Negative attitudes make every job unappealing.

Get the training and check out the companies. I have been an MT for 17 years and have always made no less than 50,000 a year. I only work 8 hours a day, no weekends. I love the job.
Is it worth it?

I posted a message yesterday on the New MT board.  I haven't seen a response.  Can anyone give me advice?


I am disabled and need to train in a new profession.  After some reading and researching, I wonder if I should learn MT.


With so many jobs going to India, Philipines, etc is there really work (and I mean work that will pay me enough money to more than survive) in the US?


With Dragon, is it easier for non English speaking persons to transcribe?  I am really nervous.  I can't waste time and money learning something that is no longer offered here.Is it worth it?


I apologize for the redundancy.  I am new to posting, and this is my third try.


I think it is worth it.
I think it would be worth pursuing MT and coding both, to increase your career worth.

You'll have to learn ESLs and speech recognition software to keep up with the MT side of it.

Email if you want. I'd be happy to talk more about it.

Is it worth it to become CMT?

 


Hi - I have been a Transcriptionist for 9 years and have considered testing to be a CMT but I want to know if it really matters?  I'd welcome any opinions either way. 


 


Thanks!


You are worth more than 8 cpl
I can understand your frustration.  If you do not think that 8 or 9 cpl is worth it to not have to put up all that it takes to have these accounts on your own and not through the MTSO then you obviously have never had your own accounts.  Now I have, and I know what it takes, and it takes a lot more than sitting down and typing the report knowing your anatomy.  When you have your own account, you have to do it all as far as keeping records, interacting with the office staff, technical issues.  When you accept the 8-9 cpl from the MTSO, that's all you are expected to do is type.  When you are making the 17 cpl, there is a lot more to it.  Have you had to beg the physicians for your paycheck or play sweety nice to their office manager just to get your money?  I'd say probably not.  Now, if you do not like the 8-9 cpl, then open your own MTSO and you can charge more, but let me tell you something, you are going to be responsible for a heck of a lot more than typing that report and knowing your anatomy. 
What's it worth to ya'?
NM
Please tell me you are worth....
AMEN!!! 
It's been worth it for me (sm)
Both for work incentives and for personal benefit, I'm glad I did it.
What we are worth
We are worth only what the market will bear. There are significant downward forces now on MT wages, with offshoring being a major one. I used to recruit nurses and heard a lot back then about their feeling that they weren't paid what they were worth, and I'm sure they're not, as we are not, but the economic reality is that all pay is based on supply and demand. That's the facts, and the only thing that will bring wages up is a shortage in the labor pool. That obviously has not been the case in MT over the last few years. Wages only go up when there aren't enough qualified applicants to fill needed positions.
Is this worth while

Can one really make a living working for this company???  Is the pay worth while?? Are the benefits there???     


for what it is worth
I think you should be paid more, but I doubt you will get it.  The worst authors, longest minute dictations with very lines, etc.., always get passed off to the better MTs unfortunately. 
It is worth however much someone is willing to pay for it. nm
x
IT IS WORTH IT oh my it is WORTH it!!! sm
Sorry to shout, but you know, if you want to make the big bucks you MUST have a real live Expander program.

While I am personally in love with Smart Type, it has so many limitations, I can't give you a recommendation. If I had it to do over again, I'd become dependent on InstanText. This is a similar and in many ways better program than Smart Type.

GET IT, GET IT NOW, DON'T PASS GO AND SPEND THE $200!

When you it arrives, email me and I'll give my 20,000 or so expansion library/glossary that you can use with it. Sticking with it, you'll find your production effortlessly go up and the wear and tear on your hands go down.


She has already said not worth it to her to
x
Just how much do you think you are worth?
I earn less than that being an MT and live quite comfortably, my only real debt being credit cards and car payment. I guess it depends on where you live.
Is it worth it?

I am a single mother of one and am thinking about going into MT, but with all the downsizing that is going on do you think it is worth it?  I've seen a lot of posts lately about veteran MTs being worried about their jobs.  I don't expect to get rich, but right now i'm umemployed and have been making a living selling on ebay.  I would like a career with more consistency and benefits.


Thanks for any input!!


Kelly


Yes, I think all in all it's worth it

You might want to consider working in-house for a year or so to start out.  It gives you an opportunity to have a "mentor" and get a real feel for how things really work.  In-house also provides better pay and better benefits usually, though not always. 


Working at home is great.  You get to stay in your PJs and save on gas, eating out, etc.  There's none of the cattiness you get in an office setting.  It also requires a lot of discipline.  You have to get used to the solitude and not being able to run to someone for help with something.  It's just you and your computer. 


In the end, I'm not sure if I had it to do all over again that I would pick this field.  It works for me now b/c I don't want to have to start all over again, so I make it work.  But given the chance to go back in time, I think I would have chosen something more along the lines of a physician's assistant or medical administration.  But that's just me.   


Is it worth being an IC at 7.8 cpl?

:(


I think it's worth it...sm
especially if you're having to drive a decent distance to get the tapes.  It's an easy process to switch over.  Is the doctor willing?  If you have any questions, feel free to email me.  It's easier to answer specific questions via email than general onesin the forum. 
worth it?
is it worth it to get the RMT? will it increase your chances of getting a job?
For what it's worth...

I don't charge extra for using my call-in system.  I absorb the cost of the phone line myself. I figure it's the cost of doing buisness,  For example, I wouldn't have gotten one of my clients if I didn't have the system.  He has no Internet connection (yeah, hard to believe!) and it was too far for me to drive to get tapes.  So, I figure it's worth it for me.  What I make off of him alone pays for the phone line.  Plus, the phone line is a deduction at the end of the year on your taxes. 


For what its worth here is what I would do. sm

If you have these corrected reports available with conflicting QA corrections and being given a date that you must be off QA, I would via telephone speak not to a QA person, but the owner, team leader, some higher up and get some clarification regarding this. If you need to call 10 times I would do that.


I have years and years of experience and once fell into a company that would sent me corrected reports, One would say don't put the word The before a CT scan at the beginning of a sentence,, one would say put the word The before CT scan when starting a sentence, and one would say to transcribe The comuterized tomography scan, and things such as this. I spent a day on the telephone finally with some higher up. I will say the situation kept continuing, It was extremely frustrating to say the least,  and I left and took a different job, but I had a lot of experience so it was not a big problem for me to move on.


I agree with some of the posters here, try to straighten this out, but start putting out your resume in the meantime too.  There are companies that have these type of practices, I know as I ran into one, but in the main, most do not.


It's rip-off. Not worth it. - nm
.
Not worth it
I worked for a national that paid an extra quarter-cent per line. At 1200 lines a day, that's around $750 a year, out of which I would have to pay for certification courses etc. Even if I came out marginally ahead, once I found out that the money I was spending on certification, fees, etc., went to support AHDI's special "India pricing" for certification & its program of offshore certification sites, I renounced my CMT & have never renewed. I would rather work a little harder to make up the couple hundred bucks & still be able to look at myself in the mirror.
Is it worth it? sm
Taking MTSO to SCC. Amount is minimal (less than $200), but her attitude is so horrible. She did not show up (lawyer did). It probably costs her $300 or more to pay the lawyer and go to trial. I hope I'm not being mean, but I did earn the money and should have gotten paid.