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It's good for testing. Kind of clunky for working

Posted By: regularly, though. Automation is IT!! nm on 2007-09-19
In Reply to: info on expresscribe - krispy

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Testing question (not the prohibited kind)

I am starting a job search and hope to test with a few companies. It has been a while since I have done this so I need your input.


When transcribing a file, should it just be typed verbatim or should I expand the abbreviations? 


TIA :)


Lots of us use it for testing, some even for working. nm
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Now getting lines on Extext is difficult with clunky platform
This is their greatest moneymaker!  All jobs are run through voice recognition software first, then you will do good to get your lines from the junk that is thrown-back out of Exspeech.  The platform you question is set up for all jobs through voice recognition first, then spit out by EXSpeech is dictator is so horrible it cannot interpret their voice.  MT's end up getting nothing to transcribe EXCEPT the junky dictators that is not speech machine quality!  You are in for a BIG surprise!
Anyone know a good web site for allergy testing? Thank you! nm

Good for you! May I ask what kind of expander you went with?
x
Good reply - LOL. This is just the kind of post
she would understand; it's on her level, which sounds about like my niece in 1st grade. You should've added "na na na boo boo"
You're so kind, thank you for the good thoughts! sm
She does have to be on a high-fiber diet. They think this might be related to H-pylori, even though she tested negative for it. I told her lets not worry until we have to, easier said than done, but she is a worrier, and yes, I have inherited that from her as well:) I was reading up on this MALT lymphoma and if that's what she has, it looks like it is pretty treatable if caught in the early stages, so we will pray. Thanks again. I will update when I know more. Thanks for posting - means a lot:)

Jen
Right away it looked to me like the kind of junk that spreads in email. Good eye. nm
x
Thanks everyone for the kind responses. I'm glad I posted. I have gotten some good leads.
And some good advice. Feeling better already!!


Regarding testing. I have given in-depth testing but I have come to find that sm

no matter what a company wants, be it ESL specialist, etc., the best test to give ANY applicant is one that is not planned, one given right on the spot, verbal, one that has not been scheduled so the person has had no time to get nervous, but throw about 15-20 questions at them, general knowledge for their level of skill, and it can tell you wonders about their knowledge that is retained!! I actually find that the retention rate of folks hired this way is actually higher than intense testing given by some of these larger national companies.  We all know that it takes sometimes a couple of weeks for even the best MTs to understand (I am speaking of the ESLs or bad dictators).  There are some companies that give these as tests and what does that tell?  Tells nothing and means nothing!  Some of these that do well on these actually cannot do the work.  How do we know that these folks have not actually had someone else do the test for them?


I find the best way is to pull a pop test on the spot in the middle of the interview and it works!  Don't ever give the same questions to two separate applicants.  Have a database of questions to pull from.  Score from the ones you ask and move on from there.  If the person cannot do the work, you know it in a day. 


I believe it was the old EDiX that used to give over the phone questions, but they still scheduled this and people had time to get nervous.  This way there is no time and well, you would be surprised at what folks actually do know...and in some cases...what folks actually do not know when given multiple choice, but to me this is an excellent way of testing, takes very little time, which I personally consider to be too valuable to waste 3-4 hours on a test, which someone who is experienced and has worked for 10 to 15 years in the field should not be required to do anyhow, should not be asked to do.  When you have worked 12 hours during that day for a company (and some have), why should they have to take 4 hours to do a test?!


Think about it!!


I have recently spoken to other recruiters from other companies and they have agreed with me on this and I hope it catches on because it certainly is less time consuming and tells you all you need to know without giving them the actual work to do.


 



 


 


 


Good working in MT help wanted ad...
It gives the usual stuff about transcribing reports, letters, etc, then says:

"...correct spelling and medical terminology errors using dictionary and medical reference books; edit documents by recognizing, interpreting, and evaluating repetitions, discrepancies, and inaccuracies in dictation; editing, revising, and clarifying without altering meaning and style..."

THIS is why we are so much more than "typists."

Good for you - DH and I are working on a similar

Anybody working for AssistMED? Good? Bad?

.


Go for it instead of working two jobs. Good luck.
 
Is it possible to make good money working for someone else?
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My MJ is fine for just regular use, but don't think it would be good for working with... nm
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Good for you. There is no reason any hard working MT should put up with that crap. nm
:)
Not a good deal! I get paid 20/hr employee for working with new MTs
x
Does anyone have any good, realistic advice for working on 60 different accounts!?...(exaggeration)

but I am really getting frustrated.  I left a company who bumped me off my ERs (which I did for over a year and were my 'bread-and-butter', and the more I complained or asked about it, the worst dictation I got, etc.  This was a change of management in which that company went down-hill fast, anyway, as far as the treatment of MTs. 


so I left, and now at the 'new' company I am still doing 5, 6 accounts.  Forget ERs, I am told. 


the question is, I am working on so many accounts, and even accounts with different management, different QA.  I am embarrassed to mention I just did a report using the SPECS FROM THE WRONG ACCOUNT.  Luckily, I had sent the report to QA, but I get a note from the QA like 'read the specs' (stupid) is how it sounded.  Yeah, I did, but for the wrong account. 


these companies do not see how making people work on so many accounts is going to be huge negative for them in the long-run.  they risk mistakes like this, not me. 


how does one keep it all straight, and why do we have to?  the only people who are having success, are people who will take any kind of abuse, it seems, and are just making the best of it.  does that mean only the aggressive will survive in this business? this gets more ridiculous all the time. 


not to mention, pay and money - LIVELIHOOD - severely diminishes the second week of pay-week.  anyone else notice that?  first week I am flying on the primary, second week in I am like getting scraps, working on 4, 5,6 accounts - there goes all I worked for in the first week. 


so these ladies typing 300+ lines/hour and making $50 thou a year, like so many boast on here, how,where, when ????  I am not getting it, and I am a 99-100% quality MT, working 35 hours/week.  every company I have worked with, my paycheck is totally dependent on the manager, period. 


Any good ideas where to look. Job Bank and Resume bank not working.
I think they must be waiting for a tech for repairs.
You get more working the evening or night shifts and working w/o benefits. And producing like a mad
,
Ditto....granted I am not working much these days, but am currently trying out a new way of working
when I do work which seems to be helping.  I am timing myself and keeping a log of how long it takes to to type however many minutes.  I am averaging anywhere from 13-18 minutes of dictation an hour now doing this.  Granted the time fluctuates between who I am typing, and if I have to look up names, addresses, etc., just depends on the division I am doing at the time.  But work that used to take me 3 hours to do is now taking me under 2 hours, I am also trying to put in more macros as I go along, which slows me down initially but pays off in the long run of course.  I was working "all the time" before but took forever to get done since I was not applying myself. This new "attitude" has helped me a lot.  My goal, in the Fall, is to do 90 minutes a day consistently at 6 hours, and then maybe get up to 120 minutes a day at 8 hours, still while having at least half of the day free (do 60 minutes at night, and the other 60 by Noon).  Thereby doing 1200-1400 lines a day.  I have never really buckled down and done more than 8000 lines per pay period, so it will be a nice change.  Maybe you can do something like that and have a specific knock off time as was suggested below. 
Working holidays? Out shopping in stores where someone IS working

that holiday you refuse to work?  Grocery stores, food joints & seems any store is open on holidays and you expect them to be fully staffed, so why shouldn't we?


Yes, I took off for the first time on Christmas day, in 18 years and it was great, but I worked Christmas eve and this whole past weekend.


Someone has to do it!


Testing for a new job

I am testing on Friday for a new job. I need this job very badly, because of the benefits. If anyone has any suggestions on where I can find some practice tests(written exams), please let me know! Thanks.


testing
x
When testing, is it better to - sm
When testing for a company is it better to type verbatim or can you change things like grammar to make it actually correct?
Testing
I humbly say that I have never tested for a company where I have not been offered a job and I've tested plenty.  I always type verbatim with the exception of changing grammar. If in doubt, I put (?), basically for anything I would send to QA if actually working.  IMO if you start "correcting" you'll likely flunk the test.  I've always tested for acute care so I have no idea what testing would be like for clinic work. 
Not testing
Has anyone every been hired without being tested first?  I was just asked to sign on with a company and start as soon as possible.  I've already got ID# and everything.  There was only one other company that did require testing but that fell through, could never get the information straight or help with it.  Should I be leary of this one too?
not testing
I also was hired on this past week without testing.  Like the other poster said it was a good feeling to have your experience do the talking...  Good luck
Testing sm
Anyone know a good testing site from a good company who doesn't require buying expensive equipment just to "test", sick of reading those who say "If you don't have.......don't bother testing." I am probably on the wrong board, but I want to test today, if possible. I only have Execuscribe and earphones, am totally clueless otherwise. Have "Word" but no medical dictionary in there either. "Sad" but true. Thanks for any info.
Pet testing
We once had an MD call our radiology office to see if we would MRI her beloved duck. Alas, the duck passed away before we could scan. I can only imagine what the report would have consisted of, LOL.
Testing
I tested with many companies without having to get *permission* to do so. The national I landed my job with right out of school said they required 2 years' experience, but I tested and passed, and they hired me. If you get discouraged and give up you will never get in. You have to keep plugging at it. I e-mailed my resume and applied and tested for many, many companies before I got hired. I actually started working for the company I am with now the day after I graduated my MT program. It really can be done. And you're right, it does seem to be a very impersonal business on many levels. Fortunately there are many companies out there that have very nice people that will give you a chance. It's just a matter of finding the one that is right for you.
testing
testing
testing
Hi,
yeah, just got done taking a test and nailed it, I know I did, but got an instant reply of not enough experience. I'm certainly not a quitter and will just keep trying. I am so ready to work!
testing
just testing my validation
testing

   Can anyone out there explain to me why when taking a test for a national company they would tell you, Note: The audio is bad and that is part of the test.  Why in the world would a company want to give you a bad audio tape to test on?  Is this a Joke?  I feel this is very humiliating to a transcriptionist.  Just give a decent test.  How is anyone supposed to pass it if the audio is bad?  I do not care who you are and how many years experience, if the audio is bad, then no one is going to pass.  This is totally ridiculous.  I am glad I am starting to look into coding for a new profession because these National companies are making a mockery of this field, which was once respected.


 



 


testing
Just testing before posting anything.
Testing
I always try to get as much info as I can when a company is posting a test. If they cannot look at your resume and see how many years and what specialities you have transcribed and see that you either do or do not meet their qualifications - they have too much time on their hands. Who has time in the MT business to grade and pick over tests? to me that's just crazy. The only ones who might benefit from these tests are newbies trying to break into the fields - and they usually do not have the # of years of experience that any national is looking for - yes - perhaps it is time to get out and get a real job - but I can remember when this was a real job - it isn't what it used to be.
MT Testing

Should testing transcription be done verbatim or do you suppose it could be lightly edited? I was not sure about this. I have never had a company instruct me on what they prefer.


Thanks


CMT testing
I have a question for anyone who has ever used the CMT Review Guide. There is a CD with the book that has snipets of dictation. I am getting so frustated. I don't think I've gotten 1 right yet. The punctuation is mostly what is killing me, but also they seem like they expect you to know what kind of format you should be using. Maybe I'm missing something, but I can't seem to figure out when they want what, as far as set up goes, so consequently I get them marked wrong. So anyway, has anyone else had a problem with this, and if anyone has taken the test, is that the way the test is too?
Testing, etc.
I have only tested for one company, and I felt I aced the test with no problems. The only reason I tested with this particular company is because it was part of the application process from the very beginning. With most, I don't even get to testing. I can't figure this out! Resume is perfection. No, I am not using my current company as a reference.

I did ask the last one who turned me down for some elaboration as to what areas I need to strengthen. Not sure if I will get a reply, though.
Testing, testing 1-2-3

Which is what one of our bright and fab docs says everytime he starts a report...


LoL... I wonder if he comes back and says, Is this thing on?  


Yep.. It's one of THOSE days. 


I am currently testing for them too...sm
That is some long dictation to type for a test. I only listened to the SOAP notes file but it is long. Alot of reports in that one file. I don't like the fact that they are in Canada and noone knows nothing about them.
What would you do when testing?

***Edited by Moderator***


RE: Testing
I had trouble with some, some I didn't. I used Gearplayer foot pedal.
When testing have you ever

Had six or seven short notes to type and you got one that you just couldn't figure out and there would be blanks, would you finish it with the blanks, even if there were quite a few, or would you not do it and tell the person you're testing for that you weren't able to transcribe the note? 


testing

I am trying to test (not medical) and they had me download something called DSS Lite, so I could transcribe what they e-mailed me.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  I cannot get my foot pedal to work with it.  Thank you in advance.


Testing
One thing you might do and not sure if you did it (if with the "standardized testing") save your work after EVERY completed section -- then if you take a break you should be able to go right back into the section you just completed.  Hope this helped.
testing

I agree.  And my foot pedal does not work with most of these companies for doing the test.  I have to use the F keys to start and stop.


I got my current job with transcriptionmatchmaker and had to take only one test and they contacted the companies looking for help.  But they are not doing that anymore right now, or at least the person that helped me is not there. 


RE: testing

I was recently laid off after 6 years doing transcription for a surgical/imaging center.  I had to transcribe all imaging and surgical procedures.  I would like to test my skills so I can be up on the recent changes.  Is there a web site for this.  I have 20 years experience in all modalities having worked in the hospital setting for 8 yrs, rehab etc..  Any ideas would help.


Thanks


 


 


 


testing...
When testing for MT jobs I look EVERYTHING up even if I know it for sure (like during the multiple choice) i.e. "The plural of fibula is" type into Google "Plural fibula" and the first thing that comes up is like this: Fibula or Fibulae (plural) may mean: Fibula, the calf-bone of a mammal." So you know its fibulae. With the transcription tests, I type them in word with my spell check and my expander. After done with all the tests I read back starting with the first one, as if im doing QC work. It works for me. Hope it helps you.