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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

One of the top 10 jobs to go to school for...

Posted By: What is this? on 2005-10-10
In Reply to:

Is this a combined medical biller/medical records assistant?  We really are out to dry!  See below...


Medical Records and Health Information Technicians

What they do: Assemble and assess patients' medical charts, determine a facility's Medicare and other insurance reimbursements, and use computer software to help improve patient care and cut costs.

What you need: An associate's degree and a written examination.

What it pays: Median annual pay was $25,590 in 2004.


 




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Jobs and School
I am finished with school and I have been working for a year with a company that I really just do not like and I have had two other jobs that were bad... It seems that I can get work but I'm struggling.. Though I feel that I went to a poor school should I try one of the better schools so I can get a better job... The one company I worked for the check bounced and the other is just VR and no money at all... Please Advise..
No Experience jobs/Deciding to go 2 school.

Hello everyone.


                        I am trying to make up my mind on going to a MT training class.I have a few questions that i hope someone can help me with.


1.Is most of the work being sent overseas?


2.Are there any work at home companies that hire new grads,or would I have to work in a hospital...and is(hospital) and option with no experience?


3.If I can find a wah job how much should I plan on saving for equipment?


4.What is normal pay as a newbie.I know that it depends on the company,but what is average?


Thanks for any help that you all can provide.


You sound exactly like me. I'm working two jobs and my husband is going to school..

I have a 13 and 10-year-old.  I need to make a chore list, but that takes time too.  I seriously do not have five minutes to myself.  I'm working from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and taking the kids to dance and baseball in between. 


This weekend should be slower for me.  I think I'll make my husband a chore list too (I bet he'll love that).


Just wanted to let you know that I totally understand what you are going through.


2 jobs here, also back to school, single working mom...sm
hi just me,
i'm rapidly approaching 50 and working 2 jobs (1 FT as MT, 1 PT as virtual assistant)using different programs (50 hours a week total), and going to school PT (10 hours a week), all as a single parent with a house and yard. in addition, i volunteer about 4-6 hours a week. NOT EASY! But, it CAN BE DONE! I think the secret is in motivation, planning and organization. my outlook calendar program looks like a rainbow! (and the task list is pretty daunting at times) =) let me know if you want more advice via email...good luck!
Me, too. I told my kids that since they're not in school and I'm working two jobs
just to try to keep the utilities on, they get to do chores. Don't even get me started on holiday stress. My extended family sent me gift cards, so I'm using those to buy for the kids. I even offered to pay them $5 an hour for cleaning so they'd have Christmas money. Instead, what are they doing? Watching TV in their pajamas still. That's OK. I'm about to go unplug all the electronics in the house and give them a big chore list with NO pay.
Back to school....or secretarial jobs??? Selling on Ebay??? Not sure myself....sm
I've been pondering all of the above, back to school and ebay seem to me to be better than back to the clerical/secretarial pool.  I'd like to get into working with kids or with people in general.  I'd like to work with disabled children, specifically children with speech problems, occupational therapy, speech therapy, applied behavioral analysis, something like that.  I know this job will not be here for the rest of my working life, time to start planning now I guess.
POLL: Home School vs. Charter School vs. Public School vs. Priv ate School...
Pros and cons of each too. I have two little ones that will be starting school soon and I would like opinions on all. Thanks in advance! :)
I did that with 2 kids with time mgmt and a high school girl who babysat 3 days a week after school
nm
The cost of running a private school or any school is expensive....
Why do you think public schools are so run down and can't find good teachers?  Because the government and people to not put forth the effort or $$$$ to improve the educational system.
supposed to be, after people lose their jobs, they are forced to take part-time, lower-paying jobs..
with little to no benefits. service jobs. where are you going to work in a few years, when Medical Transcription is replaced by technology? McDonald's, Walmart? you really going to like that?
Several jobs on Monster & CareerBuilder for inhouse office jobs down there through an
s
The School of Hard Knocks is the best MT school
n
I did 3 jobs for a while about 3 years ago, you burn out quick, I was doing 3 MT jobs though...after
10 months I cut down to 2 as I don't like to have all my eggs in one basket.  But I am considering going down to 1 in September for my sanity, its a good steady job so financally it should not be an issue.  I have 2 right but have not worked the 1 in about 3 weeks due to some problems at their end, supposed to learn a VA account but not sure if I want to pursue it right now or not, they are waiting to hear from me at this point. I still have a lot going on with chemo, etc. so am mulling things over.  But if you have a full-time day job, then I would just go with 1 part-time MT job at night, unless 1 is during the week, and the other weekends only, then of course you will be working 7 days a week, very tiring I know.  I have been working 7 days a week for 3 years now but I do slack off now and then of course to recharge and get sleep etc. But burnout happens fast and I doubt you want to lose your day job so be careful. Good luck.
Two jobs very common, 3 jobs not unheard of.
x
Yup! Not only short jobs, but also jobs from
extremely difficult dictators, bad sound files, jobs that need lots of ADT info added, and anything else that is not "easy" to do. I also questioned them about this and was told the same - they do not allow cherrypicking. Definitely not true!
We met in high school. My high school sweetheart
introduced us in a discussion over Ford versus Chevy versus Dodge. I used to race my Dodge Coronet with oldstyle 318 V-8 engine against the guys on the back roads and old highways. High school boyfriend had a Chevy truck. DH had a Ford Fairlane and later an AMC Javelin that just made me swoon. We didn't actually start dating until three years later, and my old high school boyfriend was a bit surprised at that since he introduced us.
I'm old school, but still know its 3/6
nm
never went to MT school!
I have been doing this for 10 years now. I have a great job, great QA reviews and make great money. So what???
ol school
LL Cool J and caramel
been to school should have known, especially since they

basically had the words correct.   They were such common terms I don't know how anyone could have gotten through school and not had them at least 100 times.


Also doing one search on Google with the misspelled words would have probably turned up the answer.


 


going to school
Don't get discouraged - you will be able to use your MT skills in other areas to help with the cost of schooling. I'll be doing that too even if I have to work at a doctor's office part time as a receptionist! Just knowing I am making my way out of this field is something to aspire to!!!
Went to school and got my CPC

I have a national coding certificate.  I cut back on my MT work and got a job auditing physician records and scoring their documentation, then gave them feedback to maximize their reimbursement for the services they provided.  When I moved to a new area, the field for the type of coding I was doing had less of a demand, so I increased my MT work.  Now that I'm back in my "home town" I need to network and re-enter the field.  The money is just as good, if not better in some cases, with much better benefits, plus it is something you leave at the office at the end of the day.


d~


School
Northeast Guilford Senior High, North Carolina
School
North Clay Community H.S., Louisville, Illinois! SHHHH, don't tell anyone.
By the way, I'm also from old school....sm

But I try to keep them all as simple as possible, one office with 2 surgeons has their own letterhead, so no problem there and they want things very simple.  All work for all also, besides getting printed by me, is put on a diskette for them to download on their systems for them to make whatever changes they choose.  All others with no letterhead, I supply all paper for (Xerox) and free delivery and pickup to all.  It is free for them, I pay someone to pickup/deliver.  That's how simple I want it, and I also want to bill out and get paid only once a month. 


Everyone seems to like the idea, and it has been working for quite some time (10 years) and my theory is, if it isn't broken, don't fix it.  *LOL* 


As for the national, my weekend work, each client has a CP (client profile) and some of the CPs are more difficult than the others and once in a GREAT while, I might forget SOMETHING but then I contact someone beyond who usually fixes whatever I messed up. 


I went to school for
two years to earn a certificate in medical transcription (at a junior college) but so far no one has ever asked me if I was certified or if I went to school. I guess they didn't care as long as I could do the work.
School
I would not recommend if you actually want to get a job!
I am considering RN school...
I am almost 29 and have a daughter and am pregnant with another one. I've been going to school to get my RHIT but am bored with it and may go to RN school instead. I don't know... I feel too old to do it!
You should ask the school what they want.
/
school
Aug 14 for us here in Douglas County too.  We're neighbors!
Woo-hoo - 1st day of school!!! sm

Both kids survived it quite nicely.  That's 1 down, 179 to go!!!


school
All I can tell you is that I was thinking of going into nursing a few years ago, and a friend of mine who used to be a nurse discouraged me (strongly). It's not what it used to be - lots of paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, lots of long hours and tough shifts. She got her Master's and is now in nursing administration.
Old school
In the old days of 1" on top, bottom, 1" sides it was 54 lines, it was six lines per inch and using the common font of Courier 10 font which is now a 12 font.  But now fonts are all so different as well as margins but I used to get 62 ines per page when doing continuous chart notes.  One way to check in your font is to number 1, 2 3, 4 down a page and see how far you can go or check the line count is word but usually runs 54 to 66 again depending on margins, fonts, etc. 
What MT school did you go to? nm

x


It might if you went to a school that
that is not well known or has a less than stellar reputation. However, if you went a school with a good reputation in the industry, you don't really need it. Companies know who prepares their graduates for entry-level positions or above, who produces graduates that need more assistance, and what programs do not even provide remedial knowledge.

Having your RMT credential might show an employer that you have the basic knowledge required to do the job, but you would need to weigh cost versus the benefit.
School is a must!
I respectfully disagree with the above poster. Not having gone to a quality school puts you at a serious disadvantage in today's MT market. Nobody wants to hire a newbie to work at home, UNLESS they attended Andrews, M-TEC, or possibly Career Step. That's because those schools really prepare you to work at home. I got a job right out of school (wasn't even job hunting yet - the company contacted my school, M-TEC, and hired me right before graduation). I have been very successful as an MT and started making very good money after my first year on the job. I wouldn't even think about trying MT without the right education. Even if you do get hired by someone, you will be so far behind it will take years to catch up, and you probably WILL only make 5 or 6 cpl. I was paid a reasonable cpl rate from day 1. My education was worth every penny I paid.
Re:school
"And yes, I have trained and QA'd Andrews and MTEC graduates and they have sucked eggs just as much as the next newbie MT."

I highly doubt the above response, but okay.

Also, MT profession is not losing their pay to new MT's as much as it is because of offshoring to other countries!


MT school

I graduated from CAI and got an offer to test with MQ the week I graduated.  I also have a friend who took the CAI course and got a job soon after she finished.  It covered all the word parts, abbreviations, and had lots and lots of real doctor dictations to practice.  There is nothing like on-the-job experience and I will be the first to admit I learn something new almost everyday, but I felt I was ready to work by the time I was done with the course. 


Great post BTW.  I get tired of hearing about the "top 3" as if there is no other way to become an MT.


No School
I learned on the job 20 years ago. Approached a local transcription company, "bargained" a shift with them if they would train me. Worked there 3 years and then on to the home office. I now work for a wonderful company in QA/Auditing and I also learn something new every day. I continue to learn through articles, webinars, seminars, etc. There is no end to the knowledge one can have in this profession.
Yes, been to CR school
But it is very, very difficult.  Maybe 1 or 2 in 100 makes it through to certification.  Am not saying you wouldn't be that one, but be prepared.  I had to quit after 6 years because I also worked full time and just couldn't cut the 50 mile round trip commute to school anymore.  Figure I had about two more years to go.  That's the thing -- you never really know when you will finish because you might fly through one speed level then get stuck for 2 years at the next.  If I had it to do over again, I would have stopped working and just concentrated on school.  You have to be really accurate and fast to close caption too.  I really loved doing CR though!  So if you really want to do it, just look into it in depth!
Who was the MT going to med school?
Can you tell me how busy you are with that? I just wondered if you actually have time for anything else. I have friend who is 1 semester shy of her bachelor's degree and is considering putting med school off because she has a daughter, and is worried about how much time she would actually get to spend with her.
School for MT
I have not heard of these schools, but I would suggested Career Step if you are looking for a good course for MT.
I am going to school now myself -
I just started my second quarter and am going to be an accountant. Thinking about going into forensic accounting since there obviously is so much greed and criminal activity in the money world - gotta love the job security!
school
I am definitely aware of what is going on with the economy. It just happens that now is the perfect time financially for me to go to school. Also, I do not plan on going to school for economics, finance, or marketing, which are the main areas grad students are having a hard time finding jobs for (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008149224_gradjobs31.html). For some of us, there is no time like the present.
There is no QA school because
it requires EXPERIENCE. What a strange thing to say...

Did you miss the part about different levels of MTs? Or did you even bother to read it?
Does your school have a job
placement program. Most companies require at least 1 year experience. Good luck.
old school

I have heard that old school MTs who learned the usiness when they were working on typewriters and with carbon sets, etc. learned to listen ahead several words so they could hear any changes the dictator made before they got to it so they didn't have to stop and correct anything.  I've never figured out how that works, though.  I get a couple of words ahead of where I'm typing, but if I get too far out I confuzzle myself too much.


I think MTSO management doesn't always want MTs to talk to other MTs because then they might find out how crappy they are as bosses.


The other thing that has helped me enormously on my speed is to put errors in my Expander - when I type teh for the or pretty much any typo I make.  This makes a huge difference, especially when my hands are tired or stiff, and I'm not stopping to fix stuff like that any more.


I'm in school too -
I am so ready to leave this profession. I started school for an accounting degree and will graduate in December with my associates, then on to another school to finish up.

Things have changed so much for me over the years that I cannot stand it anymore. there was a time when I thought I would die doing this because I loved it so much --- not anymore!!!
$33,000 now and $25,000 when son goes to school.
Drive would have to be within 25 miles from home as well on those pay rates otherwise more for more miles away from home. I hate working from home, and my son is finally old enough that he can tell you what he wants, so I am all for working outside the home. No jobs around here though that will pay enough unfortunately.
Your school should be the first place you go
for job-placement assistance. At the very least, they should be able to tell you what employers seek to hire their graduates. In the case of schools such as M-Tec and Andrews, many employers will waive the two-year experience requirement for their graduates because of the high quality of their education and their reputation for turning out job-ready MTs. Some employers will also waive the experience requirement for Career Step graduates, as well. Perhaps there are employers who hire graduates of your school without experience. Your school should be able to give you a lead on employers who have hired their graduates. In any event, any reputable MT school will provide job-placement assistance to their graduates.
I QA'd reports for a school once sm

Keep in mind these were ladies just starting out, but it amazed me that almost all of them typed the patient's temp as * 200.2*   


Seems common sense would tell a person that a temp cannot get to 200.2 and the person be alive.