Has anyone read this book....?
Posted By: 1_4nyy on 2007-09-26
In Reply to:
Hello all-
I had gone to the AAMT site (now AHDI) and found the e-book entitled Getting Your Foot in the Door: Two Years' Experience Not Required. Before I purchase it, I wonder if any one has read it and if it had any good tips for an MT that does not have the 2 yrs that is spoken about so much.
Thanks in advance. 
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Yes, the Rad book is good, as is the Ortho & Rehab words. A drug book helps or one on CD. Book mark
,
Sted's Ortho/Rehab Words, a lab word book, and at least 1 drug book. nm
s
Even an "open book" tests requires you to look in your own book, not just as the guy next to y
x
book for MT
Go find "The Language of Medicine" and go through it chapter by chapter. It has a CD with it and do all of the tests, each worksheet, etc. That will give you a good start. I have been in the business for 17 years, and have taught from the bottom up, and have also taught MTs who had a solid MT certificate. I can say with all certainty that this is not an easy business by any means, but it is worth it. The first years I did MT work, we were paid hourly and I made decent money. Seventeen years later, I make great money, but without those years behind me and knowing every discipline of medicine, every tool used in surgery, every disease known to man, every laboratory value and study, ad nauseum, I would not be making the money I do at this point. If you are good and persistent, it is easy to make anywhere from $25 to $40 an hour in this field (with a good shortcut program, I prefer ShortHand 8). I have taught nurses, chiropractors, anyone with a medical background, and those were the people who needed the most help, not the ones who had gone to actual MT school, although they needed help too. With the ESL dictators, if you don't know the procedures, etc., being a fast typist with a basic medical background will not be of any help. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but honestly, do the schooling before you attempt this career and expect to be placed. Otherwise, try transcriptionmatchmaker.com and see what she can do for you.
Gastro book
I began transcribing for a gastroenterologist and I have to look up every other word. Does anyone know of a really helpful gastro terminology book?
 Thanks for any help.
gastro book
You need to get a GI/GU book from Stedmans, www.stedmans.com. I believe they are the best.
Drug book
Stedmans Medical Dictionary is a good start. The drug books I use are Saunders and Quick Look Drug Book. The Quick Look is good for beginning as it has a lot of information in the appendix section and drugs listed by disease process in the back. The AAMT Book of Style is a "must have" as some companies require you to follow the guidelines in this book; this book you can study now and it will help you be a little ahead down the road when you start testing for jobs and working. Stedman's word books are good (each book for a different specialty), but you may want to hold off on getting any of these until you know what specialty you will be working in when you graduate. I do hospital acute care and so have the complete library of Stedman's word books.
I don't know how far you are in your schooling, but testing for different companies is the best way to know what you do not know and what to study.
I wish you luck in your schooling and hope it is a rewarding experience for you,
DJ
Another good book is
Grammar and Writing Skills for the Health Care Professional. You can get a used copy on Amazon for around $10 shipped. The Gregg Manual is also good ad you can find that used on Amazon for around $7 shipped. Good luck and don't get to discouraged, you'll learn over time what is acceptable in the "real world" of transcription.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0766812596/ref=dp_olp_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1220570885&sr=8-6
Which drug book do you prefer? NM
x
Which lab word book do you prefer?
Which lab word book do you prefer the Sloane one or Stedman's?
medical phrase book
What is the best medical phrase index, Stedman's, Vera Pyle, or Lorenzini.
which is best medical term book
Thanks much for the input.
in addition to the phone book
Go get 2 Rolodex's. They are cheap at any office supply store. Use one for medications and one for medical terms that are new to you. Also for a pharmaceutical book, the Monthly Prescribing Reference is free on line. Just Google it under that name and download it into your system. It will give you weekly updates to the drugs that are either being taken off the market or being put on the market. It's the drug book physicians use and far superior to any book that has to be renewed year after year.
BOS stands for book of style. They
want you to use the BOS guidelines for transcribing. There isn't a template, but using things like daily instead of q.d., etc.
That is a book that is part with the CareerStep Course.
You would only need it if you are a text student. Otherwise, it is a unit in the online course.
Grammar Text Book
Hey sm, just looked for that book on Amazon and there are quite a few different Little Brown Handbooks, could you tell me the ISBN#, author and edition? Thanks.
Good pathology book recommendation?
Can anyone recommend an easy to use pathology book? Needto brush up. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
buy...couldn't resist! :) LOL...great book though. NM
d
I usually update the drug book every other year as I
use it so often and there are new drugs all the time. Equipment books I update about the same as there is always new equipment coming out. Other books I don't update as often, depends on how much I use a particular specialty.
New Saunders 2008 Drug Book
Just received it in the mail yesterday. I get a new one every year and sell the old one either to coworkers or on Ebay.
Love the idea on using a phone book A-Z for writing down
I have almost 4 year experience now and may branch out on my own next year I think, or at least try. Love the idea of using the phone book, can't believe I never thought of it. Thanks for the tip.
The new Quick Look Drug Book and the Saunders Pharm Words come
d
Tessier's Surg. Word Book & Davis' Med Abbrev. nm
nm
A good book for phrases is the Medical Phrase Index. $$$ but well worth it when first starting
s
Quick Look Drug Book great for this as it has conditions/diagnoses in back with meds
s
And read on...
Hello there but you have graduated from the wrong course to "pay" for your intelligence/ability/everyday expenses...transcription does not "pay" it is all being sent over sea...and to be precise, "India" as India has a great college program for such and are willing to work fro 1/4 us American workers with a much higher cost of living,so I say who do we Americans look down upon...ahhhhh....would seem thouest government.
Please read
It is fantastic that the student graduated with honors from the MT course.
However, trust me, that does not equip them to receive pay that experienced MTs get for acute care work.
The mere mentioning of it tells me that you have not a clue of what you are in for or where you stand.
The honors MT grad should lower their expectations just a bit. :)
Please read
I think you need to understand that this industry is evolving very quickly and your skills will probably not have much time to develop to stay in the game. Only the most skilled MTs will have a chance at true transcription; it is being sold out to editing for voice recognition and offshoring.
It will take you years to get your experience, even after an MT educational program, to make this a profitable career for yourself. You will more than likely start out making minimum wage (at best) for the first year or two. If you can mentally survive the extreme challenge of working from home while learning MT work, you have a chance.
I would seriously advise against it. Especially with you not knowing anymore than you seem to and stating it seems interesting. One would have to have a true love and passion for this work to start it and survive it in this day and age.
Please, any new MTs, please read
I want to give you a piece of very pertinent advice. It comes with all the care and compassion I could possibly have in my being:
Please do not focus solely on medical terminology in your studies. Poor command of English grammar and punctuation is as devastating as poor medical terminology.
I cannot count the times that I have not been able to hire someone who has fared well in medical terminology but lost out due to English grammar and punctuation errors.
Please know the differences in past, present and future tenses. Please learn the appropriate uses of commas, semi-colons and colons. Please learn the difference between plural and possessive. Learn how to use articles appropriately.
You will do yourself a world of good professionally by nurturing your English grammar and punctuation skills as much as your medical terminology, etc.
The reason I am telling you this and not the experienced MTs is because I have had to argue them into a corner because they simply do not believe they are capable of making mistakes. Please never, ever feel that way. Every single one of us do. We always will. However, a mistake is one thing; complete lack of skills is another.
Do not allow yourself to be closed in the mind or heart to improvement. Some editors do not have good rapport, I know, but that is their shortcoming, not yours. Just glean what you can and keep your spirit strong.
Thank you and I truly wish the best for all of you!
You can read all about both
coding and transcription careers at the Andrews site because they teach both. Coding usually pays better, but most jobs are at a hospital or office. I would only recommend transcription to someone whose talent is strictly on the English language side. Coding still uses the terminology, but it's more of a treasure hunt to recover as much codable information and help the hospital (or MD) collect all it (or he/she) is due.
Read Read Read
I suggest you start here and read as many posts as your eyes can handle. Do a Google search for MT forums, go to them and read some more. I guarantee you will find more information in this forum and the forums all over the web than you ever thought possible. Fellow new MTs and experienced MTs are a wealth of information, not only about the trials and tribulations of going thru school and finding a job, but all the stuff that comes with actually working as an MT. Good luck!
You really have to read some
of the posts and take them with a grain of salt. Not all MT companies are so cut throat with QA and all. Yes, there is a lot of knowledge to learn, and yes, a lot of it you will learn once you actually start transcribing. A good program will help immensely. Some posters tend to be vicious and will start pointing out your spelling and grammatical mistakes just from making a friendly post, and you just have to learn to ignore those posters/posts. There is a lot of helpful information on this board and some really friendly people as well. Don't fear the unknown and keep your head up! Most of us are here to help!
I have read that
I should wait until I get a client like you said and I see that it makes sense. In your experience, do physicians in smaller offices generally use microcassettes or wav files? Even if I don't purchase ahead, I would like to have an idea what everyone else uses or recommends so I can scope out sources for purchasing. Thank you!
Hmmmm........obviously did not read
her question correctly then. She asked what SCHOOL is the best to choose. Her question was not WHETHER OR NOT to enter this field. By the way, I am over it.
Have a good day!
Read - think i can tell you where to apply.SM
Hi - Go and apply at RIUnlimited - they hire new people - they do pay for spaces - they will pay you 6 cents a line which is low but it is a good place to start - i started there when i got out of school - they will hire you - Good Luck to you!
Maybe you should read before you post.
"I don't remember anyone mentioning Spheris. Maybe they did. I don't have time to go look."
Please read through the posts below (sm)
and be forewarned that there are so-called "companies" and "MTSOs" out there who say they hire newbies but then ask for money upfront in order to work for them. Bottom line: do not pay to work, except for purchasing your own software and equipment. Reputable companies and MTSOs will not ask you for money and will not need you to buy a footpedal from them. Take care and good luck!
Christie - Please read. (sm)
I did clean up this thread. However, I'm not deleting every single post because it is offensive to you.
This IS a public forum. You should probably get a thicker skin to post here. The posters were trying to give you some advice, though not quite in as tolerant of a manner as we would like to see.
If you have any issues, it is best to report them to the Administrator or myself.
Goldbird
don't believe all that you read on this board.
I have worked for Medquist for a few years, and I think they are a great company to work for. There have been a few bumps in the road, but they hear the MT's and are trying to correct them. The pay is good, and the platform is excellent.
You need to re-read your post. You did
not say you asked for a back-up account, you said you asked for "another account." You also stated you were tired of begging for what you want.
I never proof and never re-read
Even in school I didn't proof or reread or re-listen. Unless there's a word/phrase I can't understand, my foot is on play the whole time. I tried proofing long ago but that just messed me up and slowed me down. I've had 99% accuracy consistently for over a year and it saves a lot of time.
No disrespect, please read
The problem I have here is that my address and all my info are on my resume on a COMPLETELY unregulated board--do you see my issue? I am so willing to work for someone, but anyone can access this site and get personal info--such as my address and contact information. Is there more a secure way to do this?
Definitely read the thread below..
I am happy that Annette gave such a clear cohesive response..in that one MT course will MAYBE get you clinic work..but you will no way be ready for acute care until you have had a minimum of 1-2 years of training. MT is a difficult and technical and the best training is on the job..no doubt,with a great mentor... and I just do not see all the time needed to get proficient as worth it. If you have time to take the course..I would recommend coding as well...and a terminology class before hand..might help give you a small foundation of understanding. Good luck
Read the website
Read the AHDI website under Under CMT elibibility it states.... "Although any candidate is eligible and granted permission to take the CMT certification exam, two-years of transcription experience in the acute care (or equivalent) setting is strongly suggested for success on the exam."
So apparently they have changed their mandatory 2- years of experience requirement.
Read through previous posts here...SM
This topic comes up frequently, actually. Your school SHOULD be offering you placement assistance - ask who hires their grads. Try local hospital/doc offices, and keep applying. I wouldn't buy equipment because you never know what you'll need for a job. Purchasing some references would be a good idea, though.
I think you should re-read what you're talking about...
There is more to it than you think. Banter on a message board is not going to get you $$, so if you're implying that people are promoting CS for the sole purpose of getting the moolah, you're wrong...
My gosh, a grad from M-Tec/Andrews, obviously trying to discredit CS. Who says it doesn't happen? Oh..that's right. M-Tec and Andrews says it. Right.
I just read a post about Ascend
The same thing that happened with proficient transcription is happening here, so everyone beware
Please read my thoughts on this, Lisa
I think part of the rub from your post, Lisa, is that you seem to think that you seem very self-centered. Honey, unless you have a disabled child that requires you to be in that house 24/7, you do NOT HAVE to work from home. You just want to really bad. Nothing wrong with that!
However, just because we don't tell you what you want to hear does not mean we are being rude. You just simply don't want to hear the truth.
You even said in one of your own replies that you have decided that your children's welfare was more important than hitting the TAT expectations. Great! You've made your decision! At this time in your life, this is probably not for you.
You can have it all, just not all the same time dear. Concentrate on getting your babies into school, then sit down and concentrate on your career while they are safely looked after in school and learning.
I don't see any reply to your thread as rude in the least. Even the newbies who are encouraging you will probably come back shortly to say they have had it with this profession because they cannot make what they want. Most do.
You've taken the really tough road by starting out at home. Learning inhouse is far better, easier on you, and easier on your family, actually.
While they see you typing at the computer all the time right in front of their little faces, they believe that computer is more important than they are. Wait until they are out of the house with school and then work. This way, when they are at their safe, loving home they feel their mommy is really there for them, not the computer.
Trust me, even later as teenagers, they will constantly complain that all you do is work, all you do is sit in front of the computer. You have tough enough times ahead! Don't rush it!
Good luck, dear.
You can read this New MT board and answer
nm
Read thru all the New MT pages and make
s
Read Only Memory Blip...
Well, even though my little retarded but put out the read only memory blip, I still passed the written portion of the examination, so she sent me the transcription portion. I guess I will start work on it tonight. I hope I do okay on it. I have to put in at least 1 week notice with my boss though. I hope the new potential boss doesn't mind. I do have to get away for the first one though. The last one I did, I made 30 bucks, but I put in 5 hours too. Just too much, and I couldn't use my Expander at all.
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