I did it. Believe it or not, in nursing school, we also were taught
Posted By: wannie on 2007-11-04
In Reply to: I can't say I agree with - Z
legally correct medical terminology as well as the slang that a lot of medical personnel use. Believe me, more of the use of slang terms came with my working experience as a nurse. 
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 am an MT going to school for nursing
When I went to school they didn't have the online courses for MT that are so wonderful today, so I got my 2-year AAS degree at the local community college. After MTing it for 10 years I bit the bullet and went back to school this year for the RN-AD program. I am working flexible hours with work from home to accommodate school and my 4 kids. I work 0.75 status and go to school full time, it is hectic, but will be worth it. Keep your head up, MTing from home is allowing me to go back to school. Not sure if I would be able to if I were punching an 8-5 clock.
No it's not more in depth than nursing school. BTDT. From your
post, it would sound like it is also more in depth than medical school (sometimes you have to spell and describe medications to the doctor), but I have a feeling that's not the case either (LOL).
Best way to be taught
Just wondering how the top schools teach. The course I took I thought focused too much on terms and body systems and not enough on nitty gritty about actual dictation, formatting, labs, and other report-based information.
Anyone out there get top-notch education? What are your thoughts on it all?
couldn't agree more - grammar is critical yet not taught in the MT schools sm
I find it makes or breaks any MT I take on. I wish they would focus more on it. Most people can't figure out plural possessive or whether to use affect or effect.
Nursing
I certainly don't want to talk anyone out of nursing if it's their heart's desire. But I think many people don't get the full picture of what nursing can entail. You don't get that perspective in nursing school, believe me. It's a wonderful career if you can handle the politics, cost containment, insurance crap. It's hard for me to leave my job "at the office." Go for it if you really want it. But I'd chose PA school over nursing any day.
Go with nursing!
The demand for nurses is huge. The money is much better than MT and less stressful. I had the same choice you have right now and wished I'd gone ahead with nursing. Pay stinks, MTSOs don't care about us, AAMT doesn't care about us. It's all fun when you're in school. Not so much when it's time to get work and make a decent living.
from nursing to mt
I am a nurse wanting to do MT on the side. Can I take the RMT exam without taking any course work?
nursing to MT is
not such a stretch. I did some nursing and with the terminology I picked up actually found myself doing medical transcription in a Urology dept at a leading hospital, followed by Hem-Onc. Took free med terminology classes while there and self-studied and now I'm doing it full time as an IC.
Of course you do this so just go for it and lots of luck!
nursing to MT
I was never a nurse but I do go to MT without a training program (I'm not in any way recommending not to take an MT course just saying it can be done if you find a company that will train you). I had a degree in nutrition and had studied medical record administration and knew enough med terms to pass a test with a company who was willing to hire and train me. I'm still in MT 12 years later. I started with basic knowledge of med terms, good spelling, grammar and typing skills and a strong interest in medical stuff of all kinds and the rest was on-the-job learning. Good luck.
Nursing to MT
There's such a shortage of nurses that nursing is one of the top paying jobs anymore. I can't understand why someone would go from nursing to medical transcription. RN's are in great demand, and they have the easier nursing jobs from what I've seen. I've worked at a hospital part time for nine years, and full time for nine years.
Almost everything works by "supply and demand", and at present, the demand for nurses is much greater than the supply.
MT versus nursing
Pamela, this board may seem negative, but overall MT is not a negative profession. With the money you can make, and the ability to be at home with your kids, it is definitely worthwhile as a "transitional" job. You may find yourself 20 years down the road still doing it, as it works well with a family. Be patient, find the right company. It can be done. I see a lot of positives along with the negatives on this board; if a company is good, then the employees will let you know, if a company is bad, listen to the people telling you not to go there. When it's 10:1 against a company, something HAS to be wrong . . . Good luck
You need to train for this job. Nursing alone won't cut it.
s
Heck no! Your nursing definitely helps in this job, but you still need
s
Agree with an outside school, but I went to a business & tech school. Great experience, better
s
You CAN get a job at home, right out of school, but it has to be a GOOD school.
You should enroll in Andrews School or M-TEC. I know you don't want to spend more money, but at least you WILL be able to get a job. If you thought At Home Professions was a good course, you will be totally amazed at what you DIDN'T learn in that course that you WILL learn at the two good schools. There is no "required" curriculum for MT, anybody can open up a school, charge what they want, and teach what they want. Companies will waive the 2-years' experience requirement for graduates of Andrews School and M-TEC, but NOT for the other schools.
School?
Has anyone graduated from Thomson Education Direct and got hired anywhere?
Just wondering about choosing the right school for medical transcription course.
MT school
I attend the Andrews School. It has a very good reputation among national services--some will even waive the minimum 2-year experience requirement and allow you to test for them if you are an Andrews graduate. I have heard good things about M-Tec as well. I would suggest that you contact hospitals, nationals, etc. that you might want to work for and ask them which schools they suggest as far as turning out job-ready graduates. Good luck!
$ for MT school
No, I don't. We have debt out of our ears but you can make payments or charge it or whatever it takes. I've always had to spend money to make money. I just want to make sure I can make it back fairly soon. When I do the math it seems like you have to be pretty darn fast at transcription to earn a living. I admire the people out there doing it!
School and $$$
Hey, sorry about your ankle. Sounds like this could be a perfect time to study for MT. I'm sure I saw scholarship information that was based on financial need on one of the "3" schools...Andrews, MTEC or Career Step. Go to their websites and see! All the best to you! 
What to look for in a school
There are three things to look at in choosing a school and neither of them is money.
The first is whether national services already hire their grads and keep them longer than 6 months.
The second is what percentage of the grads score adequately on the employer's test.
The third is how many students complete the course with a grade of 95% or better on the first try.
Even if an employer is willing to hire from a school, if few grads pass his test and qualify to be hired, then the school isn't so hot. If the employer hires, but the grads can't keep the job for even 6 months, then the school isn't so hot. If the school has a high drop-out rate and many students (sometimes "most") don't make it to graduation, then the school isn't so hot. If it takes students several tries to pass, then the school isn't so hot.
You can see that just examining whether an employer will hire a grad isn't such a good measure. You also have to look at how many students get to graduation, how they got there, how many of them passed the test, and how many of those didn't get fired or quit in frustration.
You want a school whose grads are almost uniformly hired by nationals and which graduates nearly all students (all have drops, but you want a low level of those) on the first try.
Considering all that, you have two options: M-Tec and Andrews. And Andrews has a pre-admission test you'll need to pass to get in.
In your case, you should not go for a school which will allow you to skip any courses. You don't know anatomy and terminology like you'll need it for MT--what you know is what you need for billing, and that is different. Unless you hold a PhD in anatomy, you need to refresh your memory. Any school that lets you get away with not doing that does not have your best interests in mind.
School
I recently graduated from Thomson Education Direct. Recently changed to Penn Foster.... I made 49.00 month payments with no interest. Is a good school!
yes, I'm still in school ..... nm
zz
Still in school????
I assumed from your post you were a recent graduate.
school
I agree.....Accept a challenge to succeed.
School
Education Direct,,,now called Penn Foster.
Great School!
School
HHHHHHHHHHHMMMMMMM! I just graduated and landed a job within one week.!!!!
School
Are you stocking me? Your a stress ball!
Is school a must?
I have been an administrative assistant for 8 + years and I will be graduating from my Medical Office Specialist/Billing and Coding class in May. Do I absolutely have to go to school to become an MT or can I just test to get a job? Any responses will be greatly appreciated.
Shona`
re: Is school a must?
Yes! Have you mastered anatomy and physiology? Do you know pharmacology? Can you know medical abbreviations? Can you decipher various dialects of providers well enough to produce a medicolegal document? How about the body systems, brain functioning, neurology, endocrinology, cardiology, orthopedics, pulmonology, etc., operative techniques? Medical terminology of all the above specialities, plus more, then if your answer is yes, then test away. Transcription is a labor intensive occupation that requires medical knowledge, dedication, and accuracy.
Is school a must?
If you are really good at learning from a book and feel like you lack experience in just a few areas, then study that way. I got a little training but mostly I was self taught. I knew what I wanted and studied from books and listened to any dictations I could find. The hardest part is getting your foot in the door. I put applications in everywhere and was lucky to have a small MTSO let me show them what I was capable of though. If you have the extra money for the schooling, then go for it. I dont believe that it's a must though.
Good luck!
What school did you go to?
They should be able to help you, if the school was any good. If not, then you need more education from a better school.
school
I graduated from Career Step recently and I felt they thoroughly educated me on just about everything i needed to know. I took the online course and it took me about 9 months to finish.
School
NC Newbie -- what school did you attend? I assume you're from North Carolina, and so am I. Since I have done acute medical transcription years ago, I am in the process of trying to find a school for refresher courses. A lot of medical stays the same, but there are a lot of new procedures, drugs, etc.
Perhaps your school? (sm)
I would first check with your school for assistance. Many schools will offer some type of program to help get you pointed in the right direction.
If you went to one of the top three I know for sure that they offer assistance in this area.
Get your school to help you.
Your school knows which ones of the employers really like graduates of the school you attended. They know where they have been successful. If they have no employers clamoring to hire their graduates, you've got a problem. That means the employers have seen what their graduates can do and they don't like it.
Then you may have to work in a doctor's office. The pay isn't good, there are rarely opportunities for pay increases, but at least it's something.
I hope the first scenario describes you. Good luck with your new career!
The School you went to?
Career Step. I've heard of this school before, but like you I am still in the researching process for the best place to take the on-line course. How expensive was this course? Can you email me your answer. Thanks
My email address is: louisem@cinci.rr.com
Thanks again. Awaiting your response.
Where did you go to school?
Many comapnies will waive that 2-year requirement if you attended a school with a solid reputation of producing work-ready grads. Again, you get what you pay for.
school
I wouldn't go by one person's opinion. I am going through that program and I think it is good. It is very detailed and they teach about everything. They didn't even say what they sent the 14yr old there for anyway, maybe that particular course was bad.
The best school for you
In the MT world you will hear people talk about the Top Three. That would be Andrews, MTec, and Career Step. These are all good. The best school is the one that is going to be the most comfortable fit for you, and you will find that out by visiting their websites and forums. Like everything else in life, cost may be the determining factor. All three of these "top three" schools are good and their courses are very comprehensive, so you will have tons of work to do whichever one you choose. Be sure to choose a program which will help you find a job. It is surprising how many people enroll in courses which do not offer them any assistance at all. Courses also vary in length and instructional methods, so you'll have to decide how much time you can spend studying each day. Good luck!
Best school
A good school to look at is Janet Stiles electronically taught transcription. You can get more info at www.settinc.com
Best school
I took Career Step and it was great. I graduated within 7 months with high honors and I got a job in less than a week. If you go directly through careerstep.com you will only pay about $1350. Yeah, it sounds like a lot of money, but it's not when you actually see how much experience you get from just taking the course. I got a job that was looking for 2 years of experience.
Anyone know anything about CAI School?...sm
I have a friend who is finishing up the course and wondering if anyone here has graduated from this school. I don't really see anything here about them.
TIA!
school
I graduated from the Virtual Learning Center.
just got into school!
OK, I've been lurking around this board since 2004 can you believe it and just now started a program! I was registered in '04 but dropped it due to financial and health issues, I start EvCC's program in Spring (community college program that is linked with Career Step). Thank you everyone for all your info that has helped me make an informed choice.
school
Just wondering if anyone can give me advice on going to school for mt. Do you think an at home program is okay?
School
I went through Career Step. I loved it. I graduated with Honors in Feb. 2007 and have a job already. I would recommend it to anyone. At least have her contact the school with questions. Good Luck.
Which school
Thanks folks! Hope to hear from more of you! Just read that CanScribe is the Canadian extension of Career Step. Margaret
And you went to school where? (nm)
.
School
I did a transcription course at home. (At-Home Professions.
school
You absolutely cannot go wrong with Andrews or M-TEC. They may be a bit more expensive, just remember you get what you pay for I graduated from M-Tec in May and had a job within hours of sending out one resume. If you work hard and keep a good GPA you won't have a problem finding a job when you graduate. M-TEC has contacts with many companies that are willing to work with grads and will hire them without experience because of the good reputation they school has.
Good luck with your decision!
school
I am trying to decide between MTec and Andrews now. It's a toss up between lower cost of MTec vs faster program at Andrews. Any help in this decision would be great as well!!
|
