Just be careful not to get Office Works or Suite
Posted By: MT on 2008-05-06
In Reply to: Very confused... - Sonya
that is advertised as compatible with MS Word. I accidentally bought that once, the packaging was similar and the box said it did everything MS Word did. Well, it sort of did, but that software changed every document I had in my entire computer upon installation to its own version. That certainly would not have worked in transcribing and transmitting reports. While it did work with Word as the packaging said, it did so by changing Word to something else. I don't recall the exact name of this, but just read the packaging carefully and get Microsoft and not a lookalike. Just wanted to give you a heads up to avoid one of my many mistakes. Good luck.
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
Yes, that is how it works. I have..
looked at class notes for classes that occurred several years back. There is a wealth of information there since the classes are led by various experts in the field on a wide-variety of MT-related topics. I learned a lot about making time-saving macros and keeping my computer running from Mike DeTuri's tech classes, and I learned a lot of helpful shortcuts from Laura Bryan's MS Word classes. However, the classes are really not the core of the M-Tec course. The core of the course is transcribing the SUM program dictations, taking tests, and getting feedback from your instructor. You also have various textbook exercises to teach you the anatomy, physiology, etc., that you will need to know. The classes are really a very helpful extra, one of many that you get with M-TEC.
Glad it works for you
You sound like you have a system that works for you. I tried getting more hours in at night after the kids went to bed and found that I was too tired, would get bad eyestrain and was just not that effective when I did not get enough sleep.
I actually make more money at home as an MT than I would in an office. Like I said below, mine are in dc. If it were just my 3yo daughter, I would be able to do it with her around.
Even though I have a 2 and 3yo in daycare, the benefit of working from home with a flexible schedule (have to get 35 or so hours in per wk, but whenever as long as its steady) is that I can pause my workday at 3pm when my 7 yo gets out of school - I pick him up, then I pick them up. I am also able to send my 3yo to preschool 3 mornings per wk and take the time to drop her off and pick her up. I have also been able to work on sick days. I estimate that since December, I would have had to take 8.5 sick days to care for my children if I worked in an office.
After being a SAHM for a long time, I am enjoying having some time where I am working and the kids are in school.
To each his own - I have fielded opinions from both sides on this one. 
An expander works much the same as
auto-correct, though your space is limited with auto-correct. It may take you a year or more, but you will eventually reach your limit. I really haven't used auto-correct that much but I don't know if there are character limitations so that you could only enter a sentence, where with an Expander you could enter entire physical exams. Also with an expander you can automate some of your functions such as automatically spellchecking, copying and pasting, etc.
I don't know if you can transfer auto-correct entries either, so when you get an expander you may have to start from scratch and rebuild your expansions, though I don't know for sure about that.
I'm not a fan of ShortHand, but lots of companies use it and it is compatible with most platforms. You can do to their website and download a 30-day free trial to see what it is like.
Not all software works with the same pedals.
It's just a software issue.
Good education works. sm
The reason why most newbies can't get a job is because their education is lacking. The top 3 AAMT approved schools have a proven track record in producing employable graduates. Those are the facts and they'll never change. However, it's unfair for you to spread the false message that you're spreading of how education doesn't count. It does count and there's enough unemployed newbies on this website alone to prove it.
not everything works for the every person, but what i have found.....
I started out many years ago working for a few doctor's offices (neurosurgeon, infectious disease, oncologist, urologist) in the same building. I would pick up tapes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and deliver work those same days. I worked seven days a week back then (probably still do). After years of doing and the cost of gas skyrocketing, I realized it would be more beneficial for me to work for a service (either independent contractor or employee). I signed on with a national company (MedQuist). I know there are a lot of people out there who are not happy with MQ, but I am. My accounts are good, so I can make a good line count. The only problem is that my accounts are so good that there are many MT's working on them, and I tend to run out of work early in the day. I have signed on with an additional company to fill the void in my day.
I think I saw somewhere that MQ was hiring MT's with little or no experience. If that is the case, I would consider MQ or another national to get started.
I don't know anything about the benefits offered, as I rely on my husband for that.
Good luck.
For a newbie, that's pretty good pay. Works out to about 10.5 a line, nm
:
Auto correct within Word works great. nm
Be careful what you say.
Before you say something about a company I would make sure I was absolutely right or you can get in trouble for libel. Just looking out for ya.
Be careful, please.
The typical scams here involve wanting you to work without pay to gain experience, to work at low pay, to be penalized for "errors," to pay for "training" supplied by their employees, and to pay them to supply your computer, software, etc., and/or to put up a deposit or something like that before you can work.
If you encounter any of those things and start thinking how wonderful they are to "give you a chance," remember that it's going to be less expense in the long run for you to just pay for another, better, school like Andrews or M-Tec, after completing which you will get a decent job.
You need to work on your writing skills, too. That problem area is going to hold you back, both in finding a job and in keeping one!
Be Careful
I just want to let people know it is very frustrating trying to find a job in Medical Transcription, especially when you are a new MT graduate! It seems to me no one wants to give us a chance, but I did have a chance with a company called Transmedical. But with this company it did not work out! In the little time I was with this company she lost 2 accounts and did not tell everyone that was working for her what was going on we all had to call and find out ourselves. So please be careful when someone does give you a chance! So please if anyone knows of anyone that is willing to give new MTs a chance please let me know. I do check MTstars and MTjobs everyday.
Thanks,
Sonnett
Good Luck to all new MT Graduates, we need it! 
Be careful, though, a lot of the scams use this and Monster too
If it sounds too good to be true ($70,000 a year!) or if they are directing you to a course that they sell, it's probably bogus.
Please be careful on using that term certified MT.
You are only certified if you have taken the CMT exam for the AAMT.
Otherwise, you have a certificate for completing a course.
You can face legal action for claiming to be a certified MT without an AAMT certification number to back it up.
It also misrepresents yourself.
Be careful. M-Tec may not be very forthright with you about it. It has often been posted here
about newbies being shocked at how hard it is to get a job. You may email me for any further questions. I have been in the MT business for 25 years, worked for hospitals, doctor's offices and now have an MTSO. I am always happy to help newbies. One more thing I would do right now is archive everything on this board. That will give you a taste as to what you are up against.
Be very careful of anyone promising you "experience".
The AIM program -- you do work for them for free in that program.
Please be careful about the term "certification".
Getting a certification for completing an MT course does not make you certified. Only passing the C.M.T. challenge exam by the AAMT allows you that.
Be careful to avoid scams . . .
A lot of people who contact newbies with offers to help them get training are scam operators. Some are just well-meaning, but misguided people who think they're "mentors."
They may offer you the opportunity to work for nothing, or they may offer to pay you, but subtract penalties for editing and errors, or they might just never bother sending your check at all. They figure that you're desperate enough to put up with it for six or twelve months, and you probably will be.
Please check carefully before you agree to this sort of thing.
Please be careful with use of the word profession vs. occupation..sm
though the two terms are sometimes used interchangably, they really don't mean the same thing. Occupation is what engages or "occupies" one's time, such as a job. Profession is considered a calling, vocation or form of employment that provides a needed service to society and possesses characteristics of expertise, autonomy, long academic preparation, commitment and responsibility. While MT's are dedicated workers supporting healthcare in a paraprofessional capacity, it's not really in the same camp as law, medicine, ministry, etc. MT's don't work on their own, unsupervised, such as a doctor does, nor do they have a long academic prep, even if they do go to business college...
Be careful when people have to write you off the board
It may be totally innocent, but often the scammers do that. If they offer you a job and you have to buy equipment, come back on the board and let us know.
If they offer you a scholarship or an internship or offer to be your "mentor" and you'll just do the work for free, you're about to be scammed.
be careful. not all companies can use Word 2007 yet.
many require 2000-2003, no older, no newer.
WP5.1 how is it different from WP Office 11??nm
nm
Each office is fifferent, even within each
office there may be some who prefer tapes versus handheld or some other type of system. If you're going to offer a service you need to have a game plan. Will you offer handhelds if they don't have them, what software do you have to download the files securely from the office to you, are you going to just upload the completed work back or will you do a remote print, are you going to store completed work for them or are they, etc.
Office Pro 2003
I can't seem to find notepad in Office Pro 2003. Does anyone know where it is?
How do you get around this besides working in an office first?
or maybe I am expecting too much, and it just is not going to work without some office time before me.
I am not sure how anyone expects a new graduate to get a job when everyone wants experience; however nobody is willing to hire us so that we may gain that experience.
You do your time in an office first, like the
majority of the rest of the MTs did. That's how it works.
MQ employees at St Louis office
I just accepted a SE position with MQ at the St Louis office. Can I get some opinions of others that work for this office? I will be part-time, so I'm wondering about their training and how well are you treated. Do you get answers to your questions quickly and do you get feedback regularly.
Are you at the current doc's office all day long? sm
I was thinking that if he wants you to transcribe from his office, could you get that done in a couple of hours, and then go home to work from there? I started my "home work" with one doc. She raved about me so much that all her doc friends called me to get me to work for them. Sit down with your doc and feel him out. He could be a real help to you! Good luck!
Call their office to see which one they would recommend for you :) nm
x
From what I can see, it's not MS Word, it's "Opal Office"
and they are charging $11.95 for it, and it's a ripoff because they stole the program from "Open Office" which is totally free and are selling it for $11.95. At least that's how it looks to me.
I had to start out in the office of a local hospital sm
for a year, then went home. I didn't want to go home to be honest, too many distractions and my twins were babies at the time, but they were sending everyone home. I really don't know what to tell anyone when I see these posts. There are lots of companies out there needing help and you'd think that if they are willing to send their work overseas to people that don't even speak English as a first language, then they would be willing to hire a new graduate. I would be a little more pushy, offer to do 30 days at a lower cent per line then have a review, something like that. Keep pushing, someone will see potential and take a chance on you. Honestly, these companies that don't hire new graduates I just don't get it. I work for a small local company that is always behind on their work and I always suggest they hire some new graduates from the two local schools, but they never do it, they just sit and wait for people to apply. Good luck!
office experience + Medical Terminology - Is it enough?
Hi everyone,
I've been wanting to take an MT course for quite some time, but still haven't managed to come up with enough money. So - I was wondering. Do you think for a beginning MT job in a hospital, would previous office experience plus courses in Medical Terminology be enough? Have any of you successfully done this?
Thanks for the help!
Christina
Maybe try a specialty doctor's office first. Most times
they will hire you, in-house, and go from there.
It is very difficult to find an at-home MT job just starting out; however, there are some companies who will hire you. I personally do not know of any, but if you do a search, maybe you will come across one.
When I started 25 years ago, it was in a private physician's office and I just moved on up from there.
Good luck!
Newly Graduate from Medical Office Occupations
I know that this may sound like a plug for a job but it isn't I have been down with a newly replaced knee. Now that I can find a job having trouble because I do want to become a home Medica Transcriber and no one will listen to me. How do I go about getting to Medical Transcribing so that I can do it at home.Please I could help with any solutions. Please email me at the above email address.
Have you tried Open Office? It's free and very similar - see inside
http://www.openoffice.org/
Ashley, have you considered getting accounts directly with a doctor's office?
I have been very successful as an independent contractor. You should really consider it.
I started out in the file room of the urology office I used to work for.
They had a new peds uro coming in and wanted another typist. The only schooling I had was 2 semesters of medical terminology at our local community college. Granted that was in 1990, and I at least had a working knowledge of urology, but it can be done if you really want it bad enough.
maybe take a medical term course and start with physical therapy office
nm
Corp. not in good standing. Also, address is residence NOT office location.
| ![Texas](http://ecpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/images/LtrHead.gif") | |
