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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Now there's a newbie I have hope for!

Posted By: Misha on 2006-01-15
In Reply to: Internship - jwhitman

Somebody who can already communicate effectively! Just the same, I hope you chose your school carefully, jwhitman.




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Uh oh, I hope you are not an MT because
I found an error in what you just typed!!!! Uh oh!!! You said, luckily you smelled something FISH and a lot of money, etc. LOLOLOLOLOL Fish. I bet she did. LOLOL
Yes, there is hope.

Even transcriptionists with a lot of experience have to leave blanks, which is an important part of this job because you should NEVER EVER guess.  There is such a thing as an "educated guess" and context clue guessing, which I have done, but I have a lot of experience and still there are times when I just cannot fathom what they are saying or have never heard of that term.  That is why this board is a very good tool.  I wish I had known about it earlier in my career.  I have learned so much from simply reading.  As a matter of fact, I learn something new everyday.  By the way, welcome to the world of medical transcription.  Enjoy the ride because it goes so fast!    


There is Hope
You typed 3,716 words over 150 minutes and still made $$? That comes out to about 25 wpm! There is hope for me after all!!! My current typing speed is about 25 wpm!
Hope you don't mind

I really hope someone chimes in with the answer to your question but I wanted to comment that I have heard nothing but positive reviews for MTEC and the reviews have been mixed, but leaning towards the positive for Career Step.   There are some CS students and alumni that will defend their school tooth and nail that it is not a second class stepchild to MTEC, and some that feel that MTEC (or Andrews) would have been a better choice. 


I had a friend who could not afford the down payment for Andrews, and either could not or did not want to try to get the Sallie Mae loan for MTEC, and I steered her towards the CS program at Everett CC because she had pell grant and student loan eligibility. 


You might want to ask some national companies whose grads they hire.  I asked a few (you could certainly ask more than I did, and I recommend that), and one listed a few schools I had not even heard about up to that point. 


It seems that the companies have some thing going on with CS because many of them have a link to request training info from CS.  Not a guarantee of employment by any stretch but worth asking what that is all about.  (hopefully not just about getting money from CS for advertising and referrals).


If it were me I would choose MTEC over CS.  But my decision is made - I chose Andrews over both of them and as soon as I can bring myself to send in the $1500  down payment(its just a scary amount of money to plop down), I am doing it!


Thank you for post. It gives me hope
since I'm getting frustrated at the moment.
hope i'm not being too nosey but........
how much more schooling do you have and what state are you in?
wow, I hope I do not turn out like you
after 15 years of transcribing. You really sound resentful.


Hope this is not a bad sign

I just finished a dictation that the dr. cancelled 20 seconds into it because he "already did it on EMR".


Acct still has a large volume of work, but I wonder if they are easing into EMR.


Has anyone else started to run into this?


I work for a service so at least this one account is not my only source of income, but it does provide a lot of work.


Keeping fingers crossed.....


That is really low pay. I sure hope you are not an IC to boot!
nm
I hope this info. will help you. SM
I posted this several months ago on this board, and have copied here for you:

I truly do not believe there is an online or distance learning program, or even a four year college degree for that matter (yes, I have a 4 year degree in healthcare administration with emphasis in medical records) that will prepare a new MT for the "cut throat" world of MT. When I say cut throat, I don't necessarily mean cruel, but rather very competitive. You better know your stuff or you will not survive, or at least not make a good wage, unless you have the hands-on experience of working in a hospital in a wide variety of specialties with close supervision. Yes, one can succeed starting out at home if you have one specialty and learn that inside and out. The time and errors involved in the learning process starting at home in a variety of specialties for a national company (which for the most part is required to compete in this profession) will afford the new MT a minimum wage at most. Like I mentioned in my previous post, there are those few gifted new MTs who will pick up new specialties and satisfy the large online companies, but the general population will not. Just like a doctor, you have to spend several years in fellowship or internship to work your way up with fund of knowledge, etc. I say to any newbie, if you think you have what it takes, go for it. I'm just trying to be honest in saying that you need to be realistic in this profession, as sample dictations in school, as well as test dictations, are no comparison to the real world of MT where we continue to learn even after many years on the job. I hope this helps any new MT take the route that will be of most benefit to them in this profession.
Hope this helps

I got this by typing "set font" into the help area:









Set the default font


  1. If your document already contains text formatted with the properties you want to use, select that text.
  2. On the Format menu, click Font.
  3. Select the options you want to apply to the default (default: A predefined setting. You can accept the default option settings, or you can change them to suit your own preferences.) font. If you selected text in step 1, the properties you want will appear in the dialog box.
  4. Click Default.

Any new document you open will use the font settings you select.

(The default button is on the lower left hand side of the format font screen.)
hope it helps
I really appreciate your reply. I'm not concerned with benefits as I can go on my husband's group insurance. I saw a post that MDI-MD takes part timers. Ever hear of them?
Hope this helps
I was just in your shoes. I saw on the job board the other day there was a posting:

MTs wanted for Clinic work - all specialties
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted By: Alana Boser on 2008-02-19

TransRx Medical Trans. Needed immediately, full and part time MTs for clinic work. Newbies welcome, on passing testing process. Line rate /65 char line - depending on experience and test results. Click on the Apply Now link to submit your resume.


Hope for Newbies

Hi All!


I am a newbie. I haven't even officially graduated yet. I attend a school that has been called a 'matchstick school'. I have figured out why there was so much negativity about my school. The students are only required to do 20 (GASP!) transcription assignments throughout the course. However, the CD we are given to work off of has over 100 dictations. I would not be defeated by this school! I not only did the required assignments, I worked my way thru the other 100 in my own time.


Well, this weekend I found a website that lists 137 transcription companies located in the USA. I wrote my resume, omitting the name of the school I attended. I also listed all the transcriptions and specialties I worked on. I listed the amount of time I spent working on these as experience. Then I wrote up a cover letter expressing my desire and drive to work for a great, solid company. I sat at my computer over the weekend and went down the list of the companies. I emailed EVERY company on there with my cover letter and resume. By Sunday night I had a request to test with a company. I tested with them Monday afternoon and by Monday evening I had a job offer. They have asked me to start tomorrow. I also have 4 other requests to test with different companies sitting in my inbox. This amazes me because I have not even officially graduated yet!


Please do not mistake this for bragging. I have worked very hard and have been extremely discouraged over the past several months. I have sent out over 100 resumes and have had my fair share returned stating I do not have enough experience. During my downtime I worked thru all the dictations my school offered. I also found a website that helps improve typing speed. So for all you newbies, do not give up. When you are not job searching, practice your transcribing, even if it is one you did a hundred times before.


I hope this gives some fellow newbies some hope.


A little hope for newbies!

Hey ya'll!


I just want to give a little hope to fellow newbies out there! I have finally found my first job!


I started searching at the beginning of the semester, and now, a week before graduation, I have finally gotten my first position!


It takes a lot of hard work, determination, begging, crying, giving up, starting again, crying some more, and networking, but it pays off in the end!


So please, don't give up! Test, network, practice, make phone calls, apply for positions, knock on doors, pretend your sick so you can get some one on one time with your doctor, and most importantly, pray! You will get there!


Good luck everyone! I hope this gives ya'll a little boost! I know how frustrating it was, but you'll forget all about that when you finally get a "yes" from someone!


I'll be praying for all of you!


Also, you better hope you like working for them, because (sm)
that's all they're training you for. Most companies have never heard of this training program, and unless you have 2 years' of experience, they won't hire you. This place trains you to work for THEM only. You have no way of knowing how qualified you would be to work elsewhere.
I emailed you; hope it helps.
.
Sorry to hear that. I hope you can find one
x
you're quite welcome! hope it helps.
x
Great job! I hope you find a job

I hope you lose everything you own because some DEPENDABLE Indian - sm
took your job!!
She is incoming new MT and I hope that she can get some help here. Previous posts

that I had to remove were made by experienced MTs and were very ugly in nature.  Nichole came here and asked for help and when she was ridiculed only then did she retaliate.  I posted a Sticky above about helping incoming new MTs and not treating them like they are trash.  I would ask all experienced MTs to please follow that advice or don't post at all.


Thank you,


Administrator


I sincerely hope that you do not own/manage an MTSO.
If you treated employees with as little respect as you do others on this board, I don't think you would have many employees for long.  You have been condescending and rude.  My only point in this whole thread has been that you can go from nursing to MT with some hands-on training.  I have never said that formal training wasn't helpful, it's just not always necessary. Have a wonderful day! 
More important than typing speed I hope
you chose a good school.  Doesn't matter how fast you type if you can't get a job because she chose a more "affordable" school that didn't give you the education you need to get a job. 
Let's hope it's YOUR medical records she gets to transcribe.
You should be bashed. Lying isn't going to do her any good. If they test her and she fails, or even if they hire her, if she has a crappy (AHP) education she's not going to keep the job anyway.

She's not going to "fool" anyone into thinking she has 3 years experience, especially when she's fresh out of a crappy MT school and doesn't know what she needs to know to work as an MT. Even if they didn't check her references in the beginning, they probably will once she starts working and it's obvious she doesn't know what she's doing.
I hope you're being paid a decent wage and not being
taken advantage of, which happens a lot.
NEWBIE HELP!!

Hello,


My name is Diana and I am a new MT, I just graduated from Texas Womens University and PIE with Gatlin Education and I have to find work soon. I have applied to many places but I do not have enough experience, but how can I gain experience when no one will give me a chance? I need any advice I can get. Please help me find work and ANY advice would be beneficial to me. Thank you so much.


Diana Strand


Newbie
Hi mommawolf23. Don't be frustrated. Keep going through those job boards and eventually you will find a place. Good luck.

renauda from Canada
Newbie Help
I have been out of school for about 8 months and I have worked for two different companies. The first job I had, while it gave me experience they had no benefits and they paid me very poorly. But, it gave me the experience I needed to pass a test at for a very good company that has benefits galore. My whole point is that even if you have to take a crappy job at first, do it. It will be worth it. I know that OSi hires newbies. They put you through a program that I have heard good things about.
Newbie pay...

starting at $10.90/hr, 800 lines per day, incentive pay and good benefits. Is this a good offer for in-house transcription job.


Thanks in advance.


RE: Newbie pay
Yes, very good pay in my opinion wherever you are located.
Newbie pay
If it gets your foot in the door and you can swing it, I'd say take it. You didn't say if this is clinic work or hospital, of course.
Newbie
Please let me know of the company that is hiring!
just another newbie
I am so new and I am getting ready to get done with my course and I am even wondering if I will even get hired or looked at. I know I am new. I dont have 2 year experience, but I wouldnt mind getting 2 years experience. Do you know who even hires someone without experience?? I just have what I learned through Allied Business School. Now I dont have the experience but I know if some company would give me a chance I would make then a good employee. Anyone could give me advice I would surely appreciate it.
I am newbie as well, but......
n/m
newbie
Well believe it or not if you go to superpages and pull up a list of physicians in your area, take the time to send a brief letter to them that you are a new transcriber in their area.  Even though you may send out 100. You will probably get 10 or 20 responses. That is more than enough work.
A NEWBIE

I am a newbie to MT, not the medical field.  I have been in this field for 17yrs.  I am taking a course from A-Z Transcription, and I really feel like I am getting a quaility education.  You will find there are rude people in every line of work, and like the previous person said, most are perfectionist.  I am not, nor do i plan to be and  I think the seasoned MT's need to pipe down and help the newbies out and not be so critical, becuase everyone of them were "newbies" at one time.


Just take a lot of what people say with a grain of salt, and do some research on your own, because frankly you will find better info,then getting it from someone else, and avoide being critisized for asking questions, and don't forget why you choose this field.  For me, it is to be home with my children.  I want to make this job a fun and rewarding one, otherwise I would stay in the rat-race of working in the hospital.  Good luck, and if you ever need someone to talk to email me, as I am learning as I'm going too.


Another Newbie
I know you've all heard this same story over and over but I am a graduate of At-Home Professions and have been looking for work from home for over two months.  I've exhausted all possibilities locally and emailed countless resumes.  I realize now that I should have done more research before choosing my school.  I'm getting very discouraged; it seems like I'll never find that first job.  Any suggestions or possibly an experienced Transcriptionist out there who would be willing to mentor me?
newbie
Yes, I've taken many tests and sent out more resumes than I can count with the same results.  Many companies did't even respond.  Congrats to you for getting two jobs, that's quite an accomplishment for a newbie.  Thanks for the kind words of encouragement.  I'll keep trying. 
newbie

Is At-Home Professions not a good idea? I am looking into to thier course as we speak, and it seems o.k. I checked them out with the BBB. The payment plan I guess is what has me very interested in them, the other training courses do not have that. Please let me know if there is something I need to know before I enroll.


Thanks


newbie
after reading about uscarreer institute graduates not being hired anywhere I am totally depresses and don't know what to do as I have only 2months left until I am finished with the course.
newbie
I think the best way is to find a mentor in your area. That's what I did, and it worked out great.
Newbie that got a job!

I got a job!  I wanted to let everyone know to not give up and keep moving forward in your search for a job.   I just bombarded them with resumes.   Most of the companies that I sent resumes sent me back a link that allowed me to test.  


 


Here is a great word of advice (from an experienced MT on the boards) - start with the companies that are at the bottom of your list.   You need to save the ones that are at the top of your list and that you would really like to be hired by.  This way you will gain some experience at the testing process and be more comfortable by the time that you get to the ones that you like.  I am a nurse and actually didn't do well on the first few tests that I took.  I did okay, but I think I was so nervous and wanted to pass so bad that I messed up.   After the first couple of ones, I settled down and passed!   The person who hired me said I aced the test. 


 


It does take time to hear back from each of the national companies.  Also, check your local paper.  I actually found a few positions available in my hometown that allows you to work from home.   Networking is also important.  As I was out and talking to people, I would mention what I was doing.  I had several leads to doctor’s offices that way.


 


Also, I know that there are constantly questions about what schools are the best, etc.  I signed up with the VLC.  Most of the things that I have faced in the testing process were areas that the VLC provided training.  Be sure to review your materials while you are waiting and as you are sending resumes, etc.  Also, have your entire collection of reference materials close by and the internet available in case you need to look something up quickly.  A lot of the tests are open book.


 


I wish you much success in your future endeavors.  Good luck and remember to breathe!  Michele


Also a newbie.
I recently graduated from an MT program as well, TechSkills.  I guess part of the reason I didn't anticipate an employment problem is because an admissions rep. told me that they had problems with students staying and completing their program before they got jobs!!!  I am certainly frustrated, but I haven't given up yet.  I had heard Accuscribe was hiring, but I don't know if they are anymore.
for the newbie
When I first started about 6 years ago, I also had the same problem with hearing every 3-4 words the doc was saying. I had to swallow my pride and tell the doc I just could not transcribe for him because I could not understand his dictation. Please do not give up as it sounds like you truly want this. Remember, where 1 door closes another opens...just keep trying and best of luck to you!
Newbie
I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to get started doing medical transcription.  I went to a local business school and completed their program for medical transcription.  The problem I keep running into is I get told I don't have enough experience.  But how can I get the experience if nobody will give me a chance at a job so I can get the expericence that everyone wants.  Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appericated.
newbie's
I am finishing up my training course for medical Transcriptionist to work at home but I don't have a clue on where to get started, what equipment to use, how to hook up, can anyone lend me some advise.  I would really be thankful.  I am very determined to do this and be successful.  Thanks
Can anyone help a newbie?
I worked with a friend with over 15 years experience for about 3 years learning and learning some more.  I fell for the myth that if you learn the job you could get a job, but found out much different.  I then went to school for 2 years majoring in transcription and earned an Associates Degree just graduating this month.  Does anyone know any companies or MTSO that will give me a chance.  Have been testing and testing and getting call backs, but when they hear my experience they say no keep trying.  If you do well enough on the tests for a call back why no job????  Any advice or companies to try would be greatly appreciated!!!  Thanks so much!!!!!!
not low pay in this era, especially for a newbie
since I can get MT's with 2 years + for 7-9 cpl EASY, I wouldn't hire a newbie for more than 6.  Probably you can get 6.5 and get up to 7 or 8 by the time you have 2 years. At least you have worked for a year on the same accounts and you have some speed up...
Newbie needs some help
Hi, I'm a newbie and was just wondering if anyone has ever heard of/worked for AccuStat Carolinas?  I think I just got hired...they didn't have me test, I just sent a resume.  Can anyone help?
newbie, too
Hi
I will be in your same boat in about one more month. In reading these posts, I find that I am wondering how hard it will be to get started, since all the companies require experience. I would love to just get an apprenticeship somewhere, but then again, they don't seem to be plentiful, either. If you get something, I would be interested in some tips my way.