That's exactly how I learned. Trained by people who knew
Posted By: Wannie on 2007-11-05
In Reply to: You're probably right lol... - Bip
*what the heck they were doing.* 
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One thing I have learned...
It seems that most people in this business are perfectionists, to say the least. Even when someone is rude, there is something to learn by the answers that they give. I take it with a grain of salt, because there are people like that in every business.
It's impossible for us to know how much you have learned
You could test with as many employers as you can. If you don't have job offers from those tests, there may be a couple of reasons why.
1. You took a good course, but weren't ready for it as far as spelling, typing, and basic word skills.
2. You took a bad course, aced it, but learned very little since they taught very little.
Wish I knew more about this before
I took a "simple and basic" course. Have learned more on this board, especially about the experience needed!
I wish I knew
I am wondering the same thing. I have a strong background in psych work but have only worked in offices previously.
I flunk many tests at first, but I learned from each one - sm
that is what you must do. I used to joke that I learned more from the tests than I did from my course. Not quite the case but I did learn a lot from the tests too, they were certainly eye-opening some of them. All you can do is keep trying, what is the saying you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince, well finding a MT job is sort of the same thing, in both finding a job and finding one you like. Try again at Transolutions when they say you can try again (usually 6 months) and in the meantime apply anywhere and everywhere that you can. Good Luck.
I learned tips from my workmates and
other than that I made them as I worked. But you do have to really pay attention to how they play out. If you don't think about it and make a shortcut of bm for bowel movement, and then forget that's what you used it for, you might assume you set it up to stand for something else, and then suddenly you have a sentence that reads: "This 48-year-old bowel movement started having chest pains on Saturday ..."
I knew I would not be believed
but it was honestly a typo. I have known how to spell grammar for many years. I am sure we all make errors, sometimes errors that we could kick ourselves for when we catch them.
I knew someone would not be able to resist
getting out the red pen and pointing out the way to spell desperation.
You need to be trained sm
Sure, you may be able to learn easy things but who says your work is right? Have you had it checked by a CMT? Then you would know for sure if it is impeccable.
Do you know the 50 rules for comma usage--and not just when the doc says "comma" or when there is a pause? Do you know all the little rules like when saying "5 mL was instilled" is right over "5 mL were instilled" and things like that? Do you know periods basically always go inside the quotes and outside of parentheses? It is the little things that make the difference. How about when you say "I have 2 years experience." it is really "I have 2 years' experience."
I would say a nurse has a leg up, but you can't teach yourself to be a great MT. Anyone can type stuff, but they won't be typing it right.
You need to know the specifics about creating a medical document and grammar. I thought I knew grammar just fine until I went to school. I didn't realize (like I am sure you don't) all that I could have done wrong without schooling.
I know I won't change minds on here, but ask anyone trained and they will tell you--you can't possibly learn all this by yourself. At least not if you want to do acute care.
sorry, that should be Department-knew something didn't look right
nm
I didn't go to their website, but I knew they
probably weren't legit because they used 2 different names on 2 different boards to post about their "internship."
I remember my first job quite a few years ago and making about $2 an hour until I learned...sm
the account, got used to the doctors, learned how to efficiently research etc. I also needed to create my own expansion program as the system I worked in back then would not allow an outside expander. Keep at it and good luck, it will get better.
Got trained, got a job, and now I've got...
...pedal edema from sitting at the computer so much!!! (I am, however, proud and happy that I actually know what pedal edema is--thank you transcription training program!) Has anyone else had this problem?? I know I need to get up and walk around periodically, but as a newbie my line counts are so low that I feel like I need to type all the time. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do while sitting--is there some kind of leg stretching or foot rotation that helps? Thanks in advance for any advice.
Go back to the school that trained you
and demand that they finish the job. They did not make you job-ready. Your English-language skills are too weak to make you employable in any position other than a dead-end, minimum-wage job. Bluntly speaking, if you do not improve your English communications skills, you will face disappointment in your job search.
QA says my work is right. The seasoned MTs who trained
me say my work is right. Yes, I know about commas. I also know that a lot of doctors don't know a flipping thing about grammar nor do they have a good command of the English language. That's why they have others do their transcription, so it will be correct. Yes, I know periods go inside the quotation marks. Yes, I know I still have a lot to learn. We all do. Things change, often on a daily basis. Yes, I know not everyone can go from nursing to transcription. However, I did and some others can, too. It all depends on how bad you want to learn and how willing you are to work at learning it.
"well-trained" is the important point here
Those who aren't are running out of job options. The employers won't hire or keep people who are not properly prepared. They are dumping the MT services who don't have high standards.
It may "encompass" transcription, but it's not enough to qualify you as a trained MT. NM
X
Like someone else said, if you're trained only on "Ben Stein" dictation
you are in for a rude awakening when you get in the real MT world. Yes, you do have to be able to do a reasonably good job transcribing crap. What world do you live in, where all the dictators are slow, clear, precise, dictating in quiet places with no background noise, no accents, etc?
This is exactly what we tell people if only
they will ask their questions before plunking their money down for a course. And they get so mad at us. We would have told you that PCDI won't be enough education. We would have said you are going to be too busy and distracted to commit the necessary time to the job with 2 little kids. We would have said that trying to work from home from the start was going to be awful for your career (unless you went to one of two schools).
On top of that, there are other newbies currently looking for opportunities who are flabbergasted that you threw 2 away. Now 2 people who tried to help you are going to decide they won't want to waste their time on newbies again. That's not going to help the situation for others. Sorry if we aren't terribly sympathetic, but it is all so predictable.
and some people...
Unfortunately go to a really good college but because they are not connected to any national companies have to work harder to find an at home job. The reason I went to an actual college though is because I have now completed 1/3 of the classes needed towards other medical professions, such as nursing, in case I choose to go back. I'm not sure if the classes with Career Step, MTech, etc would transfer over like that.
I think MTs are still in high demand, it's just getting that first break to get into it. I'm enjoying my first job, but I would have liked to work alongside an experienced MT to see how they do it. I encourage you to contact your local hospital and see if you can meet their MTs and just get some feedback from them and maybe sit in and watch for awhile, it's amazing how some of them get so much done in so little time!
The same you seem to have to call people
stupid and fat and ugly and lazy and, and, and...! LOL
I agree. People are seeing here what
.
People, do yourself a favor...
Get a good education if you want to be an MT. Though there are always exceptions, you need a very solid foundation on which to build your career. I believe you get what you pay for with the MT schools. Be aware that just "attending" the school does not promise success. You need to actually DO all the course work, study, and battle your way through the SUM tapes to train your ear. It is the ONLY way to train for this career. There are no quick fixes for this. You then need to be highly motivated and willing to put in lots of hard work once you graduate in order to continue learning and growing. You also should have a very solid grasp of English as a written language and have excellent reading skills before you even embark on this as a career choice.
This career is definitely not for everyone, so everyone should not assume that since they can type, like computers, or want to help people that they qualify and will excel at it. Honestly assess yourself before you begin and save yourself lots of grief by choosing your career pathy wisely. Just some friendly advice.
I have heard of it - from all the people who took that course and can't get a job. NM
x
People Just Don't Learn
Why is CS still getting praise??? Affordable or not, you may be an experienced *unemployed* MT because many companies are discovering that CS just doesn't give the education needed regardless of the few praisers who got lucky.
M-TEC or Andrews has a "refresher" course for MTs who have done 1 specialty or haven't worked for a while.
Focus is okay for new people
The pay is relatively good for new people. Most is VR, and it has its pros and cons. The biggest problem I have is lack of work, but seems to be getting a bit better. All accounts are different, though, from what I've seen. Email me if more specific questions.
some people....not nice!
I would try in-house to get some experience.
If you have to work at home then try doctor offices that have 1 or 2 docs. They might be more willing to hire someone without experience.
Most people love ES and that is what my
company uses. There are lots of choices available, but I don't think there are any free ones. There is Start/Stop and Bytescribe (haven't heard about them lately not sure if they are still around), and GearPlayer.
You Poor Thing - This people must be
First of all, I did not go to MTEC, Andrews or Career Step, but it does seem like they companies to train with.. it seems most people get good jobs in a timely manner when training with them. You pay more, but it seems to be worth it.
As far as days/hours... I have been working for the past 9 months WORKING MY OWN HOURS. The days are set, but as long as I get my lines in during that day, they are very happy. I was a newbie, they started me at a great rate, and I got a 1 cent raise after 3 months (I am very lucky). There ARE MANY companies out there that know that MOST of us ARE moms at home in our PJs. I actually get more accomplished dressed as such.. sitting in my office wearing my pumps is really not necessary... maybe that's why these other people are so damn cranky!!! Anyway, a lot of accounts are 24-hr TAT and as long as you get your lines in, most people don't care when you did it.. as long as the client is happy. Don't these idiots bring you down .. good luck!
How do people make a living in ....
this business? I'm new and realize how lucky I am to have a MT position in which I can work from home. I was hired by a MTSO who needed people on a new account she was getting. Now I am not needed on the account because it's just not rolling in all the work it was suppose to (maybe that is how is going to be or maybe just cause of the holidays). She continues to give me as much work as she possibly can and is constantly stating how amazed she is by my ability to catch on quick to the new doctors she throws at me. However, I am lucky to make $100 every two weeks. I am looking for a second MT job. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am wonder if even a second job is going to bring in enough money though. I actually just have to bring in around $500 (rent because my husband can pay everything else) but of course to be financially comfortable I would like to bring in more. Is it worth getting a second job or will I eventually have to get a third? I really want to stay working as an IC for the MTSO because she is so nice and it lets me be more flexible than a national would. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
Geez Louise people
The POINT was that the person the OP mentioned is of the ilk who WILL NOT understand why she isn't getting hired. The example given was of someone who is clearly unqualified if she (or he or it) cannot even communicate appropriately in a very brief message. Well prepared new graduates will not have this problem and will not face the issues the person described will face. The ill prepared (the graduates of the crappy schools who believe that they should be hired at a high cps because they do not understand how ill prepared and unqualified they are) are the ones we see here over and over again bemoaning the fact that they can't pass the tests and cant get hired. THAT WAS ALL I WAS TRYING TO WAY. All of a sudden I'm an evil, arrogant person because I expect people applying for jobs to be properly trained and to present themselves professionally? Wow. Now who's being arrogant and judgmental?
I've mentored several people and only 1 could cut it
It really takes a lot to be a mentor one-on-one with someone entering this field. My experience has been that there is an attitude of entitlement (not that I'm saying this about YOU personally, your mileage may vary). It's as though I am supposed to overlook the lack of pervserverance to research words because I'm there as the buffer to fall back on....like just don't worry about, Milton will pick up the slack so I can just get a higher line count.
Once I actually offered to mentor on the condition of being paid for my efforts and I was accused of being a scheister just into it for the money. The deal was that I would mentor the person until I could help them get a job and after two months of being gainfully employed (all the time answering questions), my pay would be equal to 2 weeks pay of the person I mentored. Now, I'm investing all this time and effort into the situation for potentially months on end and then I'm accused of being into it for a couple hundred dollars?? I make that in a day of transcribing so that got me out of being interested in mentoring.
I had no mentor, I had no QA feedback, I worked from home, didn't have the electronic resources that are available today, worked mostly 12 hour days usually 6 to 7 days a week and I made very little my first year but doubled my income every year for 4 years until I hit a plataeu and now pay is going down for reasons beyond my control.
If you don't have the dedication to making yourself a success, you may find a mentor who gives up on you and you'll be feeling as though you are a victim. Don't count on a mentor. Count on yourself. Best of luck.
Two people may be composing an answer
at the same time, and they have no idea somebody else hit the "post reply" button before they did.
I've heard of people who do okay with them, but ...
I've never hired a grad of their school. I've tested many of them, but none of the At Home grads have done well enough on my tests.
even I have a couple of people I call.....sm
I'm in this business many years, almost 3 decades, and I STILL have a couple of people, one especially, who I call when I have an MT question or if I want them to listen over the phone....it's networking and it's great and if you find a REAL good mt or cmt, well, then you've got GREAT help. Sometimes 4 ears are better than 2. I even have my daughter listen if she is here (albeit she is not in the medical field except 5 years so far *S*)
Best of luck!!
People have been saying that for years. Some have a different experience
I think that the industry is screening out people who don't really enjoy medical transcription and some who weren't prepared to do it well enough to make money. The jobs and money are pretty good for the people who like to do this work, are motivated, and know what they are doing. No complaints here! Also no put down of those who are not doing well. Medical transcription is not for everyone. That's not an insult. Find something you love and do it well!
I happen to know two of the people you "hired" - sm
And one informed me of the shareware she purchased from you. It was Express Scribe and she found out later that she could download it for free at www.nch.com.au/scribe/. I invite everyone to check it out. And there was not a foot pedal involved at that time.
And of course you want to take this into personal e-mail so you're not exposed for the scammer that you are!
Also, if you're giving everyone a break, then why don't you deduct the cost out of the new employee's first paycheck, as other MTSO's do, instead of taking their money upfront?
Yes, MTs are struggling to get into this field. We don't need con artists giving us glimmers of hope and then ripping us off. I'm so glad I didn't buy into your scam.
You say you apologized & refunded people but yet you still
manage to claim that you have been "defamed and slammed" because you were trying to do something good. I don't buy that for a minute. You KNOW you were charging people and making money off of them. If you want to be sincere, admit your TOTAL wrongdoing rather than try to cover up the truth.
I believe MANY people have said they have gotten their refund. Get a job or a life and get over it
My gosh, give it a rest already. Others have posted they got their money but you still have to come here with your negative posts and dribble.
MANY people? I saw one! What board are you reading?
nm
You make the most sense of many, many people
On these boards! What you say is what I have found to be true, anyway. My problem is getting enough work without getting too much work. Right now, I do acute care part time through a woman who does the local hospital overflow. But, I'm her only part-timer, so some days there's a satisfactory amount of work, and other times I might go a couple weeks without any.
I'd love to get one single doctor and do all their stuff, that seems like a good amount. LOL Now, I just have to get off my tookus and find it!
Thank you, Minnie. I really wish people would understand this (sm)
is a job - your job! Yes, working from home affords me the opportunity to dress casually and work my schedule out according to life's little plans, but when I am working, I am working. I set my hours for when the children are at school and at night when they are at sleep. I cannot do it all and I do not pretend to. Yes, if children get sick or injured that does screw up the schedule, but it does not excuse me from my commitments.
Too many people get sucked into the idea that
you can work at home right away; maybe 10 years ago, maybe even 5 years ago you could, but not now. Did you check out MT before you took the class? So many come here only after completing their schooling and most complain they can't get a job, but they didn't investigate it before starting and they are expecting to be working at home right out of school. Some have taken programs through correspondance schools that were pretty worthless, again because they didn't investigate the schools or because one has a more affordable program.
It doesn't matter what your grade is, whether your grade is 97% (which is not the same as GPA) or not. If you went to one of the better recognized/accepted schools and then have that grade you might have better luck.
You need an eye for detail in this job and that will be helpful, but that is only a tiny portion of what an MT does. I have been in this business 20 years and I learn new things all the time and I think most MTs with several years of experience will tell you the same thing. I still have days where I spend up to 30 minutes researching something. I still have days where I have to leave a blank because I can't document a piece of equipment or I just can't understand what the dictator is saying. You have to be able to understand accents/dialects, be able to make out what the doctor is saying while they are dictating and eating an apple. You need to be able to tell the difference between abduction and adduction because they pretty much sound the same most of the time. You need to know that when a doctor spells a piece of equipment or a drug that you shouldn't take his word for it, investigate it yourself. Doctors spell things wrong all the time. You need to know when a doctor mispronounces a word - doctors all the time say "Perm a Cath" but it is PermCath. All this comes with practice/experience, which you just don't have fresh out of school.
I know I sound like it is hopeless and it isn't, but your expectations are probably unrealistic too. Post your resume. It doesn't cost anything and you never know what will come of it, but I would recommend you come to this board or the company board and ask about any company just to be sure they are legitimate.
You could also contact local doctors. Find a doctor in practice alone or maybe just 2 doctors. Since you are only wanting to work PT and take care of your daughter you probably shouldn't take on anything more than that. You will also have to look up lots of things to start with, which will slow you down.
What about entry-level people?
 I have been looking for a position in transcription for a while now. Everyone wants EXPERIENCE!!! My question is, how do you get experience if nobody is willing to hire you? I have taken tests and the responses that I get are that other people are more qualified but that I do have an impressive background. What do you do?
For every 20+ people from subpar schools who can't get a job, there is always one
person from those schools who is LUCKY enough to get a job and thereby get experience, and they just can't resist pointing out that THEY got a job. They are in the MINORITY. All you need to do is read MT message boards around the internet and this becomes clear.
Unfortunately there are a lot of people who just don't see the harm in lying.
Maybe she should be a politician. I hope she doesn't mind when people lie to her.
If someone offered to pay her 8 cpl and then only paid her 7 cpl, I bet she wouldn't like that lie.
It all depends on whose foot the shoe is on.
Okay, but most people have a hard time living
in a different state from their family, let alone another country.
Why do people feel they can scam their way into this field?
With inferior educations for cheap and now wanting to lie to get jobs? Whatever happened to working for what you earn and telling the truth? :-(
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.
Yes, and these were people trying to make an HONEST living
nm
Yeah, I've noticed people do that a lot here.
nm
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