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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

You were "blessed to find a private company" in your area. Most people are not so blessed.

Posted By: Deb on 2008-07-19
In Reply to: AHP - rmb

And most companies will not even let grads of AHP take their employment test, because they know they haven't been trained well enough to pass it. However, the companies will simply say that they "don't hire newbies" and "you must have 2 years' experience" which isn't true, you just need a good education where they know you can pass their test and do the work.


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try to stick to ACUTE care. You don't want to find yourself 'stuck' in one area.

It's sad that people don't find out more about these courses before they slap down money
x
Trans Am isn't a BAD company, it's a RIP OFF. Don't believe folks? Go ahead and find out.
x
If you'll check the company board you'll find
they have been talked about several times recently.  They are an Indian company and no one has had anything good to say about them. 
Sent you private message, MT from BC - nm
nm
i work for one national, one smaller, and have one private account.
i am always busy, but never without some type of work :). I make a great line count with MQ. I was statutory but effective January 1st, I am an employee. Not sure how that will work out. My secondary account is with a smaller company I have been with for over ten years, and I have a small private account that pays very well but low volume.
Those numbers are brought down because they include MD's private offices
Physicians' offices and clinics pay next to nothing. That brings the numbers way down. Every MT I know makes more than that, at least after the first year!


You are blessed, for sure! :) nm
s
You're blessed! Take it and be thankful. nm
b
Blessed is more like it. Many of us oldie MTs don't make 10 cpl and never will. nm
s
You're one of the few that have been incredibly blessed out here. The "norm"
s
20$ an hour?!!! I couldn't make this as a nurse where I live! You are VERY blessed! nm
s
what area are you from?
I live in California. I have been transcribing for 15+ years, and if someone local was looking for a mentor, I might consider. Maybe where you are at there is someone interested in QA'ing all your work. You could make some money to start but worth more than the money would be the training and experience.
Around my area
They post on their website and run ads in the local paper.  A lot of available jobs are found by word of mouth.  I would just apply to a bunch of facilities in your area whether they have posted anything or not.
I am also in the Dallas area (sm)
and am fairly new to transcription. I do have some experience. I have sent out tons of resumes and letters to companies, doctors, etc. and have not found anything. I have had a couple companies tell me they would give me a chance, but then I never heard from them again. I am not giving up though, I am very confident that I will find something eventually, and I know that I can do the work.
No In-House Jobs In My Area
Dont know where you live but in my area, there are no in-house MT jobs.
Are there any technical schools in the area?
Some colleges offer medical transcription.  That would be her best bet.  Get in the school (on-site), and then most will place her for a first-time job probably at a local hospital.  Good luck to your friend.  I'm not so sure these online courses meet the expectations once you've graduated.  It can be overwhelming.  There are companies out there hiring new graduates, but I just think the on-site instruction is so helpful.     
Training in the Atlanta area

Hi.  I wanted to let you know about a training program in the Metro Atlanta area.  We are a full service transcription company.  We also offer a training program that we feel is unique.  Our program consists of the normal training that you would find at other companies - medical terminology, anatomy, laboratory data testing, etc.  What we feel is unique is our mentoring program/dictation training.  Our trainees work on the same type of work that they would be doing if we were able to offer them a job.  Each trainee comes in office 2 to 3 times a week and works on dictation.  After each transcript is completed, a mentor/trainer then goes over the chart line per line with them correcting each mistake.  Because of our system, we are able to offer approximately 90% of our trainees a job once they reach 98% accuracy.  We found with some of the other training programs, the dictations that Transcriptionist were being trained on were not "real" and we were basically having to re-train them completely.  Since we are in the metro Atlanta area, we only offer training to people in this area. 


Please let us know if you have any questions. 


check to see if there is a wireless tower in your area...sm
you will have to do some searching as they don't contact you-- you have to contact them-- but a year ago I found there was a wireless tower about 1 mile from my house. DLS for Direct Line of Sight (NOT DSL!) and sends a wireless signal to a antenna on my roof. Very fast connections and reasonably priced (I paid $300 to install and $45/month). Ask neighbors, etc. and watch for those funky dish-looking things on people's roofs - all pointed in the same direction. I found mine because my sister switched - and then found them on the internet. Perhaps something like "wireless internet service providers [your town])?
Don't forget radiology offices in your area.
Never know when they might need some part-time help. Or chiropractic offices. You might do other jobs as well, but variety isn't all bad.
Have you tried local clinics or small MTSO's in your area?
That's how I got my first break. Good luck.
Didn't she sell it, or just your company to an offshore company. The woman

has a screw loose. 


No, the woman who owns this company can't transcribe herself, much less run a company.
kk
Any company that charges anything to work is not a reputable company. However,
if a company offers a job and requires that you have a certain pedal and offers to provide it and then take it out of say your first paycheck or couple of paychecks, then that is acceptable.

My belief is that companies that charge you for software or anything else is trying to make money off of you.

While $11.95 isn't much, figure that amount times 10 or 20 or 100 and what do you come up with? Smells like a scam to me.
company was sold so they have no company to hire you after graduation!
They are not a reputable school and I went there so I should know. Even when they did have Trans. Relief Services they never answered my email about employment upon graduation.
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?