A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry


Tips for using the mttest.com site - (sm)


Posted: May 12, 2010

The site is very literal.  Here are some tips.

Objective:

1.  Thoroughly read the instructions.  Don't try to think about the instructions - simply read them and follow them.  For example if it tells you to type the correct spelling of a word into a field (picking a misspelled word out of a phrase), only type that word - not anything else.  
2.  Look up every single word and definition before you make a choice.  I don't care how much you THINK you know - you won't know your errors if you don't catch them.  Look it up!  Use at least 2 resources to compare definitions/usage.
3.  Save your work with each set of questions you answer.  
4.  BEFORE you submit the objective, go back through and make sure you answered every single question.  An unanswered question is a wrong answer. 

Transcription:

1.  Make sure you proofread thoroughly.  The spellchecker does not have any medical terms and does a pitiful job with English, too.  Do your own proofreading - read it through twice.

2.  Relisten to each report while you read it.

3.  Just save each report and move to the next.  Go back again and relisten/proof before clicking the "save this report and move to the next one" because you can't go back to it  then.

4.  Just be completely sure you've combined through all the reports before you upload.


Great advice! - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I figure if it's an open book, untimed test, there really should be no reason not to double and triple check everything, especially when pay is dependent on those test scores (ironically, I scored 85 on one of my english usage tests and 100% on the med terminology portion and "very well" on the transcription portion according to my recuriter).

Would you mind clarifying #3 under - transcription? SM

[ In Reply To ..]
Atleast to me, it was a little confusing. I have never done a test on the site.

Sure. - (sm)

[ In Reply To ..]
On the mttest.com site, once you get to the transcription portion, you will probably have more than 1 report to transcribe. Usually they have 4 reports.

You can "save" any report at any given time and take a break (log out and come back another time to finish). This simply saves the information you have transcribed. You can go back to the site and pick up where you left off. You can also use this feature to do a "draft" on all reports and just simply "save" so you can go back and re-read or re-listen before submitting.

You also have the option to "save this report and go to the next report". This will permanently save the one you just finished and mark it with a green checkmark and move you to the next report. You cannot go back to the previous report once you choose that option.

My advice is to simply save each report so you can go back and work/proof/re-listen, etc., until you are ready to submit that report. Then choose the "save this report and move to the next one" option. Review that report and repeat until all 4 have a green checkmark next to them.

Then you click the button that submits the whole transcription portion. You cannot go back once you click that button.

I have a question about this - #3

[ In Reply To ..]
If you mark the report save and go to next report it will let you go back in to edit it, but does it not save the changes you make? I think that is what I have been doing wrong. I got feedback from a company saying that I had 11 errors in 4 reports and I knew there was no way that was possible. I had listened to those sound files 3 times each and made corrections. But, I had marked them complete and went to the next and then went back to proof and correct them. So, did it not save the corrections I made when I went back and listened again?
Once the green check mark is in place there are - no changes made to the transcription tests
[ In Reply To ..]
So if you went back and listened once you had already hit the box that said save this and go to the next file, no, none of your changes were made.

Not the OP, but I've been through those tests more than once for different companies.
OMG.....that is what I have been doing wrong - No wonder
[ In Reply To ..]
I feel like an idiot. No wonder I wasn't passing these test. I thought that was the only way to move on to the next test was by marking it save and go to next test....jeesh. I actually had a company nice enough to tell me what my errors were in the report and while she was telling me, I was wondering does she have the correct test, because I know I didn't leave those mistakes in there. Well now maybe I can find a decent job since I know this.

MT Tests - nn

[ In Reply To ..]
Also, what I generally do in the transcription portion of the test is use Microsoft Word and my expander. That way, I can use my Stedmans to check for spelling errors, et cetera and I then copy and paste into the area on the test site, save it and then move on to the next report. Hope this helps

Any Recruiters willing to answer a question, especially from companies using MTTEST - Good Luck

[ In Reply To ..]

Great instructions.  I know many people will find your tips really helpful. 


I have now taken 8 tests on MTTEST and am becoming, I feel, somewhat of an expert. 


If I remember correctly, I read somewhere on the Board that other people were also not being contacted after completing all portions of the test.  I would be interested to know if they have any insight as to why they never heard back.  Did it seem to take an extra long time to complete the transcription part?  Did you have to leave a lot of blanks?  Did you follow the BOS guidelines? 


Any Recruiters out there willing to give us any insight into what we may be doing wrong?


 


Two additional things that people taking the tests might want to keep in mind. 


1.  The Company requesting the test can have it set up any way that they want, but the majority of the tests are pretty much the same.  Some of the tests do give a “suggested” time at the beginning of each section – one of the tests I took today stated the test “should require” “7 to 10 minutes” to complete for the first part (they called it the Screening portion) and the next “should require” “35 to 40 minutes” for the second part (they called it Objective portion).  Although they do not say it is timed, the Recruiter does know how long it takes you to complete each section.  Just to be absolutely sure they do not mark you down for taking too long, try to stay within their suggested time periods.  After all, MTSOs not only want quality, they want it done quickly. 


A TIP:  I set a timer to go off 3 to 5 minutes before their suggested maximum time, just to be on the safe side.  I go through the test the first time and answer by gut and experience.  I then go back and use references to look up any answers that I might not be absolutely sure of (which is sometimes 99% of the questions).  By the time the clock timer goes off, I am on my third look-over, and I know for sure I still have time to send it off before their suggested time expires. 


So far, Amphion is the only one I have found that actually tells you that you are under the gun: 


****************


2.  For the transcription tests, according to the Career Step website:  “The transcribed reports are then compared with the sound file key using our text-comparison program.”  Since Career Step uses the AAMT/AHDI Book of Style, your best bet is to follow the BOS standards when doing the reports. 


I have been able to verify:  “Recruiters will be able to see what you answered for your tests and how long it took you.  The score is automatically generated by an answer key.” 



Some of you are probably wondering why I have taken so many tests.  Basically, it is because I never hear back from the company, even though I have passed all portions of the test.  I am never sure how to get a hold of the Recruiter to find out how I did, if the Recruiter does not contact me by phone or Email first.  I have Emailed using information from their website, but never get a response back. 


I have a suspicion it is because it takes me too long to complete the transcription tests.  I am presently unemployed and had to return the computer to the company when I left.  My personal computer is so old, it still has a floppy-disc slot.  I can never get the foot pedal to work, and I have loaded and reloaded Express Scribe and have gone through all the FAQ troubleshooting suggestions on the MTTEST site.  So, I end up using the F-keys, and even those are a pain.  So by the time I get to the last report, my nerves are fried and I am lucky to get them all complete. 


I am sure that translates badly to the Recruiter.  I just keep taking the tests, hoping one of the Recruiters will not look at the time thing and give me a call.  So, for now, I just keep taking the MTTEST tests.


 


Thanks. 


 

I documented my experience already down below - Tired of testing

[ In Reply To ..]
But, I am perplexed that out of seven tests on the MTTest.com, I was called back on two, told I did great and offered jobs. Then, I never heard from two other and two did not even let me do the transcription part, stating that I did not pass the objective part. HUH? It is very frustrating to say the least. P.S. I turned down the two job offers due to the low pay.

Another tip - beenthere

[ In Reply To ..]
I type the reports directly into a Word document, which also has spellcheck and where my dictionary resides. A simple copy and paste back into the online testing site page after fixing errors is all it takes!

me 2 . . . . - another voice

[ In Reply To ..]
when i have tested i have also typed the test in word and used my spell checker and copy and pasted onto the testing site


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