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

Becoming an MT 35 years ago was the worst - life decision I ever made. (sm)-

Posted: Apr 27, 2014

I just read an ad for a certified COURT REPORTER (the job training I stupidly turned down in order to become an MT) in San Jose CA. Check out the annual salary:

$68,237.73 - $86,700.64 Annually

I think I'll go shoot myself now.

welcome - to the

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boat.

don't shoot yourself - be careful

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You can still get the training if you like. But be careful -- San Diego and Los Angeles counties (among others) let go of many of their court reporters and went to a recording and transcribing system. I keep looking into court reporting and waffling. I even have 2 machines. Captioning sounds like a good field, but also ripe for VR.

Yep - sm

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My best friend and I went to college together. We both loved the medical field but only wanted to do a 2 year program. I decided on MT because it sounded so wonderful. She decided to be an RN. Nearly 12 years later, I made 14k last year and she now makes 72k a year. No one to be mad at but myself :(

yeah but theres not enough money in the world for me - to be an RN

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gross.

RNs Out The Door - Linda Nitzschke

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A word of caution, tho...RNs are being laid off due to Obamacare. I've heard others, too...can't remember if it was specifically stated as the LPNs or CNAs, but maybe both. So, I guess it's of little use looking back at the choices we made, as it seems we shall all be in the soup soon.

RNs were being laid off/shortened hours way before Obamacare. - tynkerbelle

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I have friends who are RNs. They have been shorted hours (no FT only PT) and are being laid off in droves, it has been happening for at least the last ten years but has sped up more recently similar to the wheel kicking into high gear. They are flooding the health care fields. I have friends who graduated from RT and PT programs who can only find contingent work.

You are never too old to go to school - sm - GoNow

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I am almost 50, on the final requirements now so I can then take my CNA board exams. If I like doing this (expect to find a job w/o too much difficulty) I plan to go for LPN. Game plan is find an employee who does tuition reimbursement/coverage so I can go for free, from the looks of it most do offer this as a benefit. So will put in my dues for a couple years as a CNA, then become an LPN (and up my income by 50-75%). If I really like that, who knows might go for RN. Might be 60 and become a nurse. I will see how it goes. I have been pretty lucky with my MT jobs over the last 15 years but the writing is on the wall and time to move on.

you are never too old... - catherine

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Wow...GONOW...I admire your tenacity. I AGREE that you are not ever too old to go to school...but you sure can be too old to get a job with that new found education. I never knew that getting older made you invisible! think about the LPN though...in most places those jobs have been pretty much eliminated. Nursing homes hire LPN....but hospitals typically do not unless they are tiny....as I always say "at least in Texas"....your mileage may vary. But wow congratulations on the initiative to make a change. I do not think that becoming an MT (for me) was a bad decision. I loved every second of it..until the last 3-4 years.

But 35 years ago it was a good choice - Ex-San Jose MT

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MT enabled me to raise my family alone, I always had plenty of work and benefits during those days. Granted it is not good now, but looking back, being hired by the county hospital to train as an MT was a gift from God. My family did not go in want and neither did I for all those important years. And, even if all those years ago, I could know how crazy things would get, I would still have chosen to do this for the sake of my family. (I would have just been better prepared for the bad things to come.)

Ex-san jose MT that's exactly how I see it!!! - East MT

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MT allowed me to be home with my son from the time he was 6 months old until now. I am being trained on coding by my company and still am in college to pursue a bachelor's. It was a good run, glad I did it, but it's coming to an end. Don't ever regret anything, it all has it's place in your life. Just look to your next adventure with excitement :)

I think my next "adventure" will be trying to - live on $750/mo. Soc.Sec. payments.

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I can't even find a part-time c__p job to supplement it. I worry about the day when my landlord decides to sell the duplex I live in. My current rent is way below market, and with no job, and only $750/month, I'll never qualify for anything else. Good thing my ancient car is big enough to live in.

try looking on craigslist, under "free" stuff, sometimes they have mobile homes - tynkerbelle

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in parks that somebody was trying to sell and now just wants to get rid off. every couple of months i see the free ones. check it out.

Have you seen the photos of them? UGH! - The car is better.

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Plus if I don't like my neighbors, I can always put it in gear and drive away.
;D

I have never regretted becoming an MT over 35 - years ago, never

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Like the posts above, it enabled me to raise my family (never worked at home until the early 2000s so family grown then)and when I needed the money the money was there, making as high as $60,000 one year at a hospital with production pay along with base pay. When I first learned of MT work was working as a clerk in medical records in the hospital, transferred over to train and still made the same salary for the on the job training so sweet for me. I knew of no companies until the early 2000s when outsourced from a hospital where I last worked. For me it was a life where I made good, raised the kids, and never was sorry that I took that chance. Also in high demand for physicians to do their transcription on outside basis.

Don't regret it. - MT

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Back then, never had to look for a job, the job came to me. Doctors would walk into transcription department and ask if anyone could work for them. It was great. Don't regret the decision at all to be an MT. Of course now I'm back in school because this isn't going to get me to retirement.

FYI, when I went to see an admissions counselor, she told me they had done away with their coding and billing program because it too was going disappear. Nurses are being replaced by medical assistants but that is becoming saturated as well.

Yeah, but it also pigeonholed us into a narrow - specialty that now has no - SM

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work-experience value in any area of employment. Not even other areas of hospital/doctor's office employment. They don't seem to want to touch an ex-MT with a 10-foot-pole.

I have no idea about not wanting an MT - never had another job since I started

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The job lasted me all my work life so I have no issues. Maybe others who started this say 5 years ago after seeing the job as a way to stay home with the kids, there might be a problem there but nope, has served me well. I never became an ex-MT.

You're one of the lucky ones.. from a bygone era. - Only 1-1/2 more years to go, - S/M

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and then I can take my Social Security. Only one problem: I don't know how I'm going to get by for 18 more months, my bank account is almost empty.

I don't regret it either. I had a good run as well. - Short Timer

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I was able to contribute to IRAs because we had decent salaries and will be retiring in a couple of months when I am 60 and live off them until I am unable to collect SSI at age 62. I was able to buy my house and am debt free. All on the salary of an MT without the income of a spouse or any outside organization.

Now, I am making about $20,000 a year. Had I had to live off that salary with the payment of a house, car, etc, that would never have been possible. So the job of an MT in earlier years was great. It was a different world then.

The courtroom environment is a very dangerous place these days - sufferingservant

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"It is written, 'Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

Yes, we are underpaid...true the industry at large has cheated us, who in essence are responsible for their "bread and butter" nevertheless, we have been able to place our priorities for the well-being of our family through working at home and sometimes there are things in life that are far more precious than material wealth and possessions...like health...Through the knowledge that we possess we are able to navigate our own health care decisions and maybe even have help others over the years to decipher the hieroglyphics of medical terminology which these days can be extremely costly!

I actually enjoyed being a juror (4 times!) - and envied the court reporters I saw. SM

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They're respected, highly paid professionals. Courtroom hours are short days, and many breaks. The most dangerous thing I ever saw in a courtroom was a spider crawling along on the ceiling.

Can't say it was my worst decision - anon

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I came in to the game in 2000 when my second child was born. Okay all the haters you may start up now. I had a 9 1/2 yr old boy and a newborn. At 18 months I put her in daycare because when I would pull out my keyboard she would shove it right back in. She wanted my attention more and more and honestly needed playmates, which I think is crucial for a child. I'm a single parent for the better part of 20 years. My kids have regular contact with their fathers, the oldest actually lives with his while he finishes his bachelor's in 6 more credit hours. Never really was too concerned about being married and the kids were the best decision in my life with or without a husband, but as a single parent it afforded me the opportunity at first to make sure I was home during breaks, illnesses, and long summer vacations where my son was not alone for 12 hours a day all summer long, counting working and the commute, to get in all kinds of trouble. Now it's available to my 13 yr old daughter. Mom's here for all of the above. Summer's are not a free for all, she has to check in, I know her friends, I know the places she goes and I don't worry too much that she'll get involved in anything bad for her. Sure there are the usual kids in the neighborhood I don't want her around but she'll call me from the library or wherever if things start getting out of hand with the "troublemakers". I either tell her to head home or I'll come get her. Am I going to get rich at this....well we all know the answer to that. But compared to a $15/hour office position, commute time, cost of gas, wardrobe and being totally out of touch with what my kid's doing all day, all things being equal, this is the best option for now. I'm looking at a 2 yr degree, taking 4 yrs to complete part-time, but MT has allowed me to be an active parent. I see a lot of my kids friends left to their own devices while their folks are at work and it doesn't work out well. There experimenting with sex and drugs and getting in with the wrong crowd. Not here! That cell phone I paid for better be answered. She better be where she says she is and sneaky me I will from time to time just show up where she says she's going to be, totally unannounced. It's embarrassed the crap out of her at times, but that God for working at home during this age. JMO

I disagree with you. sm - missing link

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It served its purpose for the time it was good. You are self-educated about your body and health and you can now make better decisions about your health going into your older age.

We don't have crystal balls on hand when we make decisions in life. It's all a crapshoot. I am sure you had some lovely years (as I did) enjoying this profession. It's pure avarice that is ruining this world.

You did everything right, at the time. Now we have to shift gears, is all.

Do not despair. Just keep your eyes and ears open for other work. You have to press on and SURVIVE. You can do it because I know you are smart.

We are all in mourning for our lost wages and jobs, but we must move with the tide.

My best to you and everyone else who is reading this.

New Field To Look Into - Linda Nitzschke

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I've been hearing about a new field that is starting up...some physicians are hiring "scribes." Those wanting to make a change may want to check it out.

their pay is very low and they will not hire someone - sm

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20 years of exp

Scribes - MT

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This isn't a new field. Usually they use medical students for this job.

Around here, scribes are paid minimum wage. - sm

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They advertise specifically to med students as they can pay them very little in exchange for the experience they gain by working closely with a doctor in the office. Not a good career move for an MT.

I'll bet being a scribe is a lotta fun during - FLU SEASON. Pass on that.

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No regrets - WXYZ

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Call me a fool, but I'm still making my living in an MT related job and just recently applied for an MT job in a small clinic, waiting to see if I get an interview. All of my jobs have been on site and I think that is probably what has saved me. I've also been an MT for 35 years and can retire in 2-3. I have no plans to continue working when I am 70, so pursuing nursing or anything that requires more education is not for me. I did learn to code, but that is a difficult field to enter, and I hate to say it but the age issue does exist in the employment world. I know we need to continue learning and I agree with that, but it's also important to take a rest from work. To the person who is 50 and wants to nurse at 60? I am that age now and I can tell you there's a huge difference between 50 and 60. I would suggest that you move into clinical documentation or case management. Nursing and being on one's feet all day (not to mention 12-hour shifts) is hard work. I'm sorry that doing transcription at home is the only option for some because that seems to be where we have seen the biggest decline in wages. However, just because it is not right for the OP and she regrets her decision, it does not mean it is wrong for everyone. I guess I would have to ask: Why did it take 35 years for you to realize you made a mistake? You probably loved it when the money was good, so obviously it was never the work itself.

Inhouse jobs seem to depend on area. Some - states (PA, MN & TX) seem to have - sm

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more inhouse positions than others. I'm in Northern CA, and although there are still a few positions down in Southern CA, Nor-Cal is a wasteland when it comes to inhouse MT jobs, thanks mostly to the Sutter Health, Kaiser and UC Health systems. And moving to where the jobs are is not an option.

In house - WXYZ

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I know it is difficult. I don't live in any of those states and where I live the facilities that still have on-site transcription have very little turnaround. I also know MTs who don't get hired because they refuse to work on-site and are picky about schedules. I want to make a change which is really my only reason for looking. I watch the ads and apply for the rare local MT openings that I see. I agree, I would not relocate for an MT job.

In-house is the only MT job I would take, - because they pay decently.

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I've had people say to me, "How can you not have a job? I see ads for medical transcriptionists all over the place!" Yeah, for the national MTSOs. But the problem is, those aren't really jobs. They're sweatshop labor. When you make more on unemployment than you did working for an MTSO, then it's quite obvious that an MTSO's position is not a job.

Choosing a field - dumbpants

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that has supported you over 3 decades was a stupid decision? Maybe should have saved more than you spent when things were better. Hindsight much...

I feel the same way and only been an MT since 2008 - and I regret it...

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Wish I didn't ever do MT and now I can't get out to save my life and I have 30 years until retirement.

So yeah, I agree with the regret. Shoulda coulda woulda.

CourtReporterWork - GrasIzKnot

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Don't think the Court Reporter job is what it used to be. They do not make big $$$ any more. The "dragon" has also invaded that industry and do editing and get paid a lot less.

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