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

CareerStep a valid school or is there another one - Pamela

Posted: Feb 27, 2014

So, I am wanting to go to school for MT, I need some feedback please. Is the online school better than going to an actual college to do the at home work? Is CareerStep a valid school or is there another one I should consider. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Please don't do it - here we go again

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Can't stress it enough. Don't do it. You want feedback, that's the only feedback you'll get. MT is OVER!

??? - Pamela

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what do you mean over..... Don't the drs still have to transcribe their notes for medical files???

spend a little time here - here we go again

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look around and you'll see. It is changing so fast. They have technology to really replace us now and in the next year or so...well, we'll be lucky if we have jobs. So for you to go to school right now and learn MT, and then get out and try to compete for the few remaining jobs against seasoned MTs, well that will be a big mistake.

There are other options - sm

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They now have a choice of methods...point and click in EHR, templated reports, and computer software that transcribes directly in front of them.

Even if they wanted to use a live MT, they can't afford to anymore.

Find another option.

No, not any more. Most now create their own - reports with special programs, and - sm

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don't even need to dictate. Those that still do dictate send their work to the companies you see talked about on this website, as well as other smaller ones. And almost ALL of these companies do not hire American MTs to do the work, they send it to India, the Philippines, Pakistan, and other foreign countries to get transcribed.

I'm curious: Where did you get the idea that MT is a wise career choice? Because whoever is portraying this as a good way to earn a living is lying to you. Shame on them!

Pamela - Old Pro

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Please don't do it. You might as well train to become an elevator operator. It's a dying field.

I left transcription for - SM

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School. I studied elevator repair (not operating). Sure, it has its ups and downs, but I have never been happier.

Read every board on this site, especially the - Company, M*Modal & Nuance ones.

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Go back into the archives, too. After reading up on what MT has become in the last 10-15 years you STILL think this is a viable career choice, then I don't know what else to say, other than maybe "good luck", and/or "get your head examined."

Do you see a pattern here? - Ayn

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I cannot answer your specific questions regarding CareerStep and online schools as I have no experience with them.

BUT, the bigger issue here - which I hope you have realized by now from the other posts - medical transcription is dead on the vine. You could train to be an editor or train in the IT/technology aspect of the field, but no school should even be training someone on transcribing anymore. The job barely exists now and is certainly on its way out completely. There will be editors, but those jobs will number much, much fewer than transcription jobs of the past.

You need to realize -- There is a reason the "New MTs" forum to your left is basically empty. There are no new MTs.

Do your research on the future of medical documentation and find your niche in a job that will actually exist in the future. Do not waste your time, money, and efforts on MT.

Advice for Pamela - Always Research a career before you...

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Pamela-

Not even referring to MT specifically, I am shocked that you don't research a field before you decide to go into it.

Most people research to try and find out the near and future outlook for that particular field, what it takes to actually work in that field, the salary, etc.

I have nothing else to say. If you choose to go into a field besides this, please research the field, don't just decide to go into it.

I researched MT very carefully before I chose it fifteen years ago, and I had an excellent time of it for several years. If you actually research this field these days, I think you'll find a different story. I got out of the field 2 years ago for very good logical reasons--it stinks.

This is part of her research - I would say

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At this point, though, she will have to overcome the temptation to go into "denial" and say those who have tried to warn her don't know what they are talking about. If she had her hopes set, it's a disappointing day (a feeling those who have done this for decades can relate to very well).

Well - see msg

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Pamela actually didn't ask anyone about this career, and she obviously didn't research it. She simply asked about schools because MT is what she is going to do.

I hope she is reading this. She got more than she bargained for, but we taught her something, I hope.

One can't just "decide" to go into a field without knowing everything about where it is market-wise, where it's going job-security wise, etc.

Pamela- If you do now end up thinking MT is still a good decision, then so be it. This all is now just some friendly advice for you in your next life, about not jumping into a career head first---there may not be water in the pool.

MT - Pamela

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Funny that you say that, because I have. I use to work for a medical facility and spoke with them directly. And yes MT is dying in the facilities, but what is being done is being outsourced. Meaning, there still is work. Secondly, I have researched numerous transcription companies on line and seems they have open positions as well. So, I don't know if it is just all of the people who have been in the field a while and are burned out, but I am seeing different than what everyone is saying.

Well, girls - Moll

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She knows more than us burned out ladies do. Let her go ahead and waste her time and money. Might I recommend Nuance as the first place you apply to when you are finished with the course. They'll treat you right.

Hilarious - thanks for the laughs!

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We tried. We really did.

Oh, well then - xx

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clearly you know much more about this industry than we possibly could. What could we know, anyway?

Take whatever course you want. You'll be fine. With your superior knowledge of MT, you will have employers fighting to hire you.

Good luck!

yes it is being outsourced - we are the ones doing it

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and we're trying to tell you that the whole thing is heading south in a hurry, but since you won't take our word, just knock yourself out.

Yes, there is still work, BUT.... (a very BIG but) - Still cranky still on the beach

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And as someone else said, yes, it is being outsourced, to large companies such as Nuance and MModal. Those oursource companies in turn send the bulk of the work offshore, to India and other places.

Those of us left in the US are given the very worst of the work that's left after India gets the easy dictators and the high-dollar reports.

Before I left Nuance last year, because there was so little work left for us onshore MTs, I was barely able to meet my quota--and I've been at this for more than 40 years, I am certified, I am very fast, and I am GOOD. (It ain't bragging when you can do it.) Because I sat around waiting for work so much of the time, I was making about $8 an hour on a good day, which is NOT enough to live on in this day and age and this economy.

Not only have the wages gone down, the job responsibilities have gone up. If a dictator mush-mouths or misspeaks a medication dosage and I don't catch it, I am the one responsible for killing the patient due to a medication error--NOT the dictator who made the mistake in the first place. No thanks. At least, if my job is saying "Welcome to Walmart," if I flub a syllable, nobody gets killed. Plus the pay and benefits are better than MT now.

PLEASE do NOT waste your money and time on schooling for what the state of Washington (and probably others) has declared an unviable career. (A former co-worker of my sister's who was laid off in Washington was eligible for retraining on the grounds that her former career as an MT was no longer viable.)

Thank you - Pamela

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You are the first person, to give a real answer and details to support. I am by no means stupid, I have my MBA, and yes this was part of my research. The Career change has because of my situation. For those of you who missed it. I do have my MBA and believe me lost everything when the economy fell. I am looking for a work from home job. I have a 20 month old and her dad passed when she was 4 1/2 months old. So if you have any suggestions for work at homes. Please by all means I am open to suggestions.

advice for alternatives - scythe

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Have you looked into accounting or forensic accounting? Maybe call a hospital HR Department and discuss with them the hard-to-fill positions as a guide to which direction to pursue? If you read the board here, you will have a true representation of what this career is really like. Whenever I am fed up with my current position, I come here and read, calming down, which prevents me from jumping from the frying pan into the eternal burning flames of hell or lower. You want to work at home; sometimes we cannot do as we wish, but what we need to.

Information - Pamela

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I do understand that, and I have been trying to return to work since his passing and with no success, I was trying to think outside the box. I kind of feel like, I am not prepared to deal with people. Seems I come across the wrong way. So, I was trying to find something that I could do with minimal interaction with people. If that makes sense.

You are still in mourning. Give it time. - allie

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My condolences.

and you choose to believe - Old School

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you choose to believe the people who want your money. Listen Pamela, most of us are trying to get OUT of transcription. And pretty soon that choice will be made for us as Epic takes over more and more of what we do. We are not steering you wrong here. Please do not go into medical transcription.

Yes any MT company has openings because... - see msg

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We are all leaving in droves! So if you love working nights, weekends, holidays, (which are required as it is not 9-5 M-F) all for 99% QA standard for the low low price of 8 cpl ST and 4 cpl VR (which is 99% of your work) then by all means take my spot! I was just like you 10 years with my fingers in my ears saying la la la can't hear you just like you are now and the only thing I have to show for it is a big slice of humble pie served with a side of crow.

You are an adult free to make your choice of course, but if you decide to become an MT and waste all that time and all that money and all that education for a dying career (which is what I heard 10 years ago) and then maybe get an MT position as a newbie and then see your first paycheck, then maybe you'll get it. Good luck.

How about 6 and 3 cents? Can you live on that? - Old and Tired MT

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I have over 40 years of experience, was a CMT, and that's was I was offered for my "experience". How much do you think you will make as a total newbie? The reason all these companies have jobs listed is because the pay sucks, the jobs suck, the companies suck, and the hours suck. So go for it if you think you are going to make more than minimum wage. You would be better off working at McDonald's. At least there you would have a regular shift and wouldn't be sitting in front of a computer screen seeing NJA your whole shift and at least making an hourly minimum wage. No production here = no pay. You can't live on that.

Point is - Yes, they hire, but...

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...will you have work once they hire you?

No, you did not research the career before you asked which school. You believed biased companies who just want to hire you and keep you dangling for when there's an Indian holiday, etc.

Okay, I've said enough. Carry on, darling.

Make sure you learn keypunch operating - as a back-up career

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.

Information - Pamela

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See the funny part is this is part of my research and all of you are jumping off the deep end and in an unapproachable manner. I have had maybe two people respond with courteous, intelligent answers. With that being said, I have not signed anything yet. I am still doing my research to determine. I need a work from home job, and am trying to find it due to my situation. I am a great typist and can do data entry. I type between 55-60 cwpm. So that was why I was considering, but maybe there is another area. IDK, but I was looking for intelligent insight. Thank you and Good luck

Exactly - xx

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When you don't hear what you want, shoot the messenger(s).

You think 55-60 wpm is fast? - Tired MT

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I can type at least 110 wpm and it does me no good because most of the work nowadays is VR anyway. You seem determined, so go do it. Just don't say later on that we didn't warn you. I've been doing MT for over 40 years and I have seen this so-called "profession" go deeper into the toilet every year. If I was younger, I would definitely find another more lucrative career. This one is definitely on its way out, just like being a telephone operator, comptometer operator, keypunch, or stenographer in the "olden days".

Intelligent insight? You got it but didn't want to hear it! - clb

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I'm telling you as an MT (as the rest of us are too) that this is not a career you want to get into. We are not being meanies or haters or whatever! If MT was so great and paid great then we would say that and invite you on board the MT train and tell you which MTSO is the best! But since we are advising you to not do this profession then it's for a good reason and we all speak from experience. You just didn't like what you were told. I was you back then too and I'm trying to save you the BS I went through. I wanted a job where I could be at home with my kids and still have a career and be mommy and make money on the side. That's not how MT works. You don't get to pick and choose your hours (unless you're IC) and you have line count requirements to meet and QA to meet and get paid production only, so no jobs to edit/type means no pay. My first paycheck for 2 weeks of FT work production pay only was less than $100 FOR TWO WEEKS! I stupidly listened to others and didn't go into rad tech like I originally wanted but chose MT instead, and I'm regretting it everyday since! I'm sitting here with NJA as we speak waiting for work and NOT BEING PAID right now. Do you really want this? You will give up way more than you gain with MT. Please go to school for something else. I can't tell you any nicer.

Intelligent, courteous answer. (added more!!!) - Informaticist

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My education is similar to yours. Here is my take on it.

MT is not "data entry." It is a highly skilled occupation requiring the auditory analysis and interpretation of complex medical information delivered at speeds that greatly exceed normal speech and with foreground noise that almost obliterates it. It requires the auditory separation of layers of sound to pick up muffled, slurred, abbreviated sounds; using an extensive knowledge of medicine and typical medical content to decrypt it; and writing it using mdical style rules.

The "extensive knowledge" includes the content of standard medical reports, the pathophysiology of human diseases and anatomy, the purpose and normal range values of laboratory tests, the purpose and manner of performing diagnostic tests, the classifications, indications, dosage forms, route of administration, and usual doses of all drugs, and the terminology, method of performing, and typical content of surgical operations and medical procedures.

As for typing 55-60 wpm, well, that is not the same as transcribing speed. Transcribing speed is half of your typing speed. Most MTs type at rates exceeding 120 wpm, to transcribe at 60+. They need that speed to reach productivity standards. You would be working at less than half of that, 25 wpm, which would not be enough to stay employed, much less earn a living.

If you plan to learn this, your only option now is Andrews, because the big MTSOs only accept grads from them and one other school, and the other seems to have low success rates in terms of completion and staying employed. Andrews will take a year and cost $3800. Getting up to speed on the job will take a year or two more.

Your child at that point will be in school (public, because you can't afford anything else) and your new job will be even more moribund than it is now, and you will be looking for an alternative.

If you have an MBA, you should be able to see the long-term strategic implications of this decision a lot better than you have. Spending a year in school to earn less than minimum wage in a dying field is not smart.

Don't think that you can just go back to a better job when you please, either. That self-employed and/or at-home "MT" thing is going to haunt you. Nobody, but nobody is going to hire you after that. If they don't think it showed bad judgement, your credit report will get you.

I think you need to consider that what you do now will affect your daughter's entire life. Choosing a low-income, sweat-shop job now condemns her. What about health care? There is a reason low-income people have bad teeth and poor health, you know. What about good food? Nice clothes? Great education? The right kinds of friends?

How the heck do you plan to pay for her college???

There are better options. Since you will have to spend a year or so learning anyway, you might as well learn something that will benefit you. Maybe even something that will use that MBA, hmm?

With your education, you can qualify to sit for the American Health Information Management Association's RHIA exam with a post-baccalaureate certificate in health information administration. MBAs with an RHIA qualify for excellent jobs in a stable industry. There are an increasing number of remote jobs in that field.

You can do it in a year, possibly less, at reasonable cost, at the University of Toledo. Or, another option would be a second bachelor's in informatics from Western Governors University. Given your previous education and obvious inteligence, you should be able to get through it very quickly because their program allows you to set your own pace. I would guess a year there, as well. If you really like computers, that is a good choice. It is also a good choice in that their graduates have 100% pass rates on the CCA and RHIA exams, as well as several computer certifications. Do whichever costs less and is fastest.

I would recommend coding, but your education allows you to do the RHIA fast enough that there would be little advantage in doing a coding program first. There are remote coding positions, but most require experience. But, they do often require an RHIA, so that would help you. I do know coders who went home very quickly, though.

My choice, if faced with this, and I pretty much was, would not be a lifetime of low income just so I could do daycare right now. You need to balance the short and long-term better.

An option would be to get the RHIA and see if you can get a remote coding position. If you can't, there are lots of jobs for RHIAs that might be remote. One possibility is the VA, which has a 2-year training program in HIM for RHIAs. It is paid and leads directly to a GS-11 job. A GS-12, 13, or 14 would likely result in a few years.I think there is some amount of student loan credit with the VA, as well. The pay is high, with superb benefits that equal 30% of the pay, and some locations have child care. There are a lot of remote positions, too, which you would be eligible for after a few years.

Maybe you can think outside the box to figure out a way to swing that. It would involve some difficulties for a few years, but the benefits would be good. And you would be using your MBA.

If you are still insistent on staying at home because of the need to do child care, and if you cannot see the ramifications of this or any other solutions, I think you need to consider that your actions are being driven by depression or grief over your child's father's death and the loss of your job. Get some counseling by a medical professional, please.

You cannot protect your daughter or save her by clinging to her at home. Get out and get a real job so you can make a decent life for yourselves.

If you insist on staying home, consider a business on E-bay or Amazon. You have the education to do it. You should also be able to write books to sell in electronic form on Amazon. Try cookbooks.

yep, pretty much sums it up - sm

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Although some of us are still making more than minimum wage, and I haven't completely lost hope that someone might hire me for some sort of on-site job somewhere, sometime.

Medical Coding - Pamela

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So do you feel the same regarding Coding and Billing or is that a field worth pursing. I know they are doing that from home as well. And 55-60 CWPM for someone who has had no transcription experience. I would say it is a decent amount yes.

I think that's a better choice - billing and coding

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some will tell you it will soon all be sent to India too, but I'm not sure I agree. The problem is, before you can work at home effectively, you need a few years experience inhouse.

working from home - been there

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Pamela, I too got involved in transcription way back when believing it was the perfect stay at home mom job. I had no clue what it actually entailed and how much this job requires your 100% full attention. I thought I would work when the baby napped, etc. This was during a time when this was a true per diem job. You could get up and down, and as long as you got your got your lines in, nobody really cared your exact hours day to day.

What I didn't know was that this is a job that takes 100% attention. I ended up having to put my kids in daycare anyway, at least part time, to get uninterrupted time to work.

Now, I don't have any idea how a transcriptionist can work from home and keep a 20-month-old. You are tied to a time clock and required to work weekends and holidays, when you can't find a daycare to help out. Then you are without jobs during your shift and have to work extra hours into the evening when the work is there to get your minimum. Bottom line, the companies want you to work hourly and per diem, sitting at your desk when you are supposed to be and per diem when you don't get enough work.

I think it would be almost impossible to keep your child at home and do this job these days. You are better off finding something else.

Information - Pamela

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She goes to school from 8-2. I would have clear 6 hours that I could work steady. Then after putting her to bed, I could pick up a couple. Put this is why, I am asking all the questions. Since, it is only me, her Dad died, my parents are older, I had her late in life, I am trying to figure what would be best for us. I have my MBA and in this economy it has done nothing for me in 6 years. So I was pursuing a different avenue, just not sure which one yet.

Two thoughts on that - sm

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I think you have pie-in-the-sky ideas about the nature of this work, whether it is MT or coding. It isn't surprising that you would have those ideas, because they match the hype that goes around about how great it is to work at home in a mommy job. I don't know where you got them, but they are typical misconceptions.

You t77hhsnk you can work 6 hours while your child is in school, then "pick up" a few more after she goes to bed. Why would you think an employer would allow that? Why would you think work would be available during those 6 hours and again when you felt like "picking up" a few more? Further, that schedule is NOW. You won't be able to even look for a job for a year or more. Don't you think things will change? And how long is it going to take before you can type continuously for even 1 hour straight, much less 6?

2. I don't mean to be rude by this, but it is something you need to consider. The writing in your posts is not adequate for MT work. Your sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and the way you express yourself are not at the level one would associate with success in MT. It isn't something you can learn, either. 77

Thank you for saying that - xx

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I expect most of us have noticed the inadequate written language skills in the OP's comments but just didn't want to go there. And you're right: It's not something that can be acquired in adulthood, at least not easily and not quickly. It is something that develops over a lifetime.

Unfortunately, she does not seem to grasp what is involved in MT work or that she will not be in control of her work or her schedule. She knows one person who is happy with her MT job, so that's going to be her benchmark. She needs to take into account that that person is not a newbie and that that happy MT could very well find herself in the same boat with the rest of us sooner rather than later.

We didn't tell her what she wanted to hear, so that must mean that we're just a bunch of bitter, burnt-out meanies who want to rain on her parade.

That Career Step ad must be a doozy.

Seems - Pamela

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You are right, I would never want to be a MT, with a bunch of hypocritical witches, that I just met. Wow, I have never met such a group of people, who are so miserable in what they do. And want to criticize someone who is inquiring. I thought this was a forum to speak not be grammatically correct. I am glad, I found out in advance, so I don't make that mistake.I am guessing all of you have Bachelors and MBA's from accredited Colleges. lol

There must have been - xx

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a sale on commas somewhere.

You seem to believe - that your education

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--such as it is-- is so vastly superior to that of any MT here that it entitles you to dismiss us as ignorant and worthless. You are choosing to be insulted because you seem to feel that your BA and MBA from two third-rate schools most people have never heard of makes you superior to all of us. (Here's a free piece of advice: If you have to point out that a school is "accredited," or if that's the best that can be said about it, then it's not really all that great. Just sayin'.)

You would likely be astonished and humbled at the education levels of many of the people you are looking down on. Many of us are vastly better educated than you. Your writing, word choice, and punctuation reveal your true educational background, which is something any good MT would notice immediately, and we did. You think your communication style is all right because you don't know any better. You don't know what you don't know, so you just lash out when it's pointed out to you rather than giving it any thought.

We don't need your approval, and we don't need your advice. You came here for our advice. We gave it to you. You didn't like what you heard, which was simply the truth, so you responded by calling us names. You might want to try different tactics as you move forward in your search for a career.

Yes - Pamela

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You are correct, I came here looking for advice, a friend who is an MT referred me to this site. When I told her all that was being said she was in astonishment. Let me assure you I don't think I am better than anyone. If you read the post there were individuals questioning where my education was from. So that was the point. I was not an English major, nor have I ever done transcription, no I would not be as accurate, that does not mean someone cannot be trained. Unlike some here, I feel you can learn something new everyday. I was not looking to be criticized because I questioned if it was a good field. I spoke with a friend who is a Radiology Tech, she said interesting that you say it is a dying breed that their Radiologist are having to do their own transcription. So it is interesting the diverse opinion regarding this job. Such as it is, I have received the information I need.

Interesting you say that - Pamela

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So many people go to school for and managed to get jobs.... Yet you can't be taught that. Last I checked this was not a grammatically correct forum. I am not sure but you seem to be the one who thinks she is all that and then some. So good luck to you. It seems there are some professionals on here who could give valuable advice. But rather than doing that you want to bash someone. I did not say I was an MT, I simply come inquiring due to my situation. And rest assured you work 8 hour when you go to work. How many of those are actually work compared to socializing. Really, I have my education apparently you think I am stupid/ignorant. And I am far from that.

Excuse me, but did you READ my post??? - Informaticist

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I told you how you would stand with coding. That is what you are calling "Medical Coding and Billing."

Sure, you can start with that. Just be aware that you will have to really struggle to get a remote coding job right away.

You need to be aware that billing pays poorly. Billing is not a field offering advancement into HIM. You want to do only coding because coding pays. Coding offers advancement into HIM fields.

Schools often call their programs C&B because they teach some billing concepts that coders need to know. After completing them, you do coding, not billing. In a pinch, you could do billing, too. (However, schools calling it B&C, the opposite, teach medical front office billing, which is not coding and does not allow you to do a coder's job. That is because coding requires formal certification by AAPC and/or AHIMA, which you cannot pass or qualify for with a B&C course.)

Some coding programs teach only outpatient coding. Some teach inpatient as well. Colleges may teach either and take 18 months. The pass rates on certification exams for graduates of those programs are very low. Most cannot even attempt the CCS.

Andrews teaches both, teaches them separately, and qualifies you to take AHIMA's CCS exam, I believe. It is a year, but you can do it faster. You can take the CPC exam about halfway through. It is 3800, with qualified, working instructors, and everything included. Pass rates on cert exams are good.

When you are ready to find a job, you will discover that most remote jobs require an RHIA or CCS, plus experience. I have known people to get hired with no experience, but not very many.

Which brings us back to where we started. I told you initially to do the CHIA program at UToledo (a year) or the informatics program at WGU, so that you can take and pass the RHIA exam and the CCA exam. For about the same investment of time and money, plus availability of student loans, you can learn everything in HIM including CODING, and get the RHIA you need for a remote coding job with a reputable company. And, ALSO QUALIFY FOR EVEN THE HIGHEST LEVELJOBS IN HIM AND INFORMATICS. Many of which are remote. Which you will need if you cannot get or keep a remote coding job.

You need to visit the AAPC and AHIMA websites to find out what these careers entail, and the salaries. Right now, you appear to be operating with low-rent ideas gleaned from mommy magazines and people who don't know much better.

I cannot fathom why an MBA would choose to spend $X and a year to make 32K or less, when you could spend about the same to make $60-120 and potentially more.

Two more points to make. One is that if you had done your research on this board and elsewhere, you would have seen the above several times over. That is why people are annoyed with you -- you exhibit an attitude of entitlement and appear to be expecting spoon-feeding.

The other is that there are NO jobs ... NONE ... where you can juggle a small child while working. The whole "mommy job" bit is nonsense. It does not matter if it is MT, billing, coding, or anything else. Jobs now come with the expectation that you will be highly productive, attentive, creative, and professional. It isn't home crafts or envelope stuffing. It is WORK. We have remote employees, and we can tell exactly what they do every minute of the day. We can tell every time they get up from their computer. We do not expect to hear dogs barking, vacuums running, TVs and radios on, or children going "mommy, mommy, mommy" or playing with noisy toys on conference calls. We expect to see a professional appearance on video, too.

You are going to need daycare no matter what. Wouldn't it be better to go with a career field that will allow you to afford it???

You are barking up the wrong tree with MT and with billing. Coding is fine, but if you have a bachelor's and an MBA that are not from a diploma mill, it makes a lot more sense to do an RHIA program. You can code with it, and you really need it to code remotely, and you can use it to get other jobs in HIM. To me, this is a no-brainer. It is a simple cost-benefit analysis.

Great post - xx

[ In Reply To ..]
And given the way the OPs posts are written, you've probably nailed it with "diploma mill."

Education - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
No, research Florida Southern College, please, it is very highly recommended.

Information - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
Well, considering she is my only child, and I had her late in life, and her dad died when she was 4 and a half months old it has been a struggle to try to figure out where I am to go. Secondly no, my education is from Florida Southern College, a private college in Florida, highly recommended and Webster University. But in this economy I have not seen any jobs that pay. People in sales maybe for medical. Maybe IT. That is about it. Which leads me back to the original question. So you are saying that Career Step which offers the Medical Coding and Billing is one that you would not suggest. Because that was my original question. Not whether I should go into Medical Transcription or not. I was still doing the research, but everyone jumped on that bandwagon before I even got that far. I was trying to determine if the school was worth considering.

Thank you - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
Before departing this site, I wanted to say thank you for the information. I realize I may not be an English Major, which was not my intent ever. That does not mean I cannot do other things well and that I cannot be taught. Seems many people on this page are very negative. But I did want to say thank you for your input and explanation.

Thank you very much - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
This is what I was looking for. I didn't come here to just cause drama. I am truly, trying to figure how to restructure my life and career to do better for me and my daughter. I will research the RHIA. I have no idea what that is. But these are things that I wanted to know. My background was Human Resources until 2007 when we were on the chopping block first and it has been a struggle since. I did not get my MBA until 2008 and has yet to do anything but sit in a drawer for me. I truly do not if the Post Traumatic has caused me to be like this, but I really want to minimize my outside contact. I just want to work and be productive and take care of my daughter.

Thank you again - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
I went to Univ of Toledo's website. They even offer a scholarship for out of state online students. I have sent an email to get them to send me information. I really appreciate your help. I was looking for some guidance. I appreciate you taking the time to provide me all of that information.

More info on - RHIA etc

[ In Reply To ..]
See the links to the Career Map and Salary Survey on this page ... http://www.ahima.org/careers/careerprep

http://www.ahima.org/careers/healthinfo

Health information management (HIM) is the practice of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care. HIM professionals are highly trained in the latest information management technology applications andÂ understand the workflow in any healthcare provider organization from large hospital systems to the private physician practice. They are vital to the daily operations management of health information and electronic health records.

Health information management professionals work in a variety of different settings and job titles. They often serve in bridge roles, connecting clinical, operational, and administrative functions. These professionals affect the quality of patient information and patient care at every touch pointâ�� in the healthcare delivery cycle. Having skilled HIM professionals on staff ensures an organization has the right information on hand when and where it is needed while maintaining the highest standards of data integrity, confidentiality, and security.
Â
Health information technology refers to the framework used to manage health information,Â and the exchange ofÂ health information in a digital format.Â Professionals who
work in health IT are focused on the technical side of managing health information, working with software and hardware used to manage and store patient data. HIT professionals are usually from Information Technology backgrounds, and provide support for electronic health records and otherÂ systems HIM professionalsÂ use to secure health information. Â

Health Informatics (HI) is a science that defines how health information is technically captured, transmitted and utilized. Health informatics focuses on information systems, informatics principles, and information technology as it is applied to the continuum of healthcare delivery. It is an integrated discipline with specialty domains that include management science, management engineering principles, healthcare delivery and public health, patient safety, information science and computer technology. Health Informatics programs demonstrate uniqueness by offering varied options for practice or research focus.

There are four major focus research areas in informatics education reflecting various disciplines:

Medical/Bio Informatics â�� physician and research based, attracts medical students
Nursing Informatics â�� clinical and research based, attracts nursing students
Public Health Informatics â�� public health and biosurveillance based, attracts public health students
Applied Informatics â�� addresses the flow of medical information in an electronic environment and covers process, policy and technological solutions, attracts HIM students

Information - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
So I am guessing here, but they teach you CCS in the RHIA program? I am asking because of the information you sent it seems, that the CCS are making the highest salary. From what I could see.
Thank you again

Final - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you to the informacist, you are the only person who provided valuable feed back regarding my questions really. And to alli for acknowledging and sending condolences.

Give me two minutes of your time, Pamela - DonnaD717

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi, Pamela -- first of all, I'm so sorry for your loss. There's no way this can be anything but a nightmare for you, and I understand the desire to want to stay away from people right now. I don't know that that's best psychologically in the long run, but that's a whole other discussion.

Usually, I'd agree that quite a few on this board can be snippy. In this instance though, I don't see them as snippy as much as determined to save you from making a huge mistake.

I went to MT school in '06 and have worked approximately 1 month total in MT -- the rest of my very viable career has been general and legal transcription. There's also entertainment transcription, which I am not proficient in. MT is just -- seriously -- not the way to go.

I understand the desire to work from home so badly that no one could convince you otherwise. I was the same way and, fortunately, was able to salvage a career, but it has taken eight years to get to this point. Make sure you have that kind of time to invest and money to live on if that's going to be your final choice.

Let me advise you too that my son is 13 and can make himself dinner on the fly when I have to work yet another 12, 14, 16 hour day to meet deadlines/rent. There's so many nuances to this business that people "looking in the window" just don't see, and I truly believe everyone is only trying to help you.

I wish you the best, Pamela.

Okay, here is what happened - see msg please

[ In Reply To ..]
You came on as if you had already made a decision to go into MT, and were researching schools. You didn't really come on asking what to expect in the career, and it became quite obvious that you hadn't researched the career itself before making your decision to go into MT.

Good luck to you whatever you decide.

Actually - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
I had spoken with someone personally, who is currently doing it from home, and unlike everyone here, they are happy in what they are doing. So idk. I was quite taken aback by the whole situation.

additionally - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
From what I have seen on the above posts, what some of you are making is what I was making or more, and I was getting up and going to work every day and having to pay partial day care. Taking that all into consideration, I would be in a better situation. But I still appreciate the information because, if it is as bad as you say going with the RHIA on a scholarship is a much better idea.

Typesetting is a good plan C, in case the first 2 don't work out. - see message

[ In Reply To ..]
After 20 years of MT, I finally am halfway out, at least I don't work from home anymore and I'd kill myself before I would work for a service again. I worked for services for a little more than 15 years and I forgot how it was to be treated well until I went back out of my house to work in a medical office last year. Trust me, you forget.

There is no way, ever, under any circumstances that I would advise anyone to go into medical transcription. Its gone. Your wages will be competing with India's and they work for nothing. It has all been outsourced. At the clinic level, it has almost entirely been converted to electronic health record. There are no more transcriptionists there. Too few to count.

Go to school for coding or even better yet, one of the professional credentials like nursing, lab, radiology, etc. You can't outsource that.

So.. - Pamela

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't want to deal with people, hence the other professions. But I am seriously considering the Online at U of Toledo. I appreciate all of the input and information that was given that pointed me in a better direction.

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