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

For those of you going back to school, what's your major? - WebQA

Posted: Sep 29, 2010

I'm majoring in Information technology and specializing in health informatics but I'm curious to know what other areas people are going into at school after job loss. What are you going to school for?

re: webqa - major minor

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Quantum physics. (for real)

That's great but do you think it'll help you get a job in coding? - Poppy :)

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Congrats, Major Minor! When you unscrew the universe, please drop by and tell us what you find.

My 5-year plan (that's when mortage is paid off)... - Hayseed

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Is to get into some sort of nursing program. That is, if I can even get INTO the local program here. Lots of competition and they actually are turning people away.

I ideally would love to be a surgical tech or whatever the person is called who hands instruments to the surgeon and stuff. I have no idea what it all entails. I would love to be the actual surgeon, but I'm not too bright, not at all self-confident, and certainly not of the financial means to get there. ...and after watching a documentary on what it takes to become an MD, I definitely don't have the energy either.

But, that job sounds like it would be pretty fun and interesting and I would still get to see stuff. I like the "stuff." At the very least, being a medical assistant sounds fun too, but I'd prefer working with geriatrics as opposed to kids. Kids scare the crap out of me for some reason.
:-D

5-year plan - anon

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Yes, surgical tech can be, at the very least, interesting, but also tough. Have you ever worked with surgeons? Very demanding, inflated egos (not all, but some), but in the OR, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide. Medical assistant don't pay very well as they are usually hospital based. Nursing really is the way to go. I am not trying to discourage you and I commend you for choosing a different career. I guess what I am trying to say is, choose carefully. While a job "sounds fun and interesting," consider all aspects before you choose. This is a major life change and you want to make the best choice you can. I mention this only because I have worked in the Dept. of Surgery and it is fast past and stressful. I only wish I were younger so I could go into a nursing program that I was unable to attend when I was younger and raising my family alone. I wish you the best of luck in whatever you do.

5 year plan correction - should be fast paced. nm - anon

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nm

(We knew you new.) - :) NM

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Too old for nursing, or that's where I'd head. Great field with enormous range of possibilities. Most of all, though, it's important work.

Thank you for the insight! - Hayseed

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I have actually worked for a couple of surgeons in the past, just as a lowly secretary, and I'm remembering what you mean about egos and Jekyll and Hyde! I do tend to cry easy too! LOL!

Meh, it's just a dream, and I figure now that I'm older my fear is that I would be reprimanded for telling them where they can stick their 'tudes! Once the mortgage is paid though, that's it for bills and I could comfortably survive on what a MA earns and maybe I'll seriously look at going that route.

I do know I miss working directly with patients and I always enjoyed the seniors especially...even the cantankerous ones! Never know what time will bring.

:-)

Hayseed - anon

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Hehe!! You don't know how I had to bite my tongue many years ago because I needed to support my kids. I honestly don't know if I could "work" in an out of home environment again. The older I get, the less crap I put up with. Along with you, I would tell them what to do with their "tudes" and their "scalpels." Have a good day!

Love your choice! - Redpen

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That's an interesting choice, WebQA! I'm glad you're doing something out of the ordinary . . . something challenging.

It's important to do that. We often see people who want to do coding, but aim only for the lowest possible goals in coding. They think "entry level" without realizing that the wealth of experience and knowledge they already have would enable them to get a certification straight off, enter the profession at a higher level, and advance rapidly. They often don't even see themselves as having advancement potential, or see advancement as something "other people" will do.

A lot of the advice we get seems to limit how we perceive ourselves. We can be the fulfillment of our advisors' expectations rather than the fulfillment of our true potential.

I've known several highly accomplished people who did exactly what you are doing, WebQA. They all said that when what they had been doing fizzled out, they chose the hardest thing they could find to study and just did it. There are two surgeons and a world-class molecular biologist among them.

My point in sharing this is to offer encouragement and support for you, WebQA, but also to encourage everyone else to look higher than you might be looking right now. Don't sell yourself short because of the expectations of others.

If you are considering making a change from MT to something else in the HIM field, like coding, think higher rather than lower. Believe that you already know much of what you'll need. Believe that you can learn the rest faster and more easily because of it. Believe that you should approach certification exams sooner rather than later. Believe that your advancement potential is higher rather than lower.

encouragement - Excellentadvice-nm

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nm

Here's a great story....(sm) - Yochana

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My dad is a friend to this doctor in our small town. This doctor was a carpenter and decided he wanted to be a doctor....the problem was...he was nearing 40. When he presented to the board as to why he wanted to go to med school, etc. etc., the board thought he was too old to go to med school and he would not have enough useful years to be a doctor to merit going to school. Then one guy on the board spoke up...."Now wait a minute. How do you know how long this fellow is going to live? (The guy that spoke up was a doctor in his 90s). So they eventually agreed to let this guy go to med school. Fast forward today....Dr.XX is 90 years old and is still practicing in our small town!!!! Everyone wanting a new career whether old or young...GO FOR IT.

great story - ...

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.

Good advice Redpen - SM - Anonymous

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And thank you for the words of encouragement. I've been an MT for 35 years and began a coding program in May. I'm 56 and you probably would look upon me as an "under achiever" but truthfully I do not have high expectations for advancement in the coding world. To begin with, it was a "plan B" in case my transcription job folded. I'll be satisfied to obtain my certification and find employment doing outpatient coding so that I can have a job until I am ready to retire. I am not embarrassed to admit that I don't already know what I am going to need, that is not because I don't recognize my potential, that is merely stating a fact. I am probably learning more quickly than many, but trying to hold down a 40-hour a week job in addition to studying has not been easy for me. Working as an MT helps immensely, though. Yesterday I actually caught a coding error made by one of our providers that was dictated into a report. I certainly have a new respect for people who are already working as coders, it is not an easy job and I had no idea the knowledge a person needs until I started school. I've been in the working world long enough to know that people fresh out of school and newly certified don't walk in and land high-level jobs. As with any field, a person works their way up and gains experience along the way. I'm sure I have the potential to advance if I choose to do so, but I don't expect it to happen overnight. It's great that you are so positive about coding and offer so much encouragement, but maybe that needs to be tempered with a little reality too.

An angel! - WebQA

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Thank you for your words of encouragement. They really help and do not fall on deaf ears. I am so excited to be branching into something new. I hope this opens doors for me and others, too. Bless you!

wow -- - you go!

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.

certified translator: English/German - bil

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nm

Health Information Management - OlderMT

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I have plans to enroll in courses in Health Information Management (bachelor's degree), then my master's degree and then my doctorate in HIM. I have no idea where that will take me, but I have decided to take what I have learned as an MT since the age of 19 (I am now 42) and put it to use instead of starting over from scratch. I plan to study hard in the meantime and try to land a job in coding (did a bit of that a few years ago) and when the Transcription Titanic finally goes down, hopefully I will be in one of the life boats with a job in coding and working on furthering my education. I definitely want to stay in this field, but there is no way I could be a nurse. I faint at the site of blood!

ETA: I just wanted to edit this to say that I have changed my major to Health Services Administration (Bachelor of Science degree). While there are many opportunities that would be available with a bachelor's degree in HIM, I feel that I would have more options with the bachelor's degree in HSA. There are several areas in both fields that essentially "cross-over", so either one is definitely a feasible course; however, I have decided that HSA is the path I want to take. Good luck to all of you who are considering going back to school!!!

Masters degree in psychology...nm - nm

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nm

This site is a great place for studying odd behavior....I could NOT resist!!! LOL - lovespsych

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nm

Odd behavior: You're here too... - Anonymous

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What does that say about you?

It says that I am as nutty as the next...lighten up...geeeesh! - lovespsych

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nm

I am in my second semester of nursing - tiredoftyping

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after a full year of pre-reqs and am hoping to continue on to my BSN. Working full-time third shift, going to school full-time during the day and trying to still be a mom is very hard but don't let anyone tell you its impossible. One of my favorite quotes - Have faith in yourself and will achieve, miracles happen when you believe!

Going back to school - anon

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I would love to go back to school if I were younger. I am 64 years old and just do not have the energy to put into school, especially since, if and when I finished school, who would hire someone over 65??? Unfortunately I could not go to school when I was younger. I was busy raising my girls alone and trying to work 1, sometimes 2 jobs to make ends meet so they could be the best they could be and they are. My oldest is 43 with a family, is a paramedic and going to nursing school and my youngest has been an administrative assistant at a major hospital and going to night school for business administration, so I guess I did ok! BEST OF LUCK to all who choose to go back to school

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