I remember the days when... - Just reminiscing sm

Fresh out of a local vocational school for MT back in 1993,  I met with an established local MT, who allowed me to do a little of her work (with pay) to see how I would do because she wanted someone to take over on Fridays so she could have that day off. 

Within a few months, she partnered with another transcriptionist in town for a separate account and gave me all the work from group that she was doing!  It was 5 docs and 2 NPs.  I did the work at her house on her computer.

She was getting paid .10 a line by the facility and paid me .08 a line (gross line).  That wonderful gig lasted about 1-1/2 years before the facility decided to go with a different MT company that ofered to charge them LESS.

Those were the days.  I made more then than I do now, obviously.

I was totally spoiled getting such a great-paying MT gig right out of school at .08 gross line.  After that, I never really made as much money, at least not on a long-term basis.

I did assume, though, that after a few years experience, I'd be making the "big bucks," because I'd always thought that if you stayed at a job for a number of years, showed dependability and how much of an asset you are, and kept up to date on industry advances, tools and technology that you'd be rewarded and sort of "move up the ladder" over the years.

WRONG-O!  Not in this "profession."

I totally regret going to school to become an MT.  I should've gone for something where I could have advanced professionally and financially over all these years.

Ah well, just reminiscing. Time to move on, can't go back.  Going to school for HIM/coding next month, finally getting that associates degree.  Oh, and I'm coming up on 50 years old.

Wish I would've done that back in 1993 (or anything ELSE but MT) but oh well I didn't. I've never regretted anything in my life more than I have wasting my time (and my life, actually) on medical transcription. 

I just eat my heart out when I think that if I'd gone to school for something else back then, there's a greater chance that I'd be valued at whatever else I chose to do after 18-20 years of service.  It sucks, so I try not to think about it anymore.

But I hate to leave it on that sour note.  At least I'm moving on to something else.  At my age, it's going to be a challenge, but hey, I'm not dead yet so might as well continue on living, learning, moving forward.