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

MT training - reputable schools - Chrisitna

Posted: Sep 19, 2013

Hello,

Can someone reccomend a good MT course. It is for my mother. Her position as Medical Records Reviewer was phased out and she has had no luck finding a position since relocating to be with our family in Alabama. She also has a background in nursing.

Unfortunately, she is every salesmans' dream. She is currently considering CareerStep. Huge red flags there!

Also, schools that work with fasfa aould be even better.

Thanks in advance,

Christina

The school I attended no longer offers MT training because the job is being phased out too. - MTRockyRoad

[ In Reply To ..]
It's honestly a really horrible time to get into this profession. Many of us are experiencing low work or being laid off right now. In fact, I just applied to grocery stores in my area today because there's no security in this profession.

If your mom still wants to try it, I think Andrews has a good school (from word of mouth). The link is below. Also, I believe employers will hire grads from Andrews.

Your mom might want to look into general transcription as there are many companies offering work. Some of them require testing up front, and that would give her an idea of what it's like.

Good luck!

Hi Christina. Something to think about... - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
If you click on the boards to your left (Resume Bank and Job Wanted), you'll get an idea of how many experienced MTs are looking for a job. One company here said they get hundreds of applications for every job opening. Positions that pay well and offer flexibility are rare - most have been bought up the two national offshoring companies that have changed all that.

What About General Transcription? - Bah

[ In Reply To ..]
You said "Your mom might want to look into general transcriptoin as there are many companies offering work." Do you know of any specific companies, i.e., their names? And things like closed captioning--does it require additional training if one is already trained as a medical transcriptionist?

I have been an MT for 7 years. - jumping ship

[ In Reply To ..]
My job is getting phased out through an automated system. There will be some work left but what little left will be outsourced to India. I am afraid if your mother pursues training in this field she will be in the same boat she is in now. I would not recommend anyone wasting their money on this career.

Anything but MT - Me again

[ In Reply To ..]
With your mom's background in nursing and experience in records review, my suggestion would be coding rather than transcription. With her nursing background, she could abstract clinical data, consult or perform audits. The pay for those positions is good as well. She probably would not need to take a lot of courses or spend much money. I used to be an MT and now do records review because my MT job was phased out.

MT training - reputable schools - Chrisitna

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks for the candid advice. I was also encouraging her towards editing. Thinking this might be " the wave of the future" with current technology trends. Any thoughts????

Editing is the same thing! - Stay away from both!

[ In Reply To ..]
If your mother was a medical record reviewer, she should already know this. Going into anything transcription-related is crazy.

She aready has experiece in health information administration. Why isn't she working on an RHIT or RHIA? And why isn't she learning coding? Those are far better choices.

I would look into Cancer Registrar, Coding, something hands on related to nursing or even nursing. - CareerAdvice

[ In Reply To ..]
Check out the link below regarding cancer registars...

Editing is basically the somewhat evolved field of medical transcription. It's being offshored and is usually paid very little. MTs are having a tough time making ends meet as editors.

Anotier idea - Nick

[ In Reply To ..]
Might she consider becoming a medical paralegal? Firms who do med-mal, PI, etc. use them and they pay good money.

Wow! Looked up medical paralegal, and it looks interesting. - MTRockyRoad

[ In Reply To ..]
Found a school, too, that offers it:

Edmonds Community College

Christina - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
I would not advise anyone to go into MT right now, but if they insisted, the only school I would recommend would be Andrews. Here is something I have posted on here from time to time. Perhaps it will help your mother. Please keep in mind it was written two years ago. I think the smartest thing your mother could do would be to speak with Linda Andrews at the Andrews School. And no, I do not work for them, never have. Here is the post:
Several people have asked me if I think MT is still a viable career. Coincidentally, today as I was cleaning out some files, I found notes from a seminar I gave and thought I would summarize a few of the thoughts, hoping they might be of value to someone out there. (Moderator, if you don't feel this is appropriate, please just delete the post.) First, there are three "myths" to consider: 1. The myth that medical transcription is easy money. Many of the not so reliable schools push this idea and use it to exploit people. It makes me really disheartened that many people who do not have much money to begin with get taken in by this. Shame on the schools who do this! 2. The second myth is that it does not matter where you go to school; you can get a good medical transcription education anywhere. Again, another myth. The old saying that "you get what you pay for" really applies. When I am counseling people face to face, I always advise that the two things they MUST have from any program are the SUM program and real, live instructors. 3. The third myth is that you can always learn "the old fashioned way--on the job." That was true up until perhaps the end of the 70s; it is surely not true now. The marketplace and its structure (and pace) have changed too radically. When interviewing schools, ask questions: 1. Where are your graduates working? Can you give me the names of 2-3 grads who would be willing to share their experience with me? 2. How long has the school been in business? Is it a private entity? A sole proprietorship? Who are the principals? How are your instructors chosen? 3. Do your financial homework. Call the BBB and the Department of Business Regulation for the locality in which the school is registered. Have there been complaints? Have the complaints been satisfactorily resolved? 4. What form of financial aid do you offer? 5. How accessible are your instructors and by what means? E-mail only? Are telephone calls permitted/encouraged? 6. Does your school use authentic physician dictation such as in The SUM program? Or does it merely use scripts read by actors? 7. What type of follow-up does your school offer? Can I "retake" any portions of the course with which I have difficulty? How many tries do I have to pass the final? 8. What kind of placement program do you have? What percentage of your grads get placed? (There should not be a fee for placement.) 9. Utilize the wisdom of the "old salts"--ancient MTs like yours truly who have been in this business for decades. Most older MTs are happy to help newbies. Many people helped me when I was starting out, and in gratitude, I try to help people just starting. Those are just some thoughts that I culled from the seminar I did. I hope something in here helps someone. Have a great week!

stay away from MT - LadyWriter

[ In Reply To ..]
MT is being phased out faster than I can write this. That said, there used to be a tech school in Fennimore, WI, that offered transcription course online, and it was legit. Most of the courses you see online are just scams and again MT is being phasd out, so your mother would be wasting her money, regardless.

I can think of one school and then job following the program... - Mimi

[ In Reply To ..]
Inscribe. I think that might be a way to get working after the training, too. I don't think they pay very well, though, but they appear to have a decent program and the chance at a job, which the first job is the toughest part.

I went thru MPTC in West Bend, WI - AMT

[ In Reply To ..]
I think Moraine Park is a great tech college system. I graduated in 2007. Been MTing since 2008. But, Yes, I do agree with you it is phasing out. MPTC does not offer MT anymore at any campus location. I got into this field not knowing that editing would be my line of work with maybe 10% ST. If I went back to MPTC for another field, maybe 1 or 2 of my MT classes could transfer to a new medical field so I would basically be starting over from scratch and who has the time or money for a full-time college schedule anymore? My instructor was great, working on her doctorate (?) while I was there. I wonder what my instructor is up to now...

So yeah, I agree with not recommending this "career."

MT School - Out Soon

[ In Reply To ..]
Please please please - tell your mom to NOT waste a dime on schooling. As 90% of the others have posted, this field is almost DEAD. I have been in it for almost 30 years, Christina. It has done a complete 180 from just 10 years ago - low pay, no work, etc. Please, have your mom go into coding, nursing, cancer registrar, something else. MT is not the place to go.. just not.. sorry!!

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