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

MTs going back to school: Taking a poll - StillAnMT

Posted: Apr 15, 2013

There are a lot of posts on this board with MTs stating they are going back to school for various things. I'm headed in that direction myself and would love to know what you are going back to school for and what school (online, community college, etc.), and any other information you would like to share. Thank you in advance for the inspiration!

Diagnostic Medical Sonography - NJ

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There are only a handful of accredited programs in my state of NJ. Some are offered through medical schools, some through 4-year colleges, some through community colleges, and some through technical schools. There are BS programs, AAS programs, and certificate programs. Where I go will depend on cost, acceptance of application, and location.

Health Information Technology - sm

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I am an online student about to finish my AA degree and when done I will enroll in WGU to get my bachelor's degree in Health Informatics, all online.

American Sign Language Interpreting-- - and Deaf Studies

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I'm close to finishing my second semester at a local community college. This has been an interest of mine since I was a kid. Started a program for this about 15 years ago when I lived out of state but had to move back to my home state halfway through. A degree program wasn't offered anywhere locally until the last few years.

Right now I feel kind of burned out on the medical field but may look into a special certificate in medical interpreting down the road.

I'm taking all the MS Office basics, might take - bookkeeping and some graphics - sm

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as well. I'm not looking for an actual "career" (a little late in the game for me, in my 60s), but want as many skills as possible so I can get SOME kind of a job, SOMEwhere.

What Kind of Facility - Are you Taking the MS Office?

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Where are you taking your courses? We have a cultural center that offers courses reasonably cheap. I looked into that, but one of them was cancelled (the Excel part) because of lack of enough people. They also offered Publisher, but I'm not sure what will help me in a job.

Going back to school - Nick

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Law school.

RN - Okmt

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Nm

Back to School - FutureNurse

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I am currently finishing up pre-req. classes at a community college, and I hopefully will be starting at a private college to receive my BSN-RN.

I'm not currently going to school, - but if I were I would get trained in

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Growing food or self sustaining farm type of work. if everything goes away people still need to eat.

That's so great! I appreciate... - StillAnMT

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you taking the time to respond. It's a scary thought for me to even think of going back to school (I'm in my early 40s), but I find so much inspiration on this board. Best of luck to all of you!

StillAnMT - Old Pro

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Please don't be afraid. You can do it. When you do it and you finally break away from MT, you will be amazed at what a good world is really out there! Good luck!

I'm not ready to yet, but if I do, I will likely seek my master's in social work--nm - anon

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xx

Nurses Aid - tynkerbelle

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Nurses aid. Never dreamed I would be doing this. But...you get a regular wage. You work real hours. The training is cheap and it is a quick career training course.

Nurses Aide or Medical Assistant - Onward

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I'm considering the same thing as I'm nearing my mid 50s and do not want to accumulate a pile of student loans this close to retirement age. Also, I'm extremely fearful of not having employment as an MT much longer with the way things are going and thinking sooner is better than later.

I have an interview this week at the local community college and am actually feeling excited. Really tired of the struggle to make a pay check happen regularly in this industry. The company I work for has been very decent, but technology is emptying the coffers.

Nurse's aide here also, looking good... - betsy

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Doing it on Saturdays, 75 hours to get in, actually totally enjoying myself. Have 6 classmates from all different backgrounds, love the RN instructor, who's had years of experience and is full of practical advice. Saw 11 job openings in this field close by me this last weekend (STNA here in Ohio). Can work any shift. Never dreamed I'd even consider doing this but very glad I made the quick decision - it's not expensive to get, tests not difficult so far or time consuming. I expect to be working physically harder than I ever have in my life but again, I'm feeling hopeful, should be able to keep my home and will hopefully get employment quickly once I'm state tested. They even have job fairs here. I'd encourage anybody my age (58) to check out your local places like mine below for something similar. Very pleasantly surprised at the setup at OMCC. Were I younger, I'd go on to RN but this is challenging enough and should take me into retirement, God willing. Good luck to all!

http://ohiomcc.com/prostna.html

Nurse's Aide - Onward

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That sounds wonderful to me! I think age plays a factor in this decision making. I would love to become a radiology technologist, but I am not sure it makes sense in a return on investment point of view. I'd be about 58 when I'd finish the program and staring smackdab at retirement but with student loans! I really just need a decent-paying, stable position to carry me through and pay bills, etc.

taking 3 week nurse aid course and then office assistant - tynkerbelle

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i am saving up my vacation time and take the nurses aid course, at least then i will have a job skill. then after i get done with that course, i am going to take the medical office assistant program at the community college. i am starting this in september but only going part-time. they have these things called "medical scribes" now that pay like 10.00 an hour and they are pretty much the new wave of medical transcriptionists. they are part medical office assistant/part transcription/part gofer.

Just finished CNA but want to go on to PTA - So over this profession

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I went to a nearby technology center and passed the state exam to get my certification for nursing assistant, but I plan to work at that and still do more. I am thinking physical therapy assistant since I love the field of PT, orthopedics and rehab. I don't regret having been an MT, in the beginning it was great and did allow me to stay home with my youngest, but now he is a teen and able to function more on his own, and this profession has gone out the window, so it's time to move on.

My plan - rearviewMT

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I'm going to go through a coding program, get a better job, and then go through WGU for Health Informatics. I can't wait, so excited =]

Did you know - Cathy

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WGU has the coding program as part of the Health Informatics degree. I'm not sure if your coding program would be less expensive than doing it through WGU or not. I know if you already have the coding then you can skip it at WGU. I've been thinking about doing the same thing but not sure yet.

Funny you should mention that - rearviewMT

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I did consider just skipping coding (I've decided to go through Andrews) and going straight through to WGU. I decided against it because I've been out of the real-world working game so long I thought it would be better for me to ease myself in, so to say. I did also talk to some reps at WGU, as I was concerned about the IT side of it. They recommend that a student have previous EMR/back-door database experience, which I don't have (none of the Drs. I transcribe for use a platform). In any event, I decided it would be best to take it slow for now. I also hope to get on at a place that offers tuition reimbursement.. perfect for WGU =]

What are you leaning toward?

EMR/back-door database experience - TLCMT

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If this is what I think it is, I just got an account doing this. When completed dictation is ready, I access the office's EMR and copy/paste dictation to patient's medical record. If that sounds right, then it is good to know that this experience is marketable! That means for once, I might be ahead of the game on this one!

BACK TO SCHOOL AND THEN SOME - CINDY

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Went for CNA a year and a half ago been working for 1 year 3 months as CNA. Now going for LPN license and I'm 51, after 30 years as transcriptionist I never dreamed I would be doing this, but lost 30 pounds just by getting up and moving instead of sitting at the desk all day. And I lost that in the first 3 months of full time CNA. Much better than transcription.

That is EXACTLY my plan, too! - StillAnMT

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I'm in the process of enrolling to take a coding program at my community college, offered entirely online since that's the only way I can go back to school right now thanks to my job. I have literally the craziest non-schedule kind of thing going on at my job right now. I have to work whenever there happens to be work, so online school is perfect for me. I was also looking at going to WGU afterwards for Health Informatics. My intent, probably like yours, was to do something NOW that will get me a better job with more stability, then go for the big degree, which will obviously take a lot more time. There are many coding jobs in my area, plus the instructor at the college told me that with ICD-10 on the horizon, there will be a need for more coders. I don't know if coding will go the same way as MT as far as offshoring and technology taking over, but for now, it seems to be a good skill to know.

Health Informatics - TLCMT

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What is Health Informatics? Although I am still doing MT and enjoying it, never hurts to know about these things.

I hope I don't have to go back - to school

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I really don't want to. I'm trying to make money reselling tickets online.

Surgical Technology - Leaving MT

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I will have a diploma in August from a technical college, and our program director just announced that they are adding an AAS degree level program as well. I'll only have to take 2 more classes to get the AAS. I already have a BS in biology, so I am on the fence about it. It will probably depend on how well the job search goes. I am hoping to land a job not in a hospital but at a local company here that hires surgical tech students from this program to do tissue processing for wound-healing products that they make from donated placentas. This company just announced they are expanding and will be hiring right about the time I graduate. YESSSSS! I will be all over that, folks!

Real Estate - Carrie

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Out of healthcare all together! Always wanted to be in real estate and investments. Now is the time for me. Been doing MT & Editing for 28 years and lost my passion for it.

Say hello to your new Licensed Real Estate Agent! Many opportunities available and doors have opened up in areas I only dreamed of...

Where are you located? I am in Michigan. - tynkerbelle

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i am looking for a real-estate agent to help me find a cheap home. i am from the detroit area and there are tons of cheap houses around here. i am going to withdraw all the money out of my 403b and buy a house then rent it out. i can get an immediate return on my investment before the stock market totally tanks.

I am no where near Michigan, so sorry! Wish I was, I'd help you. - Carrie

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Look on Trulia and Zillow - lots of agents use those for advertising their listings.

Hope you find what you are looking for and best of luck to you!

I have one more class to go and then take my state license exam. So far, so good. I aced my final exam of my fist class. Hoping I know how to take state computer tests. Have not done that in a very long time. LOL!

Back to School poll - kae108

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Yep! 40 and back to school. Pursuing AS in Health Information Technology hoping to obtain RHIT and CCS certification for coding.

Back to college - Done

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I am going back to get my bachelor degree in healthcare management through Bellevue University. I started in January accepted into the accelerated program, I should be done in a year. I love it but its a lot of info all at once.

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