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

For those making little money (or who've had a big cut in pay) - sm - CuriousGeorgette

Posted: Feb 23, 2012

Day after day, I read comments here about people making less than minimum wage... or women who used to make a solid middle class living at this who now cry when they look at their W2... or who made in 2011 what they made in 1993.

I'm curious to know why you continue to put up with this. What is holding you back from seeking a better situation? What are your circumstances?

Do you have low self-esteem? Trapped in Appalachia with 2 hours to the closest hospital? Barely keeping a roof over your head and without a car to get to a better job? Gained a lot of weight over the years and nothing fits anymore? I read with interest the thread where so many were terrified/incapable of leaving their homes to even go to the store.

First time I laughed today ! - mt

[ In Reply To ..]
This post cracked me up. I'm one of those ragging about the above. And no, I'm not stuck in the mountains, do have a decent vehicle and yes, my clothes still fit. But after being here for almost 20 years, it IS scarey thinking about going out in the "real world" for a job. I plan on moving within the year and whereever I end up, I am definitely looking for something different. I don't care if it's admission clerk at a hospital or checkout at the grocery store. Anything has got to be better than the way MT has gone down over the years. Thanks again! You made me laugh today and you are so right. :)

Sadly, you could make more as an admitting clerk at a hospital. - CuriousGeorgette

[ In Reply To ..]
Best wishes. Sounds like you have a good plan in place.

I would love to go "out" to work (SM) - Sick of MT

[ In Reply To ..]
and no, I live no where near appalachia (but I hear it's beautiful), I do have a great lil SUV that I love and yes I still fit into my clothes.

Problem is, when people see I've been doing MT for 20+ years, guess what? They think that's all I'm qualified for so they'd rather hire some cute little bimbo to sit behind a desk and answer their phones, or do whatever.

They don't stop to realize that I have skills outside of MT and am fairly capable of being an administrative assistant, medical front office receptionist, big box store cashier, etc.

Nope, they see me having done the same job for 20+ years and that's all I'm good for.

I'm one of the lucky ones, I make decent money doing MT, I'm just so tired of being isolated and having no human contact, tired of being responsible for my workload and having no backup and tired of sitting behind a computer screen.

So Curious Georgette, we're not all idiots or are making crappy wages, some of us would just like a change of scenery and/or a less draining job.

For many of us this was going to be the career until we retired. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Now we have to wrap our brain around the fact that this is a dying career. For many of us age 50-60 it is not easy to join the job market. There is age decimation going on (believe me I have tried), the job market is not the best right now and going back to school is either too expensive, a scam or we are just not motivated. For me I have done all the education I really want to do and I do not want to waste a day doing something that makes me unhappy unless I am forced, life is too short, but if I have to do it to survive I will do it. Its Maslowâ��s law, this would place me at the bottom of the pyramid of survival. I used to love this career and I still enjoy facets of it (as nothing else has come along that is remotely exciting for a new career for me) or I would not plug away for 4 cents a line for VR. I, however, look everyday for a new exciting opportunity for me, so it is not like I am sitting around feeling sorry for myself or have low self-esteem, just the opposite, I think sometimes I feel too highly of myself but the employment world does not give one iota about me. I do have faith that this will change soon, however.

Here's a list of my circumstances: - s/msg

[ In Reply To ..]
1. I've been an MT for over 35 years. I'm good at it. I would rather keep trying to find work that will use my skills, rather than start all over again, especially since I'm 60+.

2. I'm 60+. Let's say I manage to find the $20,000 or so it would take to get a degree or credentialled in some other line of work. Does anyone honestly think they would hire a 65-year-old *newbie* at anything? Especially during a recession/depression, when younger, more highly-educated workers are a dime-a-dozen? I doubt it.

I can't even get a call-back most of the time when an MT job does open up. If they don't want an older, veteran MT now, why would someone in another business want someone whom they *assume* is going to retire in a couple years? There are a lot of us who will NEVER be able to retire.

3. Frankly, I'm becoming less and less motivated with each passing month, or year, to want to go full-bore again in the Commute-to-Work Game. Getting up before dawn so there's time to get dressed for work, driving an hour to work, or riding the bus or the train, fighting those 2:00 heavy-eyed blahs with 2 more cups of coffee, or some "5-Hour Energy", then back on the road again in even worse traffic, hoping to get home in time to at least eat dinner and do one load of laundry before it's time to go to sleep again and start all over again the next day.

4. I love where I live, and don't want to move. After years of hating where I lived, I got lucky, and now have an inexpensive studio apt. that I love. I love my landlords. I love my neighbors. I love my neighborhood. I love the weather. The only thing I hate, is not being able to enjoy it very much, because I'm always chained to this desk at home, trying to earn next month's rent, or auto insurance, or co-payment. It's an endless treadmill.

HOWEVER: I would still be willing to do the road warrior commute, lipstick-and-pantyhose thing again if I had the following:
_ A 40-hour work week.
_ REAL paid time off; not the extra-lines cr*p I get at my current MTSO.
- Actual healthcare benefits, not the basically useless, bare-bones minimum we have now. What good is health insurance if you still can't go to the doctor because you can't afford the co-payments? Isn't the whole idea of company health ins. and co-payments to make insurance accessible and affordable for the working person?

_ I miss being able to have a savings account, and emergency money. Now I freak out if my cat sneezes, or the car makes a funny noise, because I'm terrified it's gonna be another bill.

_ I miss being able to do things with my friends. Even coffee downtown costs money, so all too often, I have to decline invitations.

_ I miss being able to travel, even if it was on a limited basis. I used to be able to take a hard-earned week off work, jump in the car, and drive to the mountains, or the desert. I even took a couple trips overseas. Sad to think I'll never be able to do any of those things again.

_ I miss being able to shop, even just a little. No little special treats - gotta stick to that shopping list and only buy the bare-minimum staples. And sometimes there isn't even enough for that, either.

_ It really is true that the poorer you become, the smaller your life gets. I used to be able to go places and do things. I used to be able to stay in great physical shape. Now, most of the time the only time I get away from this desk is to take out the garbage on Tuesdays. Or bring in the mail. And a really big day is twice a month when I can go to the supermarket - my big outing - woop de do.

I made the biggest mistake of my life when I left an inhouse job to work at home for a national. I've been trying like crazy to undo that mistake, and get back into a better job, but as each year passes that I'm not finding anything, the more I'm realizing that the lousy situation I'm in now is probably going to be permanent. And will likely only get worse.

OP...your post made me snort soda out - of my nose.

[ In Reply To ..]
I probably should have been offended as I live in Appalachia, no lie, and the nearest tertiary hosp is just over an hour away, but the whole 114 lbs of me was nearly rolling in laughter. I became miserable (beyond, actually) when I was bought by the Q and my wages tanked because my work went to India, but I looked for another job, and huh, lo and behold, there are companies who respect their employees and pay decently. As plan B, though, I do have a 4WD Jeep if need be. :)

Care to give us the name of your employer who - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
still respects its employees and pays decently. Some of us would love to know who still does this. TIA

Won't have a job that requires that I wear shoes - Joking

[ In Reply To ..]
Joking, but that's probably a truth for some people.

So funny that you said that.... - ncmt

[ In Reply To ..]
When I first started my in-house job, I had a hard time getting used to the foot pedal with shoes on!!

Curious Georgette, If you wanted serious replies... - see message

[ In Reply To ..]
If you wanted serious replies, perhaps you should not come off as so condescending. No, us low-life fat hillbillies, who have no decent clothes to wear, do not want to drive our tractors to town to work at the drug store or the bank. Since we have been around so long, we can make just as much money doing what we do, even accepting the pay cuts. Retirement is less than 10 years away, so we swallow our pride and work like dogs, after we slop the hogs, to to try make it until then.

I really hope you do not one day find yourself in the same position as many nowadays, not just in the MT industry, who are in the position you speak of. You should never look down on people unless you are in the process of helping them up.

The purpose of your post does not matter. In order for you to truly insult me, I would have to value your opinion in the first place.

Huh? - CuriousGeorgette

[ In Reply To ..]
^

Curious Georgette - please ignore the poster with an attitude - anonyn

[ In Reply To ..]
Your post was hilarious. Just ignore her/him as they are just trying to start something, or maybe got up on the wrong side of the bed, or something to that effect. I had a giggle at your post as I am sure that is how you meant it.

Curious Georgette - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I thought her post was also condescending. Most of us have done this job for years and have seen our pay cut in half, our work load doubled. If you think we haven't tried to find other work, think again. No one wants experienced workers anymore. I am now 56. I have never NOT gotten a job I applied for until the last two years. If there is any inkling of my age on any part of my resume, I don't get the job, even though I am very qualified. Why pay for experience when you can hire someone else for slave wages?

No condescension meant. Sympathetic yet perplexed. - CuriousGeorgette

[ In Reply To ..]
As long as women women to send in resumes for jobs that pay very little, MT pay will only continue its downward spiral.

I'm trying to figure out why they stay. From observing here, it seems there are three camps: those who rationalize the low pay and can get by on it; those who don't want it/can't take it anymore, but are trapped somehow; and then there are those who are paralyzed by fear and/or low self-esteem. Frog in pot.

By the way, those reasons I listed were all posted here before - CuriousGeorgette

[ In Reply To ..]
including being without a car and out in the boondocks and also gaining a lot of weight and having no clothes that fit anymore. Those were real-life examples from this board. I was not making fun of anybody.

Why are people here so defensive and automatically jump to the worst conclusions about their colleagues?

Peace Out,
CG

why I am here.. - over it

[ In Reply To ..]
I had the best job in the world, but I got hurt and had to retire..So I get a check every month that makes this job look pitiful..But even though I could afford to live on my disability, I didnt want my kids to think you get something for nothing and I wanted to better my life...Initially it was a great job,,now it sucks..The kids have gone on to lives of their own and when I get my baby out of college, I am done here..The one thing I am thankful for is it taught my boys that going to work at a job you hate is THE worst punishment you can ever have..One has his dream job and doing fantastic, the other is well on his way..All things for a reason I guess

MyStory - Alias

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm one of those women, who's been an MT for 25 years. I'm 50, and have only a couple of more months left in this industry....Hallerluyer!! I am not one of those, though, who have let this industry get me down to the point that I believe I can do nothing else or that no one will accept me for my age. I'm actually enlisted in college to do what I've wanted to do most of my adult life, but because of family and life circumstances, never had the opportunity to pursue it until now. This industry is going the way of the dinosaurs, and I'm getting out while the getting is good. The money is way to lousy to stay any longer.

Oops!! - Alias

[ In Reply To ..]
I meant enrolled in college, not enlisted. I'm way too old for the military!!

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