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

Newbie-Future of Medical Transcriptionists? - Michelle

Posted: Apr 28, 2011

I have gone through and read some of your posts. I see that Andrews School, MTec, and possibly CareerStep are your top notch schools. Is there still a need for transcriptionists? I don't want to go out and spend all this money and not be able to find a job.

I would like to be able to work from home as well.

What are other's thoughts on this subject? I have seen several that haven't been able to find a job. I figured it would take me about 8-12 months to complete a program.

Thanks,

Michelle

Future of MT - DK

[ In Reply To ..]
I make less now than I did 4 years ago when I graduated. I have been lucky to find a decent position, unlike many, but that isn't meant to imply that in any way this is a good career. I went to Andrews School, graduated well, and am considered a top-notch transcriptionist but I was told on my current job that I "would never get a pay raise." Well, that does not fill me with the feeling that what I do makes a ****** worth of difference. Please do not count on being an MT as any kind of career because it isn't, even for the best.

DK - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
I make less now than I did in the 90s, but I still make over 45K part-time, and for this economy, I feel fortunate. (Although 45K is surely not spectacular by California standards, where gas is 5 bucks a gallon.) As I move into retirement, I spend more time helping people get started, as I have time. You had the foresight to chose a great school and I would bet that as the economy picks up, your career will, too. I am no longer in a hiring position, but I can tell you that I would never, ever hesitate for one nanosecond to hire someone from Andrews. In fact, the industry lore is that many Andrews grads have several offers on the table even before graduation. I don't know if it is the same at M-TEC but I think very highly of them, too. The MT field is in transition right now and while there is a lot of pain for a lot of people, I also think there will be good things to come. Changes always bring opportunities, painful as it is, and if we can sit out the Great Recession, I do think there will be more positives than negatives. And as to not getting a raise, the company I work for recently cut our wages. Having been on both sides of the business fence, I do feel sorry for small company owners, too. They are facing unusually high expenses. I am not talking about giants like MQ; I am talking about small to mid-sized companies that have evolved from mom and pops. (I was a mom and pop once myself.) As to your statement that MT is not any kind of a career, even for the best, please do not include me in your statement. While I admittedly make far less than I previously did, I make enough to live very comfortably, to invest, and to travel. Even in retirement, I will probably work a little to satisfy my travel bug. I think it is always sort of dangerous to make statements about what is any kind of career for others. There is an old saying that one man's meat is another man's poison. Guess you could say that about MT. :) I happen to be very satisfied with where I am right now and feel especially fortunate that I have been in position to help many young people get started. I still do not hesitate to recommend MT as a career--provided people get a decent education (not matchbook!) and strategically plan their career and are willing to be flexible. Anyway, glad you have a good position and best wishes in the future!

Old Pro - Michelle

[ In Reply To ..]
I read your post. So do you think there is still a need for upcoming medical transcriptionists? Before I drop the money, I want to make sure there is a need.

Michelle

Michelle - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
I think there will be a need, but it may well not be in the form that we have known it. IMHO, New MTs will need to be flexible--to be willing to do VR, to deal with large (and impersonal) nationals as more and more smaller companies are eaten you by the big players. There was a "golden era," if you will, of MT--for me it lasted until the mid-90s, where there was much money to be made. I think that with our global economy being what it is, such financial opportunities have become more rare--and not just in the world of MT, but everywhere. That said, I do think that there will be a need for good speech recognition editors and for being to manage the medical record. One thing you might want to do is investigate medical transcription thoroughly, as well as investigating a couple of other careers as well, just so you can draw some comparisons. The important thing is that, should you choose to become an MT, you go to a really good school. There are far too many matchbooks and pseudo-matchbooks out there that will take your money but not provide adequate preparation. You must be proactive and be sure you are not trapped by them. I always recommend that any potential student ask if the program uses the SUM program. The two MT schools I recommend are Andrews and M-TEC, in that order. I hope this information is helpful. I think opportunity will still be there if the potential MT is flexible. Flexibility will become more and more necessary as MT evolves and changes. Good luck to you!

Old Pro - Michelle

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you so much for the valuable information. I am looking into Andrews School and M-TEC as well. I have already taken the pre-admissions test for Andrews School and passed. These two schools seem to be top notch and so now I have to decide which one would work best for me.

Michelle - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
You are welcome. You are on the right track. They are both good schools (my preference leans towards Andrews) and I am sure that either one of them will provide you with what you need. Now you will need to weigh your personal circumstances, etc. and see which of the two schools best meets your needs. Good luck!

Similar Messages:

Mar 09, 2010

...especially if we aren't perfect right away and someone like me who has had a home medical transcription job since graduating in September and was let go because I wasn't "perfect" in a month?? Plus, even though I studied my ass off, I failed 2 transcription tests for working with 2 medical transcription services. Please don't slander me about this. I know I'm not the only "newbie" graduated MT that has struggled with fitting in the medical transcription world!!!! ...

Aug 03, 2010

Go to this website. Transcriptionists will no longer be needed in the future for transcribing or editing. One of my friends told me the hospital she retired from is going to this system and their transcription department will eventually no longer exist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGMEf11GmBo ...

Mar 31, 2014

Ok, I am just venting some frustration here Wanted: Experienced medical transcriptionist, VR experience. Just for the privilege of doing transcription for us we will only charge you 3 cpl. You may pay us by direct deposit each Friday. The personal satisfaction you will receiving from being a part of making our company succeed and be profitable, along with satisfying the facility you are striving to put out perfect reports for should be enough for you, as we are t ...

Jun 26, 2011

I came across an ad recently catering to unemployed new registered nurses who need jobs badly. I am understanding that the market for RNs and healthcare in general is saturated and then some; however, this article specifically stated "Nurse Medical Transcriptionists." I saw it on All Nurses forum; I don't remember the company . . . BUT a lot of nurses were responding with interest because they can't get jobs. The only thing that was running through my mind was "you have no idea people ...

Sep 16, 2010

I've recently graduated with an Associate of Applied Science degree and I received my Certificate in Medical Transcription. I've taken several tests for companies over the Internet but they all say the same thing in response to me, "gain more experience, and then come back to us." How can I gain more experience when no one will hire a newbie? If anyone has any advice on this subject, please let me know. ...

Jan 25, 2011

Why do medical transcriptionists have to be paid by line. Who started that? Why can't they be paid per hour like other jobs? ...

Jul 11, 2011

I know this idea has been tossed around a lot but yet nothing has been done about it (to my knowledge - if someone knows different, please correct me). I am in agreement that we as transcriptionists need to band together so that we don't get treated unfairly and not paid what we are actually worth. I know there are many of us that have chosen medical transcription as our career and are still holding on and sticking through the changes. How do you go about creating a union for transcriptio ...

Mar 02, 2012

I was just wondering if there are very many Canadian medical transcriptionists who visit this forum. In Canada we are not "certified" i.e. I took a six month course at college and have a certificate, but we do not have a professional organization as such. I wish we did! Sometimes I can find a word here when asking the other girls in the office doesn't come up with any new ideas. ...

Aug 20, 2012

Please do not work for PreciseMT based out of Nebraska!! Please forward this e-mail around so no one else falls for this! This loss of wages has put such a burden on me and my family. I don't want anyone else to suffer. http://www.wowt.com/factfinders/headlines/Medical-Workers-Not-Being-Paid-166705406.html ...

Mar 24, 2013

http://bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Medical-transcriptionists.htm ...

Mar 22, 2011

Are you thinking of going into medical transcription for a career? Don't do it! The field is growing smaller every day, and soon will be gone completely. In Alaska, all the major hospitals have gone to voice recognition, and work is scarcer all the time. Look into medical coding maybe, or working in a doctor's office as an assistant or receptionist. DON'T GO INTO MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION! Liza ...

Dec 15, 2011

Now, don't shoot me because this is presented by the AAMT. Just watch it and consider what our role will be in the coming years in the healtcare profession. ...

Sep 05, 2012

What do you feel is the future of the medical transcription profession? In my area, the hospitals and their doctors' groups are switching over to voice recognition systems and not using traditional medical transcription. Will I be out of a job soon? ...

Mar 18, 2013

With Epic coming abroad what is the future for coders. I just signed up to begin coding classes and would like more information before I proceed. ...

Aug 17, 2010

I was wondering if there is group insurance anywhere for those of us who do this full time without benefits? It seems that with insurance companies and strength in numbers, something should be available. Anyone have any information on or experience with this? I am recently certified with a few years experience and am looking to quit my crappy full time job that I am working only for the insurance to do this full time, but am hitting a wall with the insurance dilemma. ...

Sep 20, 2014

If you thought the plight of the American medical transcriptionists would be heard on a national level, what would you say? Would your biggest complaint be the pay cut? The offshoring of medical records? The emotional abuse we have all endured? All of the above? If we truly thought our voices would be heard, what would we say? Thank you in advance for your responses. ...

Oct 09, 2011

Does anyone have good input on whether medical scribes are the new medical transcriptionists only being filled my medical students, medical assistants or a part-time or piecemeal clerk at a lower rate (hourly or by piece) than medical transcriptionists -- if lower pay is even possible? Also, what are any inputs on RHIT and the medical coding future? I already have a bachelor's degree but thought about another associate degree in RHIT in a CAHIIM accredited program. From your viewpoint, wou ...

Feb 08, 2012

I have a question about coding and billing. For three years in the '90s, I coded and transcribed for a small, rural, hospital. I was responsible for outpatient, ER, inpatient, surgical etc. coding and transcription. It was mostly ICD-9, and HCPC coding. If I want to code from home in the future, what would you suggest I do, an online program? Do you think coding from home would be an opportunity or do most hospitals/clinics/physicians require experience at a facility first, and wo ...

May 21, 2013

My point having been made in 2 short weeks, I will no longer be hanging out on this board. Nuance, in its attempts to hide its egregious activities with certain employees, has infiltrated this board and it is no longer truly a community of US medical transcriptionists, but has become what could more aptly be called, "A company opportunity to do damage control for all POTENTIAL new employees about what the former employees said when they quit." The board can, however, still ser ...

Feb 10, 2010

make a living being an MT? In addition to how low our pay has gotten, and the myriad other problems that we all deal with, if you can't focus, do you think that is cutting into your finances as well? I've always had a suspicion that I have ADD. Was a totally hyper kid. Daydreamer in school. High IQ (148), labelled as "gifted" in 1st Grade, yet with each passing year did less and less well in school. Looked out the window and zoned out more than I paid att ...

Aug 19, 2013

M*Modal will call the shots. No doubt they'll start jacking up prices to the clients then. That's the way it usually works. Should only take a few more years. Save a bit now, spend a lot more down the road. Lol. Shortsighted fools. ...

Nov 25, 2009

Many have said that MT is not what it once was. Here's a topic: What is/could be the future of medical transcirption? Diane ...

Feb 20, 2010

I was told not to enter the medical transcription field because it was not going to exist in about five or six years. Is this true? I really want a job that is professional and allows me to work at home as well. Thanks ...

Sep 26, 2012

Wondering what thoughts are on this article. I believe MT is changing but is not a dying profession. ...

Jun 06, 2013

Iâ��ve been doing more research into the future of the MT field and I find that it is morphing into something I do not want to be a part of. Are EMR/EHR really cutting down transcription costs/jobs? If you goggle this you will find a huge disparity of opinion from â��goal being to have no transcriptionists whatsoeverâ�� at one extreme to â��all this new fangled stuff is just some new toys for the kids to play withâ�� being at the other. Some are on the fence and some are crying itâ��s a ...

Jan 18, 2014

I am a former MT who is going to school for Health Informatics. I worked as a transcriptionist for over 20 years. Two and a half years ago our team was told the organization we worked for was going to voice recognition and our jobs were being phased out which is when I chose to go back to school. I am writing my final paper on “The Future of Medical Transcription – Is There One?” I would like to get information from other transcriptionists on this ...

Mar 19, 2014

Hello to everyone on MTStars. I've been reading all these posts for weeks. My hospital announced in Jan. that we would get laid off in July b/c they had decided to go with M*Modal. After everything I have read here you could not beat me with a stick to apply for M*Modal; even though that is what they wanted us to do. I've come to terms with it. I am at peace. I have been transcribing for 16 years, and have made EXCELLENT money, $25-30/hour. If this is the ...

May 08, 2014

Anybody still there? After months of shoving MModal down our throats they just sent an email out on how to fix the spellchecker in the program! Do you think that should have been done before forcing this on MTs? Looks like there is no turning back, they are just forcing the issue and you can either make less than minimum wage, WAY less, or take a hike as many of us have been told. A ton of work in regular SR every day because looks like everyone is in fact leaving but at the same time, m ...

May 20, 2014

I am beginning to think that the future with VR and point-and-click plus offshoring means that the work that is remaining will be just a little bit from a bunch of different accounts, meaning we have to navigate through a bunch of different account specs for those MTs left. My old account went completely offshore, the new account I was transferred to went completely over to Epic and my new assignment has me with 3 accounts and the work is dried up so I will have to ask for more. The ...

Nov 02, 2014

Recently, I saw several posts about TSMs being let go, about other things that are changing in the different regions. Will that be happening across the board I wonder? Are these changes in place right now? Thank you for your input. ...