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

Online Course??? help me!!! - jess

Posted: Jan 28, 2010

i have a question for working mt's. i have decided that i want to get into the mt field and try to work from home if at all possible, while raising a family. i was going to look into doing an online course and i'm just not sure which "school" would be a good choice. it seems that its so hard to find out which school is actually legit. i know there are some schools that are supported by the adhi and accp. and im not sure if "at home" jobs are actually obtainable to a new mt after training and certification is complete. if any of you would mind taking a little time to give me some input and or advice, i would appreciate it ever so much!

jessica

You must not read many of the posts here - Knowing

[ In Reply To ..]
If you are planning on actually being able to help raise a family on this salary, bad idea. There are posts all over the place trying to find something else to do. From what I am reading, most places ask for at least 2 years of experience and since newbies do not have, then the getting a job becomes much more bleak. A lot of MTs now work for 8 cents a line for straight typing and 4 cents a line for voice and voice is the way companies seem to be going. Working at home does not compensate for not having money.

i didnt realize - jmn

[ In Reply To ..]
i just got on this forum today and thought i would shoot out a question and hopefully get some input. but i didnt realize that jobs were so hard to come by. some of the other info im reading says that there are thousands of jobs avaiable right now and that some of the schools have placement programs. but i will definately be more warey of what i read now, thanks for your input!! i apprecaite it.

Unfortunately, that info about thousands of jobs - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
is put out by the schools that are trying to get your money.

You can still make a living in this profession, but there are a lot of factors that go into it. You have to get lucky and get a company and/or account that pays a decent line wage and those are becoming harder to find. You have to have a good expander program and good short cuts so your speed is good, and that takes time. When you do get a job, you have to have one that is flexible enough (probably IC status) so that you can work it around your family life. You have to find a job as a newbie - that's the hardest one of all.

Make no mistake. Raising a family while working from home is not easy and it never will be. Even with job placement from a school, your first year will probably be a lean one as you build up your speed and your expander library.

wow - jmn

[ In Reply To ..]
wow! it seems that most everyone who is in this profession is telling new people not to bother. that to me, is sad! if there really are that many people out there that are unhappy, or unfulfilled in the line of work they are in. i love to type, and did it for years at a law firm, dictation that is. day in and day out. and i loved it. i wouldnt be in it for the money, thank the lord, my husband supports me and does so well, that i just want to find something that i enjoy and can make a little extra at. i think it could be something that i really like. i guess its just a matter of being good and finding work! i really appreciate u taking the time to write me! have a great day and god bless u!

It cost at least a couple thousand dollars, - deb

[ In Reply To ..]
and a lot of studying and hard work, there's a lot to learn. Excellent typing, spelling, and grammar skills. I don't see why anyone would want to go through all that just to make a "little extra money." Why not just sell Avon or Amway or something?

wow - Old MTSO

[ In Reply To ..]
Transcribing and typing are two completely different things.

i think thats pretty obvious - jmn

[ In Reply To ..]
i think thats kinda obvious! i just know that dictation is dictation and i dont have a hard time learning new things. i just want to find something to better myself. and i dont think that selling cheap avon or something of that sort would be fulfilling. some of you ladies arent very friendly and dont seem to think that anyone else has the ability to do your job. but it doesnt sound like it would be that impossible to learn if someone really put the best they have into it. and tried really hard to strive for greater.

I agree with you! ;) - ldd

[ In Reply To ..]
Kudos to you! I have been an MT for 13 plus years, and I have to say that there are days where I wish I could have a "do over" day, year, moth, etc., about getting into this profession; however, when I get to do some of the littlest things with my children (picking up/dropping off at school), it more than makes up for the crappy pay at times. I had to support my family doing this kind of work for years, but have been fortunate enough to have had really good paying accounts throughout the years. Work has dwindled substantially, and I am in the same boat as the newbies and "veterans" - trying to find work in this tough and every changing field. Don't give up as I have not :)

it is said that graduates from the AHDI "approved" - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
schools have a higher chance to get hired, but in these times even this is questionable.
You can find the list of the AHDI approved MT schools by researching online (P.S. they are mostly the expensive ones)

I am a graduate of an AHDI-approved course - hardwrkr

[ In Reply To ..]
and I can tell you that this firm also says they will help place you (and the course was expensive). I am still waiting. I have applied to dozens of companies to no avail. I do believe that there is less than a handful of companies willing to hire newbies, and then if you can find one, I am sure the number of applicants for the one position is ridiculous! I would definitely try to find another line of work. Sorry!!!

thanks for the info - jmn

[ In Reply To ..]
thanks for the info. sorry to hear that you are struggling to find work.

Career Step - rainbo

[ In Reply To ..]
Career Step. I just graduated from there on November 12th and got a job as an MT on December 8th.

really? - jmn

[ In Reply To ..]
wow, thats great! it seems to me that everyone out here is telling people that they wont be able to find work even if they are "pros". and that if someone is declairing that there is work or that they can get a job thru the school they went to or work for, thats its a scam or just simply not true! so if you are legit, congrats!

I don't doubt she is legit, but she is definitely in the minority. nm - deb

[ In Reply To ..]
x

Are there really people who believe everything posted here? - NO

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

? a job today...a job next year...a job 5 years from now - L&L

[ In Reply To ..]
I've been MTing since 1972, beginning on a typewriter. There were great changes in the 1980s and 1990s.

What I have seen in the last 5 years is a preponderance of Indian firms buying MTSOs and work going off shore.

EMR will be mandatory by 2015, I believe.

Between our "international labor partners" and EMR, a lot of the "easy" work has already and will even more so disappear by 2015.

This is no longer a profession to be a beginner in. In 2-3 yrs all that will be left is very hard, complicated work primarily by ESLs that cannot be templated or sent overseas. At this point, you don't know what you don't know, i.e, you don't know how hard the really hard work is.

It's not worth it. I too will retire soon; if not, I'd be out of this field as soon as I could.

Yes, you may graduate, you may get a job. But if you will be needing a job as an MT in 5 yrs, you will probably be SOL.

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