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

Calling on all career changers! - Anon of course

Posted: Feb 25, 2010

I am not wanting to know opinions on traditional versus speech anymore...been doing that way too long...absolutely moving on at this point. What I would like to know is...what did those of you choose to do when you gave up MT? Very, very important to me. Thanks.

I suppose I will just have to die... - Soooooo tired

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nm

Me too. I simply am at a loss of what to do with myself. - Age: 52

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Several hundred people are in line for every job, most young ones who would need less income. I am a sole operation here and need about 40 grand. I'd need to return to school to manage that and I can't afford it. If I could get student loan to pay for overhead and tuition, so I would not have to work, I'd have half of a chance of successfully completing a course or getting an associates degree.

What I imagine though is a cyber war, all internet is taken out and in-house MTs re-materialize. That is a dream.

Me three! Too young to retire (ever), and too old - to realistically go back to college.

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In order to even be accepted to most schools or training for a new career, I'd have a couple years of remedial high school subjects (especially math) to make up. Hopefully by the time I can't work anymore (either too old, or more likely, no work), I hope we have a good welfare system in place. Either that, or a brand-new bullet-train to jump in front of.

I'm also LPN (inactive at the moment) so I could go back to... - Make that #4

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that if I REALLY had to, but having to deal with docs face to face instead of screaming at their voice in my ear is just almost too much for me to think about. Could an ole geezer who just got plain fed with listening to some doc, whose handwriting is like a 1-year-old's scribbling, moan and groan because "this" medication wasn't started and he wouldn't return your multitude of calls to verify, get by with a pardonable assault? If not, then I'm gonna stay in MT and just rely on the "promise" of a better future when I retire on all that SS $$ that has been just a-waitin' for me.

However, on a more serious note (?), my YOUNGER friend is going through scoping training right now, really likes it, and can incorporate her MT training along with it. So for someone motivated, you might consider that. There is a lot of expense to this training, but as long as there are attorneys on this earth, I would think there would be at least that type of job! God forbid that the legal business take a hit like the MT world, ye?

Forgot to say - longtimeMT

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Oh and I forgot to say I got student aid, enough to pay for school with some to live on...I still have to work but only part time not the 12 hours I do now. Some was a grant and some I will have to pay back.

Back to school-original post - longtimemt

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I don't know what happened to my original post-I'm 50 and just started back at college. I'm going for legal assistant and entrepenurial studies. I figure at a law firm I'll be a person, not just a nameless, faceless entity. My husband's company is phasing out spouse health care insurance in retirement so I have no choice but I actually like it. I always dreamed of going to college.

May I please interject here - Excuse me..but

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You are definitely not too old to go back to school. My mother went to college at 59 years a few years ago for her associates in information technology after her plant shut down. She also did some extra courses focused on coding.

If you have a desire and passion in your heart to do something that requires you to go back to school, DO IT! You can. I'm doing it. Yes, a bit younger than you (40), but I've been wanting to do this for the last 4 years.

Excuse me..... - itype2

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After going back to school at 59, did your mom find another job? A lot of us are thinking about retraining to get employment in another field. I am 55 and wondering if, after I retrain, if anyone will be willing to hire me at my age. Going to school is great, finding employment in your field is something else again.

Most definitely - :)

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She's doing coding at our local hospital/clinic. They did not discriminate because of her age. Whatever you decide to do, get out there and network with people in your community. Try to find somebody who does what you're going to school for (that's what I did). It's one more arsenal in your bag to get your foot in a door that way. I actually emailed a couple of companies local to us that specialize in what I'm going to school for to get an idea of the job prospects, and they actually told me to call them when I complete my schooling. My mom's neighbor is a remote coder from home, and she said to give her a call when she got enough experience to be able to work from home.

Thank you! - itype2

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Thank you for the encouragement. I actually wanted to enroll in a coding program. There seem to be lots of openings for that now, 2 or 3 are available at my current place of employment that I wish I qualified for. I learned a little bit of hospital coding years ago but liked transcription better. I want to stay in my MT job for as long as they'll have me but that is probably only going to be a couple more years and I will need something else to do.

back to school at any stage - at

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My family has a long history of career changes at less-than-ideal times. My mom went back to school in her 40's (undergrad and then grad school), and she is now a licensed clinical social worker with her own practice. She cleaned houses for a living before that. My husband is going to law school after being a geologist for many years. We currently have 3 small children, so that is no small sacrifice. None of these moves are convenient, but they do pay off. My mom is in her late 50's now and still going strong in her new profession. They may have started a tad younger than 50-something, but changing careers can be successful at any stage of life if you really want it. Best of luck!

Too old??? That age doesn't exist!!! - Thorny

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There is no such age as "too old"; it just doesn't exist!

I am a college student at 38. I tutor at the school part-time. One student that comes in for help is 69!!! We have another gentleman that comes in who is 63. My mother-in-law went back to school, taking one course per term, at the ripe young age of 83!!!

The college isn't going to turn you away from the door because you have a grey hair/wrinkle/age spot. Financial aid programs look at income to determine eligibility, not your birthdate.

The only thing stopping you from making any major change is you!!! Stop making excuses, climb out of that rut, figure out what you want to do from here, and get your derrierre into a local college and talk to an admission rep!!!!

Career changer - longtimemt

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I just went back to college for legal administrative assistant and entrepenurial studies. Hopefully I will be able to work for a small law firm where I will be a person and not just a nameless, faceless number. The entrepenurial studies is because I want to sell the fudge I've been making for 10 years-I got so many requests of people wanting to buy it.

FUDGE - Alice

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Have you tried selling online at Etsy or shophandmade.com?? Just a thought.

fudge - longtimemt

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I haven't sold it anywhere as I don't have the necessary food service certificates required by my state. Going to get them while in college in time for Christmas. I already have 2 venues to sell out of plus a client base just from giving it as gifts.

I was a ... - Bex

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preschool DANCE teacher, worked in doctors'offices, microbiology lab, waitress ... but now transcriber...??

here's one idea... - luvzminis

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This will not be helpful to some, but I recently graduated from an MT course, and because of the very bleak looking future of the MT world, have decided not to do MT work. This was a very hard decision after much time and money, but I really feel I am doing the right thing.

If it's possible, try to find something you could do that reflects your interests. Children? How about daycare? Are you artistic? Maybe start a home business. What have you always wanted to do? Maybe it won't bring in much money, but then again if it's something you really like and can get into, maybe you'll end up making more money than you thought. I just started freelance writing and got my first check this week--only $20., but it really brought up my spirits, and I feel I'm finally on the right track. Why didn't I do this years ago??

If I were about 30 years younger, I would become - a long-haul truck driver. nm

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*

I am staying in medicine... - skip

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I am personally pursuing my degree in electroneurodiagnostic testing and intraoperative neuromonitoring. Will continue to work until I complete all the classes, and then will go to work for the doctors I transcribe for right now. They are in full support of what I am doing.

Went back to legal - LinK

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I went back to work as a legal secretary a few months ago. I still have a small part-time job MT working as a subcontractor for a friend. Good luck in whatever you decide.

I'm going to Med school - Nanook

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in Mexico next Spring.

you're the bomb! - - - good for you!

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:)

Going into nursing - finally - tiredoftyping

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Been wanting to do this for years, guess I needed a push. Been taking prep classes for a year and start nursing classes in June. I am working full-time as a transcriptionist while in school and can't wait to be done with this field.

Me too - CB

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I have wanted to do it for years. So, I applied and got accepted for the fall class. Luckily the only prereq I needed was Biology, which I am taking now. I already took all the science classes years ago, but have to take them again because they are "too old", like me! LOL Good luck to you.

staying in medicine - Lynda

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I got into MT because I loved medicine. I have always wanted to work as a doula and I just got the push I needed too. I am now planning to take working as a doula to the next level and go in midwifery.

wanna be a lawyer, studying criminal justice right now! (nm) - Nocturnal Hooter-Girl

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nm

accounting - been in a BS program for a number of years now pt - anyone else? nm

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