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

Can you succeed in coding if you aren't good at MT - Daisy

Posted: Apr 05, 2012

I'm very interested in learning new things. I have a certificate in cosmetology, an associate degree in business admin/microcomputers (worthless now because I learn pre-windows), had a real estate license (couldn't make money in my area), a dental assitant diploma (can no longer work in the field due to a latex allergy and a hip replacement due to a tumor), and a MT certiificate. All the other fields academically I did VERY well at but MT was a struggle for me because I could never develop the "ear" for it. I passed the class at MTEC with a 91% and was able to get a few general transcription jobs, which did not pay well and also did some transcription for a sleep center occassionally at my last position.

I also have a billing background in the hospital setting. I tend to not like the billing field because the jobs I have come across and worked at doing purely billing were VERY stressful due to them being behind in reembursement and the employees were treated poorly. (Employees being sworn and screamed at, etc.) They were also required to work manditory overtime. I loved billing for the dental office when I was a dental assistant and researching why a claim was denied.

I am concerned about whether I would be able to physically do the job of coding due to the latex allergy and that I cannot physically stand or stoop for long periods during the day. I am concerned that since I was not a successful MT that I may not be a successful coder, although I am aware it requires seperate skills.

I want a job that is different and that I need to learn new things at. I have no problem going to work and doing my best everyday. I don't have a problem with constructive feedback. I can work well alone. I like to figure things out. I also work well with other people and when I worked as a transcriptionist at home I missed the interaction of other people. I pick up on new things usually easily. I am currently unemployed at the sleep center due to the company downsizing but I am on their hire back list should the business get more productive and was told that they thought I excelled at my position there.

Do you think I would be suited for coding or do you think another career choice would be better for me?

I'm not sure, but one thing about your post stood out for me. - Mandatory Overtime

[ In Reply To ..]
You might want to rethink this if mandatory OT is a deal breaker for you.

Every hospital I've worked at (4) requires mandatory OT of their coders when the census is high.

It's not like MT, where the manager can just offload the extra volume to the service.

Manditory OT - Daisy

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you for your response. How long did you have to work mandatory OT? I wouldn't mind for a couple of weeks or something but I'd rather not get into a position that requires me to work 50+ hours a week all the time because I have children at home and I like to try to have a balance there.

not sure where latex and coding intersect - nm

[ In Reply To ..]

latex/coding - Daisy

[ In Reply To ..]
I wasn't sure they did. I have had reactions in a dentist setting handling the charts. I wasn't sure 100% if you handle charts or it is all computerized.

Suggestion - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
You would be able to work for a facility that had electronic records. I have not seen paper in more than 10 years.

You might want to visit coders in your area to see what the job entails. If you disliked jobs because of work pressure and overtime, you will probably dislike coding. There is all of that plus the constant need to keep up with change.

An important thing to remember is that a coding job is not going to "happen" for you any more than a cosmetology or real estate job "happened" for you. You have to invest a lot more of yourself into it than many other jobs. It is a lot of individual, self-started, really very HARD work.

A career that involves less struggle might be more appealing to you. There are phlebotomy courses that you can do easily and jobs are readily available. LPN is another. If you like those you can go on from there. For both of those, you would just need to use non-latex gloves. It would be very easy for phlebotomy. Lab assistant is another choice.

Thank you for your response - Daisy

[ In Reply To ..]
A little background, the cosmetology diploma was a high school diploma happen in 1991 and I had decided not to go into that field because I wanted to continue my education in computers and business because my interests were more drawn to that area. The real estate certificate, I was also very young and then I started a family so I didn't feel it was a good fit for me.

When I talk about the pressure of billing positions in my area, I mean they are positions where the bosses actually swear, scream, demean you, and not just me personally but everyone in the department. It is/was a sweat shop mentality that happened there and hearing others still in the business it continues to happen.

I was never stressed out in any of my dental positions, even when billing/OT was involved.

I cannot work in even an axillary position where latex is in the same room/area because I have health problems because of it. If I was working alongside someone who used latex gloves and I did not I would still have a reaction. I have to carry an Epipen because I become short of breath if there is even rubber bands close. Any position that deals with direct patient care wouldn't be a position I could do.

The latex allergy and my hip replacement (the standing, constant walking) makes it difficult for me to do some positions. I do not want to be disabled because I feel there is a position that I can do, it's just harder for me to find because I have to be vigilant that I will not come in contact with latex and I have to do positions that require little standing/lots of walking because I would have to be on narcotics from the pain at the end of the day.

I know it sounds to you that I am not a self-starter and I want an easy job with no stress but I am just making sure I don't get into a position that isn't more than I can physically handle.

I don't have the idea that coding will be easy. I don't have a problem with working hard and occasionally working overtime. I just don't want a position where I will be forced to work 50+ hours a week every week.

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