A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
Career Change Advice - Benny Hill
Posted: Jun 06, 2012
Hello! I just found this board and am hoping for some advice. I will give you some background information first. I am a LPN, but have been a SAHM only for nearly 4 years. I actually left the profession because of burn-out, and my husbands job allowed be to stay home. I love being home, but I'm feeling a bit restless. I'd like to start contributing a bit financially, without huge committments. (I am VP of my kids' PTA and I keep plenty busy in many aspects). Last week there was an advertisement for a MT seminar at a local venue. It intriqued me and I attended last night. It was presented my the school "At-home professions". It is a home course. Naturally, they made it sound wonderful, and I do think I could truly enjoy something like this. I already have a medical background, and my typing skills are decent. I am concerned, however, with the likelihood of actually finding a job after completing the course (and shelling out $3000). Also, any input on the reputation of "At-home Professions"???? Do potential employers know of this school and consider it good training???? I'm not looking to get rich in the field, just looking to supplement. Any advice would mean so much!!! Thanks for listening.
it is not a good school at all! - sm
[ In Reply To ..]Don't waste your money!
Career Change - Benny Hill
[ In Reply To ..]Do you mind elaborating on that? Do you know of any "good" home-based schools? Thanks!
Try this... - Danielle
[ In Reply To ..]Look at Career Step. I went there and they were WONDERFUL!! I graduated and had a job right away. The work that you do is true to form, dictators chewing in your ear, phones ringing while talking, etc. It really gave me a good start and when I went to work I felt comfortable. Good luck!!
The school is not all you need to get a job. - mmmt
[ In Reply To ..]You do need training from a school, but that is not all there is to it. I tell people it is not that easy to work from home. I really think your 1st MT job should be in a structured office setting. You learn a lot from on the job and from other fellow MTs in the office. I went to a local school here back in the late 1980s and got a job before I finished school in an office. That school has not been in business in years and I was not even specializing in transcription, it was just part of the curriculum for medical assistant. It depends on many factors including school but not limited to that. Good luck. I still love my job but it has changed a lot over the last 25 years. Hope things go well for you.
Danielle - Former MT educator
[ In Reply To ..]But does Career Step give you access to LIVE instructors or does it still use an answer key? Does it use the SUM program? I personally would rank CS as a very distant third to M-TEC or Andrews, no offense.
just my though - just me
[ In Reply To ..]I did the program with AHP about 8 years ago for about $800. I am now working as an MT and have been doing so 8 months after I finished the program. Only 1 company I ever applied for asked to see my diploma. You can either pay 3,000 to AHP or pay 10,000 at another fancy school to come into this business to make the same amount. I decided on the cheaper one and I'm glad I did. If you have 5 years experience doing this or 25 years your pay will pretty much be the same. If you graduate from the 10,000 school or the 3,000 school your line rate and pay will be pretty much the same. People on here like to rave about what school they graduated from, but in the end we are all in the same boat trying to stay afloat on this ever failing MT bussiness as the pay goes down lower and lower. I would do coding instead of MT, but that is just my thought. Hard to get a good job now a days as an MT and not run out of work without having to jump from Co. to Co. Good luck on you new journey.
What is happening! - Benny Hill
[ In Reply To ..]Any insight to where all the work is going?? The AHP seminar lady was adamant that the profession is booming....in fact, growing by leaps and bounds. That is not looking like the reality from what I am reading here.
Not booming in the United States - mmmt
[ In Reply To ..]A lot of it is being outsourced overseas. The other is going VR (voice recognition - typed by the computer). You get paid a lot less per line for VR, usually 2 to 4 cpl according to the company, and it takes sometimes as long or longer to do VR than straight typing. It is more editing than transcribing nowadays. I love being an MT, but if I had it to do over again, I would do medical coding or billing or both.
The purpose of the seminar was - specifically
[ In Reply To ..]to get you to part with your money for their program. Its purpose was not to provide accurate information on the profession or the current market for MTs. If the seminar had presented an accurate picture of the state of the medical transcription industry, you would not have been interested in spending your money for training.
The enthusiasm of the presenter is no measure of the accuracy of the information being presented.
Please heed the advice... - (see message)
[ In Reply To ..]You would be very wise to heed the advice of those who tell you this is not a recommended career choice. I agree that the seminar people were using sales tactics.
I went to a vocational college for MT some 19 years ago--an excellent program; I'm very intelligent and have top skills, but I would have DROWNED in frustration had I not worked for a few years in-house at a hospital where more-seasoned MTs could help me out. No school setting will ever be able to teach you everything you need to know, no matter how good the school.
Nowadays, with the huge increase in ESL doctors, transcribing isn't always easy even for a very experienced MT. If not for a deep understanding of the kinds of things that are typically said, it is much more difficult than you can imagine to decipher what they're saying.
If you HAVE to work from home, research the coding or billing options. I don't know anything about either from first-hand experience, but my guess is either one would be better than MT.
If you don't HAVE TO work from home, I see lots of job openings for CNAs and CMAs and MAs; but for that matter, if there are jobs for LPNs in your area, maybe doing it on a per diem or p.r.n. basis wouldn't lead to burnout quite as badly as before.
Good luck to you!
An Old Fashioned Idea---that you learn from other MTs on the job - No longer true if it ever was
[ In Reply To ..]I've heard for years about how absolutely imperative it is to have some other experienced MT sitting next to you helping you when you are a new MT. That sounds so smart, but it doesn't work that way. Those experienced MTs are working on production. Some of them are also competitive against any new MT and don't want to help.
If you got an excellent education geared toward getting you started, you won't need someone sitting there with you teaching you on the job. You'll go through orientation, with a lot of training at some companies and 10 minutes at others. If you didn't get a good education, it wouldn't help to have someone sitting there by you. That may have worked years ago, but the helpers are under their own production stress and you will either have what it takes or you won't.
Benny Hill - Old Pro
[ In Reply To ..]The work is going to India, the Philippines, etc. Of course the lady said business is booming. That is why so many seasoned MTs cannot get jobs, not even for 7 cpl. That is why I retired early. If that lady tells you the sun is shining, walk outside and make sure it really is.
8 years is a long time in this business-things have changed - Maggie May
[ In Reply To ..]Eight years ago, people were making 14 cents a line, now they are lucky to get 8 cents a line. Eight years ago, the competition wasn't so tough because there were a lot more jobs available. Eight years ago people didn't realize how crappy AHP was compared to Andrews School. Eight years ago, all the companies didn't require from 2 to 5 years of experience.
No, it doesn't work that way. We are not all in the same boat - You have been sold a load of goods
[ In Reply To ..]Even though you are correct that it isn't all about how expensive the course is, there are huge differences in the quality of education you get in one compared with another. I'm not talking about the school you went to in particular, but there are some perfectly awful schools out there. I've heard people say they paid $30,000. Andrews, for example, is $3,800, not $10,000, not $30,000. Some others are more, some are less. Don't be fooled into thinking the results are all the same though. We are not 'all in the same boat' as far as abilities and skills. Some people graduate thinking they have good skills when they don't. How would they know? They have nothing to compare with. They'll never know how much better they might have done if they had a better MT education, not a more expensive education necessarily, but a better one. It makes a difference.
You betcha all courses are not the same - Old Pro
[ In Reply To ..]I have seen grads from many different schools. I would say that Andrews grads are the Rolls Royce; AHP grads are the city bus line.
Just you - Anon
[ In Reply To ..]Just remember that you get what you pay for. There is a reason for that.
Stop, Drop, and Roll - Fireman
[ In Reply To ..]Stop. Don't be an MT, it is miserable, for the most part. What job have you heard so much bad stuff about BEFORE you joined.
Drop. Yes, drop the idea of working for home making tons of cash. Too good to be true (although I have been extremely luck since 2000).
Roll. Roll the dice in Vegas, better odds.
Just quit looking to work from home. The industry is horrible. Liars, cheats, etc. If you're in for a good wippin', at least sign on an employee so you have basic rights by the Labor Board. If you go IC, it is day by day, and I have had wonderful clients who turned into monsters as I was IC.
Not everyone has the option NOT to work at home - sm
[ In Reply To ..]You know, not everyone has the option to decide whether they want to work at home or not. Until you have walked in the shoes of someone who cannot leave home to work, you can't even begin to comprehend what it's like to look for legitimate work-at-home jobs. Not every MT wants to work at home because they want to work barefoot in their 'jammies. Sometimes it's more important than that and they may just not want to give all the details. It could be a physical condition or have to do with being present in the home as a caregiver or maybe more of a 'watcher' in case a medical emergency happens.
There are no legitimate work-at-home jobs. MT is about as close as anyone can get, in spite of all of the negatives. There are negatives in other jobs as well. Our job situation in America has deteriorated over the last 10-15 years. I don't see it getting any better. Does that mean I have the option of just throwing up my hands and deciding not to work? Not everyone has that option. Now some may want to get all self-righteous about it, but nothing is quite that simple.
Fireman - Old Pro
[ In Reply To ..]What you say is undoubtedly true in many cases, but I don't think you can make an across-the board judgment. When I took retirement in December I was makine $34 an hour as an employee of a mid-sized national. Before that I had been an MTSO, but MQ came along and ate my clients as well as other people's clients, and I elected to become an employee for someone else. I could still have that job--full-time and it averaged out to be $34/hour, but I wanted to travel, etc. and enjoy life while I could. (I am older.) I would say that people HAVE to work much harder and in different ways that they did when I came on the scene right after the Civil War. ;)- But it still IS possible to get a good gig. I know because I have friends who are still in the biz, still paying their mortgages, and they have decent employers--and not among the big nationals, if I may say that. The ones who are the happiest seem to work for the smaller MTSOs. The big nationals will eat you alive. Many smaller MTSOs still have the time and the heart to be caring.
Benny Hill - Mrs. N.
[ In Reply To ..]If you are going to throw money away, please give it to some worthy charity you believe in. AHP will NOT teach you what you need to know. In fact, I know many MTSOs (I was one of them) who saw an AHP education as a red flag that the candidate would not be qualified for the job. If you knew how many people trying to get a start in MT have talked to me with tears in their eyes because (1) They could not get hired with their AHP credential or (2)Somehow did get hired but were let go because they could not do the work. I would recommend you go to the New MT section and read the posts of Old Pro, who was active in MT education in California for years. I know that she recommends Andrews, and so do I. At the very minimum, you need a school that has the SUM program, uses actual physician dictation, and gives you access to a real, live instructor. That would be either Andrews (my choice) or M-TEC (my second choice). As to AHP, no way.
Similar Messages:
Possible Career Change
Jun 25, 2011
I am considering taking classes for MT as I am ready for a change in my life. As I am looking into MT I have come across several questions that I want to ask to save myself the stress, etc. of preparing to start something that may not be what I am looking for. I see the different schools listed that others have recommended and yet I also see where my local community college offers course in MT. In your opinion would the courses there be suffice to work as a MT? For those working as MT, what do ...
Looking Into Career Change From MT
Jul 10, 2012
I've been doing medical transcription for 17 years now. It used to be a good field to get into and good pay, but as the medical transcription field seems to be slowly phasing out and it's getting harder to make a decent living as we are getting lower wages and less work, I've been thinking about going back to school and getting a bachelor's in health informatation managment or administration. I already have an assosciate's degree, but I would like to know wha ...
Looking For Career Change
Dec 16, 2012
I have been doing transcription for 30 years. I am fed up with it. I started working in a hospital and was making $17 an hr when they decided to lay us off. Then we went contract with the company the hospital was using at .10 cpl. Then, in October, we found out that Nuance had taken over. Now I am making .8 cpl. I want to make a career change. I have been sending out applications since August, probably close to 30 or more, with no interviews at all, no calls, nothing. I think all they see is all ...
Considering A Career Change...any Advice?
Dec 15, 2009
I've finally made myself accept the fact that medical transcription is never going to return to its former state and have been wondering in what other field I have an interest and could once again earn a decent living. Does anyone on the forum have any paralegal or legal secretary experience? I've been researching this field online and have found a few on-line courses but, as with MT, I know I have to be really careful which course I choose and from whom. If anyone h ...
MT As Career Change Choice
Sep 06, 2010
Hi, I hope you don't mind a visitor from the outside I'm here because I need to change careers. I'm 59 , female, single, and have done one career all my life which has been clinical social work/mental health counseling. I'm burned out with this career and alot has indicated that medical transcription might suit me. Where do I begin? What training do I need? Do I need training at all? (this may sound dumb) What schools are the best? Online versus ...
Advice On Career Change
Aug 24, 2011
I've been a medical transcriptionst for 25 years (most of that time working at home)...I can't believe how much money I am losing....I used to think that I would never go back into an office/hospital to work because I wouldn't be making enough money. Now, I am at my wits end. My pay has literally been cut in half, no thanks to EMR/VR. I am at a loss as to what to do...should I change careers (at age 49) or keep doing what I'm doing, while getting further and ...
Career Change Back To MT?
Sep 24, 2011
I was a medical transcriptionist for 9 years, working from home. Two years ago, I left the field and took an opportunity elsewhere. At the time, it was a better opportunity financially. It turns out that this position is not what I thought it was going to be. The money is nice, but the stress and the job itself are making me miserable! When I quit transcribing 2 years ago, I was making about 0.9 cents/line and only working part-time. My current position pays a ...
New MT Thinking Of Career Change...
Jan 29, 2012
I have been working at an OBGYN office for 10 months now and for reasons I'd rather not get into, I am having issues with my MT supervisor. I love MT work. I do feel it is the right niche for me. However, my LPH is under 100 and I do not feel that I am getting enough work to improve my speed. I am still new and still learning. I'm starting to wonder if I might be better off setting up a home office and trying to get on with a company like Medquist or something. I am getting paid on ...
2 Jobs That Will Never Be Offshored...if You Want A Career Change
Jan 29, 2010
Makes sense to me; I'd opt to be an electrician (if I can't get on disability). Automotive technicians and mechanics repair and maintain automobiles and light trucks. Motorists need these services near their homes and businesses, meaning this hands-on work would be pretty hard for someone in another country to do. So rest easy. This job is staying close to home. Training is a 6-month or 1-year automotive repair certificate program or a 2-year associate degree program.& ...
Career Change - RHIT, Coding And LPN?
Aug 02, 2011
I've been an MT for 10 years but for the past year I have been in school working towards an AA degree in Health Information Management. I would like to be an RHIT and do coding somewhere. However, I like it but not enough to want to do this for the rest as my life as I am only 34. I love the medical field and want to stay in it but am thinking of switching my major. I think maybe switching to LPN and then eventually become an RN. I think that I might enjoy working with people more ...
Current MT Needing Career Change
Aug 09, 2011
I've decided I am getting out of MTing. The two options I am interested are completely different yet in the medical field which I love. First is health information management, 2-year degree. Would like to be a coder but worried it will end up like MT in 10 years. Second is becoming an LPN and then down the road an RN. I am in my early 30s and I've got a long work life ahead of me but want to be happy! Which way to go? ...
Online School & Career Change At 40
Feb 02, 2013
Currently hold Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. Worked as executive admin asst for past 15 years. Considering going to Andrews on line MT school. Is this a good investment and career change for me or should I look into something else? Like the ability to possibly work from home. Also, which school is best choice for finding work at home job (Andrews, Career Step, Mtec, etc..)??? ...
Career Change After 20 Years Of Medical Transcription
Dec 22, 2013
Anybody got any ideas for a career change for someone that has been doing medical transcription for 20 years? ...
Career Change To Massage Therapist Suggestion
Mar 06, 2014
My son is attending massage therapy training and will be done the end of June. He will be making more money than I will be once working. It only took a year. He is going for another year to earn an AA, but will start working and go to school at night. It's kind of expensive, but I think it would be a rewarding career. There is an extensive anatomy course that we MTs would breeze through, so I thought I would pass this suggestion on. I realize some of you are in remote areas and thi ...
Beware Any Of These Coaches For Career Or Life Change.
Mar 11, 2015
The last one on here wanted to charge $497 for a 3-month package of some junk book and phone coaching and followup coaching sessions. I've got her email. I'd hate to find out what her "expanded " package costs. You can find all the same information on line yourself for free. How much time have you already spent job searching on line? Don't waste your money with these people and your time. Use your time wisely yourself. You could also lik ...
Career Step - Problems Passing Career Step MT Testing
Mar 05, 2012
Anyone have problems passing Career Step MT testing. ...
MT Career
Jul 21, 2010
Just doing a little survey here: Do you think the medical transcriptionist is becoming more and more obsolete? I have been in the field for a long time and have already lost a couple of jobs due to technology or work being contracted out. It seems to be the one job I was always able to find as there was also a need, especially if you're experienced. Nowadays, we're talking VR, editors, etc. etc. and the pay is not getting any better. Personally, I have alw ...
My MT Career Is Done.
Jun 30, 2011
I am just a little fish in a big pond, very rarely posted here, but loved to read the posts! I felt though I had to post tonight as I am very sad. For the last 15 years, I was an MT, but tonight was my last shift and typed my last report - a discharge summary. Same thing I started on all those years ago. My account is going VR on July 1, and I was told my wage would go from 9 cents a line to 4 cents. No matter how they crouch it in rah-rah terms (increased produc ...
Career Help
Jul 13, 2012
I am a 47-year-old woman with a BS degree in management who has always wanted to work in the medical field. I began a training program for transcription but have since learned that field isn't promising at this point. I am analytical and have worked in accounting-type positions for many years, and I think I would enjoy coding. From the perspective of someone with experience in the coding field, would you recommend coding as a career or would you suggest possibly RHIA? I would appreciate ...
Almost On To New Career! Bye MT (soon)
Oct 08, 2012
I am about 90% done with my preemployment process at a county position in a neighboring town. It will not be too soon for me start as we got word today that we lost one of the biggest contracts they had and they wont be getting a new one until February. So let me tell you just how thankful I am that I am not going to have to deal with these issues of MT anymore. I will be moving on to an employer where I am fully vested at 8 years! I am 40, so essentially I could retire then! & ...
Considering MT Career... Should I Do It?
Oct 12, 2012
Hi everyone, this is my first post. I am a military wife, so I'm hoping to start a career where I can work from home. For now I would only want to work part-time since I have a young child at home, but it would be nice to have the option to work full-time someday. I've been thinking about becoming a MT for a while now, but lately I've been discouraged because it looks like the job growth has slowed considerably in recent years. I'm looking into the Car ...
New Career.
Apr 02, 2013
How many of you are pursuing a new career. I can't live on the money I make from MT, and I don't know if I can do this until I retire. I have been studying gemology, trying to get into estate jewelry. ...
New MT Looking For New Career!!! HELP!
Apr 08, 2013
Well, I wish I would have looked at this forum before going to MT school. I tried working for two different MT companies. First one I hated the platform/pay and the second one I really liked the account and platform but my work wasn't "clean enough" and they let me go after two weeks. I think I got canned because I questioned some QA redlines and was told I was wrong (no, no comma. Yes, you put a comma. That's hypenated. No, not hypenated.) I even ha ...
Career Map
Aug 03, 2013
Here is a link to a very cool career map on AHIMA website. You click on one career in entry, mid, advanced or master level and it will connect you to all the paths you can go. It also shows emerging areas. Just what we have all been talking about mapped out! http://www.hicareers.com/CareerMap/  ...
Second Career
Nov 06, 2013
I was just wondering if anyone had found another work-from-home career to go to after leaving the MT "world?" The way this industry is going, I'm just tired of it all and would like to find something else I can do from home and make good $$ at itI I have started on something of a new career but it will take some time to get up, get going and start making $$ at it. I am designing cat "trees" or furniture that is more attractive and way more easy to clean than what is on the market out ...
Any Ideas Of Another Career In Which I Can...
Apr 15, 2010
put all of this wonderful medical terminology to good use? Don't want to be a nurse. I hate needles and blood. I am a very empathetic and compassionate person. I really don't want to deal with the public/customers. ...
U.S. Career Institute
May 09, 2010
Hmmmm...Interesting, was reading about Andrews School and M-Tech. I looked them up online and they DO seem to be THE schools to go to. Seems as though Career Step is in 3rd or so? How would anyone place U.S. Career Institute? I'm sure this another matchbox school, but do you think it's one that employers run from? Just curious, thanks if you can help. And Happy Mother's Day to all those great mom's out there, hope you had a great day! :) ...
Anyone Know About Career Step?
May 12, 2010
wonder if anyone here, or if anyone knows of anyone who utilized Career Step for either their MT program or their coding program ...
What Happened To MT Career?
Jun 04, 2010
I am reading on this board and seeing that people from Medquist are being let go, places are being bought out, hospitals are selling in-house to the outside services now. The services charge a decent amount of money to these hospitals, but we see pennies of it. What is sad is that what we do is very important, yet we are treated like all we do is type words (and anyone who has done ESL docs know it isn't just words - it's format, it's incorrect pronunciation, inco ...
Alternative Career
Jun 15, 2010
Hello, All: While helping my son research possibilities for his career choice, we found out that ultrasonography only requires two years of education and the median pay is around $40K-$50K. You don't have to be licensed and can take the job anywhere in the country. Not bad, huh? Wanted to pass that information along to any frustrated MTs who are considering getting out. I woudln't mind doing that myself. Dental hygienists make even more and also o ...