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

Is CMT certification worth it? - DJ

Posted: Feb 14, 2010

What are your feelings about obtaining your CMT credentials when VR (at least with my employer) doesn't follow BOS or acknowledge the styles, forms and practices that, at one time were the norm? I get blown away with sentence structure and grammar these days. Do you think one should become certified with the latest trend with VR? Seems to me "No", not worth it, unless I moved on to a company who did not use VR. But, then again, if this is the trend hospitals and companies are headed for, why bother. Anyone out there have any thoughts on this? I was considering it, even studying for it, but have had second thoughts. Would appreciate hearing from anyone on this matter.

Only if you work for a company that actually rewards the credential. - Other than that

[ In Reply To ..]
no real reason to do it. Yes, I suppose it would look good on your resume when job-hunting, and some prospective employers might give a CMT more consideration than not.

And I don't see how VR makes much of a difference, because we still have to know if what the VR picked up is correct, so we still need as much knowledge as we ever did.

But unless the company you work for actually pays more for credentialed MTs, there's not a lot of use for it these days.

CMT - itype2

[ In Reply To ..]
I am a CMT, I took and passed the exam years ago. I dropped my membership in AAMT (AHDI) because the dues were too expensive and I couldn't see that national did much to advance the profession. None of my employers paid more because I was credentialed. I also don't understand what being a CMT would have to do with VR. Anyway, the choice to become certified is yours.

CMT? Nuh-uh. Another AHDI RIP-OFF. - "Dont Feed The Pigs"

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

cmt - not any more

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I was a CMT in the 90s and I did not get any extra pay for it either back then. You have to keep up on your CCUs however you can get them now days. I had monthly meetings and a convention with several speakers and a years symposia to attend every year to keep up with my educational part to keep up with the CCUs way back then. And then it was nice to get together every month and yearly at different conventions and it really was a pleasure and very educational, but not any more.

I let my CMT lapse in the last 90s and do not regret it in the least. Those were the "good old days" and not they are not.

I am sure it is much more expensive to become a CMT now too, and not sure how much to maintain your CMT, but it would not be worth it anymore. I don't have that loyalty anymore like I used to. And it is getting worse.

There are a few nationals that pay for CMT differential, and - it has helped me when applying for QA. sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I've been a CMT for a long time; it's been somewhat helpful in job hunting and keeping up with continuing education. It's been a minor expense to maintain, and as long as that is the case I'll keep it up. I can't say I'd recommend anyone run out and get one one at this point, though.

Do you have money to burn? - Long time MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I took the CMT test in the 1980s, was certified. The test was expensive, going to meetings to keep up my CEUs was expensive, the fee charged by AHDI to keep it up was expensive, and I don't recall that any employer ever paid me more for it. Oh yeah, there was this one outfit who hired me for the QA department. The owner said that all their QA staff had to be certified. Turns out I was the only one who was, and in the 6 years I was there no one else ever became certified. I let it lapse a couple of years ago. AHDI care only for themselves and making a buck. They could care less about MTs.

Never certified, never member of AAMT - since 1982

[ In Reply To ..]
I have never been asked if I am certified and have never been turned down for a job or IC contract because I was not certified. Not way back then and not as recently as last week, or in any of the years between.

Definitely not! - Old and Tired MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I kept my CMT for 18 years and never made a nickel more because of it. It cost me a lot of money to travel for continuing education credits to attend symposiums, etc., and the dues kept rising. The last straw was when they said we could "make payments" on the dues because they had gotten so expensive. They also changed all the requirements for the CEs, as well, and I dropped it. Don't waste your time or your money unless you have plenty of both. They have not helped MTs in all the years I've know them. They push their BOS and are just out for the almighty dollar.

CMT or not --nope - NotNewMT

[ In Reply To ..]
Been there, done that. Never was worth the cost or time involved. The only thing good about belong to the previous AAMT was meeting good people/friends.

The CMT itself will not increase your pay, except for a very few companies. Try to find a physician or other medical professional who even knows what CMT or the organization is.

If your current employer does not follow the guidelines, let alone does not pay for taking the test and maintaining the CEC's, I wouldn't spend the money or the time.

"...who even knows what CMT or the organization is" - So True!

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We may as well certify each other for all the CMT/AAMT is worth.

CMT - MT Bottle

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NO WAY. I wouldn't give those crooks (my opinion) a dime especially what happened with the MQ lawsuit deboggle.

To DJ re: VR - Just me

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Is the CMT worth it? Not only no, but h*** no. I have been an MT for four decades, have made a LOT of money, and never once have held a CMT. I provide a good product, am a perfectionist about my work, and that means much more than a (non-academic) set of letters behind my name ever could. Furthermore, I will not give one cent to AAMT or AHDI or whatever they are calling themselves these days, as, IMHO, they have done more to ruin the MT profession than any other single factor (think support of offshoring). So no, don't waste your time.

Is CMT certification worth it? - DJ

[ In Reply To ..]
Wow! Thanks for the replies everyone!! So, I gather you all would agree it's fairly safe to say that hospitals/companies who say "CMT preferred" really doesn't mean anything and should not scare off applicants.... Sounds like it to me.

They are probably the ones who - Old and Tired MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Are in cahoots with AAMT/AHDI and will nit-pick you to death if you don't put in every comma where the BOS says you must. I would stay away from any company that advertises they are a "proud member" as you will no doubt be required to memorize the BOS word for word, paragraph by paragraph. This organization has never done ANYTHING to help the MTs with their plight. They should have stood up for us when all the companies cut our pay in half for doing VR but instead, we were told that WE "had to change" and adapt to the new technology, ad nauseam. They haven't been interested in anything except to line their own pockets and inflate their own egos. I have always wondered who died and left THEM in charge of transcription anyway!

No, I would not let that scare me. - Fingers

[ In Reply To ..]
Especially if you are just looking to actually transcribe. I have applied to several companies and not one of them has asked if I had MT certification. Most do not care if you have significant experience anyway.

I do believe that companies would like (not require) to have a CMT do editing/transcription on VR, to do QA, or be an account manager. Quite honestly, I understand that but I have to say that I have known the income of several of my account managers and most of the QA, and I make about $10,000 more per year than they do. Why would I want their job? Unless of course the offshoring and VR is diminishing the need for half the MT population.

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