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

Just curious--how did we all get here? - Nik

Posted: Feb 01, 2012

I had never even heard of medical transcription until 4 years ago when I was invited to a "graduation party" by a friend who had finished her online MT course. How did everyone else get started in this business, both vets and newbies? What was it like before telecommuting opened this field up to so many people?

How I got here - sm - Meerkat

[ In Reply To ..]
I've been in MT a long time. I fell into it in my 20s, after bouncing around unsuccessfully from job to job working in business offices. This was mainly because of 2 factors - boredom on the job, and cutthroat office politics.

A friend had also "fallen into" MT - she worked as a receptionist in a radiology department, and one day the MT there (called a "medical secretary" back then) was swamped and asked my friend if she could help her out by trying to do some x-ray transcription. She learned on the job, caught on fast, and later, when I was once again between jobs, suggested it to me.

I took a night school MT course, and was hired by a small MT service before I'd even graduated. I really enjoyed transcription. I like words, I like typing, and I liked dealing with recordings instead of the doctors themselves.

My first job was using a Correcting Selectric typewriter, soon thereafter replaced by a Mag Card. I loved the Mag Card, because you could put all your normals on cards, and thus your memory capacity was limitless. Later, at other jobs, when we once again switched to IBM Memory Typewriters, it wasn't as good because your memory was very limited. Later, at one of the services I worked for, I was introduced to computer transcription on the Lexitron. By today's standards it would seem a bit slow, but back then it was the Cadillac of word-processing systems.

I did a bit more job-hopping, mainly to escape non-paying or nasty-tempered bosses, but eventually settled down in an inhouse hospital/clinic setting. There, I was back on the Correcting Selectric again. But that was okay - I had my very own office again, just like I'd had at my first job! Over the years, we went through a lot of different setups... an IBM PC with printer (got noisy when everyone in the office had their own separate printer). Later, we had a central printer that we all printed off of. And finally, the printers were moved to the main hospital building (we were offsite in a separate building at that point). And now, of course, the reports aren't printed, they go directly into the EMR.

We had lots of different word-processing software.... IBM, Wang, Word Perfect, and then Microsoft Word.

I've stayed with MT a long time because for most of my years in it, it was a comfortable living, and a recession-proof job. I rode out many recessions in MT with job security, while my more highly-educated friends kept losing jobs and having to go back to school to reinvent themselves. I felt pretty smug about my choice to become an MT until the turn of this century, when things took a pretty drastic turn for the worse, and it hasn't let up. Even though I produce far more than I used to, with the wage cuts and line-cheating that goes on in this business, I've seen my income go from $48,000 in around 2000-2001, to a mere $18,000 this past year.

Now I'm not feeling so smug about being an MT anymore. :(

I had about the same experience. - MT26 years

[ In Reply To ..]
Got out of college, worked in the business world, made high teens in NYC. This was 26 years ago. Decided to get out of the city and moved to suburbs. Did temp jobs and learned on the job medical terminology. Decided to try an agency before it became an at home career. Then they started to send us home. Worked Meditech and regular word perfect through the phone lines. Gradually worked up to 50K a year and more. Moved south, cost of living cheaper, and got a job at a huge hospital system. Stayed there 7 years and worked really hard and still made 60K in a place where cost of living was low. That was around the year 2000. Suddenly the next 5 years we were threatened that voice recog. would be on the way. We did not believe it. We were warned to live below our means. Did not listen. Got a fancy car, continued with fancy trips. Had a child. Then 2005 hit and all of a sudden out of the hospital job (told to send kids to daycare, I work at home, I wanted to take care of my kids and work that is why I had this job!) Long story longer, went to work for MTSOs and the last 6 years has been hell in a hand basket. Watched 52K go down to 25K. Then, suddenly ESR, VR editing was the norm in the last 2 years and went BROKE! Got divorced (husband upset could no longer bring money home and take care of kids), lost everything literally. Just shy of staying in a hotel. Went back to school and could not do job and MT, got evicted. Finally, after a long hard battle back, made 9,000.00 last year, lived on that and student loans. Lost custody of child because of poverty. Living on food stamps, help from Salvation Army, and working 3 MT jobs scraping by still going to school for Masters. If you know me you know every single word is true. Recently tried to go back to full time MT and school, but did not get paid for new job and almost lost apartment again. The cycle continued and it has to stop. I am not alone. I know I am not. Why did we let it get this far? Why in the world do intelligent people like us lose everything for our career? (rhetorical). Thanks for listening to my epic. Here, hanging on by a thread, but still hanging on...

I feel for you. - Suzy Q

[ In Reply To ..]
I have gone through changes too -- maybe not as drastic as yours, but I know exactly what you are talking about. MT work is no longer a good choice to make money, as most of the MT's now are barely making it or not making it at all. Seems like the MTSO's would care just a little, but No I don't think they care at all. Very greedy people in a greedy world. We are now the lower class living in poverty and on food stamps, like you said. Things have to change, but I don't know how or when.

It breaks your heart to hear these stories.

Court reporter turned MT 20 years ago. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I got tired of dealing with all the politics of court reporting and joined a temp agency. The first job they sent me on was a medical transcription job in house at a hospital. They offered me a full-time position, I took it and have been an MT ever since. I used to love this job. I too am experiencing the loss of income from recent changes. I still love being able to fill my time with work that really keeps me busy (the main reason I love it, cannot stand to have even a few minutes of time with nothing to do). I love the challenge but hate the perks right now.

Lost hope of getting another MT job. - JW

[ In Reply To ..]
I relate to the above post. I have no work now and am very very depressed along with being very scared of not getting another position someplace. I've been at it for 30 years. I didn't want to retire for a long time but maybe I'm being forced to now and only have limited savings and no pension. I applied for two jobs that fit my skills last week and no response and it was on MTjobs. My spciality is ortho and the one looked liked it was screaming for ortho but nothing from them. I am very down at this point. I had an interview here in town with a storage place for office work and was passed over. It really involved MS Word something I could have easily done too. Not too optimistic anymore.

Very sad for you. - Suzy Q

[ In Reply To ..]
Where is your family -- children??? Would they be willing to help you as far as food and shelter until you get on your feet? It is rough out there, trying to survive. Surely you have some family that could give you some assistance. Good luck in the meantime. I will pray for you and all the other MT's who are struggling to make it.

Never burden my family - JW

[ In Reply To ..]
I'd never be a burden to my family. They don't deserve it. It's not my fault I don't have a job. There just aren't any jobs left at least not one for me.

Me either. I am lucky enough to be able to collect - Social Security of $1200 a month. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
l

P.S. and I am also on food stamps and fuel assistance. nm - Very sad MT

[ In Reply To ..]
.

I still love it after 24 years - anonyn

[ In Reply To ..]
I went back to school (business school) for medical assistant when my last child went to kindergarten in 1987. We also had transcription and computer classes. We went on a field trip to the local VA Hospital and went through the transcription department and I told them then that was what I wanted to do. After a few different hospitals in the transcription departments, I ended up back at that VA transcribing. They went to VR so I had to find something else. So, I have tried a few different companies but have been with one for 7 years now and looks fair, but the VR is irritating. I know it will be gone one day, but it was fun while it lasted. Hopefully, I can hang in there for another 11 years so I can retire on social security.

I would love hospital work - JW

[ In Reply To ..]
I'd love to work in a hospital. The lady that does the hiring here at the local hospital has expressed an interest in hiring me but they are not busy and she has had to send some MTs home early so I don't know if I will ever get the chance. It make me feel good since I have never worked in a hospital. Medical transcription has been my whole life for 30 years. In the absence of work, I decided to try to improve myself and bought some reference books I didn't have in the hopes of getting that job if it becomes available again. I really want to work but don't want to work for a MTSO as I did it for three years and was miserable everyday I worked there.

So bizarre how this profession has changed - Nik

[ In Reply To ..]
I remember thinking if I could make $35,000 I do cartwheels down the street, and then I heard from retired MTs who said they had made $50,000 plus so then I was REALLY happy. It seems like the drop in pay has happened everywhere, and it's terrible that people who used to make a good living are really struggling. My own situation is bad enough, and I'm still irked at my instructors who said I could make A LOT of money though I suppose they were basing it on their own MT experience.

My story - SpringChicken

[ In Reply To ..]
I held a different medical career for 13+ years and was just getting fed up. Things would not have been so bad if I had not worked nights for so long with co-workers who spent the shift yakking on the phone with their boyfriends, surfing the net, and flipping through magazines. Not even making $25/hr could give me any solace in that persistent situation. It was on one of my worst nights when John Tesh radio just happened to be playing in the background, and he said "Would you like to work alone? Would you like to work at home? Would you like to make more the harder you work? If yes, you should look into medical transcription..." We had just received accross-the-board raises of only 2%, and I was very bitter about that. So, I researched the hell out of my options and decided to go for it! I've been at it for almost 1 year and absolutely love my newfound freedom to work when I want, see the sunshine, and I gross $20-28/hr depending on my providers and the day I am having.

That said, I never thought I would give any props to John Tesh (with his weird alien keyboard music), but I am very happy now and I owe it all to that guy.

Thank you, John Tesh.

How I got here - and where I am going. sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Way back in the 70's as an RN and a single mom with a new baby I needed to find a way to earn some money and saw an ad in the paper for a medical transcriptionist to work from home. I was proficient in medical terminology and could type. (thanks mom) I called for an appointment and drove to the office. I took a test without reference use, passed, and was sent home with an IBM Selectric, White-out, pages of hospital info, etc., and thus began my MT career. This was in 1974. Was it hard? Are you kidding? Imagine carbon paper and no computer/word processor.

Over the years I continued to do both nursing and medical transcription, especially loving MT after we started using word processors, then computers. I actually made more being an IC MT in the 80's than I did nursing.

In 2000, I went to work for Medquist as a Statutory MT and eventually an employee. At that time, I was appreciated for my knowledge and experience and eventually became a tier 4 MT/ME doing operative notes only.

After leaving MQ under very unpleasant circumstances in 2009 I decided to once again become an IC MT for an independent MTSO. Unwilling to accept what an independent contractor is now paid and the requirements that are expected, I opted out with great regret.

Since the 1980's nurses make more than quadruple what they made then and MTs make almost half, especially ICs.

The average going rate now for IC MTs is $0.08 per line, sometimes less! Many adhere to a strict schedule and have zero flexibility. In another world compared to just 15 years ago. In actuality, most current ICs are paid the same and treated exactly the same as employees except they pay all their own taxes and get no benefits. What?

This happening because we all have let it.

No longer an MT, now sadly retired, I have no vested future interest in medical transcription but have decided that my energies will go to rooting out all the MTSOs that are illegally hiring ICs and treating them like employees with no benefits. I will put them on notice and report to the Department of Labor and the IRS. It is only a small thing and others may have a different idea about how to go about things but this is mine.

IC and MTSOs - Good For You!

[ In Reply To ..]
I support your actions 100% in going after those MTSOs that hire ICs and treat them as employees but expect them to pay their taxes and have no benefits. They are getting away with it because we allow them to. There needs to be a shake-up in this industry and we are the ones who have to shake it up; no one else will. As long as we accept this treatment, it will continue.

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