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

Just curious to know - Old Pro

Posted: Nov 09, 2011

If you had access to an education in any field of your choice and wanted to completely leave transcription, what field would you choose? (This is not a trick question, just something I have wondered about. Me, I would choose engineering.)

I have always wanted to teach, but not an option now. - Hence my post below about

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medical billing and coding, human resources, paralegal.

At my age and with health issues I am trying to learn something different while also utilizing the skills I already have with typing, listening skills, etc.

If I was to win the lottery (yeah right, but I can dream, right?), I would go to school full time and major in education.

Something in the legal field - AnaPhylaxis

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I've been debating taking classes to become a paralegal even though I'm sure I'd be the oldest person in class, LOL! The only obstacle is actually going to classes...What with working two jobs, the little bit of free time I have is so precious that I try to spend it just with my husband.

I know I could take classes online but I'm not sure getting my credentials online would carry the same weight as those who have obtained their credentials by actually sitting in a classroom.

Oh well...just another dream to chase. One's never too old to dream :-)

There are only a few viable sectors. - Realist

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Engineering and banking seem to be the only viable sectors left nowadays, and the banking can be tenuous (see recent layoffs).

Legal? Talk to the attorneys. THEIR work is increasingly being sent overseas.

EVERYTHING is suffering --- even RNs are having trouble getting hired.

How can a lawyer's work go overseas? - Just wondering

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I would think it would be hard to have legal work done overseas because the laws are so different.

Only trademark, copyright, etc. YES it's different. Sm - Realist

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The lawyers in India (or wherever) sit there with huge reference manuals to look up U.S. law.

Do a Google search, there are articles about this online. It is the new trend and IS taking work from U.S. attorneys.

Law office work has gone overseas - anon.

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Some months ago I was shocked to find out that proofreading went overseas in 1990s, maybe late 80s? Not just law firms, where I knew they employed proofreaders, but in the publishing industry. Bill Murray was on Letterman plugging his new book. Letterman asked him about the editing process, and Murray joked (I thought) that his book was proofread and edited in India. A quick google search, and sure enough...

Realist - Old Pro

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Engineering has always intrigued me. Unfortunately, I do not have enough math skills for it. Algebra and geometry, yes, calculus, sadly, no.......

Old Pro - math skills - mamt

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Unfortunately, I also think that the math would be difficult for me in pharmacy school. I did manage to get through algebra and geometry in high school/college but I'm not so sure how I'd do with calculus. Yes, sad....

mamt - Old Pro

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Pharmacy is full of math and chemistry. It is really hard, but there are big bucks for a good pharmacist. You might surprise yourself with calculus. I had a roommate back in the dark ages at the university and she was an engineering major (a rare thing for as woman back then). We both were in the same physics class and it took her 20 minutes to do the assignment and me four hours! But I know some people who actually think calculus is fun! I know a young man who put himself through the university as a calculus tutor. He was a math major and it just came easy to him. He is now working on his Ph.D. I asked him where he had been when I was struggling with calculus--he had not even been born!

I would definitely be a pharmacist! - mamt

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Sure wish I had gone to pharmacy school 25 years ago!

film editing, without a doubt. - nonMTheart

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.

Social/economic geography, research, analyze, - and try to develop valuable insights. NM

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x

Home renovation, fine detailing - Rainy

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I like installing door jambs, floor/wall molding, and sprucing up cabinet doors with small designs, that kind of stuff. Not saying I am that good at it, but with the right training, who knows?

Rainy - Old Pro

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I just have to tell you this because it fits in with your dream. Several years ago I had my place remodeled and the contractor was a woman! I had never seen a woman contractor, but she was the absolute best. She and her partner had lost everything in Hurricane Andrew and had moved to California to start again and she decided she would train to be a contractor and she did. Not only did she do a beautiful job for her clients--she made nothing but money and is probably a very rich woman by now. (Probably lives in Beverly Hills!) Have you thought of becoming a contractor?

Thought about it. - Rainy

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Unfortunately, I really do not have the personality for dealing with clients. Not mean, but actually the opposite--too wimpy.

My contractor a few years ago said he liked hiring women because we tend to be more detail oriented and look for near perfection, whereas men tend to slap things together to get it done. These guys were great, let me hang around, and taught me how to do things.

Rainy - Old Pro

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You might do well to work for another contractor and be her right-hand technical person. Dealing with clients can be tough. I did it for 40 years (not as a contractor, as an MTSO) and you have to have a good, strong backbone. It sounds like you have great technical skills, though, and you might be able to translate that into good $$$$. Good luck! (And I have to add that you would laugh at me--I can barely hang a picture, let alone build anything.) (Insert red face here.)

CNA or Medical Assistants are always in demand. - Their wages are rising

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Those would be good fields to get into to have a lifetime career at a minimum of cost.

CNA or medical assistants - Old Pro

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There are ALWAYS jobs for CNAs, but the work is extremely physically tough. Lots of lifting, etc.

I would be... - missed my calling

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A mechanic. My father was one--bought and opened his own shop when he was 22, and was in business for 50 years until his death in 2006. Ever since I was little little, like 5, I wanted to be his apprentince and eventually take over the business when he retired. BUT, when I was 17, got the whole "no daughter of mine is going into this business" spheel, and was subseqently shipped off to college. It really had nothing to do with the fact that I'm female. He just didn't want to see me busting my rear, working 15 hour days, 5 days a week, 10 hours on Saturday. He didn't want me to have to work outside (more/less) in all weathers and deal with crappy, inconsiderate people. It's a hard job, and he envisioned an easier life for me.
I do though, really regret that I didn't fight hard enough or at least negotiate with him but oh well..

I would be a psychiatrist or medical examiner. - nm

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nm

Psychiatrist vs. ME - Old Pro

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You would make more money as a psychiatrist. ME's are paid by the state and with budget cuts, ME salaries are being cut, too. There is a shortage of people in the specialty because med students think, "Why should I settle for 175K as an ME when I can make 3 million as a neurosurgeon?" Good psychiatrists can make lots of dough, especially in cities like LA.

Bookkeeper or statistician - mthead

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They're the only form of math that make sense to me. I'm sure I can do the math, but probably wouldn't be brilliant at analysis as far as statistics go.

mthead - statistics - Old Pro

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Statistics was really hard when I took it back in the 70s. In fact, we came to call the class SADISTICS.

I was a social science major, so maybe - mthead

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it was just a "watered-down" version of statistics?

What field would I choose? - Sunshine State MT

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My choice definitely would be Veterinary Medicine.

Sunshine State MT - Old Pro

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I actually thought about vet med, but I love animals so much that I am not sure I could handle seeing them suffer. If I became a vet, I would like to work with exotic animals, like at a zoo. I have a good friend who is a vet and it is harder to make money than you might imagine.....

Okay, my final answer - Old Pro

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This has been fun, hearing what all of you would do. Ok, here is my final choice. Of all the jobs in the world, I would love to be a pro quarterback in the NFL. But I don't suppose the Chicago Bears have a spot for a 70-year-old small woman!

Real Estate - Showing and Selling Houses - nm

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nm

I wish I knew - Cheesey

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Medical Transcription was the only thing that sounded remotely interesting to me. It took me years to even have an idea of something the somewhat interested me. Everybody went to college because that's what you do after high school. I didn't want to waist time and money going to college when I didn't have the slightest idea what my end goal was. I took some gen ed classes, but after that, I just quit. It was pointless. Everything else that was presented to me I hated in terms of work.

I read all these posts of people quitting MT and going back to school. I think to myself, if I quit MT, what the heck am I going to do? I really don't have an idea. I still can't find anything else that I enjoy that would be available to me.

My dream would be to have a ranch in Montana and raise cattle. But I can't just jump into that. You don't go to college for that. I live in Illinois, have no money, don't know anything about cattle and have no idea how to make a living doing that. But it's something I know I'd enjoy.

I need to find me a cowboy. :D

Cheesey - Old Pro

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Do you have any hobbies that really excite and interest you? Some people use that as a jumping off point into a career. If your dream really is to have a ranch, don't give up on it (although ranching is a tough way to make a living these days). Is there any change you could go to work as a ranch hand for some who does own a ranch in Montana? Maybe you could work for someone else, put in a little sweat equity, and eventually buy them out. Don't give up! Dream big.

Culinary school! - ERMT

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I love to cook and I love to eat, so culinary school and opening a restaurant with my DH that serves yummy comfort food would be it. Maybe after the kidlets are gone....

ERMT - Old Pro

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Will you invite me over for dinner? I love to cook, too. I recently saw a house that has a Wolf stove and was so jealous I could hardly stand it. We just have a regular stove. But, please, do think of opening the restaurant when the kidlets are gone--I will be your first customer!

Dream Field of Choice - Wish I Had Pursued

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Veterinary Medicine.

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