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Testing for a MT job - Gone and hopefully forgotten

Posted: Feb 07, 2014

How many of you think that testing to get an MT job absolutely ridiculous? When you apply to these so-called medical transcription companies, you send them your resume which I am sure highlights not only your experience, but also your education that you paid good money for and worked hard to obtain. Yet, they still make you take a test. Have you realized that the tests are designed for you to fail? Your whole future is based on one test. Your experience and your education mean absolutely nothing to these companies. Talk about gross disrespect. When you take the test, it is usually typing some dictator that is totally bad...unclear, unprecise, some doctor who definitely needs to hang up and never dictate again. You usually have to type on these tests, yet when you get the job, it is VR. You are tested on something that has nothing whatsoever to do with the job. Who writes these tests? Whoever wrote them evidently knows nothing about how to evaluate people. Don't you think it would be more appropriate to test you in the actual job you would be doing? Then what is even more pathetic is they will not ever show you what you did wrong or give you a score. They simply tell you (sometimes they dont tell you) that you failed the test. It is absolutely pathetic. I strongly believe that if a company cannot look at my resume and see my experience and training and know that I will do a good job, then they are not worth my time. It is time MTs start taking a stand against this unfair testing. If they use their test to evaluate us....why can't we use the test to evaluate them???? Why would you want to work for a company whose test is nothing short of garbled trash? If this is reflective of the actual work they have....why would you want to take their test and work for them? If they cannot explain to you why you failed the test, why would you want to work for a company with such a poor lack of communciation? It is time we evaluate companies based on their test. Don't let them belittle your education and experience and base your future on your ability to decifer garbled trash. Think about it......do you really want to work for a company who disrespects your credentials even before they meet you?

Testing - Never again

[ In Reply To ..]
I have spent hours testing for various companies and never passing. Sometimes after I labor over a page of 100 words or so, I try to go to the next page and it states I did not pass, so essentially I am done. If I see MTTest, I log off. I agree, it is ridiculous. You practically have to be premed or an English major. The job I have now, she sent me three dictations from the doctors who I would be transcribing for; I took them, passed and got the job. Viola'. No muss, no fuss! You read all the time about MTS with years of experience, who fail these stupid tests. These companies are getting away with MT genocide; don't fall for it, don't waste your time.

Testing - Just me

[ In Reply To ..]
You would be surprised how many people obtain an MT education and still can't transcribe, I've seen it - people who want to work at home and think they can do it all. People lie on resumes and misrepresent their qualifications, testing is how employers weed people out. How many employers in other occupations do you know who hire people simply by looking at their resume? That may get you an interview, but as someone who has gone through a lot of non-MT interviews, there usually is pre-employment testing and generally more than one interview. Those tests not only look at your transcription ability, but also your ability to format a report and use good judgment. Sometimes the tests are not representative of the actual work you will be doing (more difficult) but if you can pass the test you are probably up to almost anything. Sorry, but I find this a bit arrogant. Pre-employment testing is not a sign of disrespect. If the tests were easy-peasy and something that anyone could pass, you might not be able to survive on the job, especially with acute care and all that entails these days. Unfortunately, being able to decipher garbled trash goes with the territory, sooner or later you are going to encounter it. It is possible to pass those transcription tests because I have, although I passed on the jobs for other reasons. If you want a job, you are going to have to jump through some hoops.

You are sorely mislead obviously - Non Test taker

[ In Reply To ..]
You are dead wrong. Most other jobs will not give you a test (especially a professional level job that requires some form of documented education). If these tests are so right, why wont they communicate the results to you other than pass or fail. I am going to tell you right off that most people who do evaluations of any sort in the medical field are NOT qualified to perform evaluation. They have no training in education, they have no idea how to write a test, grade it or provide proper feedback. Evaluations are more than just writing a few questions down and checking to see if it is right or wrong. MT companies want to weed out MTs who would not be good, but they never weed out management who are not good. Just because an MT cannot pass an impossible test does not mean she will not be a good worker. Some of the bet MTs on the market cannot pass these tests because they are designed TO MAKE YOU FAIL...and as the matter of fact, I am not too sure that many MTs do fail them. They are not given the score or the results....it is probably based on if the person doing the evaluation really knows what she is doing or not or if she likes your name or knows you...you pass. I have a Master's Degree in instructional design and over 20 years of teaching experience. I did MT work on my time off for extra pay to entertain my boredom, so you don't need to tell me anything about testing. I guarantee I know why more about it than you do and I know that how they are doing it is WRONG. Not only is the test wrong, the people who do the evaluations are not qualified to perform them. Above all, anyone with proper training in evaluations know that not only feedback is important, but so is positive reinforcement. Neither of these is provided on an initial test. If any other professional company tested you for a position, they would at least give you a score. I have never gotten a score on an initial test in MT. Nowadays, you take the test and the company is so pathetic that it will not even tell you if you failed. They simply tell you that if you don't hear from them, then you did not pass. That is probably one of the poorest excuses of unprofessional communication I have ever heard of in my life. Any company who cannot even tell me if I passed or failed tells me they lack serious communication skills and I would not want to work for a company like that. What if I had a question....if they did not feel my question was relevant, they would just ignore it? Pathetic. If I want a job, I will jump through hoops...I will give them my resume that clearly outlines my experience, I will show them my credentials and certifications and I will do an interview. If they are so stupid that they can determine what type of a worker I am based on that information, then they are not worthy of my hard work, dedication and service. Just like I have get the job, they also have to convince me that they have a decent place to work. So, I am not the only one being interviewed during the initial process. I know people lie on a resume, but if the MT company had real people in HR who knew what they were doing and could verify the information on the resume, the could weed these people out. There is no need for testing. It is just a disrespectful discriminative practice that they pathetic MT companies practice.

So sorry - Just me

[ In Reply To ..]
You're the expert and I am totally ignorant. I've passed the tests without cheating or knowing someone on the inside, so I know it is doable, and I am referring to MT Test. If you apply for an MT job on site you will go through the same process - submit a resume, interview and 99% of the time they will ask you to take a transcription test. No one hires without screening applicants. Even clerk jobs require a terminology test. People who don't pass probably think they are stupid tests. Very few places share scores, they will tell you whether you passed or failed. It is extremely rare to hire anyone based solely on a resume, in any occupation.

Testing a complete waste of my time... - TimeToBailMT

[ In Reply To ..]
Never again will I test for another MT company.

I made the mistake of wasting my precious time testing for TransTech a couple months ago (completed all testing along with transcription portion) and they didn't even give me the courtesy of a response, and I am currently working a FT MT job of 8 years--it's INSULTING to be expected to take these stupid tests and everything you say is correct about them. It is a complete waste of time for someone who has been doing this over a decade (typing/editing multiple hospitals all over the country) and as for the poster not agreeing--by all means, have at it! You may have all the time in the world to waste on these ridiculous time-consuming tests, but I don't and I will have you know I did NOT have to test for my current and 2 previous long-term MT jobs, so no doubt there are plenty more MT companies out there who will hire you based on your resume/interview alone. The way it SHOULD be.

Imagine how ridiculous the extensive testing process is (that we don't get paid for) with all the skill it takes to even do them-- and for what...? If you do get the courtesy of a response and get hired on, the end result is always the same. Extremely low wages and in many cases as read on this very board, minimum wage or less. It's disgusting.

I have taken my last MT test. Time to bail MT.

MT IS DEAD!

My Opinion - see msg pls

[ In Reply To ..]
I got out of MT, but I've done my share of testing. I felt the only tests that were fair were the ones the MT company sent you via FedEx on a cassette, you transcribed it on your computer and printed it out and FedEx'd it back.

These online tests are a bunch of nonsense. I failed a couple of those, for what reason I do not know. They were easier than the nonsense I was transcribing. I understand they don't want to share what you did wrong---they are probably afraid the "answers" would get around. But I would have liked to have been given an idea of what went wrong.

These days, I think the testing is a bunch of hooey. If I was hiring an acute care MT, I certainly wouldn't just go by the resume---people can lie. I would talk to them on the phone for 5 minutes and ask them certain questions. I'd know within 3 questions if they knew what they were doing.

The answers are out there - Google Queen

[ In Reply To ..]
They don't want the answers to get out there, but all you have to do is google part of the question and you will find the answers online. See, these MTSO are ignorant with their stupid testing.

Well, - I am referring to hands-on transcription

[ In Reply To ..]
...I am talking about hands-on transcription, not a grammar/spelling test or multiple choice terminology test.

If I was checking out someone to see if they were indeed as good as their resume said, I would ask some questions, no warning of anything. I would ask thingsw like, what is the range of a normal WBC? That's very basic, even clinic. If they can't answer that, they shouldn't be transcribing.

I have to disagree with this. I couldnt answer WBC values - right off the top of my head. SM

[ In Reply To ..]
However, if I see it in a dictated note, I would know if it's not within the normal range. I could hear it and tell you if that does or does not sound quite right.

I didn't go to school for MA or PA or whatever. I don't see lab tests 10 times a day every day to have the values carved in my memory.

That doesn't mean that I'm not a good MT. I've never been asked lab values off the top of my head as a test. In fact, I've recently gotten 2 jobs with a small test and the strength of what's on my resume.

But yes, talking with someone whose resume looks good should give a recruiter or hiring manager a better idea if this person is what they say they are.

If you know when something - Does not sound right...

[ In Reply To ..]
...then you're doing good. WBCs do vary from lab to lab, too, but you probably know more than you think.

Okay, I would rephrase how I would ask the question: If someone has a WBC of 40,000 and all is well with the patient, would you question it?

tests are good imo - part-timer

[ In Reply To ..]
I never understand why people get upset at having to take a test. Maybe if you are failing them, there is a reason. For example, maybe you aren't as good at this job as you think you are and that's why you fail?

If I was an employer you can bet I would damn sure want to know that the people I hire are competent and will do good work. The best way to do this is to give a test assessing their abilities. It's easy to pad your resume, it's a lot harder to fake it on a test.

I have to wonder...are the people complaining about having to take tests the same ones that complain that they can't make any money working? Wouldn't surprise me.

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