A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
The CMT *test* is not to see how much you know, but - instead, how GULLIBLE YOU ARE.
Posted: Mar 31, 2010
If any employer wants us to have that silly so-called "certification", they'll have to do a lot better than .05 cpl (or less) added to our pay for it.
Show us the MONEY first.
CMT exam - rpCMT
[ In Reply To ..]I agree that the pay incentive should be higher for passing this exam, but I don't think you should be belittling the accomplishment of getting your credentials. I worked very hard to get certified and feel proud of reaching that personal goal for myself, not just for a pay increase.
CMT exam - Ex-MT
[ In Reply To ..]I agree completely. The CMT exam is a big joke offered only to support the sponsoring organization. In no way can it be compared to ANY other certification or licensing exam, certification for CMT or RMT for that matter. If the certification was really that important, I think that the pay would reflect that, and it does not. The pay of MTs is low-wage, pennies per line, slave wages and does not reflect the importance or quality of obtaining any medical transcription certification. Nothing will change about that either; the only thing that will change and has changed is the people who are being duped into believing that this certification means something. I think that there are a lot of "medical certifications" that really mean absolutely nothing. In my opinion, the only people that really need certification are the ones who work with the public directly or their work (such as plumbers or electricians) has a direct affect on the life of who they do the work for. I mean if a plumber or electrician doesn't keep up with the standards or doesn't know what he is doing, someone's house could be flooded or burned down. I think that certification is really for the other person to give them confidence and assurance that the person delivering the service will "do no harm."
I see the CMT differently than you do although I don't care if people are certified or not - CMT
[ In Reply To ..]Before someone thinks I'm an AHDI 'suit' or some other label, I'm not a cheerleader for AHDI and I don't think I ever was.
I was happy to pass the CMT years ago and still keep my certification today. It was a tough test and many people failed it. Being able to pass it was important to me, to know that I was as good as I thought I was.
Back then we had people who would apply for work as a medical transcriptionist and when tested, they would cry. The CMT was a way to specify in a job ad that you want a 'tested' medical transcriptionist who can do discharge summaries, operative reports, and be able to handle cardiology, orthopedics, etc. That worked for the employers who used it.
The CMT is still an excellent test and opens doors. It makes people crazy when they believe they are 'as good as' any CMT and a CMT gets better money or more prestige by an employer, as they do in some cases. It also makes people crazy if they detest AHDI and everything it stands for.
The CMT still stands as the only method we have to certify that a medical transcriptionist is even truly a medical transcriptionist at all. There are many who call themselves by that name who shouldn't, because they can't transcribe past the level of one or two kinds of reports and even those are full of errors the typist doesn't recognize as errors.
Are there competent MTs who are not CMTs? OF COURSE! Nobody knows exactly which ones though, because employers hire the good and the bad and all we have is the word of the MT about how good they are, or aren't. As many of you have said here in this forum, you sure can't trust Q/A to judge who is good or bad, right? So who does determine if one is a skilled MT? I am because I say I am is not a very reliable method.
Is the CMT a perfect solution? Not unless all employers embrace it, and that's not going to happen. It's still a good way of measuring skills though for those who want to be tested and are up for the challenge.
Totally agree - rpCMT
[ In Reply To ..]I couldn't have put it better myself. I also am not a "suit," just a hard-working MT who is proud of my CMT.
CMT - AHDI crooks
[ In Reply To ..]Are you also proud to support/finance an organization that sold us out years ago and supports/condones sending our jobs to India?
I don't know anything about this - rpCMT
[ In Reply To ..]I am only talking about my own accomplishments, not about AHDI. If you are against the exam and what it stands for that is fine, but I don't think it is fair to condemn those that have chosen to take a formal step to further their career. I did this mainly to open up my opportunites to move myself up in my career. I also have a degree in Health Information Management, but chose to continue with transcription, because I truly enjoy the work and love the flexibility and the opportunity I have to be around my kids when their young.
I am new to this board and forum. I mainly came on here to help others and to communicate with people who enjoy and take pride in their work like I do. I don't really understand why there are so many bitter MTs out there. If you don't like the profession, then do something else.
but the money you pay to take their test, goes - to support AHDI and their wrongdoings.
[ In Reply To ..]nm
I didn't pay for the test, my employer did. nm - rpCMT
[ In Reply To ..]xx
A lot of people do like the profession, they don't - anon
[ In Reply To ..]like what has happened to the profession. They have done nothing to deserve being told to get out of a profession they have worked hard at, just to be hurt by MTSOs and AHDI. It is those people who should get out of the profession, people who have lowered MTs wages, but not their own, have used the MTs for their own gain and yet lowered the wages, show disrespect for the MTs, nitpick them to death, etc. Many MTs have been around a very long time and they have seen many bad changes and don't need to be told to get out of their chosen profession because they have essentially now been scammed. It was a lot better before the MTSOs began mistreating the MTs, hospitals didn't have MTSOs and it was a lot better for the MTs when they didn't.
AHDI crooks - notapennyfromme
[ In Reply To ..]I asked a question, which was Are you proud to support an organization who gleefully promotes sending our work to India? One which you didn't answer, BTW. I don't see condemnation, just trying to understand from a different perspective why anybody would give these lying con artists one penny.
Oh and please come back and let us know how far your piece of paper with some initials on it furthers your career.
CMT exam - Ex-MT
[ In Reply To ..]Well, that is good for you that you wanted to take the CMT exam. But . . . I am here to tell you that I am very educated and have been tested on every MT position that I have ever held and passed with flying colors . . why? because I knew my stuff. What is absurd is MTs who were educated as "christian education" teachers or "learned on the job" types or whatever who have never even transcribed until they were on the job. What is mind boggling is that these groups of people actually believe that they know more or just as much as a trained MT and an MT who has a lot of science-based courses. Another thing is the people who have "years experience" and no formal training who think they know it all. What has to be remembered is that not everyone who works (ed) as an MT fits the stereotype of the typical MT. There are(were) reasons that some people chose to work in that field instead of another healthcare area, and they are more knowledgeable than someone say who is a "christian education" teacher or someone who was "trained on the job." These people should not have to prove themselves over and over to prove that they are as good or better than many CMTs. In some cases, when dealing with a "questionable CMT" who is a supervisor, that supervisors does somewhat unethical things to try to prove that point.
My choice is the reason that I never spent the big bucks out of my own money to take the CMT exam. If an employer would have PAID for the exam, I probably would have taken it, because I have already taken a national healthcare exam in the past, after schooling, and passed with flying colors. BUT . . . the money and the MT certification does not justify the cost -- that is probably why employers wouldn't pay for the exam.
Ex-MT what do you do now? - MT68
[ In Reply To ..]Kudos on passing a NHE with flying colors!! Good for you! I started in the MT world as an MA, so my training is different than most as well. I have worked in all aspects of an office..front/back/MT/ins/billing, etc. Just curious what you are doing now as I am looking at taking Health Care Management to re-enter the workforce and put all my schooling and training from 20 years ago into full swing now that the kids are getting big...
to MT68 - Ex-MT
[ In Reply To ..]Hi there MA . . . Guess what, I was also trained as an MA . . . interesting and small world. . . MA training to working as an MT was great info. I started back in the early '90s but now I actually would not like to be involved in healthcare at all. Working as an MT has put a "bad taste" for healthcare in my proverbial mouth. :-)
I am not doing anything right now. I graduate with a B.S. degree in an unrelated field. I've been working full-time and going to school PT but that has totally changed right now. I think that probably most people who are still doing MT either are trying to find a way out, because it absolutely cannot pay the bills, are MTs who haven't figured this out yet, or are retirees or the like who just need a little extra cash now and then. What do you think about that theory?
To Ex-MT - MT68
[ In Reply To ..]Yes, I completely agree with your theory. When I started out I had my own little service down in my hometown. I had about 6 orthopods I worked for. I busted my butt working 24/7 so I could stay home with the kids and I made more money (at the time) than I would have as an MA. Well, those years are LONG gone. I relocated and had my little business up until 2006 when I finally tried going with an MTSO. My experience with that has been actually very good. I have been with the same "owner", if you will, for 4 years (she started her own company a few years ago); however, the money is ridiculously low and I just don't have the desire to type 1200 or more lines a day. And now, I am in a position where my clinical experience seems to be too long ago for anyone to hire me as an MA, which is silly, it's like riding a bike (you don't forget how to draw blood right?? take an xray? put EKG leads on??) but they would rather pay a fresh out of school MA than pay me what I'm worth, so that's why I figure complete my schooling for management.
I have, however, thought about getting into law, assisting/paralegal. I don't know. I definitely don't see a long term future anymore with MT...the pay is just ridiculous for amount of knowledge we have and as hard as we work, we should be making double or triple what we do...
I wish you the best on your future endeavors...I won't ever regret this time in my life that's for sure. I didn't miss out on my kids growing up and that is priceless. Best to you....
TO MT68 - Ex-MT
[ In Reply To ..]That is so very interesting that you mentioned that about experience too long ago as an MA. Many people in the healthcare industry I think assume that if MTs have some other kind of experience (or another department IS from RN) that we can just hope over to the other side. I was just talking to someone today about my entire situation, i.e. about how people don't want to hire a person if they think that person is not "fit" (whatever that means; that is definitely subjective) or if they think the person will just look for another job ASAP. This person was actually a relative who is upper management somewhere and obviously has lost site of reality and how it really is out there. He honestly believes that it is okay for me to take a $15,000 or $20,000 a year job and that would be fine -- (not that I've turned anything away because I haven't). I told him that I would take that but you can bet that I would be looking for something ASAP; and he actually thinks that a person can live comfortably and get buy (which I think is all he cares) on $27,000 a year. I told him that at $27,000 a year someone is just able to pay bills and scrape by and if they are making $20,000 or $15,000 a year that is someone who is on or eligible for food stamps, public assistance, and housing assistance -- the extremely working poor. He just doesn't get it. He even thinks that I could get a transcription job if I wanted to -- NOT :-) I told him that no one can barely get a job now in anything and that transcription is heading on its way out and a person cannot live or even begin to make a decent living on that wage anymore, even if they did get a job at that. I told him that the only people who are getting jobs right now are the owns who have had networked business contacts with people -- how many MTs do you know who have that?! :-)
Be careful whatever you choose to do in healthcare, i.e. healthcare administration, because it won't be long before all MR functions and I think that some financial functions like claims processing etc. will be sent overseas probably to India -- and I am not an EMR fanatic (I think they should have had electronic records way back when the rest of the world went on electronic records). I think a lot will be sent overseas because of the money and greed that seems to be proliferating in the healthcare industry. -- My opinion. What do you think about this?
to Ex MT - MT68
[ In Reply To ..]Again, I agree with you on the outsourcing. With the new HC reform many doctors are going to have to cut back and the first to go that can be done outside is MT and then billing and wherever they can find it the cheapest that is what they are going to go with....unfortunately no loyalty to US jobs.
I worked at a facility during the time they went EMR and it made life so much easier (I was surgical coordinating at the time) for the staff, providers, etc. Hunting for a chart has got to be the biggest waste of time and the most frustrating, especially when you find out the doc had it and it's IN THE TRUNK OF HIS CAR...am I right?? HA!
Well I am like you, I wouldn't take a job for 15K or 20K either...not be snobby, but I am worth way more than that and knowledge and experience go a LONG way (or at least I thought being able to work front/back office). I am lucky right now to be able to continue to MT and DH has a good paying job but I don't see myself doing this in a couple of years.
I've been soul searching on what to do, hoping to begin school in the Fall.
Again, great chatting with you...I like the way you think. ;-)
Any suggestions MT68 - Ex-MT
[ In Reply To ..]I like the way you think too. I was thinking about trying to get a PT MT job in the next couple of weeks, if what I am trying to do right now doesn't pan out well. I prefer using my iMac. Do you know of any decent place that would be interested in a PT MT iMac user? I hate the thought of being paid by the line because I think it is a crock of sh_t and slave labor but . . . I want to be employee and I can still look for something better in another line of work. What are your thoughts on this?
EX-MT - MT68
[ In Reply To ..]I would be happy to chat more with you..let's do it through our personal emails. Do you know how to obtain mine? I'm not sure how to do that.
What on earth is (sm) - Long time MT
[ In Reply To ..]You referred to MTs who are "christian education" teachers - what are you referring to there? I've been in this field for over 35 years and that's a new on me. Thanks!
Heee heee - Ex-MT
[ In Reply To ..]I worked with someone whose degree was actually in christian education . . . that is what her degree was . . . she clearly and proudly stated that fact . . . That is all wonderful and fine if that was her degree, but that type of person has to think about the fact that people with a science background know probably what she has tested for as CMT or "on-the-job." It was pretty ridiculous from my perspective.
Oh - thanks! (nm) - Long time MT
[ In Reply To ..]NM
I learned on the job, in a 6 doctor urology office. sm - MT and worn out
[ In Reply To ..]I learned on the job. I started in the file room of a 6 doctor uro office. Everybody knows that the file room is a dumping ground for every piece of paper that people do not know what to do with. Finding charts? Don't get me started on that. I decided after 6 months or so of being in the file room that this was not the life I had envisioned for myself.
We hired a new pediatric urologist straight from Fellowship at Mayo. They needed somebody to type his work, so I learned to do medical transcription. At first I filed part time and typed part time. Once he got his feet underneath him, I became his full time typist. I still type for him today along with my full time job at a hospital. My only class work was 2 semesters of medical terminology.
The point I am trying to make is this: Please don't belittle those of us who did not spend big bucks on their career. I feel that we can do just as well as a "certified" MT. I know a lot of people who took classes for MT and still can't find a job. I consider $7K a lot of money to spend on your degree and then not have a job. And will probably never find a job because it is cheaper for the MTSOs to send the work overseas to somebody who will work for dirt wages and will jump for joy because they can.
I have taken that test twice in my career, and - Old MT
[ In Reply To ..]easily passed. I only did it because the companies I worked for at the time wanted to be able to say we were certified. It changed nothing for me. I found the test extremely easy. I expected a much harder test.
That's why I never took the test... - jm0405
[ In Reply To ..]I have been an MT 20 years and with/without CMT does not give more/less money. Why bother? Spend money and time to study and take the test...FOR WHAT? Whenever asked, I tell people NO WAY...don't go there...waste of money and time. If they provided a reason - more money, a bonus, company pays for the test and class, then maybe...but that never happened.
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