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

What are some good career ideas for an MT who wants - to move to another career?

Posted: Apr 10, 2014

Besides coding...

There should be something we can do - involving research!

[ In Reply To ..]
I think a lot of us like the research aspect of this job. I know I do. Anybody have any ideas?

It is likely that - xxx

[ In Reply To ..]
Most MTs do not have a clue how to do true academic research. What we do isn't research; it's just "looking things up."

Sign up to take your State exam and get matched up with jobs or VA jobs - I am doing that right now nm

[ In Reply To ..]
x

Are you being scammed? - There is NO VA EXAM!!!

[ In Reply To ..]
There is NO EXAM REQUIRED "to get matched up" with VA jobs!

In fact, there is no getting "matched up" with VA jobs, whether you test or anything else. There could be no test because they don't hire that way.

There are scams set up around hooking people up with state and federal jobs. It sounds like you are getting burned right now. Either that or you are fishing for more victims yourself -- this is the second time you have posted that misinformation. I corrected it before, too.

I am sure about this because I am a fed myself.

Again, THERE IS NO EXAM.

Again, THERE IS NO ONE WHO CAN MATCH YOU UP WITH VA JOBS.

There is no need to, because you are perfectly capable of looking for your own VA job! Just go to www.usajobs.gov and search for them. That is where they post jobs ... ALL of them.

Please don't fall for this scam.

I AM NOT BEING SCAMMED - see message

[ In Reply To ..]
First off, you may have read my post the wrong way and now that I have it again, I can see where you would get the wrong idea.

No, I am not being scammed. I'm not stupid. What I meant was that I myself Googled for the State exam for the state I live in and there are times and places to go take the State exam and when/if you pass then you will be emailed State jobs that you are eligible to apply for. My friend has done it and has a great job.

Secondly, I am also aware of www.usajobs.gov because I am going through the application process myself for a position in my town that is a satellite clinic to the big VA hospital in my state capital. I am not trying to scam anybody and I have no idea which old post you are referring to that you had to correct as that was not me.

So please don't assume that I was trying to scam anybody or that I've fallen for a scam myself.

Sorry OP if I worded my post in a confusing way but I did not mean it to sound stupid, just wanted to fit it all in the title box and not have to type in here.

Chill

I KNOW THERE IS NO VA EXAM - WOW

[ In Reply To ..]
Sorry I tried to help!

I didn't think you were being scammed. - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks for the additional info. I will be checking into that in my state.

Just saw your post regarding state and federal exams - nn

[ In Reply To ..]
You do have to test for federal positions as well as state positions. Also, "veteran's preference" does apply -- to the tune of an extra 5 points. I am a former state Civil Service employee, so I get 5 points for my previous employment as well as being the widow of a veteran, so another 5 points there. Therefore, if I score 100 on a test, it is actually 110 -- they will give preference to the people with the higher scores; so even if you score 100, there is no guarantee that you will be called for a job.

The VA does not use a civil service test - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
If you can find one, please let us know.

Better check your facts again - poster from above

[ In Reply To ..]
VA jobs are under USAGovjobs.com website. Those jobs DO require testing of some kind. You cannot just waltz into a VA Medical Center and apply. Even when the government had MT jobs, it required a civil service examination because at that particular time, they were classified as GS11 or GS12, which determines the FEDERAL pay scale.

That s NOT the federal job website! - It is an imposter.

[ In Reply To ..]
You are going on information that is nearly 2 decades out of date, or you are buying into a scam.

The website you gave, www.usagovjobs.com, is a "look alike" imposter. It is one of several imposters. The correct address is www.usajobs.gov. I linked to it below.

The VA jobs that you would be applying for do not require a civil service test. If a test is required, it will be listed in the job announcement. Other criteria are used to evaluate your ability to do the job--education, skills, abilities, and experience.

The infamous "test" was eliminated years ago -- I think in the mid-90s. However, there are still scammers who sell test prep information and booklets, and who offer to match applicants with available jobs, and who sell job listings like they are some kind of secret. Some even imply that they have to help you with the application for it to be official. It is a scam.

There is no need to go to a VA medical center to apply because the announcements and applications are all online. Just search for jobs, see if you qualify, and apply for it online (all on usajobs.gov).

The VA still has medical transcription positions at some facilities. You can apply for them. There won't be a test. The grade has never been GS-11 or 12, though. GS-1 to 2, maybe in the past. I think they might be 4 or 5 now.

General HIM staff are 4 or 5. Coders are 6, 7, 8, and possibly 9.

I work there, so I am pretty certain of this.

Poster from above - nn

[ In Reply To ..]
YOUR link happens to be the same one that I mentioned. I also went to that website before I came on here and saw your post. I have known of this site since at least 2000, when a friend of mine who was a government employee, used the website. I remember looking at MT Jobs, most of which were I believe a GS5 or C6, and at that time, I was surprised at how low they paid (this was at a period in time when I was making 10 to 12 cpl working from home), plus the fact that it would have required a cross country move.

All of these jobs, including the ones in VA facilities, require an EXTENSIVE background check (which you failed to mention)as well as the fact that points are given to those people who have worked in prior "civil service capacities, whether they be state or federal. I am a former state employee, plus the widow of a veteran; hence, I would be awarded an additional 10 points on top of my written score. Hence, if someone off the street walked in and took the test and scored 100 and did not have "those preferences," my score at 110 would beat that person out when it came to an interview,etc. Sooo, get off YOUR horse and I would suggest you get YOUR facts straight!

OMG, it is, it isn't, it is...I'll take any test with a job - opportunity on the other end. sm

[ In Reply To ..]
.gov is always safe in answer to the scam paranoia.

It depends on what you enjoy doing - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Are looking into furthering your education? Do you enjoy hands-on work (nursing, radiology tech, etc.). Are you looking into doing something entirely different? What do you enjoy doing?

I would prefer not to go back to school at all. - learning on the job is preferred.

[ In Reply To ..]
I have limited means to go back to school. Signed up for a coding course, which I despise, so that was a waste. I'm honestly not sure what I want to do at this point.

Department of Labor? - Cathy

[ In Reply To ..]
Maybe you could talk to someone at your local department of labor to see what jobs are available or what career options they would recommend for you. You could also try some online searches for career explorer, job explorer, etc., to research different jobs and the skills and education required for those jobs. Maybe you could also explore something you would be interested in doing through volunteering or job shadowing? If you ever think you might want to go back to school or just want to test the waters of what you might be interested in, you could try some free courses through the open courseware consortium. Good luck finding your new path :)

You may be limiting your opportunities - xx

[ In Reply To ..]
by being unwilling to get formal training. The most stable jobs with decent pay require some kind of skills or training. You will be competing with people who have acquired the necessary training, so you will be at a disadvantage. Why should an employer go to the effort and expense of training you when they can get someone already trained and ready to go?

Probably the only jobs that provide OJT are minimum-wage Mcjobs. Those are not jobs that offer much of a future.

Depends on what you want to do - Cathy

[ In Reply To ..]
If you want to stay in the medical field, you could think about working as a medical secretary, patient registration representative, unit clerk, medical scribe, etc. You might also want to look at AHIMA's website. They have a career map with information on different positions. There are other HIM positions besides MT and coding. If you don't want to stay in the medical field, then it really depends on what you want to do, how much money you need to make, and whether you have the time and money to go back to school to get the training you need to do something else (if that is your choice). If you don't know what you want to do, you might consider career counseling or reading the book What Color is Your Parachute?

Without furthering your education, there isn't much - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
You could always go into medical reception, secretary, scheduler, etc. Those are pretty low paying jobs. I also tried coding and it was not for me at all. What about medical assisting? It's a short course. Or maybe just get out of healthcare all together?!

I've been asking myself that question for close to - 10 years, and still have no good ideas. :(

[ In Reply To ..]

Court Reporting/Captioning/CART - Liz

[ In Reply To ..]
For a very lucrative career change, check out the above. You do not need a degree but need to pass a state test at 225 words a minute. You can take a home study course (around $3000 to $5000)or check to see if a school around you offers it. For the very dedicated and disciplined person, this is ideal. I personally took a court reporting course in a college 20+ years ago and loved it. I got up to 200 words per minute in 1-1/2 years, but then my life fell apart (divorce)and I could no longer focus. I went from Court Reporting classes to MT and it was a natural progression, so I feel the opposite would be true.

Have you seen those captions for the deaf on TV? If so, that is what a captioner does. CART has something to do with sitting in classrooms for the deaf (either on site or remote). This field has opened up to include a lot more than court reporting, but you need to take court reporting courses to be able to do it at speeds that people talk.

Google these terms, and you may be surprised that this is an in-demand field.

Time frame to get to 225 words would be anywhere from 1-1/2 years to several years, depending on a variety of issues. If you have a job already and are doing this in your spare time, it would probably take longer. Course material should also include medical and legal terms.

What worked for me - Nick

[ In Reply To ..]
Law school.

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