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

how did my life get so bad - posts here bringing me down

Posted: Feb 01, 2014

Yes I have known for quite awhile the end is near for MT but I don't know what I'm going to do now. 20 years ago I was the envy of the medical record department, the lead transcriptionist that everyone thought was so smart, and I made more than almost anyone in the entire hospital. Now I just feel stupid. I keep wondering how my life got so bad. It's so easy to say go back to school! learn a different skill! and I know some my age (55) have done that, but I don't think I have what it takes to do that, brain-wise, anymore. Besides nothing I've seen really sounds very interesting to me.

medical transcription disappointment - Phatty

[ In Reply To ..]
You are exactly right. I work for a company that can only complain and not tell the truth about the problems we have doing the work, i.e. sound issues and just plain awful dictation. It is a mess, I think and due to people being greedy with this so-called speech recognition. It does not hurt to look around for something else, though. 55 is young nowadays. Don't be afraid to try something new -- maybe your own business.

I know what you mean - mt2

[ In Reply To ..]
I'll be 55 in a few weeks and I thought of going back to school but don't know what career to pursue either. Keep reminding yourself you are very intelligent, you could not be an MT if you were not. We all have a broad range of knowledge that could be brought to another career anywhere in the healthcare system. Look for positions at a doctor's office or a walk-in clinic for starters. We are the perfect employees at our age....Don't let the nay-sayers get you down on this board. Sometimes misery loves company and if you need to take a break from this board for a little while, do it! A big virtual hug to you! :o)

Sending hugs. - justalittleMT

[ In Reply To ..]
I feel your pain. I am in a situation where I wish I could just become a hermit and live off the land.

I started doing MT at home because I have severe anxiety to the point that I absolutely cannot deal with people in person on a daily basis without having a nervous breakdown. I also live in an area where there are no buses to take to work and I get so nervous sometimes that I can't drive (and can't afford a vehicle anyway), so driving to work every single day is pretty much out. All this plus the fact that when I was trying to work around people I tore a muscle in my back during my time as a CNA. Now I don't know what I am going to do. I ended up taking a position as an ISC because I didn't have much choice when I was just starting out as an MT with no experience and now am unable to file for unemployment. I am only 28 and should not be anywhere near in this position, but it is what it is.

It's interesting how it affects some of us ... - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I read your post and hear your story and I can't help but think that what some of us feel and experience each day really isn't that much different from displaced auto workers or those who have worked in some form of production all their lives and gave 100% to their careers only to have factory doors closed or entire industries go overseas. Because in essence, that's exactly what has happened to us. Just because our "product" was a virtual one doesn't make it any different.

People in those industries have had a hard time recovering psychologically or financially, some feel lost with a loss of purpose and worth, not to mention the anxiety, stress and worry they wake up to every day. Just like us.

I don't have the answers to your questions but I just wanted to chime in to say "I get it". I really do understand how you feel. I haven't been at this as long as you have been (15 years here) but like you, I used to feel such pride in saying I was a Medical Transcriptionist and the way those words were greeted with raised eyebrows and "Wow! So you get to work and stay home with your kids, that must be such a great field!" I even gave up my classes at a private college, going after a degree in Nutrition, because I thought this field held so much promise and the income was fantastic (then). I doubt I will ever go back to college again but I too find myself in a place of wondering how/why did I make such a bad decision.

Just know you're not alone, you have lots of support here, even if no one on the "outside" of our field understands what's going on. Hang in there the best you can and know that there is still plenty of time to start a new life again. I read all the time about MTs our age (I'm almost 50) finding that "perfect job" and saying goodbye to MT. One MT friend of mine just found her dream job from volunteering at a retirement home as the Art Director. She's making twice the money as her MT days and when I saw her 2 weeks ago she had a look of pure happiness on her face that I hadn't seen before since I've known her - she is bringing joy to older folks by making arts and crafts, and doing something meaningful in someone's life.

Don't give up hope ... hang in there.

My Story - see msg pls

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm 58, quickly approaching 59. I got out of MT 2 years ago. I decided just to do elderly companion/Home Health Aide work at this point.

I realize I'm not too old to go back to school, but I totally do not have the wherewithall, or however you spell that.

I "went back to school" when I was in my mid 40s to learn MT, and I have no desire to go back to school yet again. A "back to school" situation in your 40s is pretty difficult, so another go-round in my late 50s is not in my cards. My grand plan was to stay in MT until 62 when I plan to retire, but it got so bad, I had to get out of MT.

Best of luck to all who choose to stay in the business or to get out. We all need pats on the back!

Best of luck to all of you.

I know someone who does that - home health aide - good Lord she loves it

[ In Reply To ..]
She was never very close to her own family so she decided to post an ad on Craigslist. She's not licensed or anything like that ... she just agrees to be a companion who will sit with, clean and cook for her clients and drives them to their doctor's appointments. She has like, 3 or 4 clients? Only one of them she stays overnight. She listens to all their stories, paints their nails, does their hair, and just spends 8 hours a day being their friend. Most of their own families never visit and they're terribly lonely.

One of her clients passed away last year and left her entire life savings to my friend, just because she was the only one who seemed to "care". She and her husband paid cash for a house with the inheritance.

My mother had wonderful caregivers like that. - :) nmsg

[ In Reply To ..]

bad - kt16

[ In Reply To ..]
that was me 2 years ago and i was 60. Try to get your institution to pay for your tuition and take a GOOD coding course. two years later I am not yet making the money I made (I never will) but I really like coding and I still have a job. If you are the lead T, they will value your experience and give you a chance!

You might want to try - Grate MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Central Supply. My husband finally got a good job doing that in a wonderful hospital. He is 61 and no one would hire him in his field of Surg-Tech, with over 20 years experience there, when we moved to this area to be with his mother. He says it is basically "washing dishes," decontaminating them, then putting them in the autoclave, reassembling them, sterilely wrapping them, and storing them and/or taking them where they are supposed to go. He said the biggest thing for him to learn was the hospital's computer system for tracking each piece of equipment. I think he will have to take a test for certification, but he already knows the names of the instruments like the back of his hand. If you have typed Op notes, you probably do too. The pay is not as much as surg-tech jobs pay, but much better than the unskilled jobs around here. Just a thought.

if I could do whatever I wanted - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
I'd get my certificate in library science. It's a one-year post graduate program. But I'd have to take that test you have to take the GRE, and the thought of that really scares me. I may just do it this summer though.

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