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

medical Transcription courses - which ones re preferred by employers? - Kate

Posted: Apr 10, 2013

I've been an LPN for 20 years and want to learn medical transcription for at home employment. There are so many online courses out there. Career Step is quite expensive and does not give credit for nursing experience. Tempted by MTrans for Nurses. Can anyone recommend an accredited online course that would help me find decent transcription employment at home opportunities. Thank you in advance for any help. Kate

Have to be honest... - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
This is probably the worst time to enter this field. Because of voice recognition, transcription being offshored to places like the Philippines and India, and dictators using point-and-click programs, there are more experienced MTs looking for jobs than there are openings. If you look at ads, they all require somebody with at least 3-5 years' experience, and you'd be competing with someone who has 20. If you do find someone wiling to hire a newbie, they take advantage by offering low low pay. It's terrible. For example 7 for straight or 3 for VR (and sadly more and more companies will pay this pittance to somebody with 30 years of experience). It's very difficult to make a living. Read through the New MT board here also. You'll find new graduates having a difficult time finding a job or, once they do, making any money.

http://forum.mtstars.com/newmts/2013-03/

DON'T DO IT! - OAF

[ In Reply To ..]
Look into coding or billing. MTing has died and the fact that they still tout these courses is deceitful. We are awaiting the funeral of our headphones and keyboards!! Don't waste your time or money. There is no future here.

Why would you want to go from nursing wages - to minimum wage?

[ In Reply To ..]
You could work 1 day a week and still make more as a nurse than full time as an MT!

I've been an MT for 15 years, thinking of going - back to school for nursing!

[ In Reply To ..]
Seriously, heed the warnings.

If you have been an LPN for 20 years..... - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
You shouldn't need a course. I transitioned from LPN to MT with no problem whatsoever, no courses or anything.

Don't be tempted by any of the programs! They shouldn't exist any longer! - Thinks4Herself

[ In Reply To ..]
Not only will you make minimum wage (if you're even able to do that), but the treatment of medical transcriptionists is demeaning by most, if not all, of the national companies. (Unless you enjoy "big brother" breathing down your neck.) Work is very scarce, too. There's been an enormous shift of work going to India or that's been automated. Really, the "career" doesn't exist any longer--it's a sweat shop-type atmosphere. I spoke with a career counselor at my local community college, and he told me that he's fully aware of what's happening in the transcription industry, and it is "prudent" for me to change careers. I have a face-to-face meeting with him next week, and I'm plotting my exit strategy and new future, which frankly, can only be up from here.

I'm advising all of my family and friends who express the slightest interest in "working from home," to stay with their current employment or go back to school and retrain for something that has actual security, benefits, etc. This is a dead end.

It is a difficult career now. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I make far more than minimum wage and am still able to make a good living, BUT it has required A LOT of "job jumping". I couldn't even tell you how many jobs I have had. When I see a company with work slacking off, I find a new job and quit. I really love the company I am with now, BUT I am not gonna keep my hopes up that it will be long-term, because none of them seem to be.

You would be better off sticking it out as a nurse or finding something else.

Medical Transcription Courses - psw - Iowa

[ In Reply To ..]
I think if I were you I would think long and hard about going into the MT field. With the implementation of the EMR, transcription as we know is a dying occupation. I have been a transcriptionist for over 30 years and it definitely on its way out. I don't even understand why companies even advertise for MT training, as I feel they are just taking your money and lining their pockets. The jobs you see posted on MT Stars or MT Daily are usually a joke. They make it sound like you are going to make HUGE amounts of money, but could not be further from the truth. Some places pay as poorly as 4 cents a line, the better companies will pay 8 cents a line or more, but by 2014 everyone should be on the EMR, so you will either be editing or losing that job or account. I am an independent contractor and last year I lost 4 of my 5 accounts due to EMR. By the time I learn a new account, try to get my lines up to a decent wage, (and that is if there is enough work or not), sometimes you are lucky to make minimum wage. You are probably better off looking for a no-brainer job because no one wants to pay you for your experience. Good luck but be aware!

If I can make a recommendation - Snow Bunny (the original)

[ In Reply To ..]
Look for jobs outside of the home where you can use your LPN experience *without* being an LPN. I've seen a good many jobs looking for someone with your experience but more into analyzing medical records. There's an increasing demand for that.

I think she wants to - Work from home

[ In Reply To ..]
She asked for school questions. Sorry, I don't even recommend going into the career anymore, but if you do, I would choose Andrews. They don't give credit for being a nurse. You need to use THEIR curriculum so it all flows together, no matter how much you know about anatomy and things. You WOULD, however, sail through that portion of the course, for sure, as well as other portions, like disease processes. It's an ear-training thing, not just a knowledge thing.

One poster said she went from nurse to MT without MT training. I can only guess she had only easy dictators and only clinic work. Even if you were working in a hospital, just because you understand an accent when they talk to you, it doesn't mean you'll understand their dictation style and the flow of words.

I've had several difficult dictators in my day, and was amazed at how they would turn to a colleague and I could understand him or her, but they'd start back dictating in a completely different style, almost impossible to understand.

That being said

Kate - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
The best school out there was (and is) Andrews. Have never heard of MTrans for Nurses. However, the profession is dying. Even experienced, highly seasoned MTs cannot get work. Truly, the best and kindest advice I can give you is to choose something else--anything else. I know whereof I speak--I have 40+ years of experience both as an MT and an MTSO. I strongly discouraged my own niece from going into this field. That is how strongly I feel it is dying. You are about 15 years too late, and I am so sorry.

Sad truth - FutureNurse

[ In Reply To ..]
Like everyone else has said, this is a dying field. I am hopefully starting school for my RN this fall. In the 8 years I have been an MT, I have seen wages go way down (thank you off-shoring), sit down for hours-on-end to fight for a few jobs, no work at all, companies that expect you to be sitting at your computer the entire time but call you an IC to avoid employee compensation, and on and on. I would not recommend anyone put any money to train for this field and would research other opportunities.

FutureNurse - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
I want to wish you good luck in your new career. And while we are thanking those who embraced offshoring and ruined our incomes, let's not forget AHDI, who got into bed with MedQuist right from the beginning of the offshoring debacle.

Thank you! - FutureNurse

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you! I am very excited! I am also going to start taking my dog to do animal-assisted therapy at a local hospital, as we were just certified. I would rather volunteer my time and actually make a difference!

If you want to go into MT - Do it

[ In Reply To ..]
Don't listen to all the gloom and doom on here. There are lots of happy MTs out there. The profession is not dying but it is changing with the voice recognition & outsourcing to India. There will always be a need for editors and there are a lot of jobs out there still for straight transcription as well as VR. Yes, it doesn't pay as much as it did in years past but that was a whole different time.

I would look at your community college for courses.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do:)

Do It - Nick

[ In Reply To ..]
How much do those rose-colored glasses cost, and where can I get some, please? Reality is not gloom and doom. Reality is REALITY.

right on cue - the only thing missing

[ In Reply To ..]
Never fails - the only thing missing is somebody telling the wannabe MT how they make 60K a year. But I imagine that will happen before the end of the day.

Or over $100 an hour even. - :/

[ In Reply To ..]
-

Re: Or over $100 an hour even...... - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
As I said before, tee many martoonis!

you know, I actually believe she does make that - 100 an hour but

[ In Reply To ..]
I've seen her post that same information here ad nauseum and I believe she does make $100 an hour SOMETIMES. When everything is just right, when she has her templates and her clear English speaking docs. Not 8 hours a day but once in awhile. She probably also has accounts that are not so wonderful.

However, having said that, I think that person does newbies and wannabes a grave disservice every time she comes on here and claims that "anyone can do that." I have told her she needs to remember she is the exception to the rule, but she still insists oh no, "anyone can do that."

From now on I wash my hands of the whole affair. If newbies and wannabes follow her advice and get into these 38K programs to become MTs and come out of them and find they can make minimum wage if they are lucky enough to land a job at all, then it's going to be on that poster's head, not mine.

She should offer to hire Kate - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Accounts and pay - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I never said anybody can do it. Far from it, as it takes a lot of hard work, motivation, education/skill, and costs. It took me 1-1/2 years to build my clients up, and I now have several facilities and physicians. The hard work was definitely worth it. My classmates also have been extremely successful. I still keep in contact with them.

No, I do not have bad accounts, just ones that are a bit more profitable than others. I can pick and choice which clients I want to accept or not. I also include in my service contract that cell phones and VOIP or bad dictation are not acceptable.

If you are going to enter this field, from the very start of your education consider going into business for yourself, obtaining your own clients instead of working for large nationals, which do not pay as well and control the workload they give you. You would have start with them or a smaller service/company until you gain experience, but then obtain your own clients.

Do not waste your time and money with matchbox schools. Your education and training will be your foundation for a successful career. Choose wisely.

Good luck!

you said it right here - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
"I make over $100 per hour... they can too"

http://forum.mtstars.com/472866.html

If after reading all the posts here you still - want to do this....

[ In Reply To ..]
You might want to look at M-TEC. Everyone says Andrews and M-TEC are the best schools out there. I took my MT course thru M-TEC, and they had a course specifically for nurses looking for a change of career to MT. Check and see if they still do.

But I have to agree with the other posters here. It is much harder to get a good job as an MT these days, especially if you are new to the game.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

M-TEC is not currently accepting new students. - Agree with Andrews, IF going ahead

[ In Reply To ..]
Andrews may cost more, but worth it in the long run for increased job opportunities when done.

I would seriously reconsider even pursuing MT at all, but a former nurse might have a better shot at it than a newbie totally without any prior medical experience, I guess.

(disclaimer: Only linking to AHDI, ick, to show that M-TEC isn't accepting new students since not seeing that specifically on the M-TEC site itself, though I've read about it from several. If you try to enroll through the site, it does show only "Continuing Education" courses.)

Regarding M-TEC - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
My understanding is that M-TEC is not accepting any new students. It was one of the two schools (the other was Andrews) I recommended in the past. I still think Andrews is number one in the world, and no, I do not now nor have I ever worked for, or even met, the people who run Andrews.

if Andrews is so great, why are they still - teaching MT?

[ In Reply To ..]
If they were HONORABLE, they would not allow students into this nightmare!

Re Andrews - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
You would need to ask them.

I've talked to Linda at Andrews - MTno more

[ In Reply To ..]
Linda, the owner of Andrews, is waaay more inclined to dissuade a person from going into MT than she is to enroll them.

But in the end, she'll STILL take their money...right? - s/m

[ In Reply To ..]
Shutting down these useless MT courses would be a good way to plug the pipleline of clueless new employees.

And VR/editing? The Indians are already getting more and more of it. They can HAVE it!

Maybe a little less supply, and a little more demand, might not be such a bad thing.

Bingo! It's just another greedy, opportunistic school, - cashing in on U.S. worker desperation. nm

[ In Reply To ..]

At home employment - Please consider other options

[ In Reply To ..]
Before deciding to go back to school for MT (which I would highly recommend against), did you know that there are nursing jobs that allow you to work from home? You can do telephone triage or other types of jobs from home. I'm not sure if you have to be an RN or if your LPN would be sufficient. I believe you can take courses online for LPN to RN if you needed to be an RN to work from home. I have also seen good jobs advertised for nurses to do coding or chart review from home. Perhaps a coding course would be worth your time more than an MT course. I got into MT about 6 years ago and honestly it was the worst decision I have ever made. My wages have been cut in half and the only good job I could find was as an IC. This profession was once respectable and paid well, but it has been turned into a joke by greedy MTSOs who refuse to pay MTs what they are worth and treat us with disdain.

Re: coding - I'd keep a very close eye on where - it goes in the next couple years.

[ In Reply To ..]
The fact that M*Modal is now getting into at-home coders does not bode well for that career, either.

Yes, and nobody should go into that career because - you do not like it

[ In Reply To ..]
It was only a matter of time before someone showed up with negativity.

So, what job are you planning on? Need to start looking, eh? Now that the MTSOs have offshored your job.

Oh, for goodness' sakes, Kate. Research and - then move on. Dumb, dumb, dumb. nm

[ In Reply To ..]
x

Andrews - (SM)

[ In Reply To ..]
Andrews is by far the best MT school there is, and the school's reputation is stellar. Andrews has excellent name recognition among MT companies. I actually went to MTEC myself but considered Andrews and talked with Linda Andrews back when I was trying to decide. MTEC is no longer taking new students, however. When I was a student and attended a local AHDI conference, there was an instructor from Andrews in attendance in the audience. When she stood up and introduced herself to ask a question during a Q&A session, she got a standing ovation. That's how well thought of Andrews is.

With all that said, I would urge you to seriously reconsider going to school for MT. I am already retraining for something else after having trained for this almost 5 years ago. I have had no trouble passing transcription tests and landing jobs, but the pay is low and dropping lower, and although I have a great MT job now, our work is slowing down and there is not enough now for full-time work. I am lucky in that I don't do VR editing where I work, but all the jobs I am seeing now are for VR editors, and the pay for that is just too low. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Medical Transcription Courses - Deborah

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi there! Our company hires MTs to work from home. We pay 7 to 10 cents per line. MTs no longer transcribe simple documents, since those are often handled through EMR and codes. Rather, we transcribe tougher reports and training requires knowledge of difficult terms and procedures. We hire directly from Medical Transcription A to Z and it includes internship/work experience: www.medtranscription.com

Similar Messages:

Oct 26, 2012

Anyone familiar with this company? Would like to know about workload (enough???), do they pay for spaces, and how they treat MTs. Also, do they pay for spaces. How is the platform? It is for oncology account. Are there a lot of ESL dictators? Straight transcription or VR??? thanks for your help. ...

May 09, 2014

out of TN is to work for? ...

Nov 09, 2009

Has anyone worked for Preferred Transcription and have they gotten paid? ...

Apr 09, 2011

I checked the archives but can find nothing re this company. Anyone working there or have worked there, could you please share your experience, good, bad and ugly. Thanks for your input. ...

Aug 17, 2011

Does anyone have any info on this company re their oncology account, type of platform, pay scale, flexible as to working times, enough work. I would appreciate any information provided. I've been looking for oncology work for quite a while now, and can't seem to get anywhere with this. Thanks for your help. ...

Aug 23, 2014

I found little to no info about this company. --- If anyone is currently working for them or has in the past, I would be interested in hearing the pros and cons about this company. ...

Oct 03, 2011

Has anyone worked for Preferred on an oncology account? If so, could you share your experience, please. Looking for info on quantity of work, platform, ESL dicatators. Is the account both straight and VR? Flexible schedule? Do they pay for spaces? Thanks for your help. ...

Jan 28, 2013

Can anyone here recommend a good online school... where I can take a Medical Transcriptionist Course... and actually get a job when I am finished the course??? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!!! ...

Jan 20, 2015

Has anybody left medical transcription at home to become a medical scribe? I have an opportunity to do so but there aren't any scribes currently in my area and I don't know anyone who has worked as a scribe before. The scribe position starting pay is almost double what I make as an MT per hour so it is very tempting, I just don't know much about it. ...

May 29, 2013

I have found a few things on these companies but was looking to find a little more in depth information from past or current employees. ...

Jun 25, 2014

Anyone hear from them yet? Over 1100 views, that means a billion resumes. ...

Oct 15, 2009

A legal contact was inquiring about the connection of medical mistakes related to off-shored transcription mistakes. I have told him to review these boards and hopefully he will benefit from the information here. While he did not discuss the exact case, I think that he will be able to use the off-shore transcription issue to his client's benefit or at least highlight that the provider in question does not have as rigorous control on processing records as other pr ...

Jan 21, 2011

Even though I just let my AHDI membership expire, I was still due one more issue of their journal, Plexus, which I received today. In previous issues, I always scanned the "Employers Guide" pages in the back of the journal, and there were many employers listed - at least two pages' worth. This newest issue, however, lists only seven. Perhaps the rest went overseas? ...

Jul 19, 2013

An ortho office I have worked for going on 10 years has asked me to look into preferred EMRs.- What do you like? Does anyone know of one that works well (that they have actual experience with)? How about one that does not require any speech-recog files (which he would prefer not to do) just regular dictation that is imported into the system? Thanks for any input. Joanie in CA ...

Oct 15, 2009

I have been an MT for about 4 years now. I have been working with one employer doing speech editing transcribing 3200 lines per 8-hour shift. However, I just received a 2nd job from a different employer working part-time and they pay more. My question is one employer needs my computer to have Word 2003 on it for their program to work and the other employer needs my computer to have Word 2007. How can I do both jobs at the same time. Has anyone done this before and i ...

Feb 09, 2010

Any information about this company would be appreciated. Thanks! ...

May 05, 2010

Anyone have any recent info on "Preferred Transcriptions?" I see they are hiring and have searched the Archives, but would like to know if anyone works for them currently or has in the past few months who could give me some info on whether they are a good company to work for, do they have plenty of work, etc. I would appreciate any current info anyone might have! Thanks! ...

Oct 18, 2010

Hello, I am wondering what is the preferred style when typing ranges for meds, as in every '1-2 ' or '1 to 2' or 'one to two' hours. Thanks! ...

Nov 10, 2010

Dear Employer: Please make client sheets clear. I am so tired of reading a client sheet over and over trying to understand how something is supposed to be done. There's got to be a better way. Don't put information in one area of the client sheet and then an exception to the rule somewhere else. I read through the instructions until I find what I need, if there is an exception to the rule it should be where the rule is, not somewhere else in the instructi ...

Jan 19, 2011

Are the rest of you as disgusted as I am with not hearing back after sending an application? Are all these ads for work just made up to look like there are jobs when in reality the ads are fakes? I hear from so many other MTs/editors that they apply for jobs but never hear back, even after receiving permisson to do testing. Maybe we should all stop applying and let them sit and spin! ...

May 14, 2011

Has anyone here turned down a job with an MTSO because their platform is crappy? My employer's platform is TERRIBLE!! You have go through 15 mouse commands (no hot keys!) to perform the simplest function such as signing off a job. I have never seen more inefficient software in my life!! Of course, since they own it now they claim it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.... Would love to hear your platform stories!! ...

Aug 07, 2013

I think every single one of us should put in a ticket in Remedy complaining about this "preferred heading" list. There is absolutely no reason for this! It just slows up down when trying to upload a job! Can somebody tell me what the purpose is for the spell check stopping on every single heading that is not in the "preferred list?" There is none! All these dictators want their own little headings in red, and we're not going to switch to one of the "suggestions ...

Jun 25, 2014

I'm looking for a different font that is easier on the eyes. Does anybody have any suggestions? ...

Mar 26, 2015

Can an employer or company (or their legal representative) obtain the email address or actual name of someone who posts on this site? ...

Mar 06, 2010

I've been in the medical transcription industry for 16 years and dont have any clue what HB medical transcription is. There is a job posted which has been filled, but I for the life of me cannot figure that out, unless it is hispanic/bilingual. Can someone help me out! ...

Jul 24, 2010

Does anyone know if the Virtual Learning Center still exists? I am not getting any responses to emails to them. The website has changed since the last time I looked at it. Also, I thought they were supposed to be the third best of the top three medical transcription companies to learn from. If they are not, who is? ...

Sep 09, 2010

Any info on JLG pros/cons, pay would be greatly appreciated. ...

Jan 21, 2011

I have a certificate through Stratford Career Institute and have had a hard time trying to get employment. I don't have any prior experience in the medical transcription field and am very interested in getting pointed in the right direction on what to do from here on how I can further a career in this field. If anyone can be of some help please let me know. ...

Feb 02, 2011

I am an independent contractor. Have always charged per line count. Have an opportunity to transcribe 30 minute audio interviews. Any thoughts on what or how to charge for this? Thanks! ...

Apr 02, 2011

Has anyone ever tried taking the typing test for QED transcription? For some reason I am not getting into the testing site. '( ...