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

Career Step MT and MTE - rachelss1986

Posted: Sep 13, 2010

Hi,

I haven't enrolled yet, but I've pretty much decided on Career Step (mostly because of price!). I was wondering if anyone has any input as to whether it's better to take the MT course or the MTE course. Do you need the extra editing experience? I'm sure any extra is helpful, but is it necessary to have the editing training to get an MT job with an online company? Thanks in advance for any info!

rachelss1986 - Dobie mom

[ In Reply To ..]
Please don't ever make a decision based on price. You know the old saying, You get what you pay for......Just sayin'. Good luck.

My Own Experience - Kim

[ In Reply To ..]
I have heard a lot of good things about Career Step. Some people on different discussion boards that I have found have even said that there are companies that will hire people because of seeing Career Step on their resume.
I will graduate this coming Saturday from Rasmussen College and I am very disappointed with them because I feel that I don't know as much as I should after having 2 years of schooling and I paid way too much in my opinion! Career Step is about 10% of what I have to pay back in student loans from Rasmussen...and for what??
I am contemplating going back to school at Career Step, but I would be very curious to find out more info from other people that have gone there and were hired at a company after school.

Just do your research first! My biggest mistake was not doing just that!!!

Dobie mom - rachelss1986

[ In Reply To ..]
I realize you get what you pay for, but given the options of the most highly regarded online schools (Andrews, M-Tec, Career Step), Career Step is the economical choice. Good education at a good price is what I've read, am I wrong?

rachelss1986 - Dobiemom

[ In Reply To ..]
I would not invest my money in Career Step. Again,that is just my personal opinion, but I have lots of year in this business. I would choose Andrews or M-TEC. Either one of those would be my personal choice.

CareerStep - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I graduated with honors almost 3 years ago. I was hired by the first company that I tested with. I ended up not staying there long because of a better job offer. I had orginially went through CareerStep because a friend who was a manager at a MTSO had told me this was the school to use as a lot of the companies would waive the experience. I am not sure how CareerStep is now. I see so many that praise Andrews and M-Tec (I'm sure they are fine too), but personally, for me, price did matter. I am a mother and a wife, so I chose not to take a more expensive route. When financial aid is not an option, price is definitely a factor, even for school.

I would really research how easy/hard it is to find a job and starting pay. I have been very fortunate, but if you read these boards, a lot seem to not have been so lucky.

Realistic pay/ job availablity? - rachelss1986

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks for the replies! I'm going to go with the full program. I'm assuming it's better to know too much than not enough! It's hard to find reliable information on the reality of pay and job availability. From what I've read if you work hard and score high for the CS program you'll be fine. Is that safe to say?

Safe to say - Nick

[ In Reply To ..]
No, I do not think that is safe to say. Please do not make any assumptions that can harm you or your career.

Career Step, my opinion - Becky

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi. To the OP: On forums of every kind, you will find a wide range of opinions. There are people who bash CS. I graduated there in 2006, and I have never had a problem finding a job, always received the help I needed, graduated with high honors and have worked for 2 different companies, one of which I got the job 2 weeks after graduation. My current job is very good for me. Most of the people I know who actually went to Career Step have nothing but good things to say about it. Most people on forums who bash it, FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, are only giving opinions based on what the curriculum looks like to them or based on what someone else said. If you talk to Career Step graduates, you would be hard pressed to find one who is unhappy, although there are, of course, some that are. Good luck! Career Step was wonderful for me!

More confused - rachelss1986

[ In Reply To ..]
I think that I'm more confused after posting than ever! I hear good things about CS and MT in general, then you hear bad about both. Nick, I have no idea what point you're trying make. Hard work and dedication aren't what I need, or that CS just isn't the right school. Dobie mom, have you or someone you know had a bad experience with CS or do you just doubt it's substance? I'm not trying to sound catty and if it's coming off that way I'm sorry. I would just like you to elaborate.

Rachelss - DobieMom

[ In Reply To ..]
It is very simple. I have been in this business a long time and the most successful MTs--the ones most likely to succeed on the job because they have been given the best knowledge base and skills development--come from Andrews and M-TEC. Others may disagree, and that is fine. If I were hiring, I would chose Andrews and M-TEC grads without a doubt. That is my personal preference.

Does anyone here even want to be an MT? - rachelss1986

[ In Reply To ..]
I realize that these are opinions and that this is not the most promising career on the grid right now, but do any of you even want to be doing this? I feel like the more I read, the more negativity and hostility towards people interested in becoming MT's. Did any of you want to do this in the first place and get burned out? Is it truly a dying career?

Yes, I actually do like my job - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I am the one that posted earlier about graduating from CareerStep. I do like my job. I work for a great company, though. I started with Focus. I'm not sure if they still hire new grads or not. I'm not there anymore, but I really don't have anything bad to say. As I said, it has been 3 years since I graduated there, and I am sure lots has changed sine then. I applied for companies off of their website. Most of the tests I took for companies were actually CareerStep tests, so that does make you a little less nervous taking them considering that is where you take your final.

I am very much an independent learner. I didn't have any instructors that I knew of at CareerStep, nor did I want/need any. I just went through the material and tested. So, depending on your learning needs, you might also want to check to make sure that there is plenty of help there if you need it.

As far as getting burned out, I will admit I am a very social person, and it can be hard at times having very little adult interaction. I work for a great company, so that does make it easier. I do not work for one of the larger companies. The outsourcing of work to other countries, voice recognition is definitely changing the business. I think there will always be a need for people, but the roles are kind of changing a little and apparently at the large companies the pay also.

rachelss - Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Yes, we did want to do it. I have done it for over three decades. There was a time when MTs were treated with respect and our work was appreciated. What started the field on a downhill course was MedQuist. You can read all about it by Googling the MTs' lawsuit versus Medquist some time. I am not going into the details here. Then other companies saw that you could make millions of dollars by shafting people--and they did! So the career morphed from a respected career into a dog-eat-dog free for all in which MTSOs did not hesitate to step and exploit MTs. Add to that mix the way the global economy went and the fact that there are people in India and the Philippines who can barely speak English but are nonetheless willing to do this job for a penny a day or something. Add all of those factors together and then remember that we are now in the 21st century where incivility is the rule and people are willing to sacrifice other people for money. Yes, it is a truly a dying career because people with good sense are retraining or retiring. And it breaks my heart because I truly loved it and it supported my family for many years. I think the people who want to do it should do whatever they want to, but to me, it would be like paying good money to learn how to drive a horse and buggy or how to mend spats. The Victorian era is over and so is the era of decent treatment of the MT.

Yes, some love it and some hate it, and some just would rather not work at all - Was burned out and now improved

[ In Reply To ..]
Any job gets really old after years of doing the same thing. I got burned out, but after checking out other options, MT started looking pretty good again. Now if I could retire, I would love to do that too.

If I did retire, I would still be doing something similar, because I love working with words and I really enjoy being around computers as long as I don't have to program them or deal with graphic designs or web site development. Those things bore me because everyone in the world thinks they can do those things and that people will pay them for it. I enjoy using computers to get things done. I would do that even if I weren't getting paid for it.

Everyone also thinks they can do MT, and that isn't true - Sad To Say

[ In Reply To ..]
Most of us know MTs who should never have gotten into medical transcription in the first place, but they don't realize it. They believe they are highly skilled. The reason why they can't get/keep a job or make good money? That's not their fault. It has absolutely nothing to do with their (lack of) skills. It's the fault of (fill in the blank). There is no personal responsibility these days. I'm convinced of that.

Career Step Grad - deteach

[ In Reply To ..]
When I decided to look into MT as a profession, I had previously been an educational coordinator at a community college. We had/have a great MT program with a very dedicated teacher. First, I was amazed how much the cost of tuition had risen. Second, tuition did not include books, pedal, headset, etc. Third, there was either a 1-year or 2-year option. Finally, I talked with the MT teacher about Career Step versus the CC program. The biggest thing she stressed was getting experience with authentic physician-dictated reports.

My considerations were the cost for Career Step with extras included, their use of physician-dictated reports, and the time flexibility of online learning. Personally, I decided to invest in Career Step and have no regrets. Online learning is not for everyone, but they provided a wonderful chat facility to get personal context.

I started in August and was working as an online MT the following May. In conclusion, you will never "know it all" as an MT because there are always new terms, new drugs, new devices, etc. Also each doctor has their own style that you also have to learn. Overall, it is very challenging, but an interesting profession that never is boring. My experience with Career Step was very positive and gave me entrance into this fascinating profession!

Career Step - Not a grad yet

[ In Reply To ..]
If I were a new MT, I would probably do both the MT and MTE courses. I've been an MT forever but I am a student in the Career Step coding program. My experience with them is also positive and I felt that a lot of material was included for the price of the course. I work full-time, and like Deteach needed a program that would allow me to work at my own pace and not have to worry about deadlines. They have instructors who have answered all of my questions within 24 hours or less. The chat rooms and forums are also good. Like MT, coding is a process of constant learning. I expect that once I am a working coder I will have a good background but on the job is really when my education will begin. Anyway, just wanted to add my thoughts about Career Step, good luck.

Whew! - rachelss1986

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you so much to ALL of the replies. Everyone has been very informative and helpful. I feel more confident in my decision now and am greatly indebted to the knowledge and opinions shared on here!

Rachelss - emily84

[ In Reply To ..]
Good question girl!! I love my job being an MT. I work for a company who has treated me very well. It is not for everyone, but for those who it fits, it is a great career. Good luck!

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