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

I'm a MT student needing to interview a MT for a class assignment - Melissa

Posted: Sep 03, 2013

Hello,

I am a new to medical transcription and currently enrolled in school for it. I am looking for someone who is working in the field. I would greatly appreciate anyone who would help me. Please choose 10 questions for the interview and it can be posted here or emailed to me directly.

These are the questions:

How did you get started in the field?
Who was your first mentor and why?
If you could go back to the beginning of your career and start over, what would you change?
What are your special tips or tricks for handling difficult dictators?
How have you conquered time management issues?
How many lines are you required to transcribe each day?
How many lines do you transcribe each day?
What are your best resources?
Do you attend transcription chapter meetings? If so, where?
Do you have credentials (RMT, CMT)?
Does your employer compensate employees for credentials?
How do you continue your education?
Does your company/hospital use voice recognition?
If so, how much of your time is spent editing versus transcribing?

Thanks in advance for helping!

I will answer #3 only........ - If I could go back and start over....

[ In Reply To ..]
the thing I would change is choosing a DIFFERENT career.

Sorry, don't have time to answer the rest...I'm busy scrambling to get enough work to make minimum wage...

Answers - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
1. Worked as a nurse in a medical office and the transcriptionist, who picked up tapes, was very behind. I told the doctor I'm pretty good at typing, I would give it a shot and I helped her catch up and did much more work than her (she had several clients). The doctor asked me if I wanted to take his tapes IC as part-time, I said yes. Once I had my daughter, I quit the nursing position and kept the MT position and gathered more clients.

2. Never had a mentor.

3. I would have just kept it as supplemental income and not given up nursing to do it.

4. None, not enough money made to make up tips or tricks, I just blank it.

5. I have no time management issues, because my company ALWAYS runs out of work.

6. I am "required" to type 1200 to keep insurance, but of course the company cannot provide me with 1200, so no insurance for me.

7. Maybe 500-800, all that is available.

8. Again, not enough money made to check resources these days...Google is my friend and if Google doesn't know, neither do I.

9. No meetings.

10. CMT.

11. I know nothing about employee compensation for credentials.

12. No continuing education here. Minimum wage jobs don't require this.

13. Yes, the oh so inaccurate VR.

14. 99% VR.

Thank you! - Melissa

[ In Reply To ..]
You made my day! Thank you so very much.

happy with those answers? - BeenThereMT

[ In Reply To ..]
The above answers are very typical of what most of us would respond to your questions. These answers, if you are an MT student and think this is a viable career option, should make you scared. You should be considering a different career choice ASAP. Your money could be utilized more wisely at a technical career choice that has a better chance of providing you a steady income. Only your school is making money.

Best of luck to you.

It is likely - xx

[ In Reply To ..]
that the OP didn't really understand the answers and how they are an indication of the state of the profession s/he is training for.

what will be even worse is that the instructor - will not enlighten her either

[ In Reply To ..]
She is making money teaching, which is something the student will be unable to do with her MT education. No need to kill the golden goose before it graduates.

answers - another MT

[ In Reply To ..]
1. I took a 6-month course (40 years ago) and took the first job I was offered in the worst part of town (before work-at home MTs) to get my foot in the door and to gain experience.

2. First mentor was a group of MTs. Since we worked in the same room, we were able to listen to each other's dictation and help out. Since I was the newbie, I needed the most "help."

3. Gosh. I don't think I'd change much. I took my job seriously, had a knack for ESLs, was pretty fast, very accurate, so a lot of doors opened for me. Some luck I guess should be credited. But let me add that I am not an MT because "I love transcribing." I made the decision to become an MT because I needed a job quick. The place I was in my life dictated the necessity do to something quick and secure. Had things been different for me personally, I would have never chosen MTing as a career. I'm not looking back and saying I would change my career because of the state of affairs now, I just would have made a different choice had I had that opportunity. MT is not the only industry that is evolving in a bad way for the workers, so I don't think it's fair to say, had I known things would be this way for the industry, I would never have become an MT. We don't have a crystal ball when we make a career choice. Also, my run at MT (past 40 years) has probably encompassed the whole curve, the robust and now the not-so-robust. Having said that, I don't think I'd make any changes. I think I've made good, informed decisions according to whatever direction my life took. But I've also had some luck, and for the most part I've been surrounded by professionals.

4. Repetition. Don't shy away from difficult dictators. Seek out samples. Many difficult dictators are difficult because THEY know what they're saying because they say it over and over and over. Once you get it, you got it. Sometimes the difficult dictators have been my biggest production sources. However, if you find you just get random bad dictators whereas repetition doesn't happen, I would, again, seek out samples, and always save a difficult dictator's report to a standard in your system. And be sure to review the report after QA has filled in the blanks and save for future reference. If you happen to randomly pick him/her up again, you can refer to your own samples for reference. Oh... one more thing. If I can't get something, I'll put the entire dictated sentence in Google with an asterisk at the point that I can't get. You would be surprised how many times it will bring up the part you're missing!

5. Time management, IMO just comes down to discipline. Back in the day, when MTs first went home to work, we'd get an envelope of tapes on our doorstep to be completed by the next day. We could do them when we wanted. I'd end up waiting until the hour at which I could complete them just in time for the pickup the next day. So time management was definitely not my high point. As things evolved through the internet and the MT has pretty much lost every bit of flexibility, I have evolved as well. It has actually been a gift. Instead of being taken advantage of by family and friends because I worked at home, with the advent of a schedule, I had control back. I could say, "This is my schedule, this is what I can do for you." But time management is just treating MTing at home just as you would if you were going to an office. You have to set stricter boundaries at home for yourself and those who might not completely grasp the fact that working at home is still working, and a compromise in income and/or employment could occur if not respected.

6. 1500 lines per day required.

7. 1500 to 2000

8. Best resources. I use Google a lot and bookmark trusted sites for certain specialties. However, just because it's on Google, doesn't make it right. It gets tricky with surgical instruments and brand name prostheses, instruments, implants, etc. I prefer to use my Stedman's for these, but they don't publish quick enough!! Anyhow, I never assume I know something is spelled a certain way if I've never typed it before (including names of doctors). If I can't find a definite source, I leave a blank. This is also true for med dosages that I'm not familiar with. I always check the dose for an unknown med. I also blank if research for a particular drug does not match what dictator says. I guess I got off the subject. Google is a good resource for me.

9. No.

10. No.

11. Pays for testing, but they do not pay extra if MT is credentialed.

12. See #8. I don't formally continue my education. However, I research anything I don't know. Even if it takes a little time, I have the knowledge for the future. It also enhances my ability to score high on QA audits because I will not be dinged for excessive blanks or typing something I assume to be correct. I also review the BOS (my client is strict BOS) frequently. There are so many little things we "think" we know, but not correct and refreshing with the BOS helps to assure that I'm doing things right.

13. Yes, but my accounts are not VR yet.

14. N/A

Here you go - answered - Truthfully

[ In Reply To ..]
How did you get started?

- Trained as a nurse, but decided to be an MT.

Who was your first mentor and why?

- No mentor. They just gave me tapes and I learned as I went with tons of books and reference material.

If you could go back to the beginning of your career and start over, what would you change?

- I would NEVER have taken a turn down transcription road, I would have stayed with nursing.

What are your special tips or tricks for handling difficult dictators?

- Since I work at home alone, I curse until the air turns blue!

How have you conquered time management issues?

- Never a problem. Transcription has always been a work until you drop job, every day, all day until you can do no more.

How many lines are you required to transcribe each day?

- 1500
.
How many lines do you transcribe each day?

- Depends on the quality of the incoming reports. The worse the dictator, the lower the line count.

What are your best resources?

- Stedman's, Surgical Word Book and the Internet.

Do you attend transcription chapter meetings?

- No, there is nothing like that available.

Do you have credentials (RMT, CMT)?

- No.

Does your employer compensate employees for credentials?

Compensation? What's that? My paycheck is so little I can't leave it alone at home by itself without a sitter.

How do you continue your education?

- Every day. It's an ongoing learning process to keep up with new medications, new treatments, etc.

Does your company/hospital use voice recognition?

Sadly, yes.

If so, how much of your time is spent editing versus transcribing?

- 99.9%

Here you go . . . - nice twist

[ In Reply To ..]
Love the statement about your paycheck being so little it needs a sitter--always room for witty humor!

Some answers - Lifer

[ In Reply To ..]
I just have a couple of minutes so I'll try to answer as many as I can.

1. (Medical Secretarial) Associate in Arts degree (two-year course at a university).
2. Fortunate to work in a teaching hospital for 12 years. Doctors and other MTs were invaluable mentors. I learned so much! I read the doctors' journals during my lunch breaks.
3. I would have gotten into a different field. MTs get no respect!
4. Don't shy away from them; they're here to stay. Just keep at it, make macros, and know your stuff to begin with.
5. Keep focused. Keep at it. Get rid of distractions. Just keep on keepin' on!
6. 150 per hour required for benefits.
7. Varies with the work types and dictators thrown at me.
8. Stedman's word books, drug book, Google big help for surgical tools, Google as a last resort for terms (many misleading hits on Google!!).
9. I used to. Was chapter pres, VP, correspondence secretary, Immediate Past Pres. I advise newbies to join one for support.
10. CMT by exam. Renewed twice with recognition because I doubled the required CE's per term but let it lapse (I had moved to an area where the nearest chapter was a 2-hour drive one way.)
11. No.
12. I read. Often there are good shows on TV (watched a mitral valve replacement once). YouTube has some helpful surgical procedures, too.
13. Not yet.
14. N/A.

Good luck to you!

Here are my answers - Good luck!

[ In Reply To ..]
How did you get started in the field? I went to MTEC and had placement support. Five years later, and I still get job announcements.

Who was your first mentor and why? My MTEC instructor. She was awesome.

If you could go back to the beginning of your career and start over, what would you change? I would go into a different field altogether. I am currently training for another field right now.

What are your special tips or tricks for handling difficult dictators? Samples of reports, reviewing QA feedback, and ear training. Also keeping repetitive sections such as the ROS and PE in my expander program by dictator.

How have you conquered time management issues? I am very disciplined. When I work, I work, and I take a break every 2 hours to get up and stretch. I don't answer the phone or check e-mail when I am working.

How many lines are you required to transcribe each day? I don't have a requirement per day, but we are required to maintain an average of 150 lines per hour. We are asked to commit to a certain number of hours per day.

How many lines do you transcribe each day? Approximately 1100 in 6 hours. I am not the fastest by any means, but I am very accurate. I have developed arthritis in my hands, and it slows me down.

What are your best resources? OneLook, Quick Look Drug Book, National Provider Identifier Search, UCompareHealthcare.com, Google with caution, and all my books provided by MTEC.

Do you attend transcription chapter meetings? If so, where? No. I used to, but my local chapter dissolved a while ago.

Do you have credentials (RMT, CMT)? CMT.

Does your employer compensate employees for credentials? No.

How do you continue your education? Webinar classes, Plexus magazine.

Does your company/hospital use voice recognition? No, thankfully.

Good luck!

Call me suspicious... - Sid

[ In Reply To ..]
Why would an MT program require a student to ask these questions of a practicing MT? Especially the third question. They have to know most of us would discourage anyone from entering this trap.

To the OP, if you are indeed legit... Take heed of the warnings in every post above. Do NOT become an MT. This is a soul destroying profession. All of us would choose to do something else if we could do it over again. You have that chance now. RUN! I'm not even joking.

I agree with you. There is no way anyone I know - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
would recommend anyone getting in this field now. I am so very glad to not be working for an MTSO anymore. They are all horrible. I am so very lucky to have found my own doc.

Yes you are suspicious, but - AM

[ In Reply To ..]
Please do not take it upon yourself to speak for what "all" of us would do. I make a very good living as an MT and am happy. Each to her own.

AM - Sid

[ In Reply To ..]
I was not speaking for you. When I used the word "all" I was doing so in reference to "every post above" in which ALL of the previous posts said they would chose to do something else if given the chance. I'm glad you're happy in your chosen profession, I hope it stays that way for you, but the majority of us are not happy. Not because we are lazy, not because we are hard to please, but because we are being screwed at every opportunity. The plain fact is that the prospects out there for new MTs are horrendous. If you believe otherwise you are living in fantasy land.

Replies for you - GoodLuck

[ In Reply To ..]
1. I transcribed in a clerical position (for an insurance company as just a part of my job) and decided to try medical transcription as a full-time profession. Went through the program with MTEC (which has now stopped teaching medical transcription for obvious reasons). I discovered an opening for the receptionist/administrative position at a transcription company and was hired. Once I finished the MTEC program, they let me move into transcription.
2. My QA specialist in my first company was a wonderful mentor. She was a very seasoned transcriptionist and was awesome! Gave me great advice and help. I'm sure she's retired now, but I still think about her.
3. I'd go to college and become a radiology tech or possibly a tech in a different field. I'd never go through this whole bumpy ride again.
4. I try slowing down and/or speeding up the voice file. I do the entire note and come back to any blanks and that often helps as possibly the item is mentioned again and more clearly the second time. Also, the better I know the subject matter, the more likely I will be to figure out what is being stated. That takes experience, but we are not rewarded for experience any more.
5. I focus. I've discouraged family from disturbing me while I'm working.
6. I'm part time now as I've gone back to school, so only 700.
7. Google (but make sure site is credible), QuickLook Electronic Drug Book (I love this reference), Stedman's Medical Dictionary (still use).
8. No. None around me.
9. No. My mentor said it wasn't worth it and so did many MTs. Have rarely found that it made a difference in pay or getting hired.
10. No.
11. I'm continuing by studying something else in school and am leaving this field in about a year or so.
12. Yes.
13. I'm still transcribing, but with the new "meaningful use" and other rules and changes, I'm certain that my days as an MT are quickly disappearing.

Replies to some questions - 30+ Year MT

[ In Reply To ..]

1 - How did you get started in the field?
My sister was an MT at a time when I was bouncing from job to job. She said I had the typing, English & listening skills. I visited her one day at her office and tried to transcribe a report. I realized I needed to go to school, but it was interested to me, and I decided to give it a try.

2 - Who was your first mentor and why?
In night school, it was my medical transcription teacher. On the job, it was my sister, as we worked in the same office.

3 - If you could go back to the beginning of your career and start over, what would you change?
At the time, it was a good career choice for me. The pay was good, demand was high, and for many years there was a lot of job security. Back then no one foresaw VR and offshoring taking our jobs away. If I had a crystal ball, then I would've learned Court Reporting instead. Or maybe become a Paralegal.

4 - What are your special tips or tricks for handling difficult dictators?
First, I will increase the volume, and decrease the speed. If that doesn't work, I leave a blank and come back to it once I've finished the report. Sometimes then I can hear it. Or else I take a break and come back go it. It the dictator is an ESL, I try to think in their accent. Also, I try to have a lot of samples of their work, if possible.

5 - How have you conquered time management issues?
I haven't. I suck at time management, and I'm an ADD-type personality. Working at home had too many distractions for me. I finally quit working at home and went back to a office setting.

6 - How many lines are you required to transcribe each day?
Formerly it was around 220 lph. I rarely met that goal.

7 - How many lines do you transcribe each day?
Bad dictators using VR and lack of work has cut into the line count, and it was never steady. I ranged between 450 and 1800 lines per day. Average was around 1000.

8 - What are your best resources?
The Internet is my most valuable resource, followed closely by the Stedman's book of Abbreviations.

9 - Do you attend transcription chapter meetings?
No. I refuse to join AHDI - they are not the MT's friend.

10 - Do you have credentials (RMT, CMT)?
No. For the same reasons as above.

11 - Does your employer compensate employees for credentials? M
My on-site employer does not. They don't even ask if you have it. The MTSO paid very little for it - I think only one-tenth of a cent extra per line. Not worth it.

12 - How do you continue your education?
Through constant, daily researching of new terms.

13 - Does your company/hospital use voice recognition? New company does not (for now). Old company did use VR.

14 - If so, how much of your time is spent editing versus transcribing?
When I worked at home for an MTSO, I spent between 90% and 100% of my time editing. Very little transcribing.

Melissa - Answers

[ In Reply To ..]
Here are my answers.

â�¢How did you get started in the field?
--A friend was part owner of an MTSO, I was hired for clerical.

â�¢Who was your first mentor and why?
--Several women who worked there taught me. No schools back then.

â�¢If you could go back to the beginning of your career and start over, what would you change?
--I would have made a different career choice.

â�¢What are your special tips or tricks for handling difficult dictators?
--No tips really, just experience, so stay with it. Once you get used to the different accents and poor pronunciation they do become easier.

â�¢How have you conquered time management issues?
--I never had any. Back in the "good old days" when we made real money you could live on, I worked all the time.

â�¢How many lines are you required to transcribe each day?
--1200 per day.

â�¢How many lines do you transcribe each day?
--Currently between 1200 and 1400 if there is enough work.

â�¢What are your best resources?
--Currently the Internet. There are several good sites for medications, surgical techniques and equipment.

â�¢Do you attend transcription chapter meetings? If so, where?
--No, I no longer support AHDI.

â�¢Do you have credentials (RMT, CMT)?
--Currently no. It was not worth it.

â�¢Does your employer compensate employees for credentials?
--No.

â�¢How do you continue your education?
--Daily searches while working, I also keep up with new medications and procedures, but most importantly, I keep up on the new technology since that is the direction MT is going.

â�¢Does your company/hospital use voice recognition?
--Yes.

â�¢If so, how much of your time is spent editing versus transcribing?
--98-99%.

I have answered these questions honestly, the future of MT is not a good one. I hope you will consider a different career. I would also like to hear an update from you once you turn in your findings to your instructor. Thanks in advance.

I started as an MT in the radiology department, and then SM - mtwith6yearstogo

[ In Reply To ..]
moved to medical records (1990). I never had a mentor. If I could go back to the beginning (assuming I would know then what I know now), I would not get into MT at all. I use the internet for resources, but still have my old Stedman books. I use VR.

Difficult dictators, trial and error. I save samples.

no - here's a question for YOU. - anony

[ In Reply To ..]
Question #1: With this whole industry being eradicated starting way before you went to school, why the hell did you start?

Question #2: Did you research this profession thoroughly before signing up for school? Where and what did you learn?

Another year ot two - this will all be gone, along with your tuition. It's over, on it's last legs. Something the schools will not tell you because if they did, they'd be out of work just like us MTs. Most standard colleges and community colleges started dropping this program long ago due to the lack of job opportunities. So I guess even you as a student buying into the 'ease of working at home with a bouncing baby on your lap'...are a dieing breed as well.

meanie... - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Melissa - reply re: meanie - Ann

[ In Reply To ..]
In 2005, I worked for a Breast Health Center as the sole transcriptionist. If I took a week off, I had to work overtime when returned to work to catch up. They were trying to master voice recognition at that time. I kept telling the director I wanted to work from home and he kept telling me no due to voice recognition and that I would be desperately wanted when the typing was no longer necessary. After almost 2 more years and no success with VR, I was able to find a job working from home. It is now 2013. It has been 8 years since my director told me VR would take my job. Transcription isn't gone until it is gone. I'm sorry you are having to take this in college because you can do this without college. They are only words. The only true course you need is A&P and spell check. And you NEED someone to show you how to do the macros. I typed for years before I knew they existed, every letter. Now? I rarely type a whole word.

My answers to - questions

[ In Reply To ..]
are pretty much the same as most. It seems very many (at least on this board, including myself) have deep regrets about our "career" choice. I think mean sounding tone is similar to screaming and yelling at someone, trying to warn them before they blindly stumble off a cliff to their doom.

To Melissa, An Interview - Ann

[ In Reply To ..]
These are the ANSWERS:
â�¢ How did you get started in the field? In 1996, step-mom worked at hospital and got me an interview. It was up to me to survive the interview. There were no favors other than making sure my resume was read.
â�¢
â�¢ Who was your first mentor and why? My step-mom worked from home and that was my goal. She allowed me to learn on her equipment and get a feel for what to expect in the field of transcription. Without her, I never would have done it.
â�¢
â�¢ If you could go back to the beginning of your career and start over, what would you change?
â�¢ Truthfully? Nothing. I was able to learn at my own pace, work in different areas of the hospital and finally got my wish at working from home. I have worked for various companies and was bringing home $3000/week until 2008 and the election.
â�¢
â�¢ What are your special tips or tricks for handling difficult dictators? Listen 2-3 times, leave blank and continue on in hopes he will say it again. You may hear it more clearly further into the report. Also, look on the system and find old reports. The RADs are repetitive. If they have said it once, they have said it in report after report. Find their phrases and once you read them, you hear them and they ultimately make sense.
â�¢
â�¢ How have you conquered time management issues? There is never enough time in the day to type as much as you want to earn. Master your macros or you have NO chance.
â�¢
â�¢ How many lines are you required to transcribe each day? Lines are weighed differently according to font and characters per line. Some companies pay per report as well. Each companyâ��s requirements are different. There have been times I needed 1500 lines/day and other companies 3000 lines/day. Usually, when the line requirements are too difficult, management is testing who to lay off when work is slow, especially if the transcriptionists report accuracy is equivocal.
â�¢
â�¢ How many lines do you transcribe each day?
â�¢
â�¢ What are your best resources? The Internet.
â�¢
â�¢ Do you attend transcription chapter meetings? If so, where? NO
â�¢
â�¢ Do you have credentials (RMT, CMT)? NO. Back when I started, you didnâ��t need a certification. Itâ��s a useless piece of paper that does not measure oneâ��s true skill.
â�¢
â�¢ Does your employer compensate employees for credentials? NO. Again, a piece of paper saying you are certified does not make you type faster or more accurately.
â�¢
â�¢ How do you continue your education? When a new word comes my way that I am unfamiliar with, I look it up to be sure I am typing the correct word, that it relates to the part of the body the exam is intended and make sure I get at least 2 different reputable Internet sites for reference.
â�¢
â�¢ Does your company/hospital use voice recognition? They keep trying. It keeps failing.
â�¢
â�¢ If so, how much of your time is spent editing versus transcribing? With VR, it really depends on whether the dictator enunciates or really tries to train the software. About 99% of the time, it is much faster to just wipe the sheet clean and type the report rather than try to find all the mistakes the software makes. At least if you are the one to type it, you canâ��t miss correcting that train wreck that is Voice Recognition.

Wow!!! ...now on a positive note... - Kathy

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been doing this for 20 years and feel blessed (especially after hearing all these replies). I live in a small town and have made great $$$. I have lost many accounts through the years, but not to VR...to EMRs. I always find work when I lose work. I started off typing letters for a friend who was a doctor...then his notes...he told other docs...and off I went! I did attend a community college and took courses in their MT program, but did not graduate with a degree. This never slowed me down, however, as I felt a lot of the courses were a waste of my time. My teacher was my mentor. She even gave me some of her work when she needed help! My weakness is anatomy..as I never took the course, but I do my best. I never put my 2 kids in daycare...always worked part-time and once I got in the groove, made $20-30 an hour. Google is my best friend when I am transcribing. Sadly...it is a dying profession. I feel lucky to have had this as my job all these years, even though it will likely go away in the next year or so. I would not start this career due to EMRs in most medical office these days. Good luck to you!

A question for you - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
Which school do you attend, and on what basis did you choose it?

Dying career... give me a break! - Cheer up

[ In Reply To ..]
If you go back through the archives, you will find emails warning that this is a dying career going back to 2004, 2001, as far back as you can search. This is not a fair representation of the real world, and you need to consider the source when you hear "advice" like this. Good luck with your schooling and job search. There are good jobs out there, however, those are not held by the same people who sit on MTStars and spew all day.

Cheer up! - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
I never said this was a dying career. I merely wondered where the OP went to school, as it could make a big difference. If it was a good school, I would be willing to try to help. If it was a matchbook, not so much.

People have been saying this for 30 years - Ally

[ In Reply To ..]
When I started MT school, I had a teacher that told me that people tried to talk her out of it 30 years ago.

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My name is Chelsea and I am enrolled in the MT program at Allied Schools. I have been practicing transcription for about 3 weeks now and it is kicking my butt! I am freaking out and I just don't know what to do.. Any advice?? I feel like such a failure and I could really use any advice that ya'll have to offer. Thanks! ...

Nov 04, 2010

Why, oh why, oh why can't the students hit the PAUSE button when they are dictating to gather their thoughts? Why must I sit through listening to page turning, and "thinking" noises? Meanwhile, time is money in this job ... and I really am getting tired of this! My main account is a large teaching hospital, and so I get alot of students, residents, fellows ... etc. <grrrrrrrrr> OK .. I feel better now that I just vented! :) ...

Jan 25, 2011

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Apr 08, 2011

Hi all of you wannabe coders out there. I have just finished my A&P course with AHIMA and am starting coding basics. I would love to communicate those out there who are in this program, just starting out or previous students. Let me know how far along you are and also what your background is. I am very excited about getting to do this program. I have been a transcriptionist for almost 20 years and am totally burned out, both physically and mentally. ...

Jul 11, 2011

I am months away from completing an "associates degree" in MT at a well-known online "university." As I have prepared to change careers and start finding a job, I have realized what you all seem to already know...the job pickings are slim at best, and NO ONE wants to hire a newbie. In short, I have never felt so taken advantage of and just...scammed. The education I have received is sub-par, with more time spent with unnecessary classes like "Keyboarding" than with classes tha ...

Aug 07, 2011

HI everyone. I'm seriously thinking of doing medical transcription as a career change. I've been researching schools for about 4-6 months. I realize that Andrews and M-Tec are considered the top two, but I just can't afford these schools. I have read several posts on this forum and am wondering if it is possible to get schooling elsewhere that will give me the information I need to find a job and work successfully. I've b ...

Nov 01, 2012

How do you type this? …normocytic normochromic anemia …normocytic, normochromic anemia …normocytic/normochromic anemia …normocytic-normochromic anemia ...

Oct 11, 2014

Do you know of anyone that hires students that are about to graduate with a 4.0? ...

Apr 09, 2011

Hi all. I am doing a career exploration paper on medical coding. I need some interesting facts about medical coding. Can anyone explain how the ICD came about? Any other interesting facts would be appreciated! ...

Sep 04, 2012

I am a new MT student that is visually impaired. I'm having a very difficult time with studies and keyboarding class. I'd like to find someone that has low or no vision that could tell me how they have gotten through classes and what devises and software systems they may have used. I feel like I'm out here doing this all by myself. Thanks, Brandi ...

Jun 17, 2013

I am a coding student and have a couple questions. If a patient is admitted for aspiration pneumonia, has difficulty swallowing due to a previous stroke and has a stage 2 decuibuts ulcer on the buttock why is the sequencying in this order 507.0, 438.82, 707.05, 707.22 I get the principal diagnosis, but do not understand why the dysphagia is sequenced before the ulcer. My next one, admitted for E. coli UTI, on day 2 had exacerbatin of COPD, patient is on current therapy for hypertension ...

Sep 12, 2013

I am a new coding student -- having taken three classes so far. I was understanding everything, I thought, pretty well, and while I was not always able to get the right code, I always knew what I had done wrong. But now V codes. I can't find anything. I don't even know what words to look up. I feel like I'm lost. Will this get easier? I'm getting so discouraged. ...

Mar 08, 2014

Not that it would be possible, just something I myself have been looking into. The trade school I went to, I paid a little over $12k for my MT course of 9 months. The school is not AHDI certified. I was told ( Back in 2009) that I could get a job right after graduation and be able to work from home. I had great teachers who refused to just pass everyone (as some were instructed to do by the school so they could keep their accredidation from the state). I was going ...

Apr 03, 2014

I have heard different interpretations of the "no commercial use" rule by Microsoft about the Home and Student version of Office. Some say you cannot use this version to work from home as an MT, and some say it only means that Home and Student version just doesn't have all the bells and whistles someone would need for commercial use. I just called Microsoft, and the rep told me that it IS okay to use it in that way, but I don't feel confident he really knew what I was ask ...

May 30, 2015

I just started medical coding school. I'm just feeling like this is so much information to know, how am I going to remember all of this and be accurate? I REALLY want this as a career & dont want to fail. Do most coding students feel this way? Does it take some time for things to "click"? I'm just feeling overwhelmed and it's concerning. I hope I'm just overthinking this. Any reassurance would really be helpful. ...

Oct 07, 2010

Has anyone tried to conslidate any kind of student loans lately. In 2007 my daughter graduated from a private college. We took out student loans through Sallie Mae and when she graduated we consolidated them with SallieMae. They never asked if she had a job when we did this. She has to pay back $350.00 a month. We told her she can live with us rent free because we could not afford to pay these loans. Now my second daughter just graduated from college and we had ...

May 13, 2012

Hi! I am registering for coding classes at Andrews this week. I just finished the AHIMA A&P course, passed the final exam, and after doing extensive research through the threads here on MTStars, I have decided to continue my coding studies through Andrews. My future goals are to hold both the CCS and the CPC credentials in the future. I read the Andrews grads are passing the CCS right out of school. Great!! Do I need two years of coding experience ...

Jun 20, 2012

Does anyone know if Microsoft Office 2003 student/teacher and EditScript 10.2 work together? I thought I saw somewhere it was not supported. I also have Vista 64 bit. Thanks. ...

Sep 01, 2013

This board is not quiet because the coders are working. It is quiet because coders can't post here. This board has a problem with a small number of people, apparently not coders, who have a problem with any and all positive postings. The description below that they jump on the posts like a pack of hyenas was very apt. They attack the OP and all responses until they derail the thread and either get it deleted or obstruct the original discussion. This has prett ...

Apr 28, 2014

Do most of us have Microsoft Office Home & Student version or the Professional version? The only difference I can see is that Professional has 2 other features, Publisher and Access, which most of us don't need in our MT work. I can buy 2010 Home and Student for about 1/3 the cost of 2010 Professional. Thoughts? ...

Jan 14, 2015

Can you use the Microsoft Word Home and Student version with the Nuance platforms? ...

Oct 27, 2011

Here is what I put in this petition - I tried not to make it specific to MT, as there are more jobs that need to come back than just ours. Stop the overseas off-shoring of American jobs - at least stop those that contain personal information. (this is the title to search for at "we the people" if the link does not post)Stop the overseas off-shoring of American Jobs will keep American Jobs in American, will keep American money in America. Once that money leaves it will n ...