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

Purchasing a used Career Step course - nrk

Posted: Jul 25, 2011

I don't know how it will work as far as "enrollment" actually goes, but I'm really looking to do more of a self-taught kind of thing anyway. I know that access to instructors is important, and I have already arranged for that through my local college.

Worst case scenario, I'm out $25.. but for that price, I couldn't pass it up!!

Thoughts?

I think. What you are thinking is right on. - smartee

[ In Reply To ..]
Somebody just made $25.00 off of you too.

What's the point? - Katy

[ In Reply To ..]
If you're going to put all that time into doing an MT course, wouldn't you at least want the distinction of being a graduate (with honors or high honors perhaps) to put on your resume at the end? Also, a huge part of this course involves mastering the dictation modules, which you won't have access to if you are not an enrolled student. So what's the point??

the point - nrk

[ In Reply To ..]
The point really is to have the materials and start studying to supplement the MT class I'm taking at my local college. Like I mentioned, I don't know if I'll actually be able to enroll with used materials, but just couldn't pass up all of the course materials for $25. From what I've read, employers don't really care if you graduated with honors or what sort of GPA you had, but I'm sure that varies.

It was on Ebay that I found it. The woman selling it said that she had purchased for a family member who is now working as an MT, and wasn't really looking to profit from the sell seeing as how the materials really already paid for themselves.

Hiring - MTSO

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been in a hiring position and would not hire someone who self-trained that way. There are too many people going to schools like M-TEC and Andrews who really know their stuff. Just saying.

Don't do it! - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
You can't self-teach yourself what you do not know. Nobody can. My thoughts are that if you are going to waste $25, you should give it to a good charity.

Your objective? - xMTSO

[ In Reply To ..]
Is it to get hired? Because if it is, you need to come out of a program with references and skills. It seems from this post and the one below, you're relying solely on the community college instructor to vouch for you. Which is interesting in that she won't really have a clue about outside education or talent.

Would you go but a drug book and then try to pass yourself off as a pharmacy tech? I would surely hope not.

Trying to circumvent the process is not likely to land you an actual MT position. There are just too many people going to reputable schools coming forward with an actual degree/certificate completion.

It was recommended that you practice with the SUM program tapes and the next thing I know, you're buying Career Step materials.

I hope it all works out like you need it to. But remember, there are an awful lot of MTs who've paid for the education, paid their dues, and applying for the same jobs you'd be applying for.

SUM program confusion (and other things) - nrk

[ In Reply To ..]
Maybe I misunderstood, but in another post I made it was suggested that I go through a program that uses the SUM program. I assumed that since CS is one of the "big" schools and is AHDI approved, that it uses the SUM program. Maybe it was naive of me to assume?

It must seem that I am trying to circumvent the process and take "the easy way out", but that isn't the case. I am just trying to find a way to do this that works for me while still meeting the standards that I neeed to meet to be an MT. I understand that the majority of MTs spend thousands of dollars and years working on their education, but that isn't feasible for me. If it were, I'd gladly do it. It would be ideal to be able to quit my job, quit school, and sink myself full time into an Andrews or M-TEC education but unfortunately that isn't a possibility for me right now, and likely never will be.

I was introduced to the idea of being an MT through a friend of a friend, who is quite successful and mostly self taught. By no stretch of the imagination do I think I could teach myself solely on my own to become an MT, just like I wouldn't expect to be able to teach myself to be a Pharmacy Tech or a coder. However, with the help of the instructor at my school and a few successful MTs that I know along with the proper materials and LOTS of dication practice, I'm pretty confident that I can grasp it. To me, the only thing that I'd be missing out of that combination would be paying the $$$ and having to go through things like keyboarding, MS Word, etc.

If I can complete the SUM program, have many hours of dication practice and the help of experienced MTs, what else should I do in addition to that? Or, am I pretty much screwed if I don't have a piece of paper saying that I graduated from a specific program?

Thanks again for your input and advice. :)

One more thing to consider - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Andrews doesn't make you go through keyboarding, MS Word, etc. It's assumed that you already have that when you enroll. There's a pre-enrollment exam before you can enroll.

I've seen lots of Andrews students that have full-time jobs while they are studying. I think most do in fact. Also, even though they have a minimum down payment, they have a program where it is possible to lower that down payment. It's fairly new, but you might ask about it. They also don't charge interest, so it's like a loan without interest for the monthly payments.

One more thing to consider - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
I so agree with you about Andrews. I have known many, many Andrews grads who had 3-4 job offers, even in this economy. I think their program is the best deal going. As my dear mother used to say, if you are going to do something, do it right.

Regarding self-directed study - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
This comes directly from the SUM program website:

"Students who are self-motivated and mature sometimes choose to complete The SUM Program for Medical Transcription Training on their own by Independent Home Study."

There are many options. Andrews is just one of them. Perhaps you should cut out the middle man.

Sure there are options - tons of them

[ In Reply To ..]
nrk was given advice from people who do some hiring. She can learn however she'd like to.

Interview:
Interviewer: What school did you graduate from?
NRK: Taught myself, took a class at a college.
Interviewer: Oh your certification/degree is from a college? Which one?
NRK: No, just a class. I also used the SUM tapes.
Interviewer: How much experience do you have?
NRK: None. I figured hey screw all that stuff about having to actually have an education and experience.

Yeah, that's going to work out really well.

Sure there are options - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
Your analogy is spot-on. Except someone with those "credentials" would not even get an interview with me. Zip. Nada. Nothing.

that was a little hurtful - nrk

[ In Reply To ..]
The assumption that I would conduct myself in an interview as you depicted is offensive. I'm not quite sure what you guys are assuming about me, that I have no professionalism or whatnot, but I can assure you that is not how it would go down.

OldPro, I do appreciate your advice and trying to steer me in the right direction. It is benficial to be able to speak with someone like yourself who has so much experience in the field and has been in a hiring position, and I really do appreciate your input. I am a little hurt though that you would assume I'd present and conduct myself that way in an interview. I assure you, I am very professional when the situation calls for it. I know what to say and what not to say when being interviewed by someone that will potentially hire me. I've been on many job interviews in my day, and have gotten the vast majority of the jobs for which I have interviewed. I just wasn't aware that an internet message board where the individuals with whom I am interacting have not the foggiest idea of who I am was the place to uphold strict professionalism.

I would probably word my response to those questions more along the lines off..

Interviewer: What school did you graduate from?
Me: I have a bachelor's degree from ____ University, where I also studied Medical Transcription. While I don't have a certificate of completion from an MT program, I have completed the SUM program (editor's note: It was dumb of me to assume CS used SUM, I'll be glad to have all those materials for $25 but am still looking to complete the SUM) and xxx hours of dictation practice with the help and guidance of some experienced MTs.

That still may not be good enough, but I won't know until I get there I guess.

nrk - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
I am assuming nothing about how you would conduct yourself in an interview. I have no way of knowing that. The thing that I find disturbing is that you seem to want to circumvent the system and still be interviewed, or if interviewed, hired, when there are currently 300 applicants for every advertised MT job. Perhaps you do not intend it, but it almost sounds like "I'm special; I do not have to follow the rules." You sound like an extremely intelligent person. You write well. Given the talents you obviously have, why not get a letigimate MT education and give yourself a fighting chance? This "through the back door, don't have an MT education but did do a 25 buck SUM" is not going to get you what you want--a job in the MT world. It likely is not even going to get you an interview. I know our company would not be interested. With so many good schools (Andrews ranks #1 with me; M-TEC is also excellent) willing to work out payment plans and no-interest loans--in other words, they are bending over backwards to help students, I am puzzled why anyone who wants to be an MT would not give herself the very best opportunity at getting hired, that is all. As to "hurtful," I would caution you to take statements at face value, not to read unintended meanings into them, or to become the victim of your "feelings." Many a new MT has not been successful not because they weren't good (they were) but because they could not take feedback from QA, which is CONSTANT. You have to not personalize these things. In short, I think you could succeed nicely if you would choose a decent school and give yourself a chance. Good luck!

Exactly - xMTSO

[ In Reply To ..]
The analogy wasn't written to insult you, I simply used your responses here.

But Old Pro (again) hits the nail on the head. Circumventing the education process, UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMEONE TO HIRE YOU AND MENTOR YOU, is not likely to land you where you want to land.

You have to follow your own heart, nrk. Old Pro and I are just two MTs who've been around the block and who have been in the position of hiring and trying to give you the realistic result of your choices.

I truly wish you the best.

also --- sm - nrk

[ In Reply To ..]
What you quoted directly from the SUM website is what made me decide to do self-directed study rather than a complete program. I read the same thing on the site, and that's when I started looking for used materials. I actually did see someone selling a used SUM program on the classifieds, but I didn't get to it fast enough.

Community College - JC Grad

[ In Reply To ..]
I know Andrews is very popular and anything that makes finding a job easier in this market is great. I just want to say that I went to a community college. I had a great teacher, Marcy Diehl. She had me working before I was out of school and my first position was a hospital. With what transcription is paying these days I applaud you for educating yourself instead of spending all that money.

JC Grad - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
Marcy is indeed a wonderful person and teacher. I know her--after all, we are both California gals. That said, I would not applaud the idea of "educating yourself" as the OP wanted to do. She will likely not get very with even the interview process that way. And you cannot teach yourself what you do not know. (That is why I want a native speaker for Italian rather than using tapes!) I am sure the OP is very intelligent and capable. No one is doubting that. But the idea of the "self-made MT" went about about 20+ years ago. Too much competition. And as to Andrews being "popular," I do not think that is the proper word. That is like saying Harvard is "popular." I don't think popularity has a thing to do with it; IMHO, commitment to quality makes it what it is.

nrk - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
No MTSO worth working for will consider you without the proper education. Please don't "assume" anything about any school--take the initiative and pick up the phone or hit the keyboard and ask them just what their program contains. After all, doing research is a big part of being an MT! :) (Smiling with you here.) As an long-time MTSO/MT, I might also caution about language like "screwed," not because I have any particular scruples against the word (I don't) but because it is unprofessional. I personally would not hire anyone who used such language in an interview or e-mail to me. It has nothing to do with spirituality or lack of it; it has to do with professionalism. Many MTSOs regularly read these boards (and recruit from them). I know that I tend to be put off by inappropriate language and by people who use text shorthand: (R U hiring?). Those kinds of inquiries get ignored. A professionally composed and worded post gets my attention. Not making you wrong, just saying.

your objective - xMTSO

[ In Reply To ..]
I still hear you thinking the rules don't apply to you. Perhaps it's just my hearing, however.

Let's use Pharmacy Tech as our continuing example. You take a lot of meds, you helped out your sick Granny and she was on lots of meds, you own a PDR and have a friend who is a Pharmacy Tech. If you walked into a pharmacy with those "credentials" you'd be laughed out of the place.

Your case is one that really drives home for me, the reason we need minimum requirements and mandatory credentialing in MT. No, there is no law that currently states you must have XX education or XX experience. HOWEVER, MOST reputable service owners will not hire you based on what you're sharing. A terminology course does not an MT make; nor does having a friend who does it unless that friend is going to train you and HIRE you and then mentor you.

I hear you say you don't want to really BE an MT, you just think it's a fast and easy way to make money and stay at home making that money, while you finish your education for what you really want to be. If you were my daughter and came to me with all of this (and I have REALLY smart and capable daughters), I'd tell you think again. The current MT climate is simply not conducive to the factors you share. Unless you have a friend who is going to hire you, I don't see you finding employment as an MT. And I would caution you that if you do go this route, please invesitate any company that hires you - because they may be more likely to take advantage.

Good luck!

For the record, Career Step doesn't use SUM - Maggie

[ In Reply To ..]
You did say something about a college course and just using the CS materials to supplement. But just remember you will be competing for jobs against people with years of experience, and people who DID plunk down all that money for an Andrews education.

Good luck to you. Not easy, but not impossible.

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