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

familiar with the transcription program at either Career Step - laramielady

Posted: May 29, 2012

Is anyone familiar with the transcription program at either Career Step, MT at Home, or Medical Transcription A to Z? Opinions would be appreciated.

laramielady - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
I was an MT and later an MTSO over the span of four decades. The main thing you want in a program is that it uses the SUM program, and that it has LIVE INSTRUCTORS to whom you have access--NOT an answer key. Andrews cannot be beat. IMHO, Career Step, while not "bad," is definitely second string. I have never heard of MT at Home or MT A to Z. I would go with the pros--Andrews or MTEC.

Thank you - laramielady

[ In Reply To ..]
I appreciate the advice. I had not considered Andrews before reading the posts on this site. Their program looks quite impressive. Thanks again.

laramielady - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
You're welcome. I used to post more often but am busy with other things now (retired). I saved a post from several months ago that I posted here and will post it again now with the idea it might help you in your decision:

Several people have asked me if I think MT is still a viable career. Coincidentally, today as I was cleaning out some files, I found notes from a seminar I gave and thought I would summarize a few of the thoughts, hoping they might be of value to someone out there. (Moderator, if you don't feel this is appropriate, please just delete the post.) First, there are three "myths" to consider: 1. The myth that medical transcription is easy money. Many of the not so reliable schools push this idea and use it to exploit people. It makes me really disheartened that many people who do not have much money to begin with get taken in by this. Shame on the schools who do this! 2. The second myth is that it does not matter where you go to school; you can get a good medical transcription education anywhere. Again, another myth. The old saying that "you get what you pay for" really applies. When I am counseling people face to face, I always advise that the two things they MUST have from any program are the SUM program and real, live instructors. 3. The third myth is that you can always learn "the old fashioned way--on the job." That was true up until perhaps the end of the 70s; it is surely not true now. The marketplace and its structure (and pace) have changed too radically. When interviewing schools, ask questions: 1. Where are your graduates working? Can you give me the names of 2-3 grads who would be willing to share their experience with me? 2. How long has the school been in business? Is it a private entity? A sole proprietorship? Who are the principals? How are your instructors chosen? 3. Do your financial homework. Call the BBB and the Department of Business Regulation for the locality in which the school is registered. Have there been complaints? Have the complaints been satisfactorily resolved? 4. What form of financial aid do you offer? 5. How accessible are your instructors and by what means? E-mail only? Are telephone calls permitted/encouraged? 6. Does your school use authentic physician dictation such as in The SUM program? Or does it merely use scripts read by actors? 7. What type of follow-up does your school offer? Can I "retake" any portions of the course with which I have difficulty? How many tries do I have to pass the final? 8. What kind of placement program do you have? What percentage of your grads get placed? (There should not be a fee for placement.) 9. Utilize the wisdom of the "old salts"--ancient MTs like yours truly who have been in this business for decades. Most older MTs are happy to help newbies. Many people helped me when I was starting out, and in gratitude, I try to help people just starting. Those are just some thoughts that I culled from the seminar I did. I hope something in here helps someone. Have a great week!

Hope this helps! Best of luck to you.

Very helpful! - laramielady

[ In Reply To ..]
The information you posted will be quite helpful for me. I am currently enrolled in a program at my local community college and am considering starting over with a different program. You have given me a lot to work with as I research the other programs. Thank you so much for your time and your help.

laramielady - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
You are more than welcome. No disrespect intended to community colleges, but I do not think they provide a sufficiently comprehensive program. It is like wanting to be an engineer and taking only algebra. Algebra is good and necessary, but you also need geometry, trig, calculus, etc. Above all, in MT, you need hours and hours of physician dictation and the SUM program. And LIVE instructors. I truly do think Andrews is the best there is, and from what their grads tell me, they have flexible payment programs, etc. I have (and have never had) any relationship with Andrews. I only know what I see--their grads--and I can tell you that no Andrews grad I know has ever been unable to find a job or to succeed on the job once s/he got it. I am sure you will weigh all of these things and make your own decision. I wish you the best of luck!

Community college - just me

[ In Reply To ..]
I made the mistake of going to a vocational school first, which wasted 1 year of my life. Despite getting straight A's, I knew I was not getting enough of an education and went to a community college 2-year program after graduating from the vocational school. It was the best decision of my life. I started my own company 6 months prior to graduation, was hired by the program advisor after graduation, who mentored me, and by the first 1-1/2 years, I was making over $6,000 per month with my own clients, which then grew to several facilities and $10,000 per month. When my clients went EMR 7 years ago, I had no problems landing jobs with services (worked at 29 of them) while I rebuilt my client base-now with several surgery centers and clinics. The education I received from the community college could not be beat, including an extensive anatomy and physiology class with cadavers and the best English class I have had. I do not even hire from Career step and try hire from community colleges, as their programs are very extensive versus online programs. Also, attend as many AHDI workshops that you can, both to further your education and network for your own clients. Good luck!

The worst schools I know are community colleges - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I can't think of anyone I've ever worked with who was successful after going graduating from a community college MT course. There are exceptions, but I just haven't met them.

The reason is the amount of time they have to teach, the teachers they have, who are often teaching something they know little to nothing about, and the poor quality of books and materials. Often they just pick up a graduate from the last graduating class and offer them a job teaching.

If you go that route, talk to some graduates and then just hope that you are going with one of the exceptions, because most of them are pretty worthless for medical transcription training. They are great for flower arranging and maybe yoga, not medical transcription.

Agree and do not know any that have a cadaver anatomy class! - Unless it is a cat cadaver

[ In Reply To ..]
Community colleges are the worst. Many just plop students down with Career Step's software.

The recommendation for them, the one recommending AHDIs workshops, may be well-meant but no one should expect that experience today. It has been a long, long time since those days.

I do not believe it would be possible to find an anatomy class that used cadavers. Dead cats, perhaps, but not humans. Most have no labs at all. That level of anatomy training is certainly not required for success as an MT and certainly has little bearing on success as an MTSO.

While that post sounded like the fanciful concoction of a department head in community college, it could very well have been written by an older MTSO. Just don't expect similar results.

whatever - just fine with community college

[ In Reply To ..]
I went to a community college and have worked at my job for the past 15 years with no problems whatsoever. You do not need a cadaver to learn anatomy. Maybe for nursing... not for MT.

They pull Indians right off the street to do this job, and they learn as they go.

I think she was responding to - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I think she was responding to someone above who intimated that an anatomy course with cadavers that she had at a community college was a huge selling point. I disagree. I think the time would be better spent learning to transcribe. It appears that their course puts transcription students in courses that were designed for hands-on patient care, probably because they don't have enough actual transcription practice for them to do, which is usually the case with community colleges.

Community colleges and cadavers - just me

[ In Reply To ..]
Orange Coast College has human cadavers and even a plastinization lab. Their transcription program was fantastic. I had first completed a transcription program at a vocational school, which was the worst. Despite getting straight A's, I knew this program was not enough, and I went to the local community college, where I received an excellent education. I started my own business partway through and was working for a lady who sat on the advisory board, transcribing operative reports for a local surgery center who also mentored me. When that account slowed down, I worked for another service, the owner of which allowed me to be an account manager. I first started with the physician assistant, then the physician, and I kept moving up, handling all 5 offices. In this time, I was making up to $10,000 per month. Yes... quite a bit for somebody with only a few years of experience but a fantastic education. When they went EMR, I had no problems getting every job I applied for while I built my business back up, which I did. I do very well compared to what I read on this board---I had the best education you could get. My clients appreciate the fact that I can correctly punctuate a sentence, transcribe reports accurately, and have an in-depth knowledge of anatomy and physiology (received award for outstanding student of the year). I accomplished all this despite being hearing impaired and injured. I now provide transcription for several surgery centers and clinics, etc., and am turning clients down. I cannot imagine these online programs covering anywhere near the information or providing the education I received.

Last I Heard... - Career Step has no instructors.

[ In Reply To ..]
I cannot recommend this biz anymore, but if you are going to do it, please do it right and follow advice here.

Laramielady - Suggestion

[ In Reply To ..]
In your thread below about internships, you received some crystal-clear advice that told you exactly what you would need to do in order to actually have a shot at getting a job in MT.

Your current question about these 3 schools makes me wonder if you read what people told you, because you appear to be ignoring it. You ae proceeding right down the wrong path, continuing to inquire about exactly what we advised you to avoid.

You may think we are some random people with random views about this, but we are not. We have given you the best advice you will find anywhere. It is based on years of experience watching schools come and go, and watching graduates of a few succeed while others struggle along or fail outright.

You are currently in a college program, but you are looking to change. Usually, people in that boat look to improve their school, but you seem to be looking for something worse. My guess is that you are looking for something easier or cheaper, or that does not have annoying instructors so you can do what you please, because that is what you are gravitating toward.

It is very difficult to get a first job in MT. If you want to get a job, you need the right kind of education. Old Pro pretty much told you what you would need to do. Employers do not hire without experience. The only exception is for graduates of Andrews and M-TEC.

Education - laramielady

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you all for your advice. Old Pro, you have been especially helpful.

My intention is definitely not to look for an easier or cheaper program. In fact, it is quite the opposite. After going to a recent seminar and doing further research, I realized just how much the program I'm taking at the community college is lacking.

I don't know how long it has been since most of you have been in my position, but please try to understand that I've been given a lot of information from different sources, and each source has conflicting recommendations.

I asked questions on this site with the hope of guidance from actual transcriptionists rather than from someone trying to sell me a program, and I appreciate the advice I've received here. I apologize if you thought my question was redundant or that I was looking for an easy path. The only thing I'm looking for is the best program I can find.

Call Linda Andrews - and tell her your goals

[ In Reply To ..]
and your learning style. She's very accessible and will not try to sell her program to you. She'll just tell you what the program entails and what to expect while you're in it. If she thinks her program isn't right for you, she'll tell you.

Something to keep in mind about the good programs (Andrews and MTec)--they provide you with real reference materials, not xeroxed word lists. If you make the smart choice and choose one of the good programs, you will finish with the skills you need to get your first job AND you will have all the references a new MT needs. The other programs don't come close to any of that.

Seminars - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
No one thinks that you are looking for an easy way out. We can just see that you seem to be very confused and that you may have difficulty spotting the scams. You do not seem to be able to sort out the real programs from the bogus ones.

One BIG problem is that you have been attending SEMINARS. You have appaently gotten on a list of some sort because you seem to have attended more than one, and you are still under the impression that they are legitimate sources of information. And that the courses they front are legitimate.

I agree that you should call Linda Andrews. She will not try to sell you on anything. She is very nice to talk to and will help you sort this out. She is known to steer people to the school best for them, not to her own.

One problem is that you are attending seminars thinking they are there to help you and that they provide realistic, accurate information. That is like attending an insurance or investment seminar thinking they are there to help you. They are not there for YOUR benefit . . . they are there for THEIR benefit. Specifically, they are there to sell you something and take your money, and the reason they do it wth what they call "seminars" is because it is the modern version of the travelling snake-oil show.

A hundred years ago, they would have arrived in a wagon, called up a crowd, and done their song and dance to sell you useless tonics. Today, they arrive on a plane, rent a room, and do their song and dance to sell you useless "billing" software, bogus investments, and ridiculous courses in MT.

Yes, they sound convincing! They are travelling snake-oil salesmen!

The underlying concept, that of MT education, is fine. That is a legitimate career field. We gave you information about it. You are so swayed by the seminars that you cannot hear what we are saying.

Here it is again. In order to work as an MT, you need to be hired by an employer. Today, nearly all of those employers are large national companies. They hire based on experience and testing. They make exceptions for students from two or three schools. Of those three only two, Andrews and M-TEC, have instructors and high student satisfaction. Only their graduates do really well and keep their jobs. That is why we told you to consider those two schools. We meant consider ONLY those two schools.

That is the same advice we have been giving for the last 15 years. Those who follow it do well. Those who do not follow it come back in a year and say they are sorry they did not because the got ripped off, can't transcribe, hated the school, found there were hidden costs, incurred huge loans, and are unemployable.

Here is more that you should know:
1. It is nearly impossible today to start a transcription business. Hospitals no longer use small local services.
2. Doctors are abandoning transcription because they are adopting electronic records with point and click interfaces that eliminate the need for dictation and typing.
3. There is NO LIST of doctors who are desperate for your typing. Or your billing services, for that matter. They are not desperate for ANYTHING.
4. The LIST of doctors the seminars offer is from the phone book and state board of medicine. You can get it for free. It is also useless.
5. Any software the seminar offers is junk. Any transcriber machine is junk. Any court reporting machine is junk. They are selling it because it is cheap and it is cheap because it is outdated or useless junk.
6. Any course that consists of a ring binder or some booklets is junk. Any course that does not use the SUM Program dictation is seriously inadequate if not junk.
7. Internships provide free labor for services owned by the school. Internships that you pay for are even worse--you pay to do the free labor. This is not a bargain in the long run. it will end up costing more than Andrews or M-TEC.
8. Snake-oil seminars and bogus schools operate to make money, not to benefit you.
9. Some people do not have the ability to see scams and snake-oil for what they are. They are invariably very nice people, kind people, polite people, believing people, and just wonderful, but they are . . . so trusting that they believe everybody is just as nice as they are. They are gullible. They become prey for snake-oil salesmen of all sorts. They never recognize this, even after losing thousands of dolars.

The fact that you have attended these seminars and are now trying to figure out if WE are telling the truth seems to say that you are in that group. That is why I was so blunt in this post. I do not want you to say later that nobody told you.

The seminars are scams. Stay away from them. If you want to learn transcription, the only 2 choices are Andrews and M-TEC.

Thank you - laramielady

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you again for your advice, and I do believe what you all are saying. The seminar that I attended purported to be about the field of transcription itself, but ended with a sales pitch for the lady's company/program. I am not confused as much as frustrated because I've been in the community college program for over a year and will have to start over to get the education that I need. Basically, since I made the wrong decision going where I am now, I want to be 100% certain of my next move. I am looking at both Andrews and M-Tec and will choose one of their programs. Thank you all again for your help.

No, you will not have to start over - At least not literally

[ In Reply To ..]
How close are you to finishing the CC? Those programs are usually only 9 months. If you are close, you might want to finish.

Not sure about M-TEC, but I think with Andrews you should be able to build on what you have already learned and make good time. You would be able to do the basic underlying material faster and even do the transcription more quickly.

You definitely want to talk to Linda Andrews. She can help you evaluate where you are and decide what to do.

You may discover that there is no way to get out of med terms, or other material that you feel you already had. Try not to worry about that. Just review it and focus on learning anything you do not already know. You won't be wasting your time.

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