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

what is best medical transcription school online - dce

Posted: Nov 27, 2011

Hi, I would like to know what is the best online medical transcription school. Thanks in advance for reply. dce

dce - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi. Old Pro has great advice regarding schools. Have you read any of the posts on the New MTs Board? That should give you some insight into schools. Good luck!

dce - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
This probably belongs on the New MTs board (and perhaps the moderator will prefer to move it), but since you asked it here, I will answer it here. Here is a summary that I frequently give to people who want to get into MT. Whatever else you do, please do NOT waste your time and money on the "institutes" or other high-sounding places that advertise in women's magazines or that come around holding seminars where they promise the moon. MTSOs hold them in very low regard. Here is the summary; I hope something in it is helpful. Best of luck to you:

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!

AHDI - Cheesey

[ In Reply To ..]
I was told to also make sure the school was AHDI credited.

I actually called a local person who hires MTs ( I was so glad she talked to me!) and AHDI was one of the things she stressed that she looked for when hiring people...that the school they graduated from was AHDI approved.

Cheesey - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
AHDI accrediting has more to do with funding than it does with quality assurance in education. She may put great stock in AHDI, as is her perfect right; however, I know many, many MTSOs and former MTSOs (myself included) who have no use for them because of their history. I ethically cannot support anyone who is so tight with MQ and supports offshoring. And that is my right on the end of the other end of the spectrum. (As my dear mother used to say, "That's what makes horse racing!")

Another thing to consider - is how current is the curriculum.

[ In Reply To ..]
With all of the changes this profession has undergone recently and we continue to see, you want to find a school that is keeping up with the changes.

As for the AHDI accredited schools, probably the only people that care about that are MQ and people in a hiring position who have not done any research regarding AHDI.

online school - Grace

[ In Reply To ..]
Career Step.

I would highly recommend the school I attended, as it made a huge difference when I was looking for work, and I felt very prepared when I started in the field. We did about half of our coursework as practical, real sound file transcription, and EVERYTHING WAS ONLINE. The testing I took at most of the jobs I applied for was set up exactly like my final at school, and looked the same as well. I was told at all the jobs I have had that my education played a part in getting hired. I had one job for only 2-3 months (bad fit in time zones) but the others almost 2 years and 2-plus years.

Where you go to school is VERY IMPORTANT, because many work-from-home companies will not take new graduates any more unless they go to an affiliated school. Career Step is one of the most commonly affiliated schools.

It took me about 1 year to finish my coursework. And no, you will not get rich.

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