Hello to Everyone
I bookmarked this page 2 years ago when I began my MT course and I am glad I did. It provides valuable information to MTs and future MTs.
I recently completed course at Education Direct. It provided a good beginning course. I have found that being a MT is a continuous learning experience. Worked for a gynecologist for 15 years so have a medical background. Have taken A&P and Medical Terminology 3x. Veterinary Asst course, Vet Tech course, and MT course. Dog and cat A&P is basically the same as human.
Did well on MT. Don't have a big problem with spelling. "Punctuation" "Comma or a semicolon?" Hated English. May have to take a Business Communication course to brush up on that.
There are not a lot of in-house opportunities for MTs in my area. Two hospitals. Have heard they are next to impossible to get into. Am working on resume and cover letter to fax to transcription companies on the internet. Are there any companies that are more likely to hire "Newbies?" I would appreciate any suggestions.
Thank you
Noreen

Can't help you with the job search, but I am switching from my current program at California College for Health Sciences to Education Direct and feel better knowing that you felt it was a decent course. Best of luck!

Thank you for your reply. I think you will enjoy the Education Direct course. They provide you with a great deal of the tools you need. Reference books, software, standard cassette transcriber, micro cassette transcriber, dictation tapes, and AAMT Book of Style.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. That is what we are all here for.

Good Luck on your studies!!!
Noreen

Noreen,

I hope this is not too late for you for me to answer with one part of your question, that is the part about companies hiring newbies.

I am starting with MedQuist. They are hiring newbies nationwide.

I suggest working for a Medical Transcription Service or a hospital locally first or in conjunction with working from your home via internet.

I started through a local Drug & Alcohol Clinic, and now I am working at a local Med. Transcription company and going to be doing at-home through MedQuist starting in mid-October.

Need more information, just let me know!

Paula, Med. Transcriptionist

Thank you for your help. I am going to start checking with local personnel offices to see what is available here. About a year ago, I did contact a MedQuist recruiter in Dallas, and she told me to fax resume and course curriculum when I finished school. Am also going to check with local chapter of AAMT to see if I can attend a meeting.

Bet the leaves are turning in PA. All of my husbands family live in Coudersport, PA, and we did live there several years before coming to Texas.

Thanks again and good luck at MedQuist.

Noreen,

I know where Coudersport is. I live in the small town of South Fork..........bet you do not know where that is.

I am glad to hear that they want you to fax them all your info and resume etc. Do it soon! They are hiring nationwide!

Although I live in PA, I will be working for the Las Vegas area office from my house part-time for now to see if I like it or not.

They also have an office in the Johnstown, PA area which is 20 minutes from where I live, but that office does not hire for at-home so I was told.

Nice to hear from you.......Hope things go good for you.......keep in touch with MedQuist, they are nice to talk to even on the phone.

Paula
Med. Transcriptionist

I am also talking to a recruiter at the MedQuist office near Richland College in Dallas. I just faxed them a copy of my certificate last night and she told me she would be talking with me soon to arrange my testing. I'm pretty much in the same boat as you are. I've taken Medical Terminology twice and Physiology and Anatomy three times, I've completed my MT course and I type over 70 words a minute and sometimes I feel like I'll never get a job. They are the only company I've heard of that hires "newbies", or that I've had any success with so far. Granted, I've only been looking for about three weeks, but I was very frustrated after a couple of weeks of rejections. Good luck on your job search!

Dena

Hello Paula,

Thank you for all of your help. Starting out on something new is not always easy. Sometimes it takes a lot of determination. Thanks for giving me a push in the right direction.

You're right! I did not know where South Fork was, but I looked it up on the map.

Let me know once in a while how you are doing at MedQuist.

All the best!

Hi Dena,

I can relate to your frustration on finding a job. There are very few companies who will hire MTs right out of school. They don't want to spend the time, or may not even have the time, to train them. I have learned not to let the word "Experience" stop you. I have heard of "Newbies" beating out experienced MTs on testing.

If you can, drop a line after you take MedQuist testing. Would like to get some idea of what their test involves.

Best of Luck!

Noreen,

I started taking the MedQuist test this morning. There are 4 parts to it and it's all done online. The first is just your personal information (basically job application style questions). The second part is what they called a screening test. You have to make an 80 on it to proceed to portions 3 and 4, but I found it really easy. It mainly pertained to medical terminology, grammar and punctuation. I also finished the third portion this morning, which was very similar to the screening test, but longer and a little more difficult. But if you take your time and use your reference materials, it's not too bad. The fourth portion is a transcription test, and it's supposed to take 2 to 3 hours to complete. Since you can leave and come back to the test, I arranged for a sitter tonight for my kids and I'm going to take that portion in peace and quiet. I'm a little nervous about it, but all I can do is try and hope everything works out!