Frequently Asked Questions on sci.med.transcription
Melinda Meahan
http://tramariah.terrashare.com/smtfaq.htm
Sci.Med.Transcription Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled by Melinda Meahan
Last Updated 01/29/00. This is always a FAQ-in-progress. Suggestions
for improvement, corrections, content contributions, etc. are
always welcome.
THIS FAQ IN ITS ENTIRETY IS COPYRIGHT 1999-2000 BY MELINDA MEAHAN.
IT MAY BE REPRODUCED FREELY FOR
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THANK YOU.
PORTIONS OF THIS FAQ ARE WRITTEN BY OTHERS, WHO RETAIN THE COPYRIGHT ON
WHAT THEY HAVE WRITTEN AND
HAVE GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED THEIR THOUGHTS TO BE
INCLUDED HERE.
The current version of this FAQ is always available at
http://welcome.to/smtfaq and is posted to the newsgroup
sci.med.transcription
weekly (unless I forget). Comments, requests for permission to
redistribute, etc. may be emailed to Melinda Meahan at mombearto4 @
usa.net.
If you are reading this as a text version, you will need to delete the
spaces on each side of the @ signs for authors of portions of the
FAQ to get their correct email address. This is to foil spammers'
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give you the correct address without the need to delete excess spaces.
Thanks for your understanding.
PART 1: How Do I Get Into MT?
PART 2: Getting Your First Job
PART 3: Some Sources For Reference Material
PART 4: MT Resources in Cyberspace
PART 5: Newsgroup Participation
PART 6: The Original RFD and Charter for sci.med.transcription
****** PART 1: HOW DO I GET INTO MT? IS IT FOR ME? ******
Q: I read an ad that if I can type or am willing to learn, I can learn
MT and make $25,000 a year working part time. How can I get in on
this?
A: MTs are generally paid by the line of produced output. A rank
beginner might not even earn minimum wage to start with, according
to various online reports of peoples' personal experiences.
At a representative pay as an employee of 7 cents per line, a new MT is
going to earn right around minimum wage if they are lucky. The
typical output of a reasonably competent MT at the local office of major
service I used to work at was around 200 (65-character) lines
per hour, and that equals about $29,000 per year. MTs working as
independents have reported speeds of up to 500 lines per hour, but
that can hardly be considered a representative speed to use as a
benchmark for all MT work in general.
THERE IS NO CAREER LADDER IN MT! Any MT should be expected to do any
work that gets thrown to him/her. A newer MT will
take longer and therefore earn less pay.
Q: Isn't MT a great way to work at home and be home with my young
children?
A: MTs are paid on a production basis -- by the line, by the word, by
the page, etc.. It is possible (and I am not the only person who
has done it) to work at home and ride herd on small fry while doing MT
at the same time. However, your children MUST be well
disciplined to leave you alone and let you work! Alternatively, you may
want to hire someone to come into your home to watch your
children for a few hours a day so you can get some uninterrupted work
time. Any time spent dealing or interacting with children during
your "work hours" is time for which you will not be paid.
I am not trying to discourage anybody, as I have done almost all of the
above, but I want to make it clear what is involved in doing MT
at home with small fry.
Q: How do I learn to be an MT?
A: There are a number of correspondence programs around as well as
vocational programs at local vocational schools or junior or
business colleges. A thorough education in MT would include a strong
grounding in English grammar, anatomy and physiology
courses, pharmacology courses, and lots of practice from real doctors
(not actors playing the part of doctors). A number of vocational
programs also include an internship at a local hospital or similar
facility, which is a real plus. A good MT course will probably be taught
and/or administered by a MT or at least someone with a medical
background.
A list of MT courses can be found at MT Desk's Websites By and For MTs
at http://www.mtdesk.com.
A good MT course generally:
is run by an MT or a former MT
includes a thorough education in anatomy, physiology, and
pharmacology
has authentic dictation and lots of it as part of course work
follows the model curriculum published by the AAMT at
http://www.aamt.org.
Takes at least six months and up to two years to complete.
Offers full training in everything a new MT might be expected to
do, as opposed to a "cram course" type of program.
Assists students formally or informally with getting into the
field after they graduate
might offer an internship
might find mentors (usually volunteers) for students
won't make unrealistic promises (i.e., "You can earn $50,000 a
year part time in between diaper changes and shutting the small
fry to their soccer games," "You can decide what hours you want to
work," etc.)
Q: I can type fast (or, I am a RN who is burning out, etc.) How can I
get my first job as an MT?
A: MT is more than just typing. You have to have a strong grounding in
English grammar. You have to be able to think on your feet.
More and more, you have to have a good ear for foreign accents. And you
have to know medical terminology well, because if you think
that doctors' handwriting is bad, their dictation is worse! So it's not
so easy.
For a mom (or anybody else) who wants a job that is intellectually
stimulating and who is willing to do the job right (i.e., look
everything
up they aren't positive about and re-listen as many times as needed
until they understand what Dr. Mushmouth is saying), put the job
first when it needs to come first (i.e., treat it like a job instead of
a hobby), and who is willing to start out at low pay (or no pay until
they
find a job) and work their way up to a reasonable and steady income,
there aren't too many better things you can do.
****** PART 2: GETTING YOUR FIRST JOB ******
This "How do I get my first job" portion of the FAQ is used by the kind
permission of Peggy LaChance at digitalcmt @
mindspring.com, and I am sure she wishes to retain the copyright on this
material. Please do not use it without her permission.
I quote Peggy:
Speaking as someone who's been around a while, I can tell you that
you'll be far more successful in entering this career if you approach
it from a more realistic standpoint.
The truth is that it will be very, very difficult to find someone who
will allow you to work at home at first because they recognize that
you simply do not have the experience/training to be able to do this
successfully. Letting you do this will be bad for them ... and for
you.
You'll be able to find a job faster working in-house, you'll learn more
and you'll learn it at a faster rate, and THEN you can go home.
You'll also be likely to make better money working in-house.
It's sad that so many people hook up with courses which give them
unreasonable expectations about the job market in medical
transcription, but it's nice to be able to hear the truth on SMT -- even
if it is a bit belated.
This is not easy work. The reality isn't even close to the tapes you
used in your course. Your course probably didn't even correctly
communicate the variety in the types of dictation that we do, much less
prepare you to transcribe it.
This field requires coursework which is the equivalent of a 2-year
college program, and then requires 2-3 years of supervised experience
thereafter before you can truly be able to work independently with a
variety of transcription.
The best way to get your foot in the door is to go work for someone
on-site until you've learned enough to work on your own. At that
point, you'll never be without a job.
Services and institutions are literally desperate to find qualified MTs
-- MTs who have a documented ability to do excellent work
without supervision. There aren't enough of these people to meet the
demand. There are lots of people who just took a course, but they
can't hire any of them because their training is incomplete and they
can't do the work.
Everyone who is having trouble finding a job after taking a course needs
to read this post and see the reality of this work instead of the
fantasy. This job requires a broad background in medical language and
science AND experience, and the only way to get that is to take
a reputable course and then work in a supervised position for a few
years.
***** PART 3: SUPPLY AND REFERENCE SOURCES FOR MTs *****
SOFTWARE
Data Cal http://www.datacal.com/catalog.htm
Phone: 800-223-0123 Fax: 602-545-8090
Flashforward, Wordperfect, and other programs and lower prices. Also
stick on labels for keyboards: function keys, or just worn off
keys.
Sylvan Software http://www.cyberemporium.com/sylvansoftware/
1-800-235-9455
Medical/pharmaceutical dictionaries: Wordperfect DOS or WIN, MS Word
Sylcount Line count: WP DOS or WIN.
Productive Performance http://www.foxcomm.net/productive/
(425) 788-8300
WP Count for WP5.1 and WIN
Spellex Development http://www.spellex.com
1-800-442-WORD
Electronic spellers, Explode It (for Win 95)
PRD+: Productivity Software International.
Tel. 212-818-1144 Fax 212-818-1197
211 East 43rd St., New York, NY 10017
PRD word expansion software.
Smartype Speedtyping http://www.theprogrammers.com
E-Mail: voicewa...@theprogrammers.com.
Text generation software for WP 5.1 and 5.1+. Has built-in medical
vocabulary.
Medpen http://www.med-pen.com E-Mail: med...@ibm.net
Orders: 1 (800) 579-4300
Address: Emmaus MedPen, 3131 Emmaus Way Cosby, TN 37722
Medpen automates formatting, address insertion, line counting,
naming/saving, invoicing, etc.
EQUIPMENT
Martel Electronics Sales http://www.martelelectronics.com
1-800-553-5536
Discount transcribing equipment
R. T. King Company http://www.transcribers.com
310-320-6691
Specializes in new and used transcribing machines for the medical
transcriptionist. Sells and services all makes and models (except
Panasonic).
Dick Cummins, 21st Century Research, San Diego, CA area
1-800-563-5418
Sells and services PC-Dart, Dictaphone, etc. for San Diego area and
areas where there is no local rep
ECS
800-427-0929
Sells headsets and also foot pedals. Prices range from $19 to $79. The
brands include Sony, Olympus, Norelco, Dictaphone. The styles
include stethoscope and stereo style.
C.H.A.R.T.S. http://www.abds.net/charts/index.htm
1925-M E. Bennett St., Springdale, MO 65808. 800 994-3210.
Transcribers, parts, headsets of all kinds including Dictaphone ($18 and
up)
SUPPLIES
Reliable Office Solutions
800-735-4000 voice, or fax 24 hours 800-326-3233
Transcription labels and office supplies - Free same day shipping
Medical Arts Press
1-800-328-2179 voice, or fax 24 hours 1-800-328-0023
Transcription labels and office supplies
REFERENCE MATERIALS AND PERIODICALS
Williams & Wilkins http://www.stedmans.com/
1-800-527-5597, 1-800-447-8438 (fax) Stedman's Word Books, electronic
dictionaries, etc.
W. B. Saunders http://www.wbsaunders.com/
800-545-2522
Dorland's reference books, electronic dictionary, etc.
Health Professions Institute http://www.hpisum.com/
(209) 551-2112 voice, (209) 551-0404 fax
Word/phrase books SUM MT course
MT Monthly http://www.mtmonthly.com/
1-800-951-5559
Semimonthly newsletter with word helps, information, etc.
The Latest Word http://www.wbsaunders.com/catalog/wbs-prod.pl?1067-716X
1-800-654-2452
Semimonthly newsletter
Monthly Prescribing Reference
800-436-9269
Current drug information. Ask for special rate for medical
transcriptionists.
Lexi-Comp Products http://www.lexi.com/products.htm
References include the Drug Information Handbook for both regular drugs
and dentistry, Infectious Diseases Handbook, and
Laboratory Test Handbook.
Neil M. Davis http://www.neilmdavis.com/
Abbreviations book. Web site has place to add new abbreviations to the
next edition of their book.
Facts and Comparisons
phone 800-777-2295 fax 301-824-7390
American Drug Index and the Quarterly Drug Index
Advance for Health Information Professionals
http://www.merion.com/hi/hi.html
Free monthly magazine.
Physicians Telephone Directory, Inc. http://www.thelittlebluebook.com/
302 West Main Street, Suite 206, Avon, CT 06001-9962
Tel: 860-409-7000 Fax 860-674-8893
The Little Blue Book
****** PART 4: MT RESOURCES IN CYBERSPACE ******
Internet sites and online service areas of
interest to MTs.
Newsgroups
sci.med.transcription
Lobby to MT information in cyberspace. General MT chatter, help, info,
discussions, flames, etc.
comp.speech
Information on voice recognition software
sci.med.informatics
A newsgroup on using computers in medicine.
comp.os.ms-windows.apps.word-proc
Help for your windows word processor.
If you have found another newsgroup helpful, please send me the name!
Mailing Lists:
KAMT (Keeping Abreast of Medical Transcription) List
http://www.wwma.com/kamt/ka00001.html
Focus is on already-working MTs. Mail to
kamt-lis...@lists1.best.com with subsingle in the body of your
e-mail message:
New Medical Transcriptionist Connection) List
http://www.epix.net/~jphill/nmtc/ Focus on students and new MTs, but all
are welcome. To subscribe, send email to
list...@sjuvm.stjohns.edu with sub nmtc firstname lastname in the
message body.
Medspeech - medical speech recognition users mailing list - John
Leipsic, MD, Listmaster
To subscribe, send e-mail to majo...@list.sirius.com with: subscribe
medspeech yourname@address in the body of the message
IRC (Internet Relay Chat) MT Chat:
#MT-Helpline on Sandnet: Information at
http://www.mtdesk.com/guidelines.shtml
Open at all times, scheduled help time and chat at M-F 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Eastern. Experienced and new MTs welcome. Contact is Nancy
M. Greene at stat @ cdsnet.net.
#New-MTs on Sandnet: Information at
http://www.mtecinc.com/studentchat.htm
8 p.m. ET. This chat is specifically for M-TEC students. Contact:
sfra...@mtecinc.com
If you need more information to get to the chats, check out Vander's
Medical Transcription: Let's Chat page at
http://www.clandjop.com/~dkvander/mtchat.html. Just don't read anything
before reading the AOL Instructions (page down a screen or
two) on that page if you are on AOL, or it won't work.
BASIC MT CYBER REFERENCE LIBRARY
RXList: http://www.rxlist.com/
Merck Manual: http://www.merck.com/
Medline: National Library of Medicine (term verification)
http://medworld.stanford.edu/medworld/researchcorner.html
KEY MT WEB SITES
Arleen McGovern's MT Desk: http://www.mtdesk.com
CONTENTS: Word lists by specialty, the famous New Terms and Equipment
lists, lots of links to other medical sites. Arleen also has
message areas and a chat at http://www.mtchat.com.
Janie Gilbert's Medical Links for MTs:
http://www.quailhaven.com/medframes.htm.
CONTENTS: Message areas, links.
Kim Randall's MT Universe: http://www.mtuniverse.com/.
CONTENTS: Cyberspace resources, MT tips, self-help advice, MT
networking.
Donna Gettings's Medical Transcription Resources and Links:
http://mt.theirplace.com/
CONTENTS: Nicely sorted resource list.
Julie Weight's ALPHABEST site: http://www.alphabest.com/
CONTENTS: Surveys, WP 5.1/DOS for sale, fun stuff.
MT Meeting Place: http://www.mtmeetingplace.com
CONTENTS: A web-based message board for MTs using voice recognition on a
production basis (most particularly Dragon Naturally
Speaking) to get help and learn how to make it work. Your hostess:
Barbara Grow.
WEBRINGS
Medical Transcription Ring:
http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=mtring;list
Medical Transcription Resources Ring:
http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=dejablue9;list
MT Networking Ring:
http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=mtnetwork;list
SCHOOLS
A list of known MT courses can be found at MT Desk here:
http://www.mtdesk.com/noframes/mtsites.shtml#MTTraining
ORGANIZATIONS
American Association for Medical Transcription: http://www.aamt.com/
CONTENTS: Sells AAMT Book of Style. Administers Medical Transcriptionist
Certification Program.
Medical Transcription Industry Alliance: http://www.mtia.com/
CONTENTS: Organization for MT service owners. Has links list,
publications listing, other interesting information about the industry.
MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION ON ONLINE SERVICES
(information on other services would also be gladly received)
AOL: Use the keyword function (Command-K/Mac, Control-K/Windows) and
type in medical transcription
CHATS:
Tues 10 pm or Fri ?9? p.m. Eastern at private room MTUnite -
aol://2719:2-2-mtunite
Mon nights, 10:00 Eastern at Business Know-How V (Formal moderated
chat).
NEWSGROUP ACCESS INSTRUCTIONS:
AOL Keyword to access Sci Med Transcription (unread messages) -
aol://5862:126/sci.med.transcription
****** PART 5: GETTING THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT FROM ******
************* YOUR NEWSGROUP PARTICIPATION *************
Many thanks to Tony Sheppard for this lighthearted look at the ups and
downs of sci.med.transcription. This is just to say that not
everybody takes everything on the newsgroup seriously.
Sunday, Sweet Sunday
Copyright 1998 by Tony Sheppard at tjuep @ peganet.com
The sailboats on the Gulf are great,
The dolphins are at play;
The sun is warm and wonderful,
Another gorgeous day.
While over at the hospital,
ER is in full swing;
So all the weekend warriors
Still get to 'do their thing.'
But Lo! Companionship abounds,
Who says that we're alone?
More threads than many blankets have,
More drugs and terms unknown!
The sensitivity this week
Beats Oprah by a mile;
"Professionals," we call ourselves,
That means we flame with style!
At times we take someone apart
From safe behind our screen;
Amazing, all we think we know
Of folks we've never seen.
Within each person there's a heart,
And feelings, too, we know;
We've all been hurt, so what the h___ --
Let's tell 'em where to go!
But all in all, we still hang in
When others need, we're there;
It's just a little hard to see
Sometimes how much we care.
The work's frustrating as can be
That's true for everyone;
The folks here really understand,
That helps to get it done.
So, even tho' the weather's nice,
I'm sure that you'll agree;
It's not quite as 'fulfilling' as
A week on S.M.T!
Happy Sunday, everyone, and thanks for being here!
The following section is written by Peggy LaChance at digitalcmt @
mindspring.com
Looking to post a word help question to SMT?
You're welcome to post them here. We have a number of really good MTs
who are available to help. We do our best, but it's sometimes
difficult to be very helpful -- not because the word is difficult, but
because we don't have enough information to make a good decision.
Sometimes, we can't help because we can't find the post to begin with.
There are some things you can do to make it easier for us to help you.
If you are asking for help, post your word help in a NEW ARTICLE, not as
a response to *another* word help question. That way, we'll
all see it. It will stand out, all by itself, in the newest postings
we've received, and we can answer it promptly.
If you post your new question as a part of somebody else's word help
thread, you run the almost certain risk that we won't see it. We
don't always read the responses to word helps -- we only post help.
Second, provide us with enough information to make an reasonable
decision about your word. You need to provide us with the exact
text quote, with the word in question spelled "fon et ti cal ly" in as
neutral a manner as possible. Don't try to make up a word that it
sounds like -- just give us the raw sounds. Most of the time, we'll know
what you need just based on the quoted text surrounding the
word you need. It also helps to provide the other relevant information
("context") from the report. If you don't have this information, or
the text, be prepared for us to tell you that we can't help much -- we
rely on the context.
Third, tell us exactly what references you searched which didn't help
and how you looked up what you didn't find. That enables us to
avoid wasting time with references which won't produce. It will also
enable us to help you develop an appropriate reference library and
the skill to use it.
And if someone does suggest more appropriate references or some
continuing education, or if someone does provide some little hints
on how to use the ones you have, accept this with a welcoming heart, eh
Grasshopper?
Finally, one reminder to all those helpful folks out there -- please
cite your sources when you provide word help assistance! It's not
enough to provide a spelling -- the person who needs the word also needs
a documented source. It's not enough to just say someone
told you what it was.
****** PART 6: THE ORIGINAL RFD AND CHARTER FOR ******
************* SCI.MED.TRANSCRIPTION *************
From jwt2 @ pge.com Tue Jun 21 19:48:56 1994
Path: uunet!bounce-back
From: jwt2 @ pge.com (Jim Trudeau)
Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,news.groups,sci.med
Subject: RFD: sci.med.transcription
Followup-To: news.groups
Date: 21 Jun 1994 17:48:19 -0400
Organization: pge.com
Lines: 74
Sender: tale @ uunet.uu.net
Approved: tale @ uunet.uu.net
Message-ID: <2u7n73$o...@rodan.UU.NET
NNTP-Posting-Host: rodan.uu.net
Xref: uunet news.announce.newgroups:5243 news.groups:106816
sci.med:90659
This is an official Request for Discussion (RFD) on the creation of a
new newsgroup called (probably) "sci.med.transcription".
Group name: sci.med.transcription
Status: unmoderated
Distribution: world-wide
Summary: A newsgroup for the discussion of all aspects of the medical
transcription profession
Proposed by: Jim Trudeau
Internet ......... jwt2 @ pge.com
CompuServe ....... 74252 , 360
America Online ... Jim Trudeau
JUSTIFICATION
Currently there are thousands of medical transcriptionists (MT's)
working from their homes, doctor's offices, and in hospitals who find
it difficult to share professional information with each other. While
some MT's can be found on Prodigy, GENIE, CompuServe, and a
variety of small BBS's, there is a need to provide a unifying channel of
communications to bring MT's together on a worldwide basis.
An Internet newsgroup is the preferred method of providing this channel
of communications. GENIE, Delphi, and AOL currently
provide newsgroup access, and CompuServe plans to offer it within 6
months. A newsgroup will provide a commonly accessible
method of communicating between the users of all of these on-line
systems. It will also serve those MT's who are directly connected to
the Internet (Colleges, some hospitals, etc.).
A newsgroup is being proposed instead of a mailing list or list server
because most MT's access the Internet via commercial on-line
systems. The volume of mail that such a list would generate would create
could cause a financial barrier to active MT participation. As
an example the CompuServe forum for MT's has 30-40 messages per day, and
the other on-line services would add additional message
traffic.
CHARTER
This would be an unmoderated newsgroup providing a forum for the
discussion of all aspects of the profession of medical
transcription. These discussions would include, but are not be limited
to:
- The spelling and defining of medical terminology
- Introduction of new medical terminology to MT's
- Discussions about specialized equipment MT's use
- Discussions on continuing professional training
- Guidance for new MT's just entering the profession
- Discussions on software and hardware used by MT's
- Spreading the word about job opportunities
- General social interaction
ADMINISTRIVIA (Administrative trivia)
This RFD is being issued in accordance with the guidelines set in the
"USENET Newsgroup Creation Companion" that is regularly
posted to news.announce.newgroups.
After this RFD is posted on news.announce.newgroups it will be posted in
the forums on CompuServe, GENIE, America Online, and
Prodigy where MT's are known to be found. I will also have a copy of
this RFD sent to two publications that are widely read by MT's:
Journal of the American Association of Medical Transcription (JAAMT) and
MT Monthly. By this I hope to entice even more MT's to
"get plugged in" to any one of the services that can provide Internet
access.