Lately I’ve received several questions from MTs who are almost finished with their course and they’re starting to get a little worried about actually going out there and starting work.
It’s normal to feel nervous about such a big step. After all for the last months you’ve probably been concentrating on learning your medical terminology and practicing your typing and then all of a sudden it sneaks up on you and it’s time to get out there and either look for a job or get your own accounts.
So if you’re worried, you’re not alone. Here are some of the questions I’ve received:
Where can I go to apply for jobs?
If you want a job rather than work for yourself then you have several choices. If you don’t mind working outside the house then you can look through your local job advertisements for doctor’s offices or hospitals which are hiring transcriptionists. You can also contact the hospitals transcription departments directly. They will probably ask you to send them a resume as they usually need trained MTs.
If you want to work from home then you should apply with one of the larger online medical transcription services. There’s a large list to choose from right here on TelecommutingMoms.com. Just have a look through the companies and contact each one directly by email or follow the employment procedures listed on their website.
Keep in mind that when you apply for a position with an online company you will need to pass a test before they give you the work. This ensures that you have trained properly and know the different medical terms as well as handling difficult accents or poor quality audio.
You can also apply for several online companies at one time before you decide which one you like the most.
What is the difference working from home vs working in an office, clinic or other healthcare facility?
Besides the obvious differences like having more freedom with your work schedule when you work from home there is a salary difference as well.
If you work at a doctor’s office, hospital or clinic you will probably be paid by the hour. The hourly wage can vary but it tends to be fairly decent, especially in a hospital setting.
When I started my first transcription job in a hospital I started at $12.00 an hour (entry level) and this was 8 years ago. I soon went up to $14 and then $16 before I branched out into my own home business.
Depending on where you live you can expect to make anywhere from at least $10 to $12 an hour and upwards.
Another big difference is that in a hospital or doctor’s office you’ll probably have employee benefits along with your salary such as medical insurance, vacation time, etc. When you work for yourself you won’t have any of the above, but since you’ll probably be making more money then it should all balance out nicely.
Some national companies do offer certain benefits as a way to retain qualified medical transcriptionists, so check with each company before you start working for them.
Is there an MT in every health care providers office?
I’m guessing the reason for this question is because the person wants to find work or their own accounts (they didn’t specify).
The answer is no, not always. If you’re looking for your own accounts, you’re best bet is to look through your yellow pages and send a standard marketing letter to all doctor’s offices and clinics in your area.
Some offices will outsource their work to local companies or independent MTs, some to national companies and some will have in house transcriptionist. If you’re looking for a job it doesn’t make sense to contact each one as it’s not standard practice, but if you’re looking for accounts then it won’t hurt to send out a letter to as many offices possible in your local area.
If I want info to work in a doctor’s office, who should I talk to? The doctor or someone else in the office?
Definitely don’t talk to the doctor unless he or she requests to speak with you directly. Doctor’s are busy people and most of the time they’ll have the office manager handle the hiring or screening of potential transcriptionists, so you’re better off speaking to the office manager directly.
Once you do get the work or account you’ll build a relationship with the doctor and usually deal with them directly.
Source : http://www.askthemt.com/
It’s normal to feel nervous about such a big step. After all for the last months you’ve probably been concentrating on learning your medical terminology and practicing your typing and then all of a sudden it sneaks up on you and it’s time to get out there and either look for a job or get your own accounts.
So if you’re worried, you’re not alone. Here are some of the questions I’ve received:
Where can I go to apply for jobs?
If you want a job rather than work for yourself then you have several choices. If you don’t mind working outside the house then you can look through your local job advertisements for doctor’s offices or hospitals which are hiring transcriptionists. You can also contact the hospitals transcription departments directly. They will probably ask you to send them a resume as they usually need trained MTs.
If you want to work from home then you should apply with one of the larger online medical transcription services. There’s a large list to choose from right here on TelecommutingMoms.com. Just have a look through the companies and contact each one directly by email or follow the employment procedures listed on their website.
Keep in mind that when you apply for a position with an online company you will need to pass a test before they give you the work. This ensures that you have trained properly and know the different medical terms as well as handling difficult accents or poor quality audio.
You can also apply for several online companies at one time before you decide which one you like the most.
What is the difference working from home vs working in an office, clinic or other healthcare facility?
Besides the obvious differences like having more freedom with your work schedule when you work from home there is a salary difference as well.
If you work at a doctor’s office, hospital or clinic you will probably be paid by the hour. The hourly wage can vary but it tends to be fairly decent, especially in a hospital setting.
When I started my first transcription job in a hospital I started at $12.00 an hour (entry level) and this was 8 years ago. I soon went up to $14 and then $16 before I branched out into my own home business.
Depending on where you live you can expect to make anywhere from at least $10 to $12 an hour and upwards.
Another big difference is that in a hospital or doctor’s office you’ll probably have employee benefits along with your salary such as medical insurance, vacation time, etc. When you work for yourself you won’t have any of the above, but since you’ll probably be making more money then it should all balance out nicely.
Some national companies do offer certain benefits as a way to retain qualified medical transcriptionists, so check with each company before you start working for them.
Is there an MT in every health care providers office?
I’m guessing the reason for this question is because the person wants to find work or their own accounts (they didn’t specify).
The answer is no, not always. If you’re looking for your own accounts, you’re best bet is to look through your yellow pages and send a standard marketing letter to all doctor’s offices and clinics in your area.
Some offices will outsource their work to local companies or independent MTs, some to national companies and some will have in house transcriptionist. If you’re looking for a job it doesn’t make sense to contact each one as it’s not standard practice, but if you’re looking for accounts then it won’t hurt to send out a letter to as many offices possible in your local area.
If I want info to work in a doctor’s office, who should I talk to? The doctor or someone else in the office?
Definitely don’t talk to the doctor unless he or she requests to speak with you directly. Doctor’s are busy people and most of the time they’ll have the office manager handle the hiring or screening of potential transcriptionists, so you’re better off speaking to the office manager directly.
Once you do get the work or account you’ll build a relationship with the doctor and usually deal with them directly.
Source : http://www.askthemt.com/
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