Does anyone who has had this HORRID experience know if I can get a refund? I haven't even started on the practice files yet. I've just installed all their crap and listened to the practice files.

By the way, guess what they're doing now. In an effort to make the "transition to paid work easier" where you have a 24 hour turn around time, test files now have to be completed in 24 hours as well. Prepares you for the real thing. What a joke. From what I've read in the archives....maybe they're just crunched for time with their doctors and need the FREE LABOR a little quicker.

Ugh! I am a new mother who desperately wants to help her husband with income...any suggestions?

Sorry to rant and rave......just so ANGRY!

Annie

As for where to go from here, clueless on that one. Again, I'm sorry for ranting like that. I really am calm now.

I've been reading about the business practices of AMA Transam (sp?) for a while now. It seems to be a total scam. Since they apparently do business and solicit business across state lines, perhaps they could be gotten on mail fraud, or another such federal offense.

If anyone knows of a governmental agency that might be helpful with this, perhaps they could post that information.

These people seem to be getting away with murder, and I know how much 400 dollars hurts to lose, particularly when you are struggling to begin with.

Mady

I am so sorry newmom. I just got your email, and I had to jump over here to see if you had found out more. Please do call me as we discussed. I am sure that we can hash out the details of where you are and where you can still go. I hope that there are some other options for you.

Again, I am so sorry. I had a similar experience, and it was with a company that I interviewed for in person, and picked up my checks every other week. I lost over $2000 in wages that I just had to write off as a loss. There are just some sneaky people who try to put one over on trusting people. Be glad you found out now before you actually started "working" for them. You could have lost a lot more... money and time.

Hope you got it off your chest! When things fall apart with me, I have to *itch, moan and groan about it for at least an hour to get the problem outside of me, and then I can think rationally. My husband drives me crazy when, right in the middle of the ranting, he says something about calming down. Then about an hour later, after I have gone outside and cooled down, things start to make sense again.

This is all great advice. One question: What did you get for your $400 (besides screwed)? Did you get any software that you can utilize somewhere else? Did they give you a wave player or something? This certainly will not make up for the $400 (wave player are closer to $150-200), but at least you may have something you can use. Also, how did you pay them?

This is why I ask...When I was starting out, I called an ad for a directory of prescreened companies in my area who have stated they would hire people to do computer work at home. Medical transcription was very specifically one of these things. They said "money back" as long as you gave it a decent shot. I spent a month calling every name in the directory. This was in Chicago, and they had places like Joliet listed with downtown area codes like 312 (if you live in the area you will understand). They had people's residences in there, dead physicians, retired physicians, offices who indicated they have NEVER considered sending anything outside the office, and the list goes on and on. So I called for two weeks trying to get my money back, but there was never an answer. Called the ad number that I still had, and it was no longer in service. (I would post the company, but I no longer remember, and I am sure they would have changed it by now).

I ultimately got my money back this way...I had paid for it with my credit card (AmEx), and I disputed the charge (even though about two months had passed at this time). AmEx, as part of its members services, proceeded to investigate the claim and I never had to pay out the money!!!!!!

I hope you did not send a money order or check. If it was with a credit card, I urge you to call them and find out if you have a service like this. It may save you a lot of $$$$$

Please let us know how it turns out! straws

(Sorry I had your name wrong...had to go back and edit.)

[ 07-24-2001: Message edited by: CRenee ]

Thanks for the suggestion (I don't remember from who) about testing with MedQuist. I looked at their website and I'm thinking I wouldn't be considered. I don't have 2 years experience and the schooling I got was with a local vocational school...certainly not a MT school.

I really don't know where to go from here. MT is something I really want to do. I guess I am right back where I was. Oh well, I'm all the wiser too. Thanks again to all of you who listened and posted. Your encouragement has really helped me....especially when I was so angry last night.

Sorry about your experience with Trans Am. I've not heard anything good about them here.

About testing with Medquist, here's what I did. Instead of going through the website, I did a yahoo yellow pages search for the office near where I live (which ended up being over an hour away). I called the office and talked to the recruiter and we set up an appointment for me to go there and take the test. She said that I could have taken the test at home and sent it back, but she prefered that I take it there. She let me test even though I was a newbie with no experience. I didn't pass, but that's another story. I at least had the chance to try, and I can try again in six months.

Good luck!

Crystal

quote:

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The Mentoring-Protégé/Protégée Program is the step between your academic training in medical transcription and an actual professional MT position. It gives you the hands-on experience in preparing yourself for the profession of medical transcription.

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quote:

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Career Opportunities: Those MTs who meet our standard rate of accuracy will be the first to be assigned to new accounts coming onboard.

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quote:

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AMA Trans Am Corporation is a friendly company that demands excellence from their transcriptionists. Our standard to work for us is less than one error per page, however those transcriptionists presently working for our clients make less than one error in 10 pages, and there are a few who average less than one error in approximately 50 pages.

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quote:

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those transcriptionists presently working for our clients make less than one error in 10 pages, and there are a few who average less than one error in approximately 50 pages.

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I personally feel they are confusing and misleading and if they really wanted to they could be and should be more clear and precise about their company.

Lastly, anyone who feels they have been burned, the BBB only goes by what info they are given and if no one files a complaint, then the companies like AMA Trans will have a satisfactory rating and others will feel they were sucked in like you were.

Now get yourself over to the BBB and file a complaint if you need to and let us know how it goes.

BBB

Linda

My feeling is that they are masking the "mentoring" as something else and misleading in their presentation.

About the BBB, I remember that someone else posted that they were in Colorado, and now it seems that they are in Florida. Does the BBB cross state lines? I seemed to remember it doesn't, but I could be wrong. I guess one would have to file complaints in both the state one resides as well as the state in which the company is located.

Let me know what you think.

I just went to Total Emed and click on career opportunities. They say that they provide transcription equipment and software free of charge.

[ 07-24-2001: Message edited by: ph5 ]

I guess that they do give you spell check software, but I don't know about controlling dictation from the keyboard. Why not a footpedal? That would complicate things for me.

The software I use also "floats" and I can control volume, speed, back space, etc., but for less money, and I got a foot pedal.

Oh well, I guess if you want to be "loyal" and positive for Trans Am you are certainly welcome to do that. (What does that mean to be loyal?)

And apparently they don't pay you anything if you are anything worse than 1 error per page. And, might I add, what would be the point of them "mentoring" you for an "indefinite" period of time on "practice files". That would be a total waste of time for me.

So, pay the $350 plus shipping, handling and taxes, get software that works with their system, no footpedal, and electronic spell checkers. OH, and a newsletter... I almost forgot. But only if you are already top-notch (did I mention that they pay 0.07/65cpl) will you get paid. Otherwise, they will mentor you, for which you do not get paid, but for which they will provide unlimited practice files and unlimited assistance forever.

Also, what did everyone else think about the work files that you are required to submit to them if you decide to quit? They are so careful to mention that you are a subcontractor and responsible for your own schooling and equipment, but they seem to get fuzzy on "loyalty", "ending contracts" (for which you will lose 50% of your pay if it is not done per the specifications listed), and now a work file? They want all the word lists, medication lists, templates, and patient files fully documented if you leave, and require that you archive files for them for three months. Sounds like an employee to me...

Thanks for the link. That cleared up a lot of things for me. I hope that everyone will consider long and hard before they sign any contract. You could be in so much trouble...

The point is, if you are a contractor, you are responsible for your own stuff, and you should be checking out various computers, wav pedals, transcription software, rerecord devices, etc., to do the job. This software, IMHO, is not worth $350. But that is just my opinion.

My big complaint is that they are very carefully walking the line. They are so close to being illegal, but way over in the truth-in-advertising area, but still not illegal, because of their contract. The Better Business Bureau requires proof of non-payment. They can not pay you if your work falls under a certain quality. Most companies I know have a penalty (0.005 per line) for falling below standard, but to not pay you for the WHOLE MONTH... that is a little extreme. But it is there, right in the contract.