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#98138 - 05/17/08 04:42 AM
MT After a Six-year Absence
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DAONYXONE
New Member
Registered: 05/17/08
Posts: 3
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Warning this is kind of long 
The scenario:
Years ago, I took MT at International Correspondence Schools (ICS), now Penn Foster College and, as far as MT schools go, probably an undesirable. However, I didn’t even get half way through the course, when I found an MT job and was able to enjoy a 13-year career.
My experience is exclusively clinic transcription, including reproductive endocrinology/infertility, cardiology, and hematology/oncology. Additionally, for the past six years, I have been completely out of the field; instead, I’ve been working as a Web Analyst/Web content editor for a government agency.
However, leaving MT was never my intention. When I relocated, I was unable to find an MT position, so I took a QA position at a health insurance company. After I was laid off, I tried to get an MT job once again but ended up with a QA Editor position at a Web design firm, where I acquired a new skill set to compliment my then recently acquired English degree. That’s how I ended up in my current position.
Though I love my job, I would also love to get back into MT, at least on a part-time basis, for five reasons: (1) I love the work--something about those darn terms (2) I miss it (3) I'd like to earn some extra money, of course (4) as freelance a writer/editor, I would like to specialize in medical writing, but the biomedical program I was interested in costs $53,000! (5) as I get older, I’m not sure that I’d want to keep up with the fast-paced technologies of my new industry, so I would like to have a Plan B.
The questions:
(1) After a six-year absence and a complete career change, how can I break back in?
(2) I’m interested in M-TEC’s program, but I’m wondering if one of the national companies would hire me without recent experience or an MT certificate?
(3) Has anyone else transitioned from MT to something else and back again? If so, how did you do it?
(4) With the current trends in off-shoring and VR software, is a bad time to be considering MT?
(5) Because of QA background, would it easier and beneficial for me to get a part-time job as a MT QA editor?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
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#98156 - 05/17/08 01:50 PM
Re: MT After a Six-year Absence
[Re: DAONYXONE]
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haggis
Member
Registered: 04/29/04
Posts: 2565
Loc: Left Coast, FL
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1. You need to take another course. Most won't even let you apply without MT experience in the last couple years.
2. No, but M-TEC has a more abbreviated course that might work for you (though to maximize your employability, I would take the full one).
3. Not I.
4. Yes.
5. I believe most tend to promote to those positions from within, so MT is still the place to start.
Unless it's sucking your soul dry to work for the govt., are you sure the pay and bennies are something you should give up? I think the economy is only going to get worse, and MT pay is moving opposite the cost of living in hyperspeed.
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#98182 - 05/17/08 06:02 PM
Re: MT After a Six-year Absence
[Re: haggis]
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DAONYXONE
New Member
Registered: 05/17/08
Posts: 3
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Thank you for your advice.
Yes, because of the economy and it being a government agency, I am severely underpaid for what I do. Additionally, I haven't gotten a raise in almost two years, and there's no prospects of me getting one. Because I don't plan to leave--especially because of the economy and being a single parent--I was thinking that working as an MT on a part-time basis would help me to supplement my income, which is not going to increase anytime soon...lol
Thanks again.
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#98389 - 05/20/08 09:53 PM
Re: MT After a Six-year Absence
[Re: DAONYXONE]
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Jiffer
Member
Registered: 11/01/06
Posts: 125
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Hi,
I have been where you are. Here is my opinion.
1. You break back in by going back to school. You take either the Andrews or the M-TEC program.
2. If you want to make a decent part-time living at this to supplement your income, I refer you to #1 above.
3. I have transitioned from being an MT to something else entirely different for 7 years. I transitioned back by testing for a company, being hired, and working very hard and being very frustrated with what I thought I knew but didn't. Therefore, I went back to school at M-TEC and learned what I didn't know. Then I graduated and got a job with another company, much more confident in my skills, and haven't looked back since.
4. I live in Canada, and I don't think I have seen the impact of the trends to off-shoring and VR as much as some of my American colleagues have. I will leave the answer to this question up to them.
5. I believe that in order to be a great QA editor, you have to start out as a great MT. I believe it would be very difficult to QA when you are not up on the BOS guidelines, etc., etc. Also, I don't think it makes it fair to the MTs that you may be QAing if you are not up to top speed in the MT world. Therefore, I refer you back to #1 above.
Good luck! :-)
Jiffer
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#98391 - 05/20/08 10:23 PM
Re: MT After a Six-year Absence
[Re: Jiffer]
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DAONYXONE
New Member
Registered: 05/17/08
Posts: 3
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Jiffer:
Thank you soooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!
I really needed to hear that someone else has been successful after leaving MT.
I was leaning toward M-TEC and the more and more I talk to--or read about--people that graduated from M-TEC, the more confident I feel in my decision to enroll.
I know it will be challenging, but that's exactly why I love MT, because it's not a job that becomes humdrum--there's always a new challenge, always something to learn.
One question, though: Did you take Tier I Premier or Tier I Basic?
Thanks again,
Have a great rest of the week!
D
Edited by DAONYXONE (05/20/08 10:27 PM)
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#98396 - 05/21/08 12:14 AM
Re: MT After a Six-year Absence
[Re: DAONYXONE]
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Jiffer
Member
Registered: 11/01/06
Posts: 125
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You're very welcome.
Go with the Tier I Premier (that's what I did). You will never feel lacking if you go that route. Feel free to contact Susan at M-TEC directly. She is wonderful at answering your questions and helping you to sort things out.
All the best!
Jiffer.
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#99377 - 06/03/08 06:32 PM
Re: MT After a Six-year Absence
[Re: Jiffer]
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Fopa
New Member
Registered: 04/19/08
Posts: 1
Loc: Kansas City, MO
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I performed medical transcription for three years from 1987 to 1990 then got a job with the federal government. Eleven years later, in 2001, I worked part-time at home through MedQuist. I did this for 2 years to help pay for my daughter's college education as I was a single mom. I was out of the MT field for 11 years and was rusty but it all came back. There were a lot of new meds and equipment to learn and the internet helped a lot. After five years gone I am getting back into transcription, passed the test at WebMedx and will be interviewing soon. Try one of the tests online and see how you do - you might not need further education with the amount of experience you have.
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