MT Newbies Ask: “I’ve graduated, now how do I get my foot in the door?”
Copyright 2006 Cynthia Bull

If you’re a new medical transcriptionist looking for a job
and have asked this same question, then you know that your
foot must be pretty big to get through that door.

Why? Because the room is bigger than you can imagine.

Even with the best training available, excellent technical
skills and a good beginning background, it may not be
enough to secure that on-site job you want. And if you’re
thinking about working at home as a medical
transcriptionist, you have even greater challenges to
consider.

Employers expect that the MT they hire is experienced and
will not waste their time. Most on-site facilities have no
time (or personnel) to further ‘train’ their MTs. You’re
pretty much ‘off and running’ when you’re hired. And most
of your colleagues will not want to use their ‘production
time’ to help you because it means less money for them.

To qualify as a ‘good candidate’ you need the most focused
training you can obtain, not only to be correct, but also
to be competitive. The days of on-the-job training are
practically nonexistent, so you can’t count on that as a
valid training venue.

In recent years, medical transcription has evolved into a
subspecialty of medicine, thanks in part to resources
available via the Internet, in addition to on-site training
at community colleges, business schools, and other related
centers. As a result, facilities want an MT who can handle
the job coming right out of the gate, after graduation, and
with an MT certificate.

In the ‘real world’ of MT, you’ll be exposed to a lot of
information you just don’t have in the beginning, but that
you will need and learn as you move through your career. In
addition, there are several learning curves that must be
mastered to be truly successful.

Here are 9 steps you can take to secure the job you want in
your MT career:

1. Enroll in a good training program. You need to know
anatomy and medical language, and to have language skills
that include dialects. Today, most medical facilities
employ ESL (English as a second language) physicians. Some
dialects, even native ones, can be very strong and unclear,
and accurately transcribing such dictators requires
additional care to see that all medical terms, and
especially medications, are transcribed without error. A
mistake could literally mean someone’s life is in the
balance.

2. Your proficiency in technical skills and manual aptitude
is an absolute requirement for getting hired. During your
career, your exposure to different types of equipment and
software will expand beyond your imagination, so be
prepared to learn and quickly adapt to new systems, because
you may find yourself in situations where you work with
several systems at once.

3. If necessary, seek additional training in a
comprehensive program that includes anatomy, medical
knowledge and language, transcription skills, and practice
tapes of real cases with real dictators.

4. When job hunting, check local directories for facilities
in your area and surrounding cities. Make inquiries first
with a phone call and speak personally with the contact
person associated with the job you seek.

5. Follow up with a written letter of introduction that
includes your resume and MT certificate, and refer to your
initial contact by name.

6. Review MT Internet sites and forums for both online and
offline opportunities using a variety of search engines,
such as Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, etc., entering “MT jobs.”
Pose questions via email or call the numbers listed on the
websites for more information.

7. Keep your mindset in a forward-thinking mode and have a
positive attitude. Show initiative and confidence that you
can do the job, and ask the employer questions about the
job you want.

8. Be Resourceful. Explore all options as you move forward
in your job search. The competition factor is greater than
you might think, so do your homework and be innovative
about your MT career.

9. Continue to practice, practice, practice until you get
that job!

A newbie with thorough training, good skills and
determination is a good candidate to seek a position in a
private office that requires basic MT skills and knowledge.
Many such offices are under less stringent time crunches
than larger facilities, where the pace is faster and more
demanding. Thus, you have more time to continue building
your skills, to learn and look up what you don’t know.

The possibility of a newbie being hired by a large facility
is diminished due to the level of expertise required and
competition with more seasoned MTs. These are coveted
positions and, generally, only the best and most
experienced MTs prevail.

It depends on the needs of the facility, but it IS possible
to get a job right out of the gate by being properly
prepared with knowledge, skills, and a creative mindset.

—————————————————-
Cynthia Peavler Bull is founder of CYN-R-JE Consultants
LLC™, mentor and author of “How To Be A Medical
Transcriptionist” that gives you insider facts, secrets,
tips and techniques on how to get started as an MT. To
begin your career at the head of the class visit
http://www.howtobeamedicaltranscriptionist.com

This entry was posted on Monday, September 18th, 2006 at 5:07 pm and is filed under Business, Career Ladder, Job Interviewing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.