By Pat Bowen, CMT
"Companies can’t find good MTs … and new gradates can’t find work." I hear it quite a bit. Companies tend to overlook new graduates, and this is unfortunate. Recently one of my students beat out two experienced hospital MTs for a position because she scored higher on the terminology and transcription tests.Consider what new graduates (from good programs) bring to employers … recent transcription and terminology experience in a variety of medical specialties, up-to-date knowledge of software, references, and style guidelines, enthusiasm for their new profession, and, TNst importantly, a willingness to adapt and learn!
Here are some things both companies and students can do.
Medical Transcription Services/Hospitals/Offices:
| Offer an internship program. Work with local or well-respected home-study programs to bring new graduates into your office. Consider offering to pay for part of the student’s education if he/she stays with the company at least 12 months. Most graduates are willing to accept less pay in order to get their foot in the door. You can use the money you save to pay a proofreader. |
| Work with schools in curriculum development. You know what skills you want your employees to have. The school could begin training students for you, for example, in specific word processing or shorthand programs. |
| Provide practice tapes and transcripts to schools. If you are planning to hire an intern, wouldn’t it be wonderful if she or he already had experience on your accounts? |
| Advertise where new graduates will see your ads: Journal of American Association for Medical Transcription (JAAMT), HPI’s Perspectives, ADVANCE, For The Record, and MT Monthly (we offer free classified ads to subscribers). |
New Graduates:
| Be flexible. Even though your goal may be to work at home, it is much easier to start in-house, where you have an extra ear and are often paid by the hour rather than on production. |
| Get as much practice as possible. If you have completed a beginning medical transcription program, consider going on to advanced studies, such as HPI’s Advanced SUM Tapes or AAMT’s General Surgery and Radiology Modules. The more you know, the more in demand your skills will be. |
| Network, network, network. I can’t tell you how many of my graduates have found work this way. Join your local AAMT chapter (or at least go to a meeting and see if you like it) and get on the Internet. There are countless web sites, along with electronic bulletin boards, for medical transcriptionists. We provide a lot of links from our web site: http://www.mtmonthly.com. |
| Don’t by shy about applying to "experienced only" positions. |
RESOURCES:
AAMT, 209-551-0883ADVANCE, 800-355-1088 ADVANCE, 800-355-1088
For The Record, 610-917-9300 For The Record, 610-917-9300
MT Monthly, 865-483-2332
Perspectives (HPI), Perspectives (HPI), 209-551-2112