Why do You Want to Become a Medical Transcriptionist? Part One

by Hava Lyon | More from this Blogger

24 May 2007 10:30 AM

This blog is part of a series on transcription. If you haven't read the other blogs in this series, make sure to check out the summary page for a listing of all transcription blogs.

The number one reason for people wanting to become a medical transcriptionist (and this is based on a survey I personally conducted of MT students) was so they could stay home with their children (or with their grandchildren, or their nieces and nephews.) However the kids were related, the number one reason was to stay home with them.

I can empathize with that reasoning, because that was the reason I went into the MT field. I was worried that when my husband and I had kids, we would be so dirt poor, we would end up in a cardboard shack on the street corner. I wish I were kidding, but I'm not. My husband's paycheck does not even cover all of our bills, let alone "niceties" like food and clothing. I knew that me staying home with a baby and raising it on my husband's salary was not doable, but I didn't know how to tackle that problem, until I found medical transcription. Here, finally, was work I could do from home, make good money, and still raise the kids. I had found the magic golden key! I enrolled within the week.

Things fell apart almost from the beginning. Why? Because I don't like medical terminology, and I don't like learning about the human body. Nothing was as boring to me as learning the names of each part of the body, and what instruments looked like and did, and what kinds of medicine are used for what kinds of diseases...I used to do just about anything to procrastinate actually studying, and that "anything" included cleaning out the fridge. Note: If I am ever cleaning out the fridge, either the end of the world has come, or I am avoiding something even more horrible than cleaning out the fridge. It takes a lot to reach that level of "horribleness" I promise. Hey look, a new word!

I did an informal survey of my friends who got into the MT field and who I met through Career Step, and out of the three people who became an MT because they wanted to stay home with their kids, two didn't graduate from school--they gave up before they even got to the end. The third one graduated and worked as an MT for a year, but hated every minute of it and has since quit the field to do something she enjoyed.

The bottom line is: Never, ever, ever spend the time and the money to become an MT if you simply want to be able to work from home. The time will be wasted, and so will the money, because you're going to hate it, and you are going to quit.

Read on to part two, where I give a concise list of good reasons and bad. Compare these reasons to yours, and decide if this is right for you.

Learn more about Hava Lyon

Hello, my name is Hava or Havs (depending on my mood and yours!) I am a freelance writer who writes for several blogs, both paid ones such as this one, and personal blogs.

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