If you’re in a hurry, Click here to see how I finally broke out of the low paying job cycle.

Being out of work is no picnic; believe me I know.  I’ve been there.  I’m Kate, and welcome to my little website, where I wanted to share my story.  See, I went from a long series of dead-end office jobs to having a professional career.  Now, I can say with confidence that I have complete control over my future.  I bet if you found your way to my site, you have struggled with some of the same issues that I have.

When I graduated from high school, I was ready to take on the world.  I took a job working in an office, and I thought I was really going places.  In my mind, I would climb the ladder of success in just a few years.  The thing was, though, I didn’t have a college degree, and I could only go so far.  My bosses always complimented my work, but didn’t seem to want to give me the big promotions.  It was really upsetting!

Add to those frustrations a few bouts with unemployment, and I was ready to consider a change.  After getting laid off for the last time, I knew I couldn’t just go out and find another entry-level, dead-end job.  I knew I was just repeating the same cycle that had trapped me for nearly 20 years.

I had come to realize that I lacked something important that was holding me back:  education and training, not to mention a job that truly made me happy.  When I thought back to my school years, I always enjoyed my science classes, especially biology.  I had spent years working clerical jobs that didn’t excite me at all; my real passions were elsewhere.  After doing some research and exploring my options, I found the perfect career choice:  medical transcription.

(If you’re curious, click here to see how I created a professional career in Medical Transcription online!)

Medical transcription combined everything I was looking for in a career.  Many medical transcriptionists work from home, and have control over when and how much they work.  I loved the idea of being my own boss, and working independently.  I also was thrilled at the prospect of studying those fascinating medical terms.  I was sure I had the right goal.  Finding the right place to get an education was what I focused on next.

After checking out a lot of online schools, I settled on FutureMT.com.  Plenty of programs can teach you the basics, or sell you tapes and a textbook.  I needed more from my school.  Financial aid was a must, especially after being out of a job for a while.  I wanted solid training that didn’t leave any gaps in my knowledge.  If I was going to do this, I was going to do it right.  Finally, I wanted to know that when I graduated, the school would have resources to help me find a job.  It isn’t always easy to break into the business right out of school, so I knew that I was going to need a support system and connections to companies willing to hire an unseasoned transcriptionist.

FutureMT prepared me to be a fully qualified and certified transcriptionist, provided me the financial aid I needed to get there, and helped me find the stable job that I love.  It wasn’t always easy, but it was worth every ounce of effort. Now, I’m so proud to answer the question, “What do you do?”  I’m a Medical Transcriptionist!

Click here to see how I found the training, financial aid and job placement help to become a Medical Transcriptionist.

When I was researching medical transcription as a career, I felt like I needed to learn as much as possible about it before making a commitment.  I’d gone down so many dead-end paths in the past; I didn’t want to get burned again.  What does it take to become a good medical transcriptionist, and how can you tell if a program is worth your investment and time?

Medical transcription does require some kind of post-high school training.  Sometimes vocational and community colleges offer training, but online companies providing a self-study curriculum seems to be the popular option for aspiring transcriptionists.  This was definitely the option for me, because I love to study independently and, more importantly, at my own pace.  If I was having trouble with something, I could take extra time on it without worry.

The curriculum should cover anatomy, medical terminology, legal terms, grammar and punctuation.  This is a great field for people who have always wanted to work in the medical field, but didn’t have the time or money to attend four or eight years in a university.

Once you complete your studies, you can qualify for the Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) designation, which means you’ve been found competent by passing a series of exams given by the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT).  Once you’re certified, you must keep your learning up to stay certified – after all, the medical profession changes every day!

A good program offers training, of course, but it also offers financial assistance for those in need.  And a great program has resources for students to find a job after completing the program.  Put all of these things together, and you have the ingredients for a worthwhile education in medical transcription.

So, after doing my research, I learned a few important things to look for in a school for medical transcription, not to mention a lot about what transcriptionists do and what it takes to be the best.  I feel so excited and energized about my future now! This is the Medical Transcriptionist Program that worked for me

What Exactly is a Medical Transcriptionist?

November 3, 2009

Before I started exploring new career options in the science and medical fields, I hadn’t even heard of medical transcription.  What exactly was the job, and more importantly, was it something that I could do?  I had to find out more.
Medical transcription is a job where a person quickly and accurately transcribes from recordings dictated [...]

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