+ Does this course come with support even though it is a self study course?
Yes, you do get support from our MTatHome staff. You will also get resume and job assistance after completion of the course.
You can contact us through our toll free number if you live in the USA. If you live outside if the USA you will need to call our local number.
We also have online support through Live Chat, E-mail, and Support Forms.
You also will have access to the Student Forum and our Student chats that we have several times a month.
+ Are you a member of any Medical Transcription / Medical organizations?
We are an Educational member of AHDI (Formally known as the AAMT - American Association of Medical Transcription).
+ Are you a member of any organizations that we can check your company reputation / record with at this time?
MTatHome is an Accredited Business Member of the (BBB) - Better Business Bureau with an A+ Rating! We are listed with both the Bryan, Texas and Dallas, Texas BBB.
We are also a member of the Online Business Bureau. The OBB does through checks for online companies to ensure they are not a scam or fly by night company. We have not had any complaints with the OBB.
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Please do your research when making any purchase (especially online) because any legit company will NOT mind answering questions about their company.
You need to look at how long the company has been in business and then how many complaints the company may have, if they have any at all. Ask the company questions like what the complaints are and why they were filed, and if they were taken care of.
Reputable companies will expect and understand that you will want to know this information before purchasing their product. If they avoid the answers or get defensive about the pertinent questions then you need to put up a RED FLAG and be aware of the company. We are not saying that any company that answers your questions are 100% scam free, we just know that from looking at our company which is a reputable company we do not mind questions, and we understand and encourage them.
We know it is very natural to be skeptic and we will be more than happy to respond to your questions to be best of our ability. Also, do not let anyone pressure you into a purchase. We feel it is of the highest importance that anyone that is considering Medical Transcription should have researched it and understand what being an at home Medical Transcriptionist is and what it takes to train to become one.
+ Is the course done online or off-line?
Once you receive your medical transcription course you will set up your student log in for access to the student area online. The course can be done off-line also; however you do need a computer and a CD ROM. The results of each chapter quiz and the finals have to be either mailed or faxed into our office.
To access the student area, student forum, or participate in student chats you will need online access.
+ Does this include the equipment or do we need to buy it separately?
You would not need the transcriber until towards the middle of the medical transcription course training. We offer several medical transcription course options so that you can decide if you want to get the digital transcriber / foot pedal on your own or get a package that already has it included. Some people may already have one, or may be able to find one a little cheaper by getting it themselves.
We have different course options to choose from to better suit your training needs.
+ Can I work from anywhere no matter where I live?
You do not have to work in your particular area; you can live in North Carolina and work for a company in CA. This is the nice thing about the digital transcription because it opens so many more job opportunities than when it was done with cassette tapes.
+ What computer equipment do I need to have at home?
About 1/2 way through the medical transcription course, you would need to have a digital transcriber / foot pedal that hooks up to your computer at home. We have medical transcription course packages that offer you the choice of enrolling with or without the digital transcriber / foot pedal included with the class.
You will also need a computer (desktop or laptop) that runs Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7. (Our course will not work with a MAC computer).
+ Is there anything that does NOT come with the course that I need to buy extra?
Yes, you will need to purchase the AHDI Book of Style and also the AHDI Book of Style Student Workbook if you get course #1 which does not come with these items. You will also need a medical dictionary. We recommend: Stedman’s Electronic Medical Dictionary.
If you purchase course 2 Bonus or 3 Ultimate those above items are already included.
There is also a Study Guide book you can get to go along with it called:
Study Guide for Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology
All of the books mentioned above can be found in our online Medical Transcription Book Store - http://www.mtathome.com/mtbooks.html
Each of these range between $40 - $80 depending on where you find them online.
+ Will this course work with Windows Vista or 7?
Our course works with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. We cannot guarantee that all bonus (FREE) software will work with Vista or Windows 7. However, our MT Course CDs do work with all of these Windows Versions.
+ Does your program work on both MACs and PCs?
Our program works on Windows based computer systems. We have had a few students that did use our program with MAC computers; however, we cannot guarantee it to work with a MAC. We suggest only using our course program on windows based systems. It will work with anything that has Windows XP or better.
NOTE: We cannot refund money on any medical transcription course bought for a MAC computer. While we have other students that have used our course on a MAC, we cannot guarantee it will work on a MAC; we can only say that it will definitely work on any Windows based computer.
+ What should my typing speed be before enlisting in the course?
You do not need a certain speed when starting, but it does need to be 65 - 70 when you finish. You can download free typing tutors at www.download.com and practice the typing throughout your course training. We have many students that will start the course at 30 to 40 wpm and will work on their typing speed during the course and completed the course at an average of 65 wpm or better.
+ Is your success rate high in Job Placement?
Our success rate is very high. We start the Job Assistance approximately 2 to 4 weeks after completion of the MT course because the resume and grade average has to be done when the MT course is finished. Once your course work is turned in we get your completed grades finalized, issue a certificate, process resume and job assistance. If your grades need to be higher to complete the course we will allow you to re-take the tests. There is no additional fees to re-take tests, this can be done at no additional charge.
+ Where can I look for medical reference books?
MTatHome has an online book store built directly into our web site powered by Amazon.com. Purchases of these books are done through Amazon, not MTatHome.
Or you can view other web sites to look for discounted books.
www.discountmedicalbooks.com
www.amazon.com
www.ebay.com
+ Does your course cover Grammar at all?
Yes, Grammar is covered as part of our MT Training in your AHDI workbook.
On our student area web site there are links for Grammar sites available for people using the web to brush up on the following subjects. More are contributed on an ongoing basis.
Line Counting Information
Sound A likes
Editing for Correct Punctuation
Pluralizing
Punctuation Tips
Common Grammar Blunders
+ When answering Medical Transcription Job Opening Ads, do I count the course as experience?
No, you should not ever put your training program down as work exp.; however you can list it under the Education part of your resume.
+ Should I volunteer to work for a company doing transcription without being paid to get more practice and exp on my resume?
If you are in or have taken a Medical Transcription Course and do have prior experience, then I would say no that you should not do this. However, if you have never taken an MT course or have no experience other than training yourself then yes you might want to offer this. However, do it for a limited amount of time because while companies may not mean to, your services could get eventually taken advantage of.
+ Is there a certain type of key board that you recommend when typing.
Yes, we recommend to get the MS Natural keyboard or one similar to it. It will seem very strange to use at first however in the long run when you get used to it you will be glad you got it. Of course this does not mean that you have to have a special keyboard, we just recommend the Natural keyboard because the layout is better for your hands / wrists.
+ How long it would take to complete the Medical Transcription course?
The medical transcription course normally takes about 4 - 6 months. You can take longer if you need to because the course is a self-study course at home.
Even though this is a (self-study at home course) we are here to support you both on and off-line.
You will receive access to the student area when you receive the course.
+ I am an RN (Nurse) do I need to take an MT Course?
Nurses do have extensive medical terminology knowledge. However, there is a lot more to medical transcription than just the terminology. You can move a little faster through the course if you are a nurse. However, you do still need the proper training in medical transcription. Your nursing skills will help you throughout the course and your career. We do allow our nurses to do the course a little different for the terminology part to help you move through it a little faster. However, you must pass all of the tests that are given on terminology to do it this way.
+ What is the percentage rate for finding employment when you have completed this course?
There is a high % rate of students getting Medical Transcription jobs. We cannot guarantee anyone a job; however, we do assist in job placement by assisting with resume creation, submission and talking to companies in recommendation of our students that passed the medical transcription course. Any company that promises (guarantee) a job, as soon as someone completed their course, I would be very cautious because the hiring process is really between the person applying and the person hiring! When you apply for a Medical Transcription job you are sent a sample dictation to transcribe and return to them, so they can check out how well the work is done. You usually are only sent the test if they are seriously considering hiring you. This is why it is of the highest importance to have a resume which is professional with NO spelling or grammar errors. We do assist with this as well.
When you get your medical transcription course you also get access to the student area. The student area can be used throughout your MT course for assistance with the training, learning new terms and keeping updated on new terms. You also have a message board accessible to post questions. Most students e-mail the questions even though we do encourage the utilization of the message board.
+ What is a digital transcriber?
The digital transcriber is much like the micro cassette transcribers except it hooks to your computer and the dictation files are .WAV files on your computer. You listen to the dictations from the computer then transcribe them in a program such as Microsoft Word. A digital transcriber is also known as a digital Foot Pedal.
+ Is the dictation authentic Doctor Dictation?
Yes, the dictation is real Doctor Dictation.
+ Do the dictations that are transcribed have key formats as to what the finished transcript should look like?
Yes, there is the report formats included in the course.
+ Does the course include how to transcribe with the recommended digital transcriber?
Yes, the explanation of how to transcribe in details with the digital transcriber is included in the course and on the online student area.
+ Does your Job Assistance guarantee me a job after taking your course?
We cannot guarantee a job and no reputable company can honestly. When the students complete the course, we work on their resume with them, then we send their resume out to companies that are looking for Medical Transcriptionists. We will promote the resume until the student gets a job. The student will also want to promote their resume with other sites as well. We do provide a list of resource sites which is recommended for our students to check in with daily looking for medical transcription employment as well as to ask questions and get acquainted other Medical Transcriptionists on the Internet.
+ Do you get job position openings from the companies, Dr. Offices, Hospitals Directly?
Yes, we do get calls and emails from companies, Dr. Offices, Hospitals looking for Medical Transcriptionists, We also are working on getting direct contracts with Medical Transcription Companies that are looking to hire 1 or more MTs. We are always prospecting for new contracts to keep the number of job openings a nice number so that not only do our students get referred, but also we can refer MTs that have submitted their resumes to us that we feel may fit the positions open.
+ Do you hire new Medical Transcription students directly to work for your company?
No, we do Job Assistance, which means that we will refer you/ your resume with regards to a job opening that has been proposed to us. We also have staff that does contact companies looking for current Medical Transcription Job Openings to refer youre resume to the potential employer. Once the company contacts you they will usually request you do a transcription test for them of a Dr. Dictation. The hiring part is in the hands of the company and not us.
+ Is there a student area / message board?
Yes, there is a Student Message Board and a Secure Student Area that does require you to have a username and password to enter. Your log in is set up when you receive your course.
+ Where do I get my digital transcriber and how much does it cost?
If you choose to get the medical transcription course without the digital transcriber, we do have a company that we can recommend for your digital transcriber equipment. There is a link on our web site They have been very good with our students on support if there are any questions regarding setting up the digital transcriber.
The price they have listed currently (at the time this was created) is starting at: $199.00 plus shipping. This is the best digital transcriber that we have seen for a reasonable price online at this time. We also like dealing with this company on account of the wonderful support they generously give our students with their suitable product as we mentioned above.
The one you will need is the USB 2 or 3 pedal Foot Pedal that will play .wav files.
There are also other places online. You can search for Digital Foot Pedal that plays .wav files in Google and look at the different rates.
+ Does this course have different types of dictation? Another words, does it have different type of doctor reports?
The dictation includes some stuff that most courses dont offer, such as operative reports, and tough dictation from poor dictators that a lot of courses dont include because it may frighten students.
The problem with that is that the student is faced with this kind of dictation occasionally when they get a job, and we would rather they have experience with it BEFORE they are hired.
+ What are your terms and conditions for taking your course?
You can find the terms and conditions on our home page: www.mtathome.com There is a link at the bottom of the page.
