Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions are ones that are frequently asked by people who inquire about the Medical Transcription program.
1. What is medical transcription (MT)? What does an MT do?
Medical transcription is the industry that renders doctor dictated reports, procedures, and notes into an electronic or paper format in order to create files representing the treatment history of patients. Health practitioners dictate what they have done after performing procedures on patients.
2. Do I need to be a good typist to be a medical transcriptionist?
If you have reasonable typing skills (50 wpm or greater) and a desire to learn, then we will take care of the rest. Our Keyboard Kinetics is designed to help you increase your typing speed and your accuracy, both of which are vital to the success of a medical transcriptionist. If you need assistance to get your typing up to the 50 wpm entrance requirement, we recommend that you acquire a copy of 'Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing', which is inexpensive and widely available at office supply and computer stores.
3. What is the job market for a medical transcriptionist?
A well-qualified conscientious medical transcriptionist, according to all the latest information, has a secure future. There is a huge demand for such MT's throughout North America . With international services hiring, location is not an issue and with an aging population there is no end in sight for the growing need for MT's.
4. What type of student support can I expect?
You have access to both Thompson Career College's and Career Step's student services departments. They exist to help students in whatever ways they might need help. We answer questions about the course, any problems or confusing issues students may have. We try to offer encouragement. We give suggestions and pointers on working effectively through the course and accept and pass on such suggestions and pointers as other students may come up with. We grade the final exam and provide instruction for those who do not pass it in hopes that our input will help them pass it the next time. We monitor the forum and focus on the issues that students bring up there. We welcome calls, emails, and letters from students and try to be responsive to their concerns in a timely manner. We simply see ourselves as mentors, trainers, and supporters, here to address whatever needs the students may have relative to the course and to the goal of becoming working medical transcriptionists.
5. How much practice transcription is included in the course?
There are more than 700 ACTUAL MEDICAL REPORTS, which you will type as part of your Career Step training. REAL DOCTORS dictated the majority of these. Medical transcriptionists and other people who were successfully involved in the medical transcription industry developed the whole Career Step program. The training you receive is the most practical and comprehensive available anywhere.
6. How long does it take to finish the course?
The program is 9 or 9.5 months long on a full time basis (37 weeks of class time and one or two 2-week breaks) requiring 30 hours of work per week, including 25 hours of online interaction with course materials, and 5 or more hours of time participating in online chat sessions, guest speaker sessions, typing practice and review. It can also be taken on a 75% workload basis (one year to complete), requiring 21 hours per week of work on the course (no scheduled breaks).
Through conscientious transcription of the medical reports in the course, you will become fully qualified to work as a professional medical transcriptionist. You have access to the online course for one year. Extensions are offered in three-month increments for $150 each extension.
7. How is the final exam administered?
When you have completed the course, you contact Thompson Career College and request your final exam. Your exam will be taken online. You will be emailed the web address of the exam. You will have five working days from the date of receipt until your finished exam must be submitted online. You do not have the full five days to take the exam, however. You are on your honour to complete the exam in two days (which two is up to you), but the extra three days give you a cushion during which you can choose the days most convenient for you to take the exam. The computer initially grades your exam, but you do not need to fear that your exam score depends on the judgments of a computer. Our counsellors, human beings with medical transcription experience, will carefully evaluate your exam. You must achieve an 85% or higher in order to pass. If your score is less than 85%, you have two opportunities to take the exam again, at a charge of $50.00 per retake. Upon successfully passing the exam with a score of 85% or more, you become a Thompson Career College graduate, the goal for which you have worked so hard. Then it's onward and upward from there!
9. How soon will I receive my materials?
Students will receive a password by e-mail and may start the Online Course immediately. You do not need to wait for the reference materials or foot pedals to start the course. The course materials are shipped via ground courier. The average wait is about 2 weeks. Shipping is included in the price of the Books/Kit.
10. What are the benefits of taking an Online Course?
Online learning offers a great opportunity to improve your computer skills and develop your medical transcription skills and knowledge faster.
11. What equipment do I need?
Computer: You must have a computer with speakers and a headset or head phones, an available USB port and any basic word processing program. The good news is that you don't require an expensive or fancy computer. Virtually anything you can buy on the market, new or used, will work.
12. Which Norton Firewall settings need to change?
In order to complete our online course, the referring URL must be known. Norton Internet Security has a setting that will block referer information from being sent to Web sites. This can be overridden for specific Web sites, however. To do this, please follow the instructions below:
- Open Norton Personal Firewall
- Click the Options button
- Click the Advanced Options button found in the new window
- In the next window, click the "Web" tab
- If the Web site you wish to allow referer information to be passed to is not listed, click the "Add Site" button at the bottom of the window
- Enter the Web address for the Web site you wish to have specific behaviour for and click OK
- Make sure the new site is highlighted in the list, and click on it, if it is not
- On the right hand side of the window, please click the Privacy tab
- Place a check in the box that reads "Use these rules for "
- Under the Browsing Privacy section, you will see an item called "Referer". Please choose Permit from the drop down list under that title
- Click OK
This will allow referer information to be transmitted to the specific Web site chosen.
At present, Norton Internet Security 2003 is not compatible with our online course and will have to be disabled before you enter the site.
13. What is your refund policy?
Tuition - If, for any reason, a student withdraws before the start date of the course, his/her tuition shall be refunded in full. If a student withdraws within 30 days of the course start date, Thompson Career College will retain 30% of the tuition due under the contract. If a student withdraws after 30 days but within 90 days of the course start date, Thompson Career College will retain 50% of the tuition due under the contact. If a student withdraws 90 days or more after the course start date Thompson Career College is due 100% of the tuition due under the contract.
The start date of the course will be the date of email or phone call which provided the password and sign-in to the on-line course. The student must notify Thompson Career College by telephone (and must also provide a subsequent notice in writing) to receive a refund / return code.
Books/Kit and Upgrade Material Fees -
In all cases the student must return any and all course materials and supplies received before receiving a refund of the Books / Kit and Upgrade Material fees. If the student withdraws within 30 days of the course start date, there may be a refund for the books and materials at the sole discretion of the school. If the student withdraws 30 or more days after the start date there will be no refund for books and materials. The refund will not include any non-refundable shipping and handling costs. Returned materials must be insured and tracked through the carrier. If the carrier loses or damages the returned materials, it is the responsibility of the student. The materials must be received by the school within 15 days of withdrawal or there will be no refund issued.
If there is minor damage to the materials, the student will be assessed a fee at the discretion of Thompson Career College , which depends on the ability of the books / tapes to be reused or resold. Writing in the books will eliminate their refund value. If there is significant damage, no refund will be issued. Returned materials must be packed to prevent damage. In all cases the shipping and handling charges are non-refundable, and costs for sending the materials back will be borne by the student.
14. Working environment and system requirements
. A quiet study environment with a desk, a phone, a computer (specified below), good lighting that minimizes eye strain, a good chair that supports your lower back, and a mouse and keyboard that minimize hand and wrist strain.
. A computer running Windows XP or Vista with high speed internet access, a headset or head phones, an available USB port, any basic word processing program, an Internet Explorer or Firefox browser, and a printer.
. A good monitor that minimizes eye strain (17 inch or larger flat panel is recommended)
. A transcriptionist foot pedal (provided through the College)
. A headset for the phone is desirable, for hands-free discussion with support personnel and employers via the toll-free numbers.
If you have hardware or software that exceeds the recommended specifications, the course will work even better. |
