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 overwhelming reason for people wanting to work as a medical transcriptionist (and I have actually done a survey of students and working MTs on this subject) is so they can work at home. Some people want to work at home because they have beloved pets they don’t want to leave behind as they go to work every day (several people have told me that’s their reason, actually,) some people want to work at home so they can raise their kids or grandkids, some people have disabilities that would hinder them in a normal workplace and working at home is the only way to go for them, and some people work at home because they like being at home, away from office politics, commutes, and people in general.
Whatever the reason for wanting to work at home, there is usually an underlying need for flexibility. Whether you need flexibility to be able to take your dog outside when it needs to go, or if you need flexibility because your kids are screaming and killing each other, and you have to go referee, the need for it is there, and it’s strong. So people research their schools, choose the right one, spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours studying, and then when they graduate, they realize that half the MT jobs they’re looking at in the want ads section aren’t offering that flexibility.
Welcome to the medical transcription world.
There is a world of difference between employees and independent contractors (read this great blog if you don’t know the difference) and if you are wanting flexibility, you almost always need to be searching for an independent contractor (or IC) position. As an IC, you will not receive benefits, you will not get a free computer to use, and you will not even have your taxes paid for by the company (you are responsible for 100% of your taxes as an IC.) But you will have control over when you work. As an IC, you accept the work to be done, and a completion date for that work (called TAT or turnaround time) but as long as the work is done within TAT, you can do it at 3:30 in the morning or 3:30 in the afternoon. The company has no say. You can work 5 hours straight or 15 minutes at a time. No one knows, and no one cares.
As an employee, companies can require you to work during certain hours, and always be on the computer during those hours. If they instant message (IM) you and you don’t answer, they can literally fire you for not being at your desk. It’s akin to you leaving the office in the afternoon without telling anyone. It can’t be done. Some companies are a little more flexible than others, but overall, if you are assigned a shift as an employee, you are expected to be there every time, just like a normal job. If your life will not allow that kind of structure, then you must look for an IC job. Anything else is not fair to you, and isn’t fair to your employer.
So we’ve covered the fact that Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to employers, (although sometimes it can be!) and that if you need flexibility, IC work is the way to go. We’re now on to Line Count, Spaces, and Your Pay. Don’t miss it!