Mandatory MT certification is so out of the realm of reality, that I'm amazed it's even an issue ("One Way or Another," April 2009.) With the sharp decline in what we are paid, the dogmatic approach to "verbatim only" reports (as if doctors/dictators don't make mistakes) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) work increasing, I would think any person or entity pushing for this would be laughed out of Dodge. 

Having been an MT for 29 years and a proud board certified critical care nurse, I have seen this industry go from a fairly respected job to the level that even a trained monkey (who understood English) could do. MTs are getting paid a quarter of what we used to, and we're supposed to act happy about it. We have to put up with being listened to every hour to check if we are working and ridiculous edicts about not sending in "too many" reports to quality assurance because it slows down turnaround time. We have to put up with "policies and procedures" that change without notice, and of course, we're not paid more for the certified medical transcriptionist (CMT) credential.

Now, you tell me, who in their right mind would think that any MT would allow this to happen to their profession? Many new MTs don't realize how much it will cost them personally to become certified. If employers, on the other hand, would agree to pay for the certification test and yearly fee, as well as pay more to CMTs, then it would be OK. Please publish a list of the companies willing to do these things. Yeah, right. Why am I even wasting time discussing this?

I agree with all those opposed to this ridiculous edict. I feel the larger companies are desperately seeking the perfect ASR program that will actually type out what the dictators are saying, as opposed to the unbelievable things that are typed out now. Then they will reap the rewards because MTs won't be needed, even as editors.

Don't kid yourself, people. The time is coming. Don't be fooled by what you are reading in "professional journals" because they serve the power brokers, not us--the actual workers.

J.B.

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