FAQ - Ameriphil Transcription Institute

1. What if I cannot find or understand the online instructions?
Each student is assigned a facilitator for one-on-one interaction. Your facilitator will help you throughout your course, so keep the communication going. All Ameriphil facilitators for the Med Tran Certificate Program are successful, working medical transcriptionists. The facilitator is the student's main contact person during the course-no need to wait for those "business office hours" to receive the following services from your personal facilitator.

Explaining the details of the program
Consulting on resume content and interview skills
Answering e-mails in a timely manner
Providing telephone support when needed
Helping with technical questions
Granting extensions when necessary
Providing postgraduate dictation and transcripts

2. What does an MT do?
A medical transcriptionist converts the spoken word to the written word, thereby creating patient medical records. Since these are legal documents subject to subpoena, it is important that the transcriptionist conform to a high standard of accuracy. It is also important for MTs to maintain the highest standards of confidentiality in regard to their work.

3. How do I find a job? Will Ameriphil help me find a job? How do I get a job without experience? How can I get started working from home?
Medical transcription jobs are available. It is sometimes hard to get a foot in that first door, as it is in any field, but it is certainly not impossible. Here are some suggestions.

Have business cards printed, and update your résumé once you have completed the course.
Ameriphil facilitators will help when possible. Much depends on the student's location, but we do have limited resources we can use.
You will be referred to the nearest professional association for networking possibilities.
Your Ameriphil facilitator can be used as a reference.
Your education may take the place of experience in some instances and may land you an entry-level position. You can also apply for an internship or a mentored position.
These issues are addressed on the Ameriphil MT course web site under "Resources."

Many students get into medical transcription so they can work from home. MTs can work from home as employees, as independent contractors, or as business owners. It can be as simple as asking your neighborhood physician if he/she needs some work done, or it can be as complicated as applying to one of the several national transcription firms who contract work out from all over the USA. In today's global arena, MTs can work in several other countries. Either your professional association or your Ameriphil facilitator would be a good place to go for information on this very complicated subject.

4. What program do I qualify?
- Medical Program is qualified to be taken by those who graduate Doctor of Medicine. It will last for 2 months training only, disregarding the teaching of basics in anatomy and medical terms
- Allied Medical program, which runs for 4 months, is given to those who graduated Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Public Health and other medical related courses.
- If your educational degree is not mentioned above, you are only qualified to take our Non-Allied program (6 months). We only accept High School graduates and above.

5. How much time should I spend on the course? What is the time frame? How does this course compare to other courses?
The courses Ameriphil writes are self-paced. The Medical Transcription Certificate Program is a 180-day program with extensions available if you have not completed the coursework. It usually takes about 240 hours. Medical terminology should take no more than 10 days to two weeks. Many online courses are not self-paced and require students to do a lesson a week. Ameriphil allows you to move at your own pace. This allows you to vary your commitment. Also, the books and equipment are all included in your registration fee.

6. How much does an MT make a year?
A medical transcriptionist's salary is regional. You might survey hospitals/clinics/physician's offices in your area for an hourly rate and/or a yearly rate. You might attend your professional association meetings and ask for salary information. You might also check with local employment agencies for their input. According to the 2003-2003 Occupational Outlook Handbook, MTs had a median hourly earning of $12.15 in 2000.

While many MTs work by the hour, many others work on production. There is also a combination of the two whereby one might work by the hour with incentive pay awarded for a particular page count, line count, or word count. There is no "average" number of pages, lines, or words transcribed per hour. Each employer who utilizes this method makes this determination. The bottom line is this: Quality always wins out over quantity.

7. How do I become a certified MT? After completing the course, do I have to get certified other than from the school?
Once you complete your course, your school will provide a Certificate of Completion, which is standard. This is usually all that is necessary to get a job. If you want to be a "Certified Medical Transcriptionist," however, you will want to check with The American Association for Medical Transcription for details. This is the professional association for medical transcriptionists, and they can provide information about AAMT certification and about the career field.

8. How do I register? How much do the courses cost?
Each student must register with a university or college that offers our courses. Ameriphil offers no courses directly to the public. We work in partnership with colleges and universities nationwide. Our partner colleges set the prices for the courses they offer. You must locate a school and contact them for cost and registration information.

9. Why do I have to locate a school?
Ameriphil does not offer courses directly to the public. We work in partnership with colleges and universities nationwide. Ameriphil is the content developer for the course, but the schools actually offer the courses and provide the certificates upon completion.

10. Do I ever have go to the school I register with?
Not in most cases. Most of our partner schools offer telephone or online registration. All of our courses are delivered entirely online, so you never have to go to a class or travel to the school. Locate a school and contact them for more registration options.

11. What if there is not a school in my area that offers the course I want to take?
You can register with the school that is closest to your zip code (even if it is far away). Since Ameriphil courses are online, you never have to actually travel to the school. Most schools offer telephone or online registration.

12. How long does it take to complete a course?
All of our courses are self-paced and open enrollment. You can start and finish the course at your own pace. When you register for a course, you are given an initial 180 days to complete the course. If you need more time, extensions are available.

13. Do I have to buy additional materials?
All materials are included. The cost of materials is covered by your tuition. Ameriphil ships all materials upon completion of your registration.

14. Can I get financial aid?
Ameriphil courses are non-credit courses, so they do not qualify for federal aid. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses.

15. What happens when I complete the course?
Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a certificate of completion from the school with which you registered. You must obtain a final passing grade of 70% or greater to be awarded a certificate.

16. Am I guaranteed a job?
Ameriphil courses will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. We do not provide direct job placement services, but our instructors will help you build your resume and are available to give advice on finding your first job. Instructors will also be available to use as a professional reference upon completion of the course. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

17. Who will be my instructor?
Each student is paired up with a facilitator for one-on-one interaction. The facilitator will be available (via email or phone) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. All of our facilitators are successful working professionals in the fields in which they teach.

18. What do I have to have in order to take an online course, and what are the system requirements?
In order to take our online courses, you must have access to a computer and the Internet (a normal dial-up connection is fine). You can access the course contents from any Web-enabled computer. There are no necessary plug-ins. You do not have to use the same computer to log-in to the course every time. We recommend that you have a word-processing program (Microsoft Word is best) and the latest version of Internet Explorer.

19. Can I register for courses if I live outside the Philippines?
Yes you can! The International zip code locator will determine which school is nearest you. Simply click here to choose your country, and select the course you wish to take.

20. When can I start the course?
Our courses are all open enrollment. You can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Locate a school for registration information.

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