Alternative career for an MT

At many MT forums and online communities, I have come across some people who rant about lack of alternative careers for a medical transcriptionist and how the skills developed in this profession do not serve as a stepping stone to some other avenues.  Here I would like to jot down my feelings on the same.


Most of the medical transcription companies are making available the work from home option and also providing flexible working hours (mine does that).  Working from home coupled with flexible working time can pave the way for adding some extra skill sets to one's resume (time scheduling is the key).


Indian hospitals are also taking in MTs, but the pay wont be anyway near the BPO sector, but on the positive side, there wont be any strenuous work pressure too.  However, many of these hospitals describe the job profile as data entry operator, which I strongly resent.  Working in such hospitals coupled with doing part time work for any MT company and also pursuing a distance education diploma in hospital administration would be a safe bet for the future.


The other opening is available in content writing, search engine optimization, , copy writing/editing, where good language skills and writing skills come handy.  Although above average English language skill is a must for an MT, flair for writing is not something part of the skill set of an MT, but still it may be lying dormant, who knows, only when one tries, does he realize what he can accomplish.


Medical writing is another venue for those medical transcriptionist with a flair for writing.




I will surely add to this post when I come across more options for an MT.

Hernia and coarctation

Today while searching for online reference for hernia, I came across this wonderful site, and found it to be a treasure trove of all available info on hernia.  Similarly, another term, "coarctation" led me to this site, which also was able to satisfy my query.  Really, we MTs have a special place in our heart for Sir Tim Bermers-Lee for his marvelous creation called world wide web.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

There is a geneticist dictator in my account, whose dictation is clear, but still it is one of the last files to leave the pool, may be because of the load of information it contains.  From a line count productivity point of view, taking one such file would upset the rate of productivity, but still if one is on the lookout for new terms and diseases, this is the dictator to do.

Today while doing such a file, I came across the term Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).  EDS is a group of inherited connective tissue disorder caused by defect in the production of collagen.  Simply put, the collagen helps to decrease elasticity in skin, muscle ligaments etc., but in this case, due to abnormal production of collagen, elasticity increases and causes a person with this condition to have hypermobility and hyperextension.  EDS most typically affects the joints, skins, and blood vessels.


Depending upon individual mutation, condition can be mild to life threatening.  There is no cure and treatment is supportive care.  


I guess Stan Lee keeps a tab on all the happenings in the genetics field....or how else could he create x-men, spider-man and the whole lot of other super heroes with genetic mutation, (although the life threatening/disease part is not highlighted there).


Info as usual was gleaned from my friend wiki and a couple of other sites which came up on top while googling.

CDE

CDE stands for Chronic disequilibrium of the elderly and I could not find this abbreviation in my Stedman's Abbreviation Dictionary.  The patient was an elderly who was on Antivert for this condition.

Neutraceutical

Ever heard a word like that? Just now I heard it and this is what my dear friend wiki tells me...


"Nutraceutical, a term combining the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical”, is a food or food product that provides health and medical benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease"


They keep on churning out new words all the time.....;-)

Equine-assisted Therapy

I have always associated horse riding with machismo until today, when I got a file in which the patient who suffered from autism and also Asperger's syndrome was referred for equine therapy.


In an Equine Assisted Activities program, a certified or specially trained riding instructor teaches a person with a disability how to ride a horse. However, the environment of the horse can provide more than just riding skills. The programs which offer the equine environment to people with disabilities can teach companionship, responsibility, leadership, vocational, educational skills as well as offer competition venues in the different horse disciplines. Riding a horse provides a unique and often profound recreational or leisure activity for many people. There are many sports which people who have disabilities can participate in for enhancing their lives which offer social and physical fitness as addressed in the Special Olympic programs for people with a cognitive disability. There are hundreds of programs around the world as well as many organizations dedicated to the various forms of horse riding or horse care which address many other disabilities and may not have a cognitive disability.

The student who interacts with their horse may extend this to others and to form meaningful relationships with people. Building a relationship with an animal is very rewarding in many aspects; for a person with an emotional, social or psychological disability, the trust and loyalty of an animal demonstrates to the student how important they are and then they may extend these attributes to personal relationships. Horses also help people feel in control of their situation because there is a direct correlation between action and reaction. To learn how to care for and ride a horse, a student must also be able to communicate efficiently with the horse and the instructor. In this way, riding is a very social activity, but is less daunting to people who are uncomfortable in social situations. However, the experience of riding a horse is very different. Riding helps to empower people and enables them to connect on a personal level. The sometimes unpredictable nature of animals and situations also creates a real-life environment in which students will be able to confront fears and make adjustments to situations beyond their control.

Types of Anesthesia

Usually in operative report and procedure notes, we come across terms like local anesthesia, regional anesthesia, and general anesthesia.  What is the difference between all of these?


Here's a basic look at each kind:


Local anesthesia. An anesthetic drug (which can be given as a shot, spray, or ointment) numbs only a small, specific area of the body (for example, a foot, hand, or patch of skin). With local anesthesia, a person is awake or sedated, depending on what is needed. Local anesthesia lasts for a short period of time and is often used for minor outpatient procedures (when patients come in for surgery and can go home that same day). For someone having outpatient surgery in a clinic or doctor's office (such as the dentist or dermatologist), this is probably the type of anesthetic used. The medicine used can numb the area during the procedure and for a short time afterwards to help control post-surgery discomfort.


Regional anesthesia. An anesthetic drug is injected near a cluster of nerves, numbing a larger area of the body (such as below the waist, like epidurals given to women in labor). Regional anesthesia is generally used to make a person more comfortable during and after the surgical procedure. Regional and general anesthesia are often combined.


General anesthesia. The goal is to make and keep a person completely unconscious (or "asleep") during the operation, with no awareness or memory of the surgery. General anesthesia can be given through an IV (which requires sticking a needle into a vein, usually in the arm) or by inhaling gases or vapors by breathing into a mask or tube.


source:  http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/medical_care/anesthesia_types.html