New Mexico Medical Transcription Training and Schools
About Medical Transcription Careers in New Mexico
Medical transcription schools in New Mexico provide an excellent way for New Mexicans to obtain this valuable career that offers both flexibility and security to those in the field. Depending on what part of the state you live in you could be near a fully accredited medical transcription school in New Mexico. If you are unable to find a school close enough to your home or can’t seem to work a full-time traditional school schedule into your work-week you might also consider learning online. Interested in exploring correspondence or online medical transcription school options? With its high number of retirees and baby boomers, as well as a strong health-based economy aided by the University of New Mexico medical school and New Mexico State University’s allied health programs, medical transcriptionists are in demand and should remain so in the future. Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Santa Fe have sizeable hospitals, each employing medical transcriptionists. The high number of physicians in private practice also ensures the field of medical transcription will remain lucrative and viable.
Financial Aid in New Mexico
But what about the cost of attending these programs? Some students will depend upon family and their own employment to obtain the funds needed to attend medical transcription training. Some New Mexico residents are eager to begin a career in medical transcription, but lack available funds. However, those interested in training for a career in medical transcription should not let lack of funds stop them. They are not aware of the financial help available to students at vocational schools and community colleges. Traditional ways to finance medical transcription training available to New Mexico students include Pell Grants, scholarships both local and national in scope, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and federal student loans, such as the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), which includes Stafford Loans and PLUS Loans. However, many of these federal loans and grants can be used only for the traditional higher-education programs: the associate and certificate programs offered through the community college systems, which New Mexico does have for interested residents. These federal loans and grants are designed for those able to attend community colleges or universities at least half-time. New Mexico has a number of federally designated Hispanic Serving Institutions, and the financial aid officers at these community colleges can give additional information about grants and loans available to residents of the state through these programs. But those who choose to attend vocational schools also have financial help available, in the form of loans. The biggest and best-known program is through SLM Corporation, commonly known as Sallie Mae, which is a financial corporation that specializes in providing loans for trade schools, vocational schools, specialty programs, and other non-traditional education providers. Through Sallie Mae, learners can often finance almost all tuition and related expenses of attending a medical transcription program. Most vocational schools also offer reasonable private loans to their students. If a student has the desire to attend and learn the skill of medical transcription, but has a history of poor credit, they can still obtain one of these private loans through having a reliable co-signer. Considering the sizeable investment training in medical transcription requires, both in terms of finances and time, what can New Mexicans expect in terms of pay? Medical transcriptionists have flexibility that is rarely found in other careers. Many transcriptionists prefer to begin their careers at local hospitals or clinics, as a way to enhance their formal training. As their speed and knowledge increase, many then choose to leave the 9-to-5 world and either work for medical transcription services, where they are paid by the line, and many even start their own businesses, serving local physicians with whom they are familiar. A New Mexico medical transcriptionist’s earnings are limited only by drive and speed. Since overnight transcribing is often paid at a higher rate than daytime transcribing, many choose the night-owl route to earn more money and to have their days free. Many transcriptionists work at improving their speed constantly. They keep up with the latest technology, and use various software tricks and tips shared by other transcriptionists freely on the internet, increasing their speed with each digital file they transcribe. Typically, a transcriptionist employed at a hospital can average $15 an hour and up, and qualify for benefits, as well. Home-based telecommuters have more variable earnings, as their pay is linked more tightly to which shift they do and how quickly they can transcribe. For those New Mexicans seeking a fulfilling, interesting career associated with the prestigious medical field, medical transcription training is a sound investment in their future.