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FAQs
Q: What do I need to get started?
Q: Can I use an Apple/Macintosh computer?
Q: Why do I need a 9-pin serial port for the WavePlayer — can I use USB devices?
Q: Will I need to buy any other hardware or software in the future?
Q: How long does it take to complete the course?
Q: Do I have to buy books or can I just use the on-line materials?
Q: What is the difference between eBook Courses and the full On-Line Courses?
Q: Why do I have to pay a registration fee?
Answers:
Q: What do I need to get started?
A: To take any of Meditec’s training courses, all you will need is a PC with a connection to the Internet, web browser software, and a basic printer. We recommend the Windows XP Operating System (either Home or Professional edition) and we recommend that you use the latest version of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser (6.0 or higher). If you decide on the Medical or Legal Transcription Course, the price will include a WavPlayer Foot Pedal device with software. The foot pedal device itself is available in either 9-pin Serial or USB port configuration, but we will ship the 9-pin Serial version unless you (call) specify otherwise. The WavePlayer Software that operates the foot pedal, is ONLY compatible with Windows. Apple/MAC users, please see #2 below.
NOTE: The WavPlayer is the device used to listen to and transcribe dictation. Many doctors, hospitals and transcription companies employ customized software for transcription, and these generally require a 9-pin Serial device, so if you specify USB with your order, be aware that you may need to purchase additional (9-pin) hardware at a later time. If you will be participating in Meditec’s JumpStart Internship programs, you MUST have a 9-pin Serial foot pedal. This is a requirement of the Internship Partners, not a requirement for the course itself. For more information, please see our WavPlayer Technical Support Page
Q: Can I use an Apple/Macintosh computer?
A: Yes (Maybe!). The vast majority of all computer hardware and software on the market today is designed for PC (Personal Computer) compatibility. Apple/Mac constitutes less than 4% of the market, and therefore you will find fewer hardware/software vendors offering products for that platform, AND you will find fewer businesses/clients supporting the Apple/Mac platform.
While you will be able to access Meditec’s online course materials via the Internet using an Apple/Macintosh computer, you may not be able to connect the transcription foot pedal device and controlling software without some additional expense. The software which controls the transcription foot pedal is ONLY compatible with Windows and the manufacturer ONLY supports the software on a PC. NOTE: Microsoft offers a program called “Virtual PC for Mac with Windows XP”, which is a Windows Emulation software that runs on top of the Mac Operating System. Meditec has sold courses to Mac platform users who have had success running the foot pedal/software with the Virtual PC/Windows software on their Mac systems, HOWEVER, the foot pedal manufacturer (SEE ABOVE) does not support the Mac platform so if you choose to go this route, we cannot guarantee the results.
Meditec’s office computers are all PC based, so we do not have technical support staff to assist you with Apple/Mac issues, and Meditec does not support the Apple/Mac platform for the hardware/software we resell. Meditec is not a vendor for the Microsoft Virtual PC software, so for more information about this product, please contact your local Apple/Mac retailer, or refer to the following Microsoft website:
Virtual PC for Mac @ Microsoft.com”. The retail price for Virtual PC 7 with either Windows XP Home or XP Professional is $249.00, as cited from microsoft.com on 09/01/2005, and is subject to change without notice. Contact Microsoft, Apple, or your local software retailer for more information.
Meditec’s systems are all PC based, so we do not have technical support staff to assist you with Apple/Mac issues. Although we have had clients who have used the Apple/Mac computers successfully, we cannot guarantee that it will work for you, or that you will be able to continue using your Mac once you move into the marketplace (it depends upon your future clients).
ALSO NOTE: If you will be participating in Meditec’s JumpStart/Internship programs for Medical Transcription, please be aware that some of our clients WILL require a 9-pin Serial foot pedal and a Windows-based PC. If you have the Apple/MAC platform, or choose to purchase ONLY the USB foot pedal, you will not be able to meet the requirements for all of the internship clients and/or you may be required to purchase additional equipment.
Caveat for #’s 1 & 2 Above: The basic hardware and software needed to complete your course of study are minimal, but once you move into the business arena you’ve chosen, and depending upon who you go to work for, there will likely be a need for you to make additional investments in both hardware and software. In much the same way that a given company may have a dress code that requires you to wear a 3-piece suite, you may encounter similar requirements for your office tools. For example: If you go to work for a company that uses proprietary transcription hardware/software, you may be required to purchase, lease or rent such hardware/software in order meet your client’s requirements. Meditec provides you with the educational tools and training needed to move into the business arena you’ve chosen, but we have no way of determining what additional hardware or software you may need in the future.
Q: Why do I need a 9-pin serial port for the WavePlayer — can I use USB devices?
A: Although PC Serial Port technology is now more than 30 years old, and while USB is the most common and preferred method of connecting external devices to a PC, there are many companies (particularly in the medical/legal transcription industry) which still use hardware and software based on the older serial port platform. As indicated in #1 above, if you are enrolling in one of our transcription courses, we will ship a Serial Port version of the transcription foot pedal. We do this because we want you to be “backwards compatible” . The Bytescribe Software which ships with the foot pedal will work with either Serial or USB and therefore, a Serial Port version will allow you a greater capability. If your computer does not have a 9-pin Serial Port, you may be able to add one without much fuss or expense — but you need to check with your computer vendor.
NOTE: There is no ONE technology that will address ALL needs.
REALITY: No matter what technology we provide today, tomorrow will bring changes in requirements, and there is no guarantee that the hardware or software you purchase today, will accomodate the needs or demands of your specific clients. EX: You may go out and purchase Microsoft WORD as your word processor, only to discover that you have a client who demands WordPerfect.
By recommending a Serial Port version of the foot pedal today, we hope to provide you with a way to remain backwards compatible for as long as possible.
IT IS YOUR CHOICE: You may choose to disregard our recommendations and purchase a USB version of the foot pedal, and this MAY not present a problem later on, but consider the following:
You have 10 clients, and 9 of the 10 have no specific hardware requirements (so either USB or Serial pedals will work). One client however MUST have Serial. So, if you have the older/backwards compatible Serial device, you can service all 10 clients with 1 device, whereas if you have USB, you have to go out and buy additional hardware just to support that 1 client. Eventually, you may need both types of hardware anyway, but we feel it would be better if you were backwards compatible to start with.
Q: Will I need to buy any other hardware or software in the future?
A: Yes. Regardless of which course you take, it is assumed that at some point in the future, your computer or other hardware/software components will wear out, become obsolete, or will otherwise need to be upgraded or enhanced in order for you to continue to meet the needs and requirements of your employer or client. For example: If you are embarking on a career in medical or legal transcription (taking one of our transcription courses), you will likely need to have either MS-WORD or WordPerfect as your main editing/word processing system. Which one you need, will depend upon the needs of your employer or client. You may also want to consider using word expander software to increase your production speed. That information is contained in the Transitioning: Student to MT Book available at our website. If you plan on billing services, you will need billing software. Coders use software as well. Everything you need to know about those elements is in the HomeBizBook available at this website.
Q: How long does it take to complete the course?
A: That depends on you and how much time you have to study. All of Meditec’s courses are “self-paced” which means you may move along as fast as you are able. Platform learning (used in all the training) hastens that process considerably. In general, it will take from 3 to 12 months to complete a course. The average for a comprehensive course, such as medical transcription, is about six months.
Meditec allows up to 1 year for completion of our full on-line courses. An on-line user with extenuating circumstances may request an extension if needed. To receive an extension, it should be requested within 30 days of reaching the 1 year course limit, and a fee will be charged for that extension. Online extensions will provide the student with an additional 4 months to complete their course. Students who purchase our eBook courses are not subject to this time limit, but of these students also do not have the benefit of on-line access.
Q: Do I have to buy books or can I just use the on-line materials?
A: All of Meditec’s full on-line courses include applicable reference materials and the required textbooks needed to complete the training. Students who purchase our full on-line courses may receive a combination of CD-ROM based and printed course materials, in addition to having access to the course-ware via their on-line access account, while those who choose our eBook courses will only receive CD-ROM based materials.
Beyond the course, in medical transcription for example, employers often recommend other medical specialty-related books and many transcriptionists will eventually purchase specialty dictionaries, word-expanders, etc., and many medical coders will purchase specialty coding books or coding software programs, but our premise is that there is no need to buy anything else until the course is completed, unless you choose to do so.
Q: What is the difference between eBook Courses and the full On-Line Courses?
A: Meditec’s eBook courses are designed to be a lower priced alternative to the on-line style, overhead, and administration. The content is identical, appears on your computer screen, and has the same practice questions and answers except you have to print the exercises and then check the answers against the answer keys. It’s a tremendous advantage with an identical outcome in terms of the learning process. You track your own progress. The certification exam is not included, though it is available when you are ready to try it.
The eBook courses are provided on a CD-ROM with the materials formatted in standard Adobe® PDF (Portable Document Format). The final exam and certificate are not included in the eBook option, but may be undertaken whenever you are ready. Both practice tests and certification are available.
Slight variations in modules may be possible: For example: the full on-line version of the Medical Office / Practice Manager Training course (which lists at about $3,100) includes Medical Coding, while the eBook version, (under $800) does not. But you may add the coding component for $499, a savings of 60%.
One of the many benefits of the eBook courses, in addition to their affordability, is that they do not have a time limit. You can proceed exclusively at your own pace, without having to worry about an expiration. You do not require Internet access, and the CD-ROM based media makes it easier and more convenient to take along with you using your laptop, or install it anywhere else you choose to use it.
Last, but not least, because the extremely low cost, career choice options expand remarkably. If you decide to try Billing, then want to pursue coding or transcription, or even office administration, each course is a building block to another career, the one that is most suitable for you, based on your learning experience.
Q: Why do I have to pay a registration fee?
A: The registration fee is required when you enroll in any on-line course. It is a school-related fee to set up the initiation and tracking process. It is not refundable once enrollment has taken place. No enrollment fees are charged for eBooks.
NOTE: For Payment Plan customers, the registration fee is charged from the initial installment. For more information, please review the Enrollment Agreement or contact a Meditec enrollment coordinator.
