THE CHALLENGE OF GOOD AMERICAN ENGLISH Part II

To tell the truth, mastering English is really not that difficult. It is, if you think it is, but if you view it not as an insurmountable problem but as something that any human can do with a little application, and do quite naturally, then you will find that mastering English can become a lifetime first love.

We are all human beings. We communicate with each other through language. We 'learn' our languages as very young children mostly by observing others speak and correlating what we hear with their actions, facial expressions, body language... We do all of this without even thinking about it much. In other words, learning languages - any human language - actually is a natural human activity. It's no big deal!

We make a big deal out of the whole enterprise (of learning a new language, or increasing our mastery over one that we do use) by becoming "course oriented" i.e. 'take the 3-month crash course', or 'buy the best selling self-help book on the subject'. I wouldn't say that these approaches are wrong, but I do think they are unnecessary. Instead, the Phoenix approach is to ask the student whose English is not up to snuff (most of those who have been schooled with English as a second language and even many of those who actually think that English is their 'mother' tongue) to immerse themselves in American English. I encourage them to buy a good second hand American dictionary (Merriam Webster is a good choice). Then, they have to daily read an English newspaper (TOI, The Hindu, Deccan Herald...) from cover to cover. In addition I start them off with appropriate story books, mostly from my own library. The dictionary is to be kept handy and to be used to look up each new word that is encountered. In class they have to speak in English and this is then soon extended as a general thing to do with friends too. With their friends, I encourage them to play Scrabble and to take on simple crosswords, with the additional challenge of using each selected word in a complete sentence. Finally, the student is required to watch only American programs on TV.

Within a couple of months, and without realizing how much they have improved, we find the student tackling quite difficult medical phraseology (even in the HPI) that would have had them in despair a few weeks earlier. The rest of the fine-tuning of language skill takes place in class and with their edited files open for comparison. Here, the instructor should be able to pick up the remaining faults and weaknesses and systematically set them right.

It really is not then a big deal at all. Just as the three-year-old effortlessly picks up quite complex grammar and handles the built-in illogic of the language, so too can you, if you will just consistently and conscientiously start working on mastering American English.

Become a Medical Transcriptionist!

The PHOENIX MT PROJECT concentrates on training
Medical Transcriptionists
and
MT Editors.

Both the selection process and the training offered are thorough, innovative, and unique.

Training: INDUSTRY-READY MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONISTS, trained by a team that is expert, actively involved in production, and very demanding!

No trainee will be certified until achieving the ability to consistently produce the specified number of lines per day (lpd) at better than the quality specified. Editor trainees will be certified only after they consistently produce 98% + accuracy and >750 lpd. Training duration can range from 3 months to 9 months depending on background, performance, availability of time, and the aptitude of the individual. All courses will include 1:1 hands-on computer lab time for at least 50% of the total course time. We also work on incidental skills that can be of great help to all of our students such as "Interviewing Skills" and "Spoken English".

COURSES OFFERED:

MT (I)
Covering - Language of Medicine, American and British English, MT Essentials, typing, pharmaceutics, KB shortcuts, search and referencing skills, keeping updated, and file management. The course work will inculcate a working knowledge of essential computer skills - including an intro to basic LAN in Windows XP/VISTA, FTP clients, MS WORD, troubleshooting, audio players (with the essentials of file types and CODECS). Also covered will be HIPAA, Client Specs, AAMT guidelines, ISMP-JCAHO guidelines, and MT ethics.

Phoenix turns out competent, self-sufficient, and reliable, MTs. Course duration for full timers is 3 months + 1 month of internship, or 6 months + 2 months internship for part timers. Exceptional candidates may also be eligible to take the AAMT’s RMT* examination on completion.

MT (II)
A special course designed for MTs with variable backgrounds who are already achieving 350 to 400 lines per 8 hour shift and wish to improve. Therefore, this is an open-ended course. The skill set aimed for is to transcribe 800+ lines per shift at accuracies of 98.5% or better with less than 1 major error per 10,000 lines. The course will hone typing speed, comprehension, advanced use of software (with intro to templates, Macros and auto-texting aids), speed search, speed referencing, advanced referencing, online tools, and we will also polish knowledge of disease states, advanced terminology with abbreviations, and introduce enhanced cross-checking capabilities. MT (II) is designed for part time learning, but a full time option may be available for those actively preparing for RMT/CMT* certification. Optionally, instead of preparing for the RMT/CMT*, Medical Coding/Billing skills can be taken up to open up an aditional source of income.

Editing (I) - Candidates will be recruited from MTs who have at least 2 years of on-the-job experience and demonstrate exceptional potential/aptitude for editing. The training can last from 3 months on up depending on the individual. Full time and part time options will be made available. The course will introduce all the elements required for a CMT* foundation and offer the opportunity for well prepared candidates to take the CMT* test.

Selection for all three courses is based both on both Adoption and Direct Recruitment (DR).

a. Adopted trainees would have been recruited in partnership with a transcription company, adopted by Phoenix, and will be given basic training after which they will be specifically geared for the platform and client specs of the particular recruiting company. The recruiting company will bear 50% of the course charges and 100% of the course materials costs.

b. DR candidates will be recruited by Phoenix based on English skill, aptitude, and attitude. Candidates who do not get through immediately on the first attempt will be encouraged to undertake remedial training externally and reapply after correcting their deficits. Overall attitude and aptitude will be given more weightage than knowledge per se.

AHEAD

Scholarships for up to 100% of the course fees are offered but strictly on merit. Scholarship criteria will include demonstrable language skills and/or computer skills, with an emphasis on aptitude and attitude. Scholarships will be granted only on a monthly (but renewable) basis and continuance will depend purely on the candidate’s sincerity and performance. The scholarship test has to be taken in addition to the standard entrance test for each course.

For course timings, batch starting dates, fees, &c please mail us.

Training materials that can be purchased through Phoenix include any of the in-print Stedmans range, the AAMT Book of Style (2nd Edition now approximately $170 + p&p) and the accompanying Student’s Guide as well as texts such as Chabner.

Fees are payable monthly after an initial payment of 50% of the course fee. Materials must be purchased in the beginning at actuals. All quotes are indicative and net, not inclusive of taxes. Taxes will be charged as per the currently applicable laws. The course fees and materials charges are subject to revision at any time.

* The RMT and CMT certifications are both independent tests prescribed by the AAMT that have to be registered into and paid for separately by each candidate. Materials provided by us include the authorized AAMT’s "The CMT Review Guide" (published by Stedmans) that now costs US$ 69.95 plus p&p and will be charged for at actuals.

Placement, for Adoptees that successfully complete the course plus the internship, is guaranteed. Placement help will be provided to all candidates who successfully complete any of our courses.

Because we are trusted by the industry to deliver only quality personnel, we have already successfully placed over a thousand successful transcriptionists in the last couple of years!


Our students have proved

over and over

that with a solid
foundation, and the will to
keep improving,

earning 30,000/- a month
as an MT, or

50,000/- a month as an editor

is no big deal!



Our New Satellite training Center will soon be inaugurated in Coimbatore (RS Puram).

Phoenix Services

Phoenix provides Expert Training for Medical Transcriptionists and Editors.

We administer the AHEAD scholarship program for deserving young people, those whom we judge to have the aptitude, dedication, and drive, to achieve at the highest levels of this industry. The scholarship includes a placement guarantee.

We also implement the Phoenix Adopt program where, in partnership with leading transcription companies, Phoenix undertakes industry-specific training to tailor and produce the appropriate talent-skills packages that the sponsoring company expects to require.

Phoenix undertakes recruitment, management, counseling, training programs &c leading up to preparation for internationally recognized professional MT qualifications such as the RMT and the CMT.

Phoenix also outsources BPO facilities for select small, medium, and large organizations:

• Office Management
• Marketing
• Equipment Sourcing & Negotiation
• Integrated Internet Usage and website design-management-implementation
• Networking
• Correspondence and Customer Management
• Business Transcription

Our current typical quote for undertaking Medical Transcription contracts for direct clients is US$ 0.09 per 65 character line for direct upload at 99%+ quality and with a total TAT of 24 hours. We do not undertake subcontracts at all. Stat contracts are also undertaken - mail us!

Uploading and downloading is securely accomplished through our own dedicated FTP server. We undertake contracts in initial steps of 100 to 300 minutes per day (scalable). Other algorithms are possible, so if you have a serious requirement and are looking for quality and consistency then drop us a mail.

We adhere to AAMT norms and HIPAA requirements are completely complied with!


For any enquiries please mail me at phoenixbpo@yahoo.co.uk or call us at +91-9364289696