<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4062673368142857699.post7081475096094520185..comments</id><updated>2008-04-30T02:20:39.531-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Comments on Advocacy on the Move: The End of the Road to New Beginnings</title><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peterpreziosi.blogspot.com/feeds/7081475096094520185/comments/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4062673368142857699/7081475096094520185/comments/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peterpreziosi.blogspot.com/2007/05/end-of-road-to-new-beginnings.html'/><author><name>Peter Preziosi</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/07777127134436118446</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>1</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4062673368142857699.post-7422088388923423961</id><published>2008-04-30T02:20:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-30T02:20:00.000-07:00</updated><title type='text'>It seems to me that AAMT/AHDI is going on the pres...</title><content type='html'>It seems to me that AAMT/AHDI is going on the presumption that your schemes are just as good as a done deal, and that there is not significant opposition within the ranks of MTs.  &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;You might know this already, but not all MTs are jumping for joy at the prospect of the regulations/licensing/mandatory credentialing, etc., ad nauseam which AAMT/AHDI seems to think is the wave of the future. &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;Some of us wish to "advocate" for s freer market instead of a more controlled one.  We do not wish to turn the AAMT/AHDI into a de facto union, with the kind of control over this occupation which you seem to be seeking.&lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;It seems to me that AAMT/AHDI wants to control this occupation entirely... you are seeking to control who gets your approval to teach, who gets into this occupation, and how they get into this occupation.  &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;The CMT credential was originally a voluntary credential.  Not many MTs found it all that useful or necessary.  Nor did very many MTSOs find it all that necessary.  I have met CMTs who still had trouble with basic spelling. &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;You are seeking to make it mandatory to get credentialed and to get licensed, among other things.  I for one do not see any benefit, at a time when MTs' wages are going down, to being forced to get credentialed at a cost of hundreds of dollars, which many of us can ill afford.  &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;I for one am still recovering financially from the switch to line-for-line to character count.  Some MTs are worried that the "virtual black character" is going to reduce our wages even further. &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;Also:  A lot of us learned on the job, and it was a good way to learn.  I was always a very good speller, and I did many kinds of word processing and transcribing  before I segued into medical transcription.  &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;At one point, I tested for, competed for, and won a job as a trainee at a major West Coast teaching hospital and have not looked back. &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;I have observed a few people who have taken classes in order to get into this field; but I don't think anything can possibly take the place of just doing the job and developing the ear.  &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;My significant other took a course from a well-regarded school, and yet what he needs more than anything else is just to do the work and develop the ear.  There is no magic solution for that. &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;It seems to me that you are seeking to make it so that MTs will be forced to deal with AAMT/AHDI, whether they want to or not.&lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;I must say that you do not advocate for me.  In my opinion, I am the only one who advocates for me.  I do not want this occupation to get politicized.  I do not want to schmooze with politicians.  I want to do my work and get paid for it. &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;It seems to me that the biggest benefits of all AAMT's/AHDI's scheming is that the people who make up the organization will be able to get a job running the organization, instead of having to sit down and transcribe like the rest of us.&lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;It made me sick to my stomach to read about AAMT's/AHDI's lobbying z(in Advance Magazine, where I have noticed that they run puff pieces from time to time).  &lt;BR/&gt;&lt;BR/&gt;You can dress it up with all the pretty words which you like, but you are not going to get all 101,000+ MTs in this country to voluntarily go along with your schemes.  It just isn't going to happen.</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4062673368142857699/7081475096094520185/comments/default/7422088388923423961'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4062673368142857699/7081475096094520185/comments/default/7422088388923423961'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peterpreziosi.blogspot.com/2007/05/end-of-road-to-new-beginnings.html?showComment=1209547200000#c7422088388923423961' title=''/><author><name>Pam Maltzman</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/05351644181383382427</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email></author><thr:in-reply-to xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0' href='http://peterpreziosi.blogspot.com/2007/05/end-of-road-to-new-beginnings.html' ref='tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4062673368142857699.post-7081475096094520185' source='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4062673368142857699/posts/default/7081475096094520185' type='text/html'/></entry></feed>