[LEE76]

Companies are moving to India and the Philippines because US MTs are not willing to work for 5 cents per line. That is the reason companies are investing in countries with low cost of labor. US hospitals are facing severe budget cuts and are faced to reduce line rates. I can tell you that the average line rate for straight transcription has dropped from 14 cents per line in 2006-2007 to 8 cents a line in 2014. Speech recognition lines are down to 5 - 6 cents per line. There is strong competition between MT companies to get new work that is why they are offering hospitals very low rates and outsourcing this work! I do not foresee these rates going up any time in the near future.

Hi Moushami!

To be frank it is the perseverance, passion, patience, and last but not least adaptation that is needed to be an MT.  As truly said, MT industry is in major change process which nobody can predict like software but yes some work with dedication irrespective of personal issues will keep you going but what lies at the end of tunnel nobody can predict.  Unlike the software, which had its recession period, we do not have recession but changes are ever happening.  So if you are prepared for this, please take the leap since no returns are guaranteed and please go through MT stars forum also regularly.  Money and all other issues are ever changing. Hence just as a secondary job you can opt but if you are young and talented please think once again.

Hope this is understood by all our young Indian MTs.