AboutCynthia Wolfe Expertise Let me help you with questions about adult education and continuing education programs. If you are looking for a program or have questions about adult education in general, I can guide you. If you are a teacher looking for new ideas or methods, I can help. I have resources and ideas to share. I am a member of the National Business Education Association (NBEA), a professional organization devoted to the recognition that business education competencies are essential for all individuals in today's fast-changing society.
Experience I am an instructor at the University of Phoenix, working in online and classroom modalities. I am also a student at Northcentral University, where I am working on a PhD in Business Administration, with a specialty in Management. My MBA is from Troy University, 2001, and I have a BS, Environmental Science, from Troy University, 1980. Read about my experiences as an online student at my blog thinkPhD.
Question I would like to offer training classes for medical transcriptionists as part of my medical transcription business. I have taught in this field for the past 15 years. I really have no idea how to get started. Are there regulations from the State of Tennessee's Department of Education that I need to know about? (I've contacted them twice and just keep getting shuffled from one department to another. No one seems to know what I need to do.) What else do I need to be aware of? Can you help me? Thanks!
Answer Hi Lisa,
Thanks for asking a question. I believe you are saying that you want to start a MT training school. You will have to decide if this is a business or an educational endeavor. I suggest that you check with the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) to see if they have insight:
Next, check with an attorney. You will need one to set up a business. I would think that the Dept of Edu would be involved only if the school is Pre-K through 12. They would not regulate training schools (as far as I can tell from their website).
Now, I think the correct body is either the Tennessee Higher Education Commission or the Board of Regents:
On this page (http://www.state.tn.us/thec/Divisions/Commission/historyandmission.html) it says "The Commission coordinates two systems of higher education, the University of Tennessee institutions governed by the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, and the state universities, community colleges, technical institutes and technology centers governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents."
On this page (http://www.tbr.state.tn.us/about/default.aspx?id=2190) it says:"...TBR operates three types of institutions:universities, offering four-year and graduate degrees; community colleges, offering two-year degrees and technical certificates; and
technology centers, offering technical certificates."
That sounds more like what you are thinking about! So my suggestion is to check with AHDI, an attorney, the THEC and the TBR to find out what the regulations are regarding setting a training center/school.
