MTIAPI stages its 1st MT Skills Challenge

The Medical Transcription Industry Association of the Philippines, Inc. (MTIAPI) has successfully staged its first ever MT Skills Challenge last December 2008. The competition was divided into two parts, the On-the-Spot Essay Writing Contest and the Transcription Skills Challenge. Over sixty students from sixteen different colleges and universities all over Metro Manila showed off their skills to win the exciting prizes and give pride to their respective schools.

The participating schools are: Arellano University; Asia Pacific College; Centro Escolar University – Makati; Centro Escolar University – Manila; Colegio De San Juan De Letran; De La Salle University –Lipa; FEATI University; J.P. Sioson Colleges, Inc.; Jose Rizal University; National College of Business and Arts –Cubao; Pamantasan Ng Lungsod Ng Maynila; Technological University of the Philippines – Taguig; Tomas Claudio Memorial College; Universidad de Manila; University of Santo Tomas and the University of the Philippines.

Participants were initially screened last November 25, 2008 at the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) at Diliman, Quezon City. Thirty six essay writing participants worked on the general topic: Medical Transcription – An Alternative Global Career Suited to Filipino Professionals. On the other hand, twenty eight participants of the transcription skills challenge worked their way to be on the top ten during the elimination round.

The awarding of winners for the essay writing contest and the final face-off of the Transcription Skills Challenge finalists were held during the 2nd day of the BPO Summit Philippines at Crowne Plaza Galleria in Pasig City. The final round was held at the Plenary Hall and was witnessed by the attendees of the MT tracks conference giving the audience a chance to see first-hand the complex but exciting work of a medical transcriptionist.

The following were the winners of the On-the-Spot Essay Writing Contest:

First Prize: EMIL KARLO DELA CRUZ of University of Santo Tomas; Second Prize: KATHERINE DENISE QUERI of the University of the Philippines and the Third Prize: MIRIAM JOY TUMAMAK of Jose Rizal University.

The finalists in the Transcription Skills Challenge were : Miriam Joy Tumamak of Jose Rizal University; Crisan Salagado of SPi; Myrna Suarez of DLSU Lipa; Charmaine Roque of JP Sioson Colleges; Corene Joi Generoso of CEU; Simonette Paragas of SPi; Andrew Agaton of UST; Romnick Dolores of Tomas Claudio Colleges; Maricor Villaluz of CEU and Dave Edward Jandusay of FEATI. Among them, the top three who emerged as winners were:

First Prize: SIMONETTE PRAGAS of SPi MT Training Center; Second Prize: MIRIAM JOY TUMAMAK of Jose Rizal University and the Third Prize: CORENE JOI GEROSO of the Centro Escolar University – Manila.

The competition aimed to promote among the schools, particularly the students the occupation of medical transcription as a viable career suited to Filipino graduates. As the competition gained much support from enthusiastic students, academic institutions and MTIAPI member companies, there is a big chance that the event will be staged again this year on a much larger scale.