DeMotte, IN
I became interested in the medical transcription field because I love office work, and I wanted to work at home to be here for my kids. I noticed that a local continuing adult education school was offering a course in medical transcription so I thought I'd start there. First, I had to take the medical terminology course just to get in the transcription class. I took that, and I thought it was pretty interesting. Of course, the instructor warned us from the start that it would be very hard getting a job as a transcriptionist, but I went ahead and took the course anyway. I thought the course was interesting, rather challenging, and absolutely frustrating! Those doctors talked so fast on those tapes! But I found that, when it was over, they were right -- I couldn't find a job. The best thing that happened, though, was that the instructor told us how to get the Advance Magazine, which is where I saw the article about ROS, and the rest, as they say, is history.
I looked up the ROS web site, enrolled in the school, and graduated six months later! Then, while participating in the program, I discovered just how fast doctors can really talk! But that is what I like about this field -- it is very challenging, interesting, and never boring! And that is just what I was -- bored -- but not anymore! It had been 12 years since I worked in an office because I wanted to stay at home and raise my kids. It just goes to show you that even at 43 you can still start a new career and work from home, too!
Personally, I've been married 18 years. I have a wonderful husband and three great kids. Tyler, 12, is in 6th grade, and I home school him. Kelly, 11, is in 5th grade, and Dustin, 7, is in 2nd grade. We also have one dog, Rocky. While my kids were small, I did dog grooming at home. It was something I could do here and still make a little extra money. After six years of that, I found that I wanted to do office work again. I wanted to do something where I could use my brain.
We had a family room that we weren't really using, so we turned it into two rooms, a bedroom which is now a pantry, and my office where I have a nice corner unit with my computer and all of my reference books.
Who and/or what inspires me to keep studying? My goal from the very beginning has mainly been I WANT A NEW VAN! Secondly, I want to be completely out of debt and pay our house off in half the time, and thirdly, I want to send my kids to the Christian school in town.
In my spare time (which I don't seem to have much of these days!), my favorite thing to do is gardening. I love to plant flowers, and it seems like I'm always pulling a few weeds. This year, we started a small vegetable garden, too, even though my husband works for a produce company. There is nothing like fresh garden produce and the satisfaction that comes from knowing that you grew it yourself! I also love to read a good book. Rita Mae Brown and Lillian Jackson Braun both have a good series of cat mystery who-dunits. Another favorite is Jan Karon and her Life in Mitford series. So now I'm taking Jennifer's recommendation, and I'm starting Patrician Cornwell's medical mysteries, which look promising also. It's neat to read a book with all those medical words in it, but I find that I am always proofreading their work as I go along!