My struggles and success as an OFW dependent

I have been living away from my mother who is an OFW in Japan since high school. As a Computer Science undergraduate of USEP, I wanted to prove to her that I can achieve some degree of self-reliance even before completing my bachelor's degree.

I first heard of medical transcription during an in-campus orientation. We were told that it would take several months only to complete and that a medical background was not necessary. I had some hesitation being a non-medical undergraduate and with no knowledge of medical terminologies. I had fears of not meeting the standards for becoming a good transcriber.

Still, I went ahead and enrolled relying purely on my computer literacy and determination. I encountered many difficulties while studying. Most of my classmates had allied health backgrounds, many were far older than me and I was having difficulty with medical terms. I realized that I needed to be a quick learner because the pace of the lectures is fast.

I finished the program in 8 months. I was offered a chance to join a local transcription team and have started to earn from the part-time work that's given me. With the OJT exposure I received, aside from medical transcription, I can now do legal and business transcription.

I feel grateful and lucky to be part of the BPO Industry at such a young age. Having proven that Ican earn even without a college degree, I feel more confident now that I am no longer part of the unemployed population of Davao City. My mother in Japan was happy to receive news of my new skill and has promised to extend more support so I can continue to pursue my college degree while working as a part-time transcriber.

Chester Von Ferrer

Undergraduate

OFW Dependent

Independent Contractor

Transcriptionist