Making his MARK: A Visually Impaired Makes Good as a Transcriber

article by: Maan Robin

When was the last time you heard a friend or a colleague say the line “Patience is a virtue” and you just laughed it off? I took this statement lightly as well until I met Mark Homez. Mark is a visually impaired transcriber working for ZipIT Solutions Inc whom I met a few weeks back. Both ZipIT and MTC Academy are housed in same location along E. Quirino Avenue in Davao City. Mark is one individual I have a lot of respect and admiration for. I had the chance of chatting up his mom whose love and dedication for Mark and his dreams is clearly a top agenda for her.

Born with premature eyes, he grew up seeing only blurred images until a bike accident at a young age which caused him to lose his eyesight totally. Despite this tragedy, Mark finished his high school education at the School for the Blind and then went through a course in computer literacy with the aid of a soft ware called Job Access with Speech (JAWS) at the Resources for the Blind Inc.

Joining the mainstream of society who seeks stability, Mark’s condition posed a set of limitations which seemed impossible to hurdle until he met Honey Baula, a life coach who changed his outlook on the many opportunities for the visually impaired. With the information Honey shared, Mark persuaded his parents to allow him to pursue a transcription career. Mark asserts that “since a 4-year college course for me could be difficult, I needed to find alternative learning/education that fits my condition.” Mrs. Homez supported his son’s plan having heard about MTC Academy’s Transcription Training for the Visually Impaired (VI). Mrs. Homez continues by saying, “We agreed to enroll Mark in transcription training and supported him by looking over his needs such as the carpool to provide transport to and from the house and school.” Mrs. Homez also made it a point to meet with MTC’s staff and faculty to ascertain their level of readiness to provide for Marks unique learning requirements.

According to Mr. Joebert Sarong, one of his mentors, “Mark was very aloof in the first few weeks. He was very pessimistic that he would not finish the course.” Gradually, Mark’s outlook changed as he progressed and noticeably became more sociable and positive. Over time, his classmates and mentors discovered a new facet of Mark’s personality emerging - a smart, witty and humorous fellow who certainly could make his classmates laugh. “Mark is very diligent in his training; he would spend time studying his e-books and would top the exams. He really is one of my best students,” added Mr. Sarong.

“I find it unbelievable that my son is now earning his own salary. The amount doesn’t really matter because I could really feel that he is enjoying his work and have gained more self-esteem, confidence and social skills as well”, adds Mrs. Homez.

On August 27, 2010, I was honored to witness Mark’s graduation at MTC Academy. His advice to peers and students –“Patience, patience, patience…” was all that he emphasized. He claims that without it, he wouldn’t be the person that he has become today: Optimistic, confident and facing each day with enthusiasm.

Patience …that one word meant a lot to me – me with all my faculties intact tended to take for granted the gifts I am blessed with. MARK has indeed made his mark by inspiring me to be thankful for what I have and to make full use of these gifts.

Study Tips for the Aspiring MT

The basic foundation of all learning is the development of a study habit. The habit of reading, understanding, researching, and listening is a result process of constancy. The medical transcription course similarly entails such a habit. Since an MT course is primarily the development of skills in listening, research, and typing; the knowledge of medicine makes the backbone for such a skill. Thus, here are some study tips for the aspiring MT:

1. Read and listen. I cannot overemphasize the importance of reading the topic of discussion prior to its lecture. In this way, you are able to prime your brain of what to expect and possibly get the answer to the questions you encountered while reading.
2. Application by usage. There is no better way to memorize anything than to frequently use it. In medical transcription, we are trained to be medical linguist. Therefore, any new knowledge of its language must be used in our day to day activities
3. Compile. The medical science is so vast. With the longest training of 9 months as an MT, one cannot expect to grasp the totality of that field. So whenever you encounter a new word (especially drug names), write it down in your notes. Take note of the pronunciation, spelling, and their usage. Compile all these and who knows, you might come up with a new thesaurus of your own?
4. Practice, practice and practice. Since medical transcription is a skill that we can develop, the only way one becomes good or even the best is to practice… practice typing, practice listening, and practice researching.

Written by: Jeanette Lee-Nicolas MD/Medical Transcriptionist