I worked full-time, went to school part-time and really enjoyed my studies. It was a fascinating program and after almost 2 years of school, I graduated, in May 2003. My job at the time was in telecommunications and while I made good money, I began looking for work as a transcriptionist. As you probably will guess, that was not an easy task. I quickly learned that experience is big and at the same time, most places that I checked into did not have the time to take on a "newbie". I was left with a question that I'm sure we're all familiar with in one way or another: "How can I get experience if no one will give me a chance?" So, with that, I decided to stay where I was, with the company that I had been with since moving to NY--familiar, secure and enjoying a steady paycheck.

As time went on, the desire to work from home grew and knowing we'd be starting a family in the near future fueled that desire even more. However, I realized that I didn't feel confident enough in what I remembered of the coursework I had completed previously and 5 years after graduating from my MT program, I found myself back at square one. I sometimes kick myself for letting so much time go by before recommitting to my goals, but, I am here now and that is what matters. I have been very fortunate to have been able to stay home with my daughter these past two years and I want that to continue.

I can say that it feels different this time, which leads me to believe that maybe I just wasn't ready for a big change a few years ago. I know that I will be more prepared this time to head into the world of medical transcription!

As a new blogger for ADVANCE, I wanted my first entry to be an introduction. My name is Christine Volker and I am a 34-year-old stay-at-home mommy/student to a wonderful little girl, who will be turning 2 next month. I have been married for almost 6 years to a wonderful man, whom I met at Disney World while vacationing with my girlfriend! Talk about finding love when you least expect it!

I am working towards my goal of becoming a home-based medical transcriptionist. I believe that I have chosen the best school to allow me that option and look forward to sharing my experiences with you along the way.

I am new to the world of blogging, and to be honest, I'm both very excited and very nervous! I have always enjoyed writing but it's one thing to write things that only you and your family will see, and quite different to write publicly. Hopefully, I will work out the kinks quickly and deliver a blog that is interesting and fun to read! I welcome any questions and comments. Have a great day!