Cynthia “Cindy” Gellinger: Medical Transcriptionist, Soon an LMT

(This is one of the “career change” students referred to in a 8/14/12 blog.)

Cindy’s Story

You asked me how I came to OSM and what my goals are when I’m finished. I have been a medical transcriptionist for 35 years, and intended to stay in that field until I retired, because I love it so much. However, with the advent of voice-recognition software, my career has taken a huge hit.

Three years ago the hospital system that I work for began laying off medical transcriptionists because there just wasn’t enough work anymore. We have had about 4 rounds of layoffs now, and have gone from 100 transcriptionists down to 15. I am one of the remaining 15. At the time the layoffs began, I started to brainstorm about what I could do next, because I wasn’t ready to retire.

I was at the Oregon Coast with a couple of friends, and there was a street fair where a couple of LMTs had set up their massage chairs. My friend talked me into getting a massage, and while the LMT was working on me, I took it all in–what she was doing to me, how great it felt–and I thought to myself, “This seems like it would be pretty easy to do!”

Once off the chair, I engaged her in conversation to find out more about her schooling. She said she graduated from Oregon School of Massage, and she really liked it. I came home and checked it out on the website, and scheduled myself to go to an informational meeting. As I listened to Alan Wells talk about the school, it really resonated with me, and I could visualize myself a student at OSM.

I began school 18 months ago, starting out with just one class (Anatomy & Physiology I), just to test the waters and see how I was going to do, having not been in school for over 25 years! The next term I got braver, and took 3 classes. I met some awesome classmates and teachers, and really enjoyed all that I was learning. Last summer I took a weekend class in Massage for People with Cancer. Up until that time, I really had no direction, other than pursuing graduation requirements, but it was such a fantastic class, and from that time on my focus has been directed toward oncology massage. In fact, I have signed up to take a more intensive course up at OHSU in December.

Being a student at OSM has been one of the most fun things I have ever done. It has been extremely challenging, especially with having to work full time simultaneously. I have learned so much more about massage than I ever imagined existed. Best of all, I have made some great friends! When I think back to that day at the coast when I thought massage therapy seemed like an easy thing to do, I have to laugh. It has been anything but easy, but so very rewarding. I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity return to school and train for this awesome new career.

Cindy Gellinger