Research Writer Interview With Irma

My name is Irma. I am a freelance writer, blogger, healthcare professional, and mother. Those are very basic facts about me and don't really scratch the surface of who I am or represent the type of writer/worker I strive to be.

Currently, I work as a histotechnician at a local dermatology office. A histotechnician is a laboratory worker who specializes in handling tissue samples and preparing them as slides to be read by pathologists. We gross the tissue, which means it is accessed and cut to show the margins needed by the pathologists. The samples are then processed and embedded in paraffin wax. At this point, we cut the tissue on microtomes and place the sections on slides, which are then stained to show the cells accurately under a microscope. I've worked as a histotech for almost seven years and I still explain my job to people on a weekly basis. It's a very small niche in the medical community. I find it fascinating to see what happens inside the cells when they become damaged by cancer or other diseases.

Freelancing is something I stumbled across while looking for a way to increase my income while still retaining my day job. I now have a website and a blog directed toward female medical professionals. I enjoy creating blog posts that will help women working in the medical field. At this point, 80% of healthcare workers are women, and I felt like a blog was needed to address the issues that concern female medical pros. Writing has always come easily to me and I enjoy the process of putting together articles or blog posts more every time I create another piece. I'm now looking to write whatever I can get my hands on and am hoping to branch into ghostwriting books in the near future.

I have a Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Management, which I received in 2016 from Tennessee Wesleyan University. I had a full scholarship there and worked as a tutor/proofreader on the side. Graduating has been one of my biggest accomplishments thus far, as I have twin 7-year-old daughters and a full-time job. I also have minors in history and biology and was accepted into the honors writing club at the school.

My interests at the present are fairly light. I'm busy raising my children, working, and trying to begin a freelance career. My husband passed away in March of this year and work has been an excellent distraction. The more the better at this point!

I do love to read, which makes sense for a writer I suppose. I also have two dogs and live in the country, so I really enjoy being outside with them.

What makes me an excellent research writer? I was highly trained in research in the program I graduated from last year. Management personnel is expected to be experts on a variety of topics and be able to explain and teach those topics to others. Laws and job expectations can change on a whim and as a manager, one must be able to learn and adapt quickly and efficiently. These techniques were taught to me and I utilize them when researching for a client. I also love to learn about new things, so research is interesting for me.

As a writer, I need new challenges and feel that obtaining consistent work from this company will help me achieve that end. Increasing my income is also important and I will work hard to meet deadlines and do exceptional work.