Importer

I'm trying to import some lists of surgical terms that are in a pdf file I keep on my desktop in a surgical folder. So I get to importer and click onto the "text" button and it allows me to browse but when I open my surgical folder it tells me the folder is empty, yet I can see the files inside the folder when I'm not browsing to select the file while in the importer window...??? I really hope I do not have to manually type all those terms.... How can I import a pdf file word list?
Thanks