Child & Adolescent Mental Health: the Right Career at the Right Time

Posted by admin | Posted on 03-10-2011

Category : Region III

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Child & Adolescent Mental Health: the Right Career at the Right Time

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an estimated two-thirds of the young people who need mental health services aren’t getting them. The time is now for a career in child and adolescent mental health.

Mental Health Career Profile
Establish and maintain interpersonal relationships, discover private, and very often hidden, information, and then use that information to potentially save someone’s life. If you believe a meaningful career is about more than just a paycheck, mental health could your profession. With a growing population and the identification of new disorders, the field is ripe for growth and discovery.

Child and adolescent mental health services typically focus on a variety of mental, emotional, and substance abuse issues kids experience daily. This may mean working with patients as individuals or in group settings in order to find answers to developmental difficulties. Working environments may include hospitals, clinics, schools, as well as mental health facilities.

A Career at the Competitive Edge
Why mental services? In a word, diversity. One of the primary benefits of a career in this profession is that you’re typically not restricted to a predictable track. There are multi-level tiers that cater to a variety of interests and education levels. Many of the niches overlap, which can allow you to explore your preferences. A few of your options include:

• psychiatry occupational therapy
• clinical psychology
• psychiatric nursing
• social services
• psychotherapy
• language development

Flexibility is another key benefit. A surprising percentage of mental health professionals are self-employed, working within their own established practice or as a freelance consultant. Because mental health is such an in-demand profession, graduates may find that they can create their own schedules, deciding when and how much to work based on their own professional and personal obligations.

Mental Health in the Numbers
When most people think of mental health, the psychologist usually comes immediately to mind. And it can be a good place to start when looking at the growth potential in the field of child and adolescent mental health. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that psychologists alone held 166,000 positions in 2006. And employment of psychologists projected to increase by 15 percent through 2016–that’s faster than the national average. Also, psychologists working in elementary and secondary schools enjoyed one of the higher annual mean salary levels at ,040.

To Follow This Career Path
While all professionals in the mental health field typically possess a bachelor’s degree in a pertinent subject, students wishing to be competitive for the top jobs should pursue a specialist’s or doctoral degree in psychiatry, psychology, or counseling. For example, if you have your sights set on serving in an educational setting, a specialist (EdS) degree in school psychology traditionally requires 3 years of full-time graduate study plus a 1-year full-time internship.

The requirements for potential psychologists are usually more stringent. Geri Fox, Director of Psychiatry Undergraduate Medical Education with the University of Illinois at Chicago, encourages board certification by completing two years of child and adolescent psychiatry training in addition to earning board certification in general psychiatry.

Kelli Smith is the senior editor for www.Edu411.org. Edu411.org lists colleges and career institutes that offer training and programs in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Schools listed offer free information packages or academic consultation.


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How to Choose the Right University for International Students

Posted by admin | Posted on 09-03-2011

Category : Region IV

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How to Choose the Right University for International Students

Even for those attending or planning to attend a university within their native country, choosing which university to go to can be a difficult and stressful situation. There are many different universities, each with their own specialty in certain areas of education, and each with their respective advantages and disadvantages. This already difficult choice increases exponentially if you’re planning on attending a university that is outside of your country. This is because, as a international student, you are less familiar with the education system of your potential host country, as well as with the governmental workings and immigration processes that you’ll have to go through to get there.

There are a few key things to keep in mind when selecting a university to attend –

First, how much is the tuition cost for international students? Sadly, cost is the primary factor between which universities you can and cannot attend. For an international student, the cost to study at an American University is often the number one consideration. Universities in larger cities tend to cost more, meaning that choosing a university in a smaller town could save you thousands of dollars. Though large cities may be appealing, don’t be fooled – the education offered there is rarely, if ever, superior to an education at a smaller university or in a smaller city.

Second, you need to be sure that the university has adequate services available for incoming international students. Moving to an entirely new country and culture takes a lot of adjusting, and you’ll want to be one hundred percent sure that you’ll have someone there for you to answer any and all questions you may have. You’ll also want to ensure that the people who work for the international student services at these universities are well versed in matters such as immigration policies and cultural differences. This will ensure that your stay goes as smoothly as possible and that you’ll feel at home wherever you go.

Finally, it’s always best to find a university that has a decent number of international students. Not only would being one of few international students make you feel isolated, but it’s important to attend a university that is experienced in dealing with students from other countries. Attending a university that has a number of other international students guarantees that you’ll have someone there who will understand your problems completely and will know how to best address them.

Dennis Dunham, PhD is the Executive Director of International Services at the University of Central Oklahoma. He is credited with helping over 16,000 international students come to the United States. Dr. Dunham has received many awards in the field of international education. Dr. Dunham holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Technology and Masters of TESOL. Dr. Dunham, a former Peace Corps Volunteer, speaks Korean and French. Visit the UCO International Office to learn more about studying abroad in the USA at http://www.uco.edu/ioffice.


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Ipod Helping you Hear Right

Posted by admin | Posted on 11-02-2011

Category : Region II

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Ipod Helping you Hear Right

There are plenty of rumors going around right now that electronic gadgets like your mobile phone and your trusty iPod actually could leave you deaf because the sound waves and the high volume that reaches your ear damages the nerves that allows you to hear well.

However, it does look like things are looking up and such heresay may actually not be true. You see, scientists and experts in the medical field are working out ways so as to help out people have better hearing even when their ears are already quite damaged. These experts are developing some kind of technology wherein stem cells and electrical pulses from your iPod could help heal the damaged nerves.

Of course, this is going to be good news. And when you have thought that you would have to set aside your iPod Shuffle along with your iPod Shuffle accessories for something that would have a lesser effect on your ears, the times have changed. And it looks like your “enemy” would then become your bestfriend.

So how would this go about? The American Association for the Advancement of Science held a conference and one of the things that were discussed were the inception of a new kind of technology that would assist people with hearing problems. They have been discussing combining two processes to help heal those hearing wounds. There would be stem cell transplants done first so as to give new life to those ailing ear parts. However, after that, technology would then be used so as to recharge those new cells. The patients would then be using an amplifier in the ear and this is where your mobile electric gadgets come in.

On this, Richard Schmiedt, a professor of otolaryngology at the Medical University of South Carolina, has got something important to share for he does believe in such a kind of medicine to the ailing ears. He did mention, “We have a good chance of getting normal hearing back in normal ears.” And that is certainly good enough for most having problems with their hearing.

These experts do believe that when stem cells are put in the ears and replacing the damaged hair cells, people can actually regain their hearing back. However, such a kind of technique need to be backed up by a shock of electricity from our gadgets so as to restore the hearing capacity of the patient. Of course, there had been research and studies done so as to check if such claims are valid and true. In fact, Stefan Heller, a professor at Stanford University, did say that he did some studies in mice and within five years, results have been developed and progressed that the technique was a success.

On the other hand, people are trying to find out if this would be successful for human use. After all, mice are mice and people may not react the way the mice have done with the experiment. On this, Heller does explain, “What we do with the battery-jumping is actually put the current right next to the inner hair cells and outer hair cells. It’s very invasive and dangerous to the other hair cells.” He also did continue that the process of putting in the new cells can be quite dangerous and be crucial to the whole deal.

Giovanni Woods is a geeky entrepreneur who cannot work without his music buddy – the iPod Mini. He collects the latest iPod accessories in the market through TopZone. He also loves to travel around Asia.


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The Importance of Choosing the Right Neighborhood

Posted by admin | Posted on 16-12-2010

Category : Pharmacy Students

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The Importance of Choosing the Right Neighborhood

When looking to buy a home one of the first and most important considerations is the neighborhood. The location of the property is vital since it would offer security and safety, education for the children, shopping, public bus lines, restaurants, and so on. The bottom line is this – if the home you buy is in the right neighborhood, a location you love, your life, and the enjoyment you get from being in your new home are going to be incredible.

You could choose a large, expensive home that equates to the ultimate dream house but if it sits in a bad neighborhood, one in disrepair and with a high crime rate, then you would never appreciate or enjoy your home and the time you spend there. In addition, the value of your property will be based on a number of factors, one being location. This means the higher quality property you buy in the right neighborhood, the more opportunity for getting a lot from the investment.

Following are some helpful tips that will show you how to choose the right neighborhood.

* Spend time in the car driving through neighborhoods you find appealing. We recommend you start in areas near your existing home, or areas that offer the types of services and amenities you are most interested in finding such as schools, libraries, grocery stores, etc. You should also drive through neighborhoods that are within close proximity to your family and friends. Take a pad of paper and pen with you, taking note of subdivisions or even houses you like. * As you drive or walk around, any homes that have a box with fliers, take one. This should be for homes you might be interested in but all homes, which would give you the opportunity to compare style, square footage, amenities, etc. The fliers also provide names and contact information for realtors so if you have questions or any of the homes caught your eye, you would know the person to contact.

* After finding one or more areas of interest, you can then use the power of the internet to look at listings in that those specific subdivisions or neighborhoods. For this, you can look at any number of real estate websites or log onto company sites taken directly from the fliers. Once online, you will be privy to much more information about the area, but also specific homes.

* Keep in mind, after narrowing down your choices to one or two neighborhoods, you want to drive back through during different times of the day and night. If you drive through in the mid-afternoon, you would get a much better feel for the number of children in the neighborhood or in the early evening hours, if speeders going up and down the street were a problem.

* Next, if you have school-aged children, you want to identify the different schools in the area. This could be done by driving around, asking a local store, or getting in touch with the city’s Board of Education. In addition to finding schools, you should also determine the average SAT score of children graduating from the high school, teacher to student ratio, percentage of students that actually graduated, percentage of students that moved on to college, etc. With the information, you would be able to determine if schools in the neighborhoods you like are a good fit.

* You can also visit with people living in the neighborhoods you like, hearing real input about positive and negative aspects of each area. You could learn about crime, property taxes, nearest fire and police station, and much more.

* Your commute to and from work will also be a consideration in the neighborhood you finally choose. If the area is everything you want and more, then you might be willing to drive further but only you can make this decision. Along with the commute, be sure to look for services you find most important, again grocery stores, pharmacies, playgrounds, hospital, and so on.

As you can see, numerous factors must be considered when trying to find the right neighborhood. While this might take some time and effort, knowing your priorities and then looking for the area that matches will provide you with a peaceful and enjoyable place to live.

Oliver Darraugh is a real estate specialist with one of the many sell rent back companies online.


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Tips how to Choose the Right Dentist in Chelsea

Posted by admin | Posted on 20-10-2010

Category : Other Students

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Tips how to Choose the Right Dentist in Chelsea

The best gift you can probably give to your loved one is a healthy you. In order to achieve this, we all know that it entails more than just the will to stay healthy.  The current state of our body is a reflection of what we do.  Thus, eating a healthy diet and following an appropriate exercise routine are all part of the health regimen. What most people neglect is the fact that oral health is a vital part of an optimum health. Taking care of the teeth and gums requires a good and reliable dentist. In this article, let us explore the ways in which you can get for yourself a competitive dentist that you will be seeing, hopefully, for your entire life.

•    The first thing that you have to consider is yourself. Ask yourself what is the problem since your dentist will ask you this anyway.  Perform a self-assessment and know what is wrong with your teeth. Do you need cleaning? Is there a tooth that needs to be pulled out? Do you need false teeth? Once you know what must be done, you can now look for a dentist that specializes in your case. In that way you are assured that you will get the best service from an expert.

•    Next thing that you have to assess is the attitude of the dentist towards you. A friendly and approachable dentist will work wonders on your state of mind. Choose a dentist whom you are comfortable with since you two will be spending a great deal of time together. If possible, inquire about his or her educational background and the number of years that she is in practice. Look at the ‘before and after’ pictures to have a peek on the kind of work that the dentist has done. If you know someone who has been her previous client, ask them on their views about the dentist’s services.

•    Then take a look at the clinic and see if it has the latest technology that is widely used in the field of dentistry. The machines do not need to be the latest ones but they have to be updated and in good working condition. You can also ask them the tools that they use whenever they perform a certain procedure. Check if the clinic is clean and sanitized. Any sign of clutter or dirty corner signifies that the place that you are in is not cleaned regularly.

•    Assess the dentist’s clinic if it has the right number of staff and personnel. If there is a nurse and a dental hygienist, then the clinic can be a good one. The dental hygienist may also be the dentist herself but if she is all alone, then maybe the clinic is not as good as the others are.

•    Once you get to talk to the dentist, ask how she deals with her patients. Ask her the approaches that she uses to address the fear that most patients feel when they are inside the dentist’s clinic. Ask her about the procedure that she thinks she is best at. If you have any concerns, feel free to ask her too.

•    The last consideration that you have to think about is the cost of the services. Before you visit the clinic, do your own research and ask around about the current prices of some dental procedures. If your prospective dentist asks for a steep price, ask her why is that so and be sure that when you undergo the procedure, she uses the right and updated kind of equipment. In this way, you are guaranteed that you get your money’s worth.

Choosing a dentist to take care of you may be a trivial pursuit. With the help of the tips, you may be able to find the perfect dentist that will work with you in order for you to achieve the perfect smile that you are longing for.

Offical Web: Best Dentist in Chelsea

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How to Find the Right Dentist

Posted by admin | Posted on 10-10-2010

Category : Other Students

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How to Find the Right Dentist

Going to the dentist at least twice a year is essential to having strong and healthy teeth.  However, this simple chore is somewhat elusive to many people, simply because they don’t like or enjoy going to the dentist.  However, most people don’t like going to the dentist only because they probably haven’t found the right dentist for them.  They haven’t found the dentist that makes them feel comfortable before and after any procedure.  They haven’t found the dentist that explains everything in a clear and precise manner so no surprises come up.  Having the right dentist for you is necessary in order to have a pleasant experience during a dental visit.

Finding the right dentist for you, one that fits all of your needs such as availability, right personality, and proper skill set, can be challenging if you don’t know where to start or if you don’t have the right tools.  For someone who has never had to choose a dentist, the task can even be a bit overwhelming.  However, there are some basic simple steps that you can take in order to find the right dentist for you.

First, you should rely on your circle of trust and ask the people closest to you.  This includes trusted family members, trusted friends, and trusted co-workers.  This may seem like common sense, but those people can most likely recommend a dentist with whom you would get along.  You can also ask your doctor to recommend a dentist, as many times doctors and dentists have referral programs with each other.

Second, for residents here in New Jersey, you should contact the NJ Dental Association and ask for a referral.  For any other state, you should contact the local state dental association.

Third, again for New Jersey residents, you should call the UMDNJ dental school clinic and ask for a referral.  For any other state, you could call any local dental school clinic.

Fourth, you should consult the American Dental Association’s member directory.  An ADA approved dentist is definitely one that you should keep in mind and consider as one of your options.

Finally, if you are  movig to a new area, you should ask your current dentist for a referral.

After you’ve gathered a couple of dentists to choose from, you should also keep in mind some points and questions to ask yourself in order to better evaluate whether or not the dentist is a right fit for you.

First, you need to determine how accessible the dentist is.  Is his or her office near your home or job?  Is it easy to get the appointment times that you need?

Second, make sure the office is clean and well kept.  The dentist should wear gloves, a mask, and a gown.  You should also ask him or her about instrument sterilization procedures.

Third, make sure that the dentist has a pleasant and respectful relationship with his staff.  A good dentist will have a good relationship with his or her staff in order to keep things running smoothly.

Fourth, consult with the dentist about your dental history.  Make a decision as to whether or not you like the way he or she explains preventative measures and treatments.  Do you feel comfortable sharing your concerns with the dentist?  Are the dentist’s explanations clear?

Fifth, ask about fees, payment, and insurance plans.  You should definitely discuss these before agreeing to any kind of treatment.

Sixth, ask the dentist if he or she provides a way for you to receive emergency, after-hours care in case of a dental emergency.

Lastly, ask how long the dentist has been practicing and what sorts of continuing education he or she has pursued in order to keep up with new developments in the field.

Using these basic steps, you can generate a list of many dentists to choose from in your area.  Keeping in mind the latter points and questions can help you easily narrow down that list so you can find the perfect dentist for you.  You can use these tips to find the right dentist that will fit your needs so you can have strong and healthy teeth for a long time.

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Universal Healthcare And Death Panels – Sarah Palin Was Right

Posted by admin | Posted on 29-09-2010

Category : Region I

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Universal Healthcare And Death Panels – Sarah Palin Was Right

Sarah Palin was roundly criticized, laughed at, and excoriated by supporters of Obama when she said that the universal health care plan would lead to death panels. The characterization of the term ‘death panels’ was quickly associated with people wearing tin foil hats. It is ironic that a group of people who believe the twin towers were brought down by inside conspiracies and that a plane never crashed into the Pentagon, could call other people ‘tin foil hat wearers’.

When liberals are afraid of a person or of a particular point, they attack it with a vengeance. It’s much like the story ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ by Hans Christian Andersen. The Emperor is told that his clothes will be invisible only to the incompetent and the stupid. He doesn’t want to seem incompetent so, of course he says that he sees the clothes, as does everyone else until a child says “He hasn’t got any clothes on!”

The moment the term ‘Death Panels’ is labeled as a lunatic term; everyone is supposed to be afraid to explore the logic behind the term. It is a strategy often used by liberals. We see the proof that there are, in fact, ‘Death Panels’ but we are supposed to be afraid to say it for fear of being labeled incompetent or stupid – but if you see the emperor wearing a pair of stripped boxer shorts, it’s stupid to pretend that he’s wearing a three piece suit.

When this health care debate started, the first instinct was to look at other countries which have tried universal health care. What we saw was frightening – long waits for MRIs, horrific survival rates for cancer, waits for hip surgeries and on and on. It is so bad in England that there is a waiting list just to get on the waiting list! There are 40,000 people in the UK who have been waiting over a year for surgeries. There are shortages of critical supplies, drugs and medical equipment. According to the Burton Report, it is so bad in some countries that there is a black market in health care. In Japan life saving devices such as defibrillators are rarely available.

Socialized medicine has ruined the medical profession in any country where it has been tried. It’s basic economics. Increase the demand for a product and decrease the incentive to supply that demand and you create a shortage. Not only is there a shortage in medical care, there is little to zero medical innovation and advancement. There is no money to invest in research and no incentive to even try. There is a reason why most new medical innovations come out of the United States – it is called the free market.

People who support the Obama-Pelosi-Reid Health care plan say that their plan is different. They say their plan will give people a choice; that people will be able to keep their current plan and won’t be forced into anything they don’t want. Their own words, however, prove that this is not the case.

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, who is now an economics adviser for Barack Obama, said the following at a speech in 2007 at UC Berkeley. The premise of Reich’s comments is that this is what a presidential candidate would say if he were honest about healthcare:

“what I’m going to do is that I am going try to reorganize it (healthcare) to be more amenable to treating sick people but that means you, particularly you young people, particularly you young healthy people…you’re going to have to pay more. And by the way, we’re going to have to, if you’re very old, we’re not going to give you all that technology and all those drugs for the last couple of years of your life to keep you maybe going for another couple of months. It’s too expensive…so we’re going to let you die. Also I’m going to use the bargaining leverage of the federal government in terms of Medicare, Medicaid…to force drug companies and insurance companies and medical suppliers to reduce their costs. What that means, less innovation and that means less new products and less new drugs on the market which means you are probably not going to live much longer than your parents.”

Tom Daschle was Barack Obama’s first choice to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services. In Dashchle’s 2008 book, ‘Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis’, he laid out some of his ideas on healthcare: Doctors will have to “learn to operate less like solo practitioners” and be willing to accept mandatory government controls and guidelines. Daschle advocates the creation a brand new bureaucracy called the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology. This new government organization will monitor all medical treatments to make sure that your doctor is prescribing the exact drugs and medical treatments that the federal government believes are “appropriate” and “cost effective”. This would slow the development and use of new medications and treatments because they are driving up medical costs. According to Betsy McCaughey, Daschle praises Europeans for being more willing to accept “hopeless diagnoses” and “forgo experimental treatments,” and he chastises Americans for expecting too much from the health-care system. “The Federal Council is modeled after a U.K. board discussed in Daschle’s book. This board approves or rejects treatments using a formula that divides the cost of the treatment by the number of years the patient is likely to benefit. Treatments for younger patients are more often approved than treatments for diseases that affect the elderly, such as osteoporosis.”

Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel is a special advisor to the President on health care. He believes people between the age of 15 and 40 should be given preferential treatment. Some quotes from Emanuel: “Suppose a 25-year-old and a 65-year-old have a life threatening disease. Since the 25-year-old has many more potential years of life ahead of him, he should receive preferential treatment.” “The complete lives system discriminates against older people…. Unlike allocation by sex or race, allocation by age is not invidious discrimination; every person lives through different life stages rather than being a single age. Even if 25-year-olds receive priority over 65-year-olds, everyone who is 65 years now was previously 25 years.” “Health services should not be guaranteed to individuals who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens. An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia.”

Barack Obama said: “So that’s where I think you just get into some very difficult moral issues. But that’s also a huge driver of cost, right? I mean, the chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives are accounting for potentially 80 percent of the total health care bill out here…I think that there is going to have to be a conversation that is guided by doctors, scientists, ethicists…It is very difficult to imagine the country making those decisions through normal political channels. And that’s part of why you have to have some independent group that can give you guidance.”

What is this independent group of Obama’s to be called? A death panel by any other name is still a death panel.

People may argue that the quotes listed above are taken out of context. An example of something truly taken out of context, ironically also involving Sarah Palin, is when Drew Griffin from CNN said to Palin, “some conservatives have been pretty hard on you… “The National Review” had a story saying that, you know, I can’t tell if Sarah Palin is incompetent, stupid, unqualified, corrupt, or all of the above? In actuality, the National Review article by Byron York said “Watching press coverage of the Republican candidate for vice president, it’s sometimes hard to decide whether Sarah Palin is incompetent, stupid, unqualified, corrupt, backward or, well, all of the above.” The words “Watching press coverage” completely change the meaning. There is nothing, in any of the quotes listed above, that can change the context of the meaning or the intent of what is said in the way that those three words “Watching press coverage” do.

The Health care proposals that are being shoved down the throats of the American people do, in fact, have death panels. It would be obvious if all we had to go on were the many examples of how socialized healthcare works in different countries around the world. In fact, we have so much more proof than that as stated in the very words of the very people who are shoving this immoral debacle down our throats. Who the hell do these people think they are? If I work and save my own money I won’t have the right to use my OWN money on the care of my elderly parents? It won’t be available? This is their moral plan? This plan is pure evil and it is a moral obligation to stop it.

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Air Pollution – Do You Think It’s Killing You Right Now?

Posted by admin | Posted on 13-08-2010

Category : Region V

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Air Pollution – Do You Think It’s Killing You Right Now?

What we experienced at the Beijing Olympics, regarding air pollution should be a reminder to all of  us to pay more attention to to what pollutants we are exposed to.  Respiratory problems caused by air pollution is really not the major concern. We should also be concerned about its toxic effects on the heart and cardiovascular system, especially our blood vessels.  Mounting research shows that toxins are a major cause of heart damage.

 According to an article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), air pollution has both short- and long-term toxic effects that injure the heart and blood vessels, increase rates of hospitalization for cardiac illness, and can even cause death.

 ”We used to think air pollution was a problem that primarily affects the respritory system. We now know it is also bad for the heart,” said Robert A. Kloner, M.D., Ph.D., director of research at the Heart Institute of the Good Samaritan Hospital, and a professor of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, both in Los Angeles.

 When pollutants are inhaled, they trigger an increase in “reactive oxygen species”-superoxiding molecules that damage cells, cause inflammation in the lungs, and spark the cascade of harmful effects in the heart and cardiovascular system, especially the arteries and blood vessels.

Recent research suggests that ultrafine air pollutants, such as those coming from car exhaust, may pass into the blood stream and damage the heart and blood vessels directly. Hearts directly exposed to ultrafine air pollutants show an immediate decrease in both coronary blood flow and the heart’s pumping function, as well as a tendency to develop arrhythmias, according to studies conducted at the Heart Institute.

“There doesn’t have to be an environmental catastrophe for air pollution to cause injury,” said Boris Z. Simkhovich, M.D., Ph.D, a senior research associate at the Heart Institute of the Good Samaritan Hospital, and an assistant professor of research medicine at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. “We’re talking about very modest increases. Air pollution can be dangerous at levels that are within the accepted air quality standards.”

 Studies in both humans and animals have shown that exposure to air pollution can affect heart rate, blood pressure, blood vessel function, blood clotting, and heart rate variability (a factor in developing heart rhythm disturbances), and speed the progression of atherosclerosis.

Researchers who study large populations of people over time have found that increased levels of air pollution are linked to emergency hospital admissions for heart attack, chest pain, and congestive heart failure and even to death from heart disease, arrhythmias, heart failure and cardiac arrest.

 The elderly and patients who have already been diagnosed with heart disease or diabetes (which damages the blood vessels) are particularly vulnerable to the cardiovascular effects of air pollution.

“Patients with cardiovascular disease shouldn’t exercise outside on days with increased air pollution levels. On very polluted days, they should consider staying inside, and during the winter, they should limit exposure to fireplace smoke,” Dr. Kloner said. “Of course, the real solution is to reduce air pollution.”

Alfred Bove, M.D., Ph.D., agreed. “The review by Dr. Simkhovich and his fellow authors make it quite clear that air pollution is linked to cardiovascular disease and blood vessel damage.,” said Dr. Bove, ACC’s president-elect and cardiology section chief at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. “They suggest that this is another compelling reason to campaign for improved air quality, while at the same time studying therapies to minimize the risk of exposures

 You know it is paramount that we provide the nutrients our bodies need, because our bodies were designed to heal themselves. It has been documented that heavy metals and other toxins cause the energy system in our bodies to be short circuited and that causes our immune system to not work correctly which in turn allows diseases to become cronic.  Proper nutrician is the only safe way to combat most degenerative diseases promote healthy blood vessels and reduce the toxic effects of air pollution..

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Choosing The Right University Course After Hsc

Posted by admin | Posted on 18-06-2010

Category : Pharmacy Students

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Choosing The Right University Course After Hsc

Choosing the right university course for yourself is very important as it will most likely determine what you will be doing for your working life. We’ve had past students who graduate and go onto doing:

•    Commerce

•    Law

•    Engineering

•    Medicine

•    Science

•    Arts

or combined degrees (combinations) of the above.

We will talk briefly about what career paths each degree tends to lead to, and our recommendations for each degree.

What course should I choose?

Unlike choosing HSC subjects, there is no scaling implications or anything to do with special ‘rules’. University is purely about yourself – choose the course or courses that interest you. For example, if in the HSC, you did very well for economics and tend to enjoy the subject, choose Commerce or Economics at university. If you really enjoyed chemistry or biology, aim for medicine, medical science, pharmacy, optometry, physiotherapy or veterinary science. There are many possibilities, each with different goals in mind.

We don’t have any specific recommendation of which degree you choose, except that you should definitely choose the course you’re genuinely interested in. Whether you want to earn a high salary or contribute to your field, you will do well if you choose something you’re good at. There’s no point in choosing Commerce/Law or other highly demanded courses, just because your UAI was 99+ but you have no interest in commerce and/or law. Students who do this tend to regret their choices after a year or two, whereas students who choose degrees based on their interests are generally more fulfilled and do better in their degree and future career. There’s no substitute for the motivation and natural aptitude you will get from doing something you like, and no matter what you do, if you do it well, you will get what you want (whether it’s a high salary, recognition, contribution to your field etc).

Some common degrees

•    Commerce

Commerce is one of the most common courses students choose. It is a good choice, and possibly has the greatest number of career options. The most common commerce majors at the reputable universities are: accounting, finance, actuary studies (UNSW) and marketing. There are also other, less common majors.

Commerce is the degree to choose if you want to be an accountant, or get into finance (work in a bank) or marketing (work in advertising). The pay for these types of jobs are great and there’s an endless variety of jobs to suit all tastes and interests.

Generally speaking, UNSW has the most reputable business school in NSW, so if you’re aiming to get into this course, we recommend UNSW as one of the better universities that offer this degree. USYD, Macquarie Uni and UTS are also universities that offer reputable commerce courses.

UAIs required for commerce range from 94-96 for UNSW and USYD, and lower for the other universities. As with all references to required UAIs, check the UAC published UAI cutoffs each year at the UAC website, as they vary a little year to year depending on demand and supply.

•    Actuarial studies

Actuarial Studies is ideal for those who are good at maths and want to apply this to university study and their future career. Actuaries are people who work at big insurance companies, who use complex mathematical methods to calculate insurance premiums.

A common misconception people have of this course is that they will become actuaries at the end of their degree. This is most often untrue, as actuarial jobs are in low supply, and most graduates end up working in finance, in the field of financial engineering designing new financial products etc. This can be quite a lucrative field, especially if part of a quantitative team in an investment bank.

For actuary, traditionally Macquarie University’s actuarial degree is the most highly regarded. However UNSW’s actuarial degree is also quite popular, and UNSW being a generally more reputable university (especially internationally), we recommend doing actuary as part of the commerce degree at UNSW.

The UAI required for this is 95+ for UNSW’s commerce degree, or slightly higher for Macquarie University’s degree.

Law Law leads onto very lucrative careers. Law graduates tend to make the most money out of all degrees in the long run (yes, even medicine makes less!) Students who want to make lots of money in their future careers are advised to aim for Law, even if they won’t want to eventually be a lawyer. The reason is because employers of large commercial companies (banks, investment banks, investment firms, accounting firms, trading companies etc) tend to seek out the Law graduates to fill their higher paying graduate positions. Law graduates tend to be high quality, intelligent, social, well-spoken and dynamic people, and employers know this.

Although the skills you pick up in law are largely irrelevant (unless you be a lawyer), employers tend to use the fact that you did law to know that you are smart enough to do law. It’s like going to the fruit market and picking apples from the premium bin, because you know that all apples you pick will be high quality apples. For this same reason, sometimes people who do medicine end up being hired by investment banks and management consulting firms (very high-paying jobs), simply because those employers know all students who do law or medicine tend to be very smart and capable.

Therefore we recommend if you get a 99+ UAI and want to do commerce, you may as well combine it with law. It will be a great step forward for your future career.

Law at USYD and UNSW are the same in terms of reputation (they are the best), followed by law at UTS, then Macquarie, then elsewhere. To get into law at UNSW and USYD, you will need to get a UAI in the mid 99s. For UTS law, it is around 97.

•    Medicine

If you have an especially keen interest in biology, chemistry, and helping others, this is a course you can consider doing. However, we recommend against choosing medicine for the money. We will discuss this point a bit later.

Long ago, medicine entry used to be solely on the basis of UAI. However it has been pushed up so high that the universities have agreed to use the UMAT exam and interviews as additional selection criteria. Officially, the minimum UAI for medicine at reputable universities is 95, however the median entry for medicine at reputable universities has traditionally been in the low 99s. This is in additional to the UMAT and interview criteria, so medicine can be said to be the most competitive course to get into.

However, as mentioned, we recommend against medicine as an optimum choice if you want to make large sums of money in your career. The simple fact is that you will not be making large amounts of money until you are in your 30s, and in present value terms (remember your consumer arithmetic in year 10?) it’s just not worth the trouble. For the same UAI (and given that you are bright enough to achieve 99+) you are better off investing your strong skills into a law degree (see above). Jobs in law firms, investment banks and other jobs in high finance can potentially pay multiples of what a senior doctor can make.

Take this advice with a grain of salt, however, because as we said at the beginning of this page, you will only get what you want if you’re interested in what you’re doing. Therefore, if you enjoy medicine, do it. It is a very fulfilling and the pay is very high in all respects.

Reputable universities that offer medicine include: UNSW, USYD (arguably the best), Monash and Melbourne University. University of Western Sydney recently started a medicine faculty of their own, so if you are dead-set on doing medicine but did not achieve a sufficiently high UAI, that is a consideration. Remember, transferring between similar courses once you enter university is easy (we will discuss this a bit later on).

•    Other health courses

As we said before, medicine is highly sought after and easily the most competitive university degree to get into. There are alternatives. At reputable universities, Optometry and Vet Science needs about a UAI of 98, Pharmacy needs about 95, Medical science needs about 93, and physiotherapy is much lower and very accessible.

If you want to get into medicine but didn’t get the required UAI or UMAT scores, you can get into one of these health courses and transfer via undergraduate or graduate streams, depending on individual universities’ rules.

•    Engineering

Engineering is a more career-oriented degree for quantitatively inclined people. There are many fields of engineering (mining, materials, petroleum etc) and in Australia, mining tends to produce the highest paying and most abundant jobs. Choose this course if you are interested in Physics, Chemistry and / or Mathematics (particular mechanics).

Another particularly popular choice is Aeronautical engineering at USYD. The misconception here is that graduates tend to work for airline companies designing planes and plane parts (called high-speed aerodynamics). This is the obvious career path, but aeronautical engineering also lets you work for car companies, designing aerodynamic external parts for cars (called low-speed aerodynamics).

The UAI required for this course has a very large range. Some of the higher UAI courses are: Aeronautical Engineering at USYD, which is about 92, and Aerospace at USYD, at 99+.

•    Mathematics

If you have a keen interest in mathematics, choose this course at university. A common misconception is that these types of courses (including science and arts) lead to no definite career paths. This is untrue. For mathematics, there are jobs in finance that pay very well, as mathematics graduates can often become actuaries or financial engineers. The thing is, becoming whatever you want does not require any specific degree (e.g. if you want to be an actuary, you don’t actually need an actuary degree). There are professional bodies (e.g. CA, CPA for accountants, AIAA for actuaries, College of Law for lawyers etc) that set exams and their own criteria. Basically if you have the skills to pass their exams and meet their criteria, you can have that career.

Many mathematics graduates also go on to work in engineering, computer science, banking, insurance and other quantitative-analyst type positions. Only a small portion of maths graduates end up being in academia (the field of scholarly pursuits) as lecturers and researchers, as most people tend to think.

The UAI for maths degrees is generally low, as the demand is not too high for these courses. However don’t be fooled, as there is absolutely no correlation between entrance UAI and course difficulty. As many people will tell you, maths degrees (along with engineering and science) are very difficult and challenging, but also very rewarding to those keenly interested.

USYD offers a BScience (Adv Math) degree which is highly regarded and is likely to contain the brightest university undergraduates in NSW. Its required UAI is around 98.

•    Science / Arts Science is a good degree if you’re keenly interested in any science (chemistry, physics or biology). If you are more of a humanities person and enjoy subjects like English, ancient / modern history, languages, social sciences etc.

We recommend combining these subjects to more career-oriented degrees like commerce, engineering, law, medicine etc. These courses are great in that they add flavour to your other degree as well as giving you a wider experience gained from university education, which will help your career whatever that may be.

The required UAI for these courses are generally very accessible at even the more reputable universities. Generally speaking, USYD is slightly better than UNSW in terms of reputation for both Arts and Science degrees.

3 year single degree vs 5 year double degrees

Students often consider whether to do a 3 year SINGLE degree, or a 5 year DOUBLE degree during their time at university. In our experience, we recommend combining only if the second degree adds value to your career aspirations. For example, if you choose commerce and are thinking of combining this with Arts for example, you should ask yourself what you intend to get out of an Arts degree. For example, a good reason to combine is if you’re learning languages and intend to work overseas in the future.

One thing students need to consider and realise is that combining a degree adds 2 whole years to your degree. Double degrees tend to be 5 years (some exceptions where they are 4 years, and some are longer). The extra HECS fees you incur over the extra 2 years should not be taken lightly. Think of university costing you an extra 60%! Additionally, you need to consider the opportunity cost (lost opportunity) of 2 years worth of working. If you had graduated 2 years earlier, you could have started your career 2 years younger, so we need to also consider whether the final decision of combing is worthwhile or not.

The effect of having 2 degrees on your hireability as a future jobseeker is overrated we think. University graduates with uncombined degrees (e.g. straight BCom) end up getting the same jobs as those who have combined (e.g. BCom / Science).

Therefore we recommend the general rule of combining only if necessary. Ask people who have gone through university and done the degree(s) you’re thinking of doing. Ask them about whether there’s any tangible benefit from combining degrees, in terms of career prospect, starting position, starting salary etc and make your decision based on the advice you get.

Honours degree If you’re still enthusiastic over your university degree, even after 3-5 years, you can elect to do an extra year where you will (usually) conduct research into a specific area of your field, and at the end of the year, submit a long thesis with your findings. Honours degrees are awarded as modified degrees of the normal degree. For example if you did law and honours, it would be LLB(Hons).

An honours degree is looked upon highly favourably by employers as it indicates that the graduate has a deeper and more specialised knowledge of his field. Generally speaking, an honours degree is looked upon better than a combined degree. The view is that anyone can do a combined degree (just get the UAI you need) but not everyone is bright enough to do an honours degree. Therefore this is another reason why we recommend you to choose a course you will genuinely enjoy – because you will be good at it.

What if I don’t get the UAI I need?

Fear not. Transferring within university is relatively easy. Transferring between universities or within the same university will involve calculation of a rank-based mark similar to a UAI. 25% of this score will be based on your latest UAI score, and 75% will be based on your university WAM (Weighted Average Mark) which is basically how well you’ve done at university so far.

Therefore, if you don’t get the UAI you need for the course you desire, we strongly recommend that you choose a course that you’re good at. If you choose something you are not good at, you won’t be able to score a sufficiently high WAM to transfer into the course you want.

Typically for most popular courses at reputable universities, you will need a Distinction average (WAM > 75) after your first year to be able to successfully transfer into your desired course for second year onwards. We also highly recommend you do a course which is closely related to the degree you want to get into.

For example, a highly popular use of this technique to get into law at USYD or UNSW (because not everybody can get 99+ UAI) is to first enrol into commerce at these universities. Once you are in commerce, for your first year, while everyone else is busy partying, study hard and score a Distinction average. After your first year (2 semesters), this WAM combined with a UAI which is high enough to get you into commerce should be sufficient to be able to transfer into law successfully.

How hard is a Distinction average? Surprisingly less hard than people make it out to be. Remember, university is not like the HSC where you are forced to do English and 3-4 other subjects which are totally different. At university, assuming you follow our advice and choose something you’d be good at, all you need to worry about are 4 subjects per semester, each subject being related to the general field that you’re interested in. There’s no compulsory subjects, and no need to do subjects that have almost nothing to do with each other (e.g. History and Physics), all you need to do is focus on subjects which you happen to be good at. In fact, a High Distinction average (WAM > 85) is well within reach for some students, as long as they study consistently, pay attention in class and seek help when needed.

To our students

All of us have been down this path one time or another and we’re always happy to give you advice. Our team consists of people who have done law / med / commerce / arts / science and a variety of others. We can tell you all about transfer criteria and what to do in order to maximise the chances of you getting into the course you want, even after the HSC is over. If you’d like to find out more about anything mentioned in this article, feel free to post a question in the general section of the student forums.

Related Pharmacy Students Articles

Choosing the Right Pharmacy Technician Training

Posted by admin | Posted on 20-01-2009

Category : Pharmacy Students

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Choosing the Right Pharmacy Technician Training

If you’re considering a career in the pharmaceutical industry, and more specifically as a pharmacy technician, there is one thing that is important to learn before you ever begin your training. That is: what are the main characteristic of a good pharmacy technician course?

Without the right training, you may find yourself struggling to find work. There are many companies out there who are in need of PTs. As a career choice, taking your pharmacy technician training will enable you to find jobs in any city. Without the right training, however, you may find yourself wondering why all of those other guys are getting hired, and you aren’t.

With hundreds of options to receive your Pharmacy Technician Training, finding the right school can be confusing. You can learn to become a PT at technical schools, colleges, universities, and even with from some private schools/businesses. Since choosing the right program is the key to getting the right start, we have developed this guide to help you get started.

Characteristics of a Good PT Technician Course

Choosing the right program isn’t difficult. It’s as simple as paying attention to a few key areas. Looking for these characteristics will ensure you’ll be getting the right start in your new career as a PT.

What the Course Teaches

The first thing to look at is the content of the course itself. Good PT training should include elements in: pharmaceutical compounding, pharmacology, drug distribution, and the industry itself. The program should also provide an introduction to law as it applies to pharmacies.

Time Frame

The next area to look at when choosing your Pharmacy Technician training is the length of the program. You will find that these courses range from 6 months up to two years. Choosing an accelerated program, which will put you into the workforce in less than 1 year, will cost you less in the long run.

Both Classroom, and On the Job Training

Another aspect that will help you learn faster, and gain experience, is an externship. The better PT training programs will include a portion that gets you out on the job, and working with a pharmacy in the area. The experience you gain here will help you find work faster once you graduate.

Availability of Student Financing

One area that really separated a good school, from the pretenders, is student financing. A school that has programs in place to help you get financing for your course, is important. Not only does it make paying for your training more convenient, it also means that they are actually qualified to provide your PT training (most countries require an institution to become certified before gaining the ability to provide financing).

Placement Assistance

The last important part of a good PT training program is help getting a job when you’re done. It isn’t that you won’t be able to find a position yourself. With the demand in the industry, you very likely will be able to. If the school does offer placement assistance though, it means they have developed relationships with pharmacies, and that they are respected as a school.

Taking the time to go to school and get educated in any field is a big step. By paying attention to the program you are about to take, you will help to ensure that you get the best education possible.