Psychologist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Psychologists study the behavior and actions of people to understand, explain, and change their behavior patterns. They also provide counseling and therapy to those with emotional, learning, and behavior problems. Psychologists work in schools, clinics, hospitals, and private practice. They can specialize in clinical, educational, quantitative, development, social, experimental, and industrial organization psychology. Their duties often include:

·         Diagnosing and treating problems.

·         Interviewing and observing patients.

·         Developing, selecting, and administering tests.

·         Counseling patients, groups, and families.

·         Developing mental health programs/

·         Conducting research and teaching.

Average Salary: $45,000 - $65,000

Educational Requirements:

Students should prepare for a career in psychology by taking the most challenging (AP or IB) high school courses available, especially in English and science.

Licensed psychologists must earn a Ph.D. in psychology. Admission to graduate programs is usually dependent on the quality of undergraduate performance in a psychology major. Clinical psychologists must complete a two-year supervised internship after earning their doctorate and pass oral and written state qualifying exams.

Reflection: I would like to be a psychologist because I have an interest in this field of work.

Psychiatric Aide - Technician

Duties and Responsibilities:

Psychiatric aides and technicians help care for mentally ill, disabled, or infirm people who are confined to hospitals, mental facilities, and residential care facilities.  They work under the supervision of mental health professionals or nurses.  They often work in hospitals, social service centers, crisis centers, schools, and substance abuse facilities.  Psychiatric technicians usually have more formal training and responsibilities than aides.  Psychiatric aides and technicians often: 

·         Help patients bathe, dress, and eat.

·         Escort patients to and from wards or clinics.

·         Aid or restrain patients.

·         Help with orientation and housekeeping.

·         Interview patients and families.

·         Observe patients and report their actions to professionals.

·         Teach daily living skills.

·         Dispense medications, and engage in educational and recreational activities.

Average Salary: $12,000 - $24,000

Educational Requirements:

Psychiatric aides need not always have a high school diploma or formal training, however most employers prefer that they do.

Psychiatric technicians need a high school diploma and should have taken courses in English and science. A short training course or previous job experience as a psychiatric aide is often also required.

Reflection: I would not like to be a psychiatric aide technician because it does not interest me.

Pharmacist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Pharmacists compound, or prepare, prescriptions written by physicians, dentists, and other practitioners. They review these prescriptions to validate the medication. This can involve weighing, measuring, and mixing drugs. Once the compounds are prepared, pharmacists then dispense them to customers and patients.

Pharmacists answer patients’ and customers’ question about the drugs they are taking and drugs which can be sold over the counter. In some cases, pharmacists are responsible for taking inventory of the drugs on the shelves and ordering any which they are low on.

Pharmacists work in hospitals, clinics, health departments, universities, and grocery, drug and discount stores. Those who work in stores must be aware of the other health supplies available in the store so they do not direct customers in the wrong direction.

Average Salary: $33,000 - $51,000

Educational Requirements:

Students should take the most challenging high school classes (including AP or IB) available in English, science, and math.

All pharmacists must graduate from a college of pharmacy. Most pharmacy schools require applicants to take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (P-CAT), and some require up to two years of pre-pharmacy education. Other colleges will admit students directly from high school.

Normally it takes at least five years to earn a Pharmacy Degree. It requires at least six years to earn a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

Reflection: I would not like to be a pharmacists because it does not interest me.

Perfusionist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Clinical perfusionists operate circulation equipment during medical situations when it is necessary to temporarily and artificially replace the patient’s circulation or respiratory functions. This occurs during heart surgery and similar operations. Perfusionists also control the temperature of patients during surgery. Their duties include:

·         Operating heart-lung machines

·         Administering some types of anesthesia

·         Administering some types of medication

Average Salary: $50,000

Educational Requirements:

A high school diploma with a strong background in biology and chemistry is required to be accepted in perfusionist training programs. Admissions preference is given to students with college science work or experience in respiratory therapy and medical terminology.

Perfusionist training programs are given at academic health centers and medical schools and universities. They emphasize hands-on, practical training. Course length varies, but for the school to be recognized by the American Academy of Cardiac Perfusionists, the curriculum must include the supervised performance of 150 procedures to include 20 pediatric and infant cases.

Reflection: I wouldn’t like to be a perfusionist because it doesn’t interest me.

Patient Representative

Duties and Responsibilities:

Patient Representatives work for healthcare administrators to address the concerns and special needs of patients and their families. They evaluate patient satisfaction, investigate complaints, collect information about patient dissatisfaction, work with departments to resolve patient problems and educate staff.

Patient representatives work in hospitals, nursing homes, other long-term care facilities, and in public health agencies.

Average Salary: $20,000 - $40,000

Educational Requirements:

Students should take challenging high school courses in business, science, math and English.

Requirements differ, but most employers prefer college graduates with backgrounds in health or social services. Experience or course work in conflict resolution is also valued.

Reflection: I wouldn’t like to be a patient representative because it doesn’t interest me.

Osteopathic Physician, D.O.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Osteopathic physicians use accepted methods of diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases. Although, they practice in all branches of medicine and surgery like allopathic physicians (M.D.s) they differ by emphasizing the importance of the musculoskeletal system, holistic medicine, proper nutrition, and environmental factors in maintaining good health. Osteopaths use a hands-on approach to medicine and frequently manipulate or palpate as part of diagnosis and treatment. They work primarily in osteopathic hospitals or private practice, however many allopathic hospitals now accept osteopathic physicians as staff members.

Average Salary: $110,000

Educational Requirements:

Students should take the most challenging high school courses (including AP or IB courses) available in science, math, and English.

After three or four years of college, prospective physicians must attend medical school. Undergraduate requirements for admission to all medical schools include one year of basic chemistry, one year of organic chemistry, one year of biology, and one year of physics. Some medical schools also require course work in calculus, English, the humanities, or social science.

Medical school usually includes two years of additional study in both basic and clinical sciences and is followed by a year-long hospital internship. Physicians who want to specialize must then undertake a three-year residency in their specialty.

Reflection: I wouldn’t like to be this because it doesn’t interest me.

Optometrist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Optometrists treat vision problems. They treat vision problems and then prescribing corrective eyeglasses, contact lenses, or vision therapy. Some optometrist specialize in industrial vision safety, treatment of vision related learning disabilities, and environmental vision care. Unlike ophthalmologists they are not physicians and may not write medical prescriptions, treat diseases, or perform surgery.

Average Salary: $78,000

Educational Requirements:

Students interested in becoming an optometrist should take the most challenging high school courses (AP or IB) available in math, science, and English. Before entering an optometry school at least two years of college in a pre-professional program is required. Optometry school is four years in length. After being awarded the degree of Doctor of Optometry, optometrist must pass state exams before starting to practice.

Reflection: I wouldn’t like to be an optometrist because I wouldn’t like to be around eyes and stuff.