Orthodontist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Orthodontists are the once who put on the braces and retainers to prevent future dental problems. They also help straighten teeth. Patients might have to go to their orthodontist monthly to have a checkup or to switch the wires of the patient’s braces. People who have braces have to go to their orthodontist till the treatment is complete.

Average Salary: $80,000 - $100,000

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in this career you can start by getting a bachelor’s degree. You should also study the basic and biological science. After you graduate you will need to take a Dental Admission Test to be admitted into dentistry school. This usually takes four years in total 2 years of school work and 2 years of residential practice. 

Orthodontist doesn't capture my attention and I wouldn't want to work in peoples mouth so I don't think this would be a good career for me. 

Periodontal

Duties and Responsibilities:

A periodontist works closely with the directors of clinical foundations and primary dental care. They are to develop the periodontics dental curriculum. They usually work with gums and bones of the mouth. They have to prepare all the equipment’s before they go into surgery.  They have to make sure the tools that are needed are clean. This is that the patient doesn’t get any infections that could be transferred because of the tools.

Average Salary: $102,000 - $192,000

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in this career you have to be dedicated and perform your duties on time.  There is no explicit academic requirement for this field so you must show hard work and efficiency. Certification can only be done after completing a two year or four year degree. 

I wouldn't like to become a periodontist because I don't want to deal with the gums and such.

Dental Technician

Duties and Responsibilities:

Dental technicians work directly with dentists by following certain instructions and use molds of the patient’s teeth or oral soft tissue to create full dentures for patients who are missing some or all of their teeth. They also remove partial dentures for patients who are missing a few teeth. Dental technicians work with many tools such as waxes, plastics, precious and non-precious alloys, stainless steel, a variety of porcelains and composites or polymer glass combinations. It’s important for the technician to help create tooth replacements that are both attractive and functional.

Average Salary: $40,000 - $100,000

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in this career you should take English classes in high school. You can’t be found guilty of practicing dentistry illegally to be eligible to become a certified dental technician. You must also pass three examinations to be able to become a dental technician within those four years.

This didn’t capture my attention so I wouldn’t like to become a dental technician. 

Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Surgeon

Duties and Responsibilities:

ENT surgeons are specialists trained to be familiar with every aspect of ear, nose, and throat.  They are the ones you go to if you have concerns such as tonsillitis, snoring and sinusitis, and throat or skull base tumors. ENT is the oldest medical specialty in the United States. 50 percent of all office visits has to deal with ear, nose, and throat.

Average Salary: $279,377 - $380,334

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in this career you would first need to complete an undergraduate degree. Those who are interested usually pursue science or premedical courses and get a degree in the science field. After 4 years of undergraduate study, a student may begin applying to medical schools. You must pass an examination from the American Board of Otolaryngology.

I have no interest in becoming an ENT doctor. Doesn’t capture much of my attention.

Speech Pathologist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Speech pathologist work in human communication, speech-language pathologists, they also evaluate and diagnose speech. They manage agencies, clinics, organizations, or private practices. They make research about human communication. They also supervise and direct public schools or clinical programs. And they investigate behavioral patterns associated with communication disorders.

Average Salary: $69,100 - $72,730

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in being a speech pathologist you should take biology, physics, social sciences, English, mathematics, public speaking, language, and psychology in High school. They also must earn a graduate degree, successfully completed the required clinical experience, and pass a notional examination.

A speech pathologist doesn’t capture any of my interest whatsoever so I don’t think I’ll like this as a career.

Sonographer (Ultrasound Technician)

Duties and Responsibilities:

Sonographers work with equipment that allows you to produces images or pictures of internal organs, diseased masses, and fetuses (babies). After the images are used to treat and diagnose the patient. They often specialized in certain parts of the body such as the brain, heart, and the pelvis. Most work in hospitals.

Average Salary: $24,000 - $38,000

Educational Requirements:

Those who are interested in this career should take challenging courses in high school such as science, math, and English.

Training programs for sonographers are offered at community colleges or hospitals. They can be completed in one or four years depending on experience. You must also pass annual certification tests after completing the training. 

I find this career interesting because I want to be in the medical field but I don't want to deal with blood or cutting people open. Plus I like to take pictures and maybe this is what I should be.

Social Worker

Duties and Responsibilities:

Social workers help families fix their problems such as child abuse, substance abuse, mental illness, handicaps, juvenile delinquency, and as well as anti-social behavior. They help people accept situations that can’t be fixed. They usually work with the homeless, chronically unemployed, and mentally ill people. Most work at government offices, hospitals, clinics, prisons, or the courts. Some can also work in nursing homes, group homes, schools or businesses. Their responsibilities are:

·         Interviewing and guiding individuals, families and groups

·         Referring their clients to community services.

·         Coordinating responses between civic, religious, governmental and other organizations

Average Salary: $20,000 - $42,000

Educational Requirements:

Students who are interested in this career should take challenging courses in high school such as English, science, and math.

Some will allow a social worker to practice with a BA in social work, however most require a graduate degree. 

I have always had an interest in being a social worker or teacher because I like to work with kids so yes I think I would like to become a social worker. I just need to do a bit of more research to know exactly what it is I'm supposed to do. 

Radiation Therapist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Radiation therapist help treat diseases by exposing areas of the patient’s body to ionizing radiation. They are also responsible for maintaining radiation therapy equipment and also to maintain patient records. This is provided in hospitals, public health clinics, cancer treatment centers, and private offices.

Average Salary: $22,000 - $36,000

Educational Requirements:

Students who are interested in being a radiation therapist should take challenging classes in high school such as science, math and English courses.

Students interested in this career can be trained in either a one or two year program. One year program are usually offered by the hospitals and to be able to attend this program the applicant must have graduated from radiologic technology and must be approved by the hospital or has been a nurse with education in radiation physics. A high school diploma or GED is needed to attend a two year course. 

I wouldn't like to be a radiation therapist because it just does not capture my attention. 

Psychiatrist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Psychiatrist is physicians who take care of those with mental illness. They can write prescriptions to the patients. They can also work for the government, hospitals, clinics, universities, or even have their own practice. They often:

·         Design treatment for patient

·         Prescribe mental illness drug for patient

·         Conduct therapy for patient

Average Salary: $90,000 - $200,000

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in being a psychiatrist you need to complete an intensive three year residency in psychiatry.

I’m not too sure if I would like to be a psychiatrist it somewhat captures my attention but not fully. 

Pharmacy Technician

Duties and Responsibilities:

Pharmacy technicians’ main responsibility is to fill prescriptions of patients according to their doctors’ request. They measure out the correct amount of medicine for the patient. Their duties also include:

·         Checking inventories and to order supplies needed

·         Receiving and checking the supplies in

·         Being patient and wait on the customers

·         Keep pharmacy clean

·         Help fill out information forms

They tend to work in retail pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics

Average Salary: $15,000 - $25,000

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in being a pharmacy technician the classes recommended are math, science, chemistry, and typing courses in high school. A diploma from high school is required to start training for pharmacy technician. Two year courses are available at most of the community colleges or you can go to a six month program offered at private operated schools.

I wouldn't like to be a pharmacy technician because it just doesn't capture my interest. 

Pharmacist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Pharmacists prepare prescriptions written by dentist physicians, etc. They review prescriptions to make sure they prepare the correct medication. This can be weighing, measuring, and mixing drugs. When this is done they give them to the patients.

They will answer and questions a customer or patient will have about the medication they are taking. They are in charge of taking inventory and making sure to order any that they are low on.

Pharmacists can work in hospitals, clinics, health departments, and universities. They are to be aware of where every medication is at so they do not direct a customer in the wrong direction

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

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in this field students should take AP English, science, and math. They should also graduate from a college of pharmacy. Some colleges will admit students from high school but not all the time. It takes about at least five years to earn a pharmacy degree and six years to earn a doctor of pharmacy. 

I'm not too sure about this career. It seems intersting and all but I'm not too sure about going to school for five years. (maybe six if I would want to go that far) So in this career it's a maybe I'm not too sure.

Perfusionist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Perfusionists operate circulation equipment during medical situations. This will occur in heart surgery or similar operations. They are also checking the patient’s temperature during surgery. Their duties include:

·         Operating heart-lung machines

·         Checking on some types of anesthesia

·         Checking on some types of medication for the patient.

Average Salary: $50,000

Educational Requirements:

Students should take biology and chemistry in high school if they are interested in being a perfusionist. A high school diploma is required. The training is offered at universities, health centers, and medical schools. They usually do hands-on training. A length of 150 procedures to include 20 pediatric and infant cases. 

I don't think I would be interested in being a perfusionist because it doesn't capture my attention. I didn't understand what exactly a perfusionist does. I also wouldn't like to be it because it seems like a boring career for me.

Patient Representative

Duties and Responsibilities:

Patient representatives work for healthcare administrators to inform concerns and special needs of patients and their families. They make sure they are aware of the patient satisfaction, investigate their complaints, collect information about patient dissatisfaction, work with departments to resolve patient problems, and to educate the staff. They often work in hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and public agencies.

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

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in being a patient representative you should take business, science, math, and English in high school and preferably AP.

Some will want college graduates with a background in health or social service. 

This seems something I would be interested in but first I would like to do a little more research and possibly visit a campus that has this as a class and see if it is what I would really like to do.

Osteopathic Physician D.O.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Osteopathic physicians use methods of diagnosing and treating injuries and or diseases. Although they use medicine and surgery they are different by giving proper nutrition, environmental factors in maintaining good health. Osteopaths use a hands-on approach to medicine. They work in private practice and osteopathic hospitals. They also now accepted in allopathic hospitals. They are practitioners, family practitioners, or emergency medicine specialists.

Average Salary: $110,000

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in being an osteopathic physician you should take challenging courses in high school like AP science, math, and English.  Physicians who want to specialize must undertake a 3 year residency in their specialty. 

I wouldn't like to major in this career cause it doesn't interest me at all. 

Optician

Duties and Responsibilities:

Opticians fit eyeglasses for patients based on the prescriptions written. Optician’s help the customers select the frame for the glasses and measures it so that it can fit the patient correctly. They also make sure to measure the corneas of the eyes so that the lenses would be put on the lenses correctly. Opticians may work in their own retail store or for an optical store.

Average Salary: $19,000 - $40,000

Educational Requirements:

Students who are interested in being an Optician should take physics, algebra, mechanical drawing, and geometry courses in high school. A high school diploma or GED is needed to start training to be an Optician. Students are to complete an approved two-year course at a school of optician. They can also complete an approved three year on-the-job apprenticeship if they want instead.

I don't think I would like to be an optician because it doesn't capture my interest at all.

Optical Laboratory Technician

Duties and Responsibilities:

Optical laboratory technicians fit eyeglass lenses into frames according to prescriptions. The technicians make sure the lens are polished and ground using a grinding machine. After this they fit polished lenses into eyeglasses frames depending on where it would fit on the patient.

Average Salary: $15,000 - $20,000

Educational Requirements:

A high school diploma or GED is needed in order to start training for optical laboratory. Training programs can last between six months and a year and are provided in community colleges.

I wouldn't like to be an optical laboratory technician just because it doesn't capture my interest. 

Ophthalmic Technician

Duties and responsibilities:

Ophthalmic Technicians are responsible to collect data and measurements to make sure you have correct diagnosis of treatment for eye diseases and problems. They work at hospitals, clinics, and some can work in private practice. They are often:

·         Performing eye exams

·         Assist with eye surgery

·         Explain treatment for the patients so that they can be aware of what to do and what not to do.

Average Salary: $14,000 - $25,000

Educational Requirements:

If you are interested in being a ophthalmic technician you will need a high school diploma or GED certificate as well as a two year college that begin ophthalmic training. It can take about two years to complete.

I wouldn’t like to choose this as a career only because I do not like to perform nor assist in surgery. I’ve said it before I feel as if I will pass out during the procedure.

Occupational Therapist

Duties and responsibilities:

Occupational therapists help those who are physically, mentally, or emotionally disabled. They help them adjust to handicaps and regain abilities to perform daily lives and self-care skills. They work with physicians, counselors, and physical therapist as part of the team.  Occupational therapist can work at nursing homes, hospitals, schools for the handicapped, rehabilitation centers, or at adult daycare centers.

Average Salary: $17,000 - $26,000

Educational Requirements:

Occupational therapist must have a high school diploma or GED certificate. They work as they are training.  They must complete a two year training program that consists of a clinical experience. 

I'm not too sure I would like to be a occupational therapist because I wouldn't be emotionally stabled to help the patients out. I'd brake down in tears just to see that some people take things for granted and they don't.  

Nursing Home Administrators

Duties and Responsibilities:

Nursing home administrators plan operations of nursing homes and other care facilities. They also supervise medical, financial, and many other stuff.

Most home administrators work in nursing homes, but some work for large corporations that control many facilities. Some can also be involved in teaching and research.

Average Salary:  $40,000 - $55,000

Educational Requirements:

Students who are interested in this field should take challenging courses in high school such as business, science, math, and English.

Some requirements are different than others depending who is hiring but for the most part you have to have a bachelor’s degree in nursing home administration,  finish an internship program, and pass a difficult examination. 

This career really captures my interest. I would like to be a nursing home administrator and I think I should research further and check out some campus that has a good program and see how I would like it. 

Health Information Specialist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Health Information Specialist obtains, post, and analyze medical, finance, and insurance data. They ensure that information is recorded correctly into medical records so that practitioners can plan and evaluate health care provided for the patients. There is many job specialties in this field.

Health information specialists work in hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, physician offices, and many other places that have to deal with medical.

            Average Salary: $23,000 - $30,000

Educational Requirements:

In high school students should to business, information management, science, math, and English to prepare for this field.

There are different educational requirements for each specialty within this medical field. Depending on what specialty you want there are different requirements.  

I wouldn't like to be a health information specialist it doesn't capture my interest.