Optician

Duties and Responsibilities:
The purpose of an optician is to help fit glasses and contact lenses for customers based on prescriptions from ophthalmologists or optometrists. They also help you choose the type of glasses or contacts to buy.

Salary:
The salary of an optician is approximately $33,330 yearly, or $16.03 hourly.

Education:
Opticians usually have a high school diploma or equivalent, as well as some on-the-job training and possibly an associate's degree from a community college. Licensure is also required in some states.



Reflection:
I think that if I wanted to work in the eye industry, or whatever you call the optical department, that I would aspire to become an optometrist, not an optician. I think that the pay for becoming an optician is fairly good for someone living on their own, but if I were to want to get married and have children, I would want to make more money. I want a higher wage so that my kids can not only have enough food to grow up healthy, but so that I can provide money needed when they want to join a sport, or go on a camping trip. I want to be financially capable of giving my children the easiest life possible. Even if I had a husband to manage my financial status, I would still like to feel self-dependent when it comes to handling myself or my family.

Medical Surveillance Technician

Duties and Responsibilities:
Make sure that the patient's health is constant. If anything like an irregular heartbeat or a strange rhythm happens, they immediately alert the registered nurse.

Salary:
Their salary is approximately $43,924 on an annual scale.

Education:
The requirement for a medical surveillance technician is typically a masters or bachelor's degree in the field.



Reflection:
I really think that being a medical surveillance technician... it's alright when there's no one around to keep an eye on the patient, but for the most part, I think they aren't really all that necessary. All a medical surveillance technician does is make sure patients are doing all right, but isn't that already the job of the nurse or of the doctor? It just occurs to me that all these technicians supply are extra help than what is already needed.

Medical Surgical Nurse

Duties and Responsibilities:

Medical-Surgical nurses specialize in care across the all of the health care needs. As part of the Army Nurse Corps, they have an important role in improving the overall quality of life of soldiers as well as their families.

Salary:

The hourly wage of a medical surgical nurse is anywhere between $35 to $50 dollars.

Education:

A medical-surgical nurse must have a bachelor's degree in nursing from the ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing) or the CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education). You also have to be between 21-42 years old, and a US citizen.

Reflection:

I've often considered that it might be interesting to serve in the army as a medic, but at the same time, I often view being in the army as something you get roped into, and you can't get out until you've followed through. It kind of scares me to think of being stuck somewhere and unable to get out, regardless of how being a medical-surgical nurse works, I'm not sure I want to associate myself with such an environment.

Rheumatologist

Duties and Responsibilities:
Rheumatologist's diagnose, treat and medically manage patients with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.

Salary:
The salary is about $187,200 annually and about $90 per hour.

Education:
They have demanding education/training requirements. Most complete at least 4 tears of undergraduate school, and 4 years of medical school.



Reflection:
Being a rheumatologist sounds exceptionally boring, I don't want to be one. I wouldn't want to specialize in something so mundane as checking to see if someone has arthritis or not. I'm assuming I would be dealing with many elderly patients and I'm not entirely sure how to treat those older people. I'd rather deal with younger patients.

Medical Assistant

Duties and Responsibilities:
Medical assistants complete administrative and clinical tasks in offices of all types of health practitioners

Salary:
They make $29,370 per year / $14.12 per hour.

Education:
Most medical assistants have post-secondary education such as a certificate. Others enter the occupation with a high school diploma and learn through training at the job.



Reflection:
I'm not particularly interested in becoming a medical assistant because I've never really aspired for something that I consider so low. It seems okay, I might be able to consider it as a temporary career as I continue studying to become a doctor, but nothing more.

Licensed Practical Nurse

Duties and Responsibilities:
Provide nursing care, while working under registered nurses and doctors.

Salary:
The annual wage is $41,540, with an hourly wage $19.97

Education:
In order to be in this career, you need to complete a state-approved educational program (about one year long) and you need to be licensed.



Reflection:
I've never heard of licensed practical nurses but I don't really aspire to become a nurse. Instead of working under a doctor, I want to work as a doctor. I think that the wage for a nurse is pretty average and I'm not interested in it as a result. Although I'm sure this is an excellent career, I have my sights set a little higher.

Home Health Aide

Duties and Responsibilities:
Home health aides are dedicated to helping out those who are disabled or ill, which is commonly composed of the elderly that may need some help.

Salary:
A home health aide makes approximately $20,820 annually or $10.01 per hour. 

Education:
Entry level education is typically doesn't have any requirements, both most have a high school diploma. Also, home health aides working with a formal company must receive training and pass a standardized test.





Reflection:
Although I wouldn't really want to be a home health aide, I think that their presence is very important for all of us. Without home health aides, it would be harder for families to take care of their disabled loved ones. My great grandpa died two months ago yesterday, and I remember in his last days there was always a home health aide in the house. They made it easier to take car of my great grandpa, and probably even extended his lifespan long enough for people to be able to say their goodbyes. Knowing all of that, despite the low wage, I know that home health aides do us a great service.

Health Sciences Librarian

Duties and Responsibilities:
Health science librarians help find information and do research for personal and/or professional use.

Salary:
They typically make an annual wage of $55,370, which is about $26.62 per hour.

Education:
The majority of those in this field need a master's degree for library science, but other positions require additional certification or degrees in difference fields.



Reflection:
I've never heard of health sciences librarians before, but I don't really think I'm cut out to be any kind of librarian. I can be a bit disorganized, so I really wouldn't want to jeopardize the use of quick looking up of books because I don't know where to place a certain book. Although I enjoy libraries very much, I'm more of a visitor than an employee in that sense.

Oncologist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Oncologists maintain records, coordinate with other medical personnel, and perform a variety of diagnostic procedures to determine condition of tissue or identify cancer.

Salary:

The annual salary for Oncologists is $217, 856

Education:

Oncologists need an MD (Doctorate of Medicine), a full state license, and completion of resident training programs.

Reflection:

I've never heard of an oncologist before in my life. It seems like a very good career path, the salary is beyond anything I've ever seen! (Unless we're talking about Taylor Swift's annual salary, but that's entirely different). I am very impressed by this salary and would like to be able to learn more about this career int the future.

Heliotherapy

Duties and Responsibilities:

Helio-therapists treat disease through sunlight.

Salary:

The annual wage for heliotherapists is around $42,000. 

Education:

Therapists typically need a bachelor's degree, but most employers require the therapist to be certified.

Reflection:

Finding accurate information for this career pathway was very difficult, because no site that I went to seemed to understand what a Helio-therapist is, which leads me to think it is probably in very small use or that I'm misspelling the word. I'm not really interested in a job like this, I'd prefer a job that is better known. When I'm older, I want to be able to say what career I am without launching into a discussion about what exactly it is that I do. It seems like an interesting career, for other people, just not for  me.

Student Success Statement

"Great beauty, great strength, and great riches are really and truly of no great use; a right heart exceeds all."

- Benjamin Franklin

Reflection:

I somewhat agree with this. A right heart can be good. But there are instances where one's heart is in the right place, but they still do bad things. I think there are several things that could exceed beauty, strength, and riches. Love can exceed those things, a right heart can too, kindness is important, but so is caring. I really don't know how to explain myself in this way. I'm at a loss for words right now, but I hope I'm getting my point across.

Health Educator

Duties and Responsibilities:
Health educators teach others about behavior that promote well-being. They develop ways in which the health of individuals can be improved.

Salary:
The annual salary for health educators is $41,830 and an hourly wage of $20.11.

Education:
Entry-level education for health educators is a requirement of a bachelor's degree in health education of health promotion.



Reflection:
I'm not really a big fan of becoming a health educator simply because I get the feeling that a job like that would require increased interaction between myself and audiences. I don't really think that the wages really cut it for me either. Again, a job like this could be a good stepping stone towards a higher achievement, but nothing more.

Health Information Specialist

Duties and Responsibilities:
Health Information Specialists organize and manage health information data

Salary:
Health specialists make approximately $34,160 per year and $16.42 per hour

Education:

Health information specialists usually need a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation, although they may have an associate’s degree. Many employers also require professional certification.

Reflection:
I think that I wouldn't take this job unless it was a pre-career job that I could work on while I study to become something else. I'm not entirely sure that I would go for a salary as low as $34,150. Which, although a decent salary for one person, would hinder my comfort if I were to start a family. I think not only about my finiancial security in the future, but for possible children. I would want to give them the best life possible, and I think that becoming a health specialist would only be a stepping stone towards another (higher) goal.

Environmental Health Specialist

Duties and Responsibilities:
Environmental Health Specialists use what they know about natural sciences to protect not only the environment but human health as well.

Salary:
Environmental health specialists get an average of about $63, 570 annually, and $30.56 hourly.

Education:
For the majority of entry level jobs, many specialists need at least some sort of bachelor's degree in environmental sciences or in any part of the science field. Despite this, a master's degree may be necessary for advancement.

Reflection:
I looked at the annual wage and my first answer was a  big, fat NO. I don't want to go around being the hero of environmental waste for an average of $63k  every year. I want to have a career that not only makes me feel more interested, it also pays well. I'm not sure I want to pursue a career that doesn't meet my criteria in terms of salary.

Veterinarian

Duties and Responsibilities:

Veterinarians care for the health of animals. They diagnose and treat all kinds of animals (i.e. pets, farm animals, etc.)

Salary:
The median annual wage for veterinarians is $84,460, or $40.61 per hour. 

Education:
Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. Additionally, although not required, most applicants to veterinary school have a bachelor’s degree. Veterinary medical colleges typically require applicants to have taken many science classes (like biology, and such). The field is very competitive.



Reflection:
I never really considered becoming a veterinarian, but it seems like something I would be interested in. The wage is reasonably well, and the education required to become one isn't as incredibly demanding as other careers in the medical field. I think that the only thing that would really discourage me from this career is the fact that there is competition. I mean, I'm sure that if I liked it enough, I'd try it, but there are also other thing to consider: despite the fact that I love animals, I can't stand being around them because my allergies act up, so who knows what I'd do then. Still, I wouldn't completely turn away the prospect. I categorize veterinarians as humanitarians, and I like the idea of being considered one as well.

Western Medicine Doctor

Duties and Responsibilities:

A system in which medical doctors treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. This can also be called allopathic medicine, biomedicine, conventional medicine, mainstream medicine, and orthodox medicine.

Salary: 

$46.536 is the median range in being a western medical doctor

Education: 

Master’s degree or post-baccalaureate certificate from an accredited program

Reflection:

Western medicine sounds particularly intriguing, but I'm still not quite sure on exactly what it is, so I wouldn't be able to say for a fact that this is the kind of career I would like to pursue. I've been a bit drawn in by the idea of biomedicine, but I still have no idea if it's something I would enjoy.

Eastern Medicine Doctor

Duties and Responsibilities:
Eastern medicine doctors offer a variety of alternative treatments. This title can be applicable to acupuncturists, herbalists, massage therapists, etc.

Salary:
The earnings information is not currently available. Although I believe that it is safe to assume that the annual income for eastern medicine doctors depends heavily on how successful one's clinic is.

Education:
There are 38 states that require licensing or certification. The remainder of the states either don't allow eastern medicine doctors, or require a physician to be involved.

Reflection:
I don't find the idea of eastern medicine particularly stimulating, although I would like to visit the east, I'm just not sure that I would want to pursue that kind of specialty in the medical field. I'm very picky about the kind of doctor I would like to be, and unless it's something that completely intrigues me, I doubt that I would be willing to study something as mundane-sounding as eastern medicine.

Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Doctor

Duties and Responsibilities:
An ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT) is a physician trained in the medical and surgical treatment of the ears, nose throat, and related structures of the head and neck. 

Salary:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has an average income of $184,650 for all physicians and surgeons regardless of their specialty in its May 2011 statistics

Education:
An ENT specialist is ready to start practicing after up to 15 years of college and postgraduate training. One must pass the four standard years of college and at least 5 years of specialty training, as well as pass the American Board of Otolaryngology examination to be certified


Reflection:
I think that I wouldn't really want to be an ENT doctor because of all the time it takes to qualify to become one. It's way too much work, and takes too much time to study to become an ENT doctor. I know that I'd like to have a stable career established at a young age, but the way I see it, I won't have established my career until I'm (at the very least) thirty. I'd rather pursue a career that genuinely interests me and that doesn't take so many years to study for.

Electrocardiograph Technician

Duties and Responsibilities:  
Electrocardiograph technicians operate special imaging equipment to create images or conduct tests. The images and test results help physicians assess and diagnose medical conditions. Some technologists assist physicians and surgeons during surgical procedures.

Salary:

The median annual wage for electrocardiograph technicians was $52,070 in May 2012.

Education:

Associate’s degrees are the entry level educational requirement to become an electrocardiograph technician.

Reflection:

 I'm not particularly a fan of joining a career that I've never even really considered for myself. I don't think I want to spend my time sticking things on people's chests. I'd rather pursue a different career with a higher income as well, since $52,070 seems like a pretty low annual wage for what I want to aspire for.