Dentist Career

What do dentist do?
Dentists diagnose and treat problems with a patient’s teeth, gums, and other parts of the mouth. They provide advice and instruction on taking care of teeth and gums and on diet choices that affect oral health.

 

Education
Approximately 80% of all dentists practice General Dentistry. General dentists treat all patients, adults and children, in many different treatment facilities and settings. General dentists are graduates of dental school and hold a D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree. The D.M.D. and the D.D.S. are equivalent degrees that are awarded to dental students upon completion of the same types of programs. While many dental school graduates opt to enter general practice immediately upon graduation, in other cases, they may opt for one or two years of additional education in a General Practice Residency or Advanced Education in General Dentistry program.  

Working Place

Approximately 90% of all dentists are engaged in delivery of care through private practices.  Fulltime dentists spend approximately 36 hours per week in their practices, of which 33 hours/week is spent treating patients. They have great flexibility in determining the number of hours per week they choose to work.

The remaining 10% of dentists teach in dental education programs, conduct research, and/or deliver care in the Armed Forces, the Indian Health Service, the U.S. Public Health Service, or other clinical settings.  Dentists engaged in teaching, research or related positions generally work regular 40-hour workweeks.

Salary and Employment Rate

Quick Facts: Dentists
2010 Median Pay	$146,920 per year $70.64 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Doctoral or professional degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Internship/residency
Number of Jobs, 2010	155,700
Job Outlook, 2010-20	21% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	32,200

Sources: 

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Dentists.htm

http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/1/Dentist

Sickle Cell Disease (Anemia)

Information about Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle Cell Disease is a disease that causes sickle-shaped blood cells in the body, which is abnormal because normally, red blood cells are round and flexible, which enables them to travel freely through the narrow blood vessels. It is disorder that affects the red blood cells, which use a protein called hemoglobin to transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. People with sickle cell disease have a mutation in a gene on chromosome 11. As a result, hemoglobin molecules don't form properly, causing red blood cells to be rigid and have a concave shape. These irregularly shaped cells get stuck in the blood vessels and are unable to transport oxygen effectively, causing pain and damage to the organs. Sickle cells are stiff and sticky. They block blood flow in the blood vessels of the limbs and organs. This can cause pain and organ damage. It can also raise the risk for infection.

Causes Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease. People who have the disease inherit two genes for sickle hemoglobin—one from each parent. This means that a child will not inherit the disease unless both parents pass down a defective copy of the gene. People who inherit one good copy of the gene and one mutated copy are carriers. When both parents have a normal gene and an abnormal gene, each child has a 25 percent chance of inheriting two normal genes; a 50 percent chance of inheriting one normal gene and one abnormal gene; and a 25 percent chance of inheriting two abnormal genes.

Symptoms of Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle cell disease prevents oxygen from reaching the spleen, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, or other organs, causing a lot of damage. Without oxygen, the cells that make up these organs will begin to die. For example, the spleen is often destroyed in these patients resulting in some loss of immune function. As a result, these patients often experience frequent infections.The red blood cells of patients with sickle cell disease don't live as long as healthy red blood cells.  When sickle-shaped red blood cells get stuck in blood vessels this can cause episodes of pain called crises. Other symptoms include: delayed growth, strokes, and jaundice (yellowish hue to the skin and eyes because of liver damage). Because of these complications, people with this disorder are likely to have their life span reduced by about 30 years.

Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease
Babies and young children with sickle cell disease must take a daily dose of penicillin to prevent potentially deadly infections. Patients also take folic acid, which helps build new red blood cells. Doctors advise people with sickle cell disease to get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and avoid too much physical activity.Acute chest syndrome is a severe and life-threatening complication of sickle cell anemia. If acute (sudden) failure of the liver and kidneys also occurs, it's called acute multiple organ failure. Treatment for these complications usually occurs in a hospital and may include oxygen therapy, blood transfusions, antibiotics, pain medicine, and balancing body fluids. People with more severe cases of the disease can be treated with a bone marrow transplant. This procedure provides the patient with healthy red blood cells from a donor, ideally from a sibling. Also,  blood and marrow stem cell transplants may offer a cure for a small number of people.

Source: 
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/disorders/whataregd/sicklecell/
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sca/causes.html

Career: Histologist

Background Information
Histologists, also known as histotechnicians, work closely with pathologists and diagnosticians to identify the cause of patient symptoms and flag any warning signs of disease. These professionals handle and analyze human tissue and blood samples to determine how patients are responding to treatment or medication. Histologists assume managerial roles and generally perform more intricate and advanced tasks than a histologist technician.

• Before a patient receives a blood transfusion, histologists examine and verify that the donor blood matches the patient's blood type. Histologists not only analyze and confirm the test results of blood samples, but also search for signs of bacteria, viruses, parasites and other contaminants in human tissue and body fluid. These professionals use laboratory instruments and equipment to prepare, slice and stain tissue samples for observation under a microscope. Histologists provide the lab results to physicians, who use the samples in their medical diagnosis.

  Education

  • A bachelor's degree in medical technology or life sciences is the minimum requirement for a histologist position. Some employers accept candidates with an associate degree and equivalent work experience. Courses that prepare for a histology career include microbiology, statistics, chemistry and biological sciences. In addition, histology majors must obtain clinical experience as an intern or trainee in a histopathology lab. Histology internships typically last one year, though formal training programs may last longer. Most employers also require that professionals obtain histology certification through professional organizations, such as the American Society for Clinical Pathology and the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel.

    Salary

    • The average hourly wage for histologists in the United States ranged between $18.25 and $26.89 as of June 2010, according to PayScale.com. Total average pay, including bonuses and overtime, fell between $39,120 and $59,421 per year.

      
      

      Sources:

      http://www.ehow.com/about_6592403_histologist-job-description.html

      http://www.news-medical.net/news/20121115/Cool-cut-specimen-clamp-from-Thermo-Scientific-maintains-block-temperature-for-better-quality-sections.aspx

      
      

      
      

      
      

Breast Cancer

What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a kind of cancer that develops from breast cells. Breast cancer usually starts off in the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply them with milk. A malignant tumor can spread to other parts of the body. A breast cancer that started off in the lobules is known as lobular carcinoma, while one that developed from the ducts is called ductal carcinoma.

Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in females worldwide. It accounts for 16% of all female cancers and 22.9% of invasive cancers in women. 18.2% of all cancer deaths worldwide, including both males and females, are from breast cancer.

Breast cancer rates are much higher in developed nations compared to developing ones. There are several reasons for this, with possibly life-expectancy being one of the key factors - breast cancer is more common in elderly women; women in the richest countries live much longer than those in the poorest nations. The different lifestyles and eating habits of females in rich and poor countries are also contributory factors, experts believe.

What causes breast cancer?

• Getting older 
• Genetics
• A history of breast cancer 
• Having had certain types of breast lumps 
• Dense breast tissue 
• Estrogen exposure 
• Obesity 
• Height .
• Alcohol consumption
• Radiation exposure 
• HRT (hormone replacement therapy)
• Certain jobs
• Cosmetic implants may undermine breast cancer survival

Signs of Breast Cancer:

• A lump in a breast
• A pain in the armpits or breast that does not seem to be related to the woman's menstrual period
• Pitting or redness of the skin of the breast; like the skin of an orange
• A rash around (or on) one of the nipples
• A swelling (lump) in one of the armpits
• An area of thickened tissue in a breast
• One of the nipples has a discharge; sometimes it may contain blood
• The nipple changes in appearance; it may become sunken or inverted
• The size or the shape of the breast changes
• The nipple-skin or breast-skin may have started to peel, scale or flake

Diagnosing Breast Cancer

• Breast exam 
• X-ray (mammogram)
• Beast ultrasound
• Biopsy 
• Breast MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan 

 Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37136.php

Career: EMT (emergency medical technicians)

Job Description:  EMT's  job is to rush to the scene of an emergency, provide immediate medical care, and get the patient to the hospital.  When EMTs arrive at the scene, their first job is to figure out what kind of injury the patient has and how serious it is. At the same time, they must try to determine if the patient has any pre-existing medical conditions, such as epilepsy or diabetes, or is taking any medication that may cause complications. Working quickly, they give the patient whatever care and treatment they can, until they reach the hospital. This could mean anything from assisting the patient’s breathing to bandaging wounds. In some cases, they confer with doctors over the radio. Once they get to the hospital, paramedics brief emergency staff on the patient’s situation and medical history, and help with pre-admittance treatment.

Education/ Training Needed:  Formal training is necessary to become an EMT or paramedic. Programs are offered by police, fire, and health departments, hospitals, and 2-year colleges. Although requirements vary, applicants must generally be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or the equivalent, a driver’s license, and CPR certification. EMT-Basic training provides the first level of skills required to work in the emergency medical system. EMT-Basic requires the student to complete a program that includes between 100 and 150 hours of classroom work, depending on the state. A period of on-the-job training in an ambulance or hospital emergency room must also be completed. After completing an EMT basic training program, graduates must pass a written and practical exam administered by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) or their state certifying body. EMT-Intermediate training requirements vary from state to state. Training commonly includes 35 to 55 hours of additional classroom instruction, beyond EMT-Basic coursework, and covers patient assessment, as well as the use of advanced airway devices and administering intravenous fluids.

Wages: EMTs are normally paid on an hourly basis, anywhere from about $10 to $26 an hour. The median annual earnings for all EMTs are about $31,000, with most earning between $20,000 and $53,000 a year. 



Source: https://www2.careercruising.com/careers/profile-at-a-glance/318

 

Directional Terms on a Pencil Box

Directional Terms on a Book

Surface anatomy

All About Me

Hello, my name is Michelle Chan and I am a student in Alhambra High School. I am currently a junior in high school and I am aiming for a good score for my SAT tests. I want to go to a 4-year university because I want to be a pharmacist in the future. I want to get into medical field because my mom is a respiratory therapist and I admire her job, but I chose pharmacist because I do not like to see people suffer.  I am a pianist for 10 years and I will continue because I really enjoy playing piano. I love dogs because even though dogs cannot communicate through speaking, their eyes tell us what they want. I got lots of support from my mom and I am very thankful.