Tag: healthcare

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Taking a Gap Year Before Med School & Information on Fellowships

Taking a Gap Year Before Med School
Thursday, February 21st
 – 7:00pm, 900 Room
Meet alumni to learn about their gap year experiences before med school and learn about fellowships available before and after graduation.

Davidson Alumni: 
Devin Haddad ’10, Caroline Ludwig ’12, Malcolm Moses-Hampton ’12

Fellowships and Scholarships: 
Dr. Ted Ogaldez, Director of Graduate Fellowships at Davidson College, and Dr. Scott Denham, Chair of the Graduate Fellowships Committee.

Alumni Bios: |
Devin Haddad ’10 – A Center major at Davidson, Mr. Haddad moved to Washington, DC after graduation to work for an immunology lab at the FDA for two years. He is now a medical student at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Caroline Ludwig ’12 – A biology major and French minor, Ms. Ludwig is currently working at LifeStar Emergency Medical Services in Winston-Salem, NC, and volunteers at the Brenner Children’s Hospital.  She also teaches a dance exercise class at the local YMCA.  Ms. Ludwig plans to attend medical school next year.

Malcolm Moses-Hampton ‘12 – Mr. Moses-Hampton is currently a NSF Lab & Research Technician in Dr. Julio Ramirez’s Neuroscience Lab in the Davidson College Psychology Department.  As such, he manages and conducts grant projects with Dr. Ramirez. Mr. Moses-Hampton plans to attend medical school in 2014, eventually practicing as a neurosurgeon with specific application to traumatic brain injuries.

 

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Pre-Med Major Carter Devlin ’13 Gives Business a Try

By Brennan McCormick, Career Services Ambassador

As a pre-med chemistry major, Carter Devlin ’13 has always had an interest in medicine. This past summer, however, he was given an opportunity to explore the business side of the healthcare industry. As a Business Development and Planning intern at Biologics, Inc. Carter was tasked with performing market research and competitor analysis for one of the most specialized drug distribution companies in the world. Carter’s summer culminated in a presentation delivered to the executive team and strategic planning committee meant to showcase his findings over the course of this summer.


“Carter’s experience serves as a reminder that one need not be a doctor to get involved in the healthcare industry.”

For those interested in medicine, but wary of medical school, a position like Carter’s is a great way to break into the healthcare industry.

Carter’s position placed a heavy emphasis on writing, research, and communication skills, all of which are developed by the Davidson curriculum. Carter reported that a position like this is also a valuable learning experience for anyone interested in medicine. By gaining exposure to various drug distribution channels and the clinical trial process, a position in the business side of the healthcare industry arms a Davidson student with the tools to continue in the healthcare industry or break off into a related field such as marketing or consulting.  Carter’s experience serves as a reminder that one need not be a doctor to get involved in the healthcare industry.

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Research & Internship Opportunities in the Sciences

Includes: Neuropsychology, Psychology, Environmental Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Medicine, Public Health, Biochemistry, Engineering, and Computer Science

Undergraduate research opportunities offer you the chance to participate in exciting projects, working beside some of the most talented scientists in the field.  They also help you gain needed experience to get in to graduate school or to obtain the position you’re applying for after graduation.

Below are links to a wide range of scientific research opportunities. Some offer stipends, while others are unpaid.  Deadlines vary, but in general, the earlier you apply the better. You should also check with your professors when seeking research opportunities as many have openings available for Davidson students that are not advertised. Davidson professors will also know of colleagues looking for people to work in their labs.

Research Experiences for Undergraduates
This is the premier site for summer research positions in the sciences. REU sites are competitively selected by the National Science Foundation (NSF), so the positions tend to be of very high quality (and tend to pay well, also).

Grants and Research Opportunities on the Davidson College Biology site
List of opportunities listed on the Davidson College Biology Department website.  This is for all sciences, public health, etc.

American Psychological Association
Undergraduate research opportunities and internships in Neuroscience and Psychology.

RIT Co-op and Scientific Internship Listings
This list provides a wide range of short and long-term cooperative and internship listings in science and technology.

List of summer research/internship opportunities in the sciences
Provided by Grinnell College, but not affiliated with the college – open to students across the country, and in a variety of disciplines:  biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science, mathematics,medicine, physics,

Biotech and Pharmaceutical
Bio
Biotechnology Industry Organization is a professional association designed to provide information and support for those in the biotechnology field.  Their website provides excellent information on specific fields, current research and career opportunities.

BioSpace
News and job opportunities for those interested in the biotech and pharmaceutical fields.

PhRMA
PhRMA’s mission is to conduct effective advocacy for public policies that encourage
discovery of important new medicines for patients by biopharmaceutical research companies. This webside provides a variety of resources on the field.

Environmental Studies
Environmental Studies: Greater Research Opportunities Undergraduate Fellowships
For undergraduate students in environmentally fields of  studies.

Environmental Science Institute
Funded by the National Science Foundation, this program is open to a national pool of undergraduate applicants and requires a ten-week commitment. Students create their own research project, participate in a research group, and present their work.

Math
Mathematical Association of America
The MAA provides mathematicians with the best expository articles, engaging problems, and articles devoted to teaching collegiate mathematics. The MAA also provides research funding opportunities.

The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
International community of over 13,000 individual members. Almost 500 academic, manufacturing, research and development, service and consulting organizations, government, and military organizations worldwide are institutional members. The website has an excellent career-related section that lists internships and jobs within the field and provides career information and advice.

Physics
National Science Foundation
List of physics REU sites, both theoretical and experimental.

Public Health Opportunities
Johns Hopkins  – Funding/Internships Announcements
Compiled listing of public health related internships and research opportunities. Students do not need to be attending Johns Hopkins to apply.

Science
The National Academies
The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute ofMedicine, and National Research Council are private, nonprofit institutions that provide expert advice on some of the most pressing challenges facing the nation and the world.

Science.gov: USA.gov for Science
Internships and fellowship opportunities in science.

Scientific-related opportunities compiled by Columbia University, Department ofBiological Studies
Biology, Biomedical, Minority, Ecology and Environmental Studies, Marine Biology Research Opportunities, Fellowships, Internships and Summer Courses. Programs are located in all geographic areas of the country.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program: Boston University
Ten-week undergraduate program for students interested in pursuing a career as a research scientist. Students are chosen from a national pool.

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Allied Health Field: Over 200 Careers to Choose From

The term Allied Health describes a group of health professions made up of as many as 200 health careers. There are 5 million allied health care providers in the U.S., who work in more than 80 different professions and represent approximately 60% of all health care provider.  This is just a drop in the bucket in terms of how many allied health care workers are needed to meet current and future healthcare needs in America.

When you work in allied health, you are involved (directly or indirectly) with patient health, and you are regarded as an expert in your field. Some allied health professionals practice independently; others work as part of a health care team, providing continual evaluation and assessment of patient needs. They also play a major role in informing the attending clinician of the patient’s progress and response to treatment.

The allied health professions fall into two broad categories: technicians (assistants) and therapists/technologists. Technicians are trained to perform procedures, and their education lasts less than two years. They are required to work under the supervision of technologists or therapists. This part of the allied health field includes physical therapy assistants, medical laboratory technicians, radiological technicians, occupational therapy assistants, recreation therapy assistants, and respiratory therapy technicians.

The educational process for therapists or technologists is more intensive and includes acquiring procedural skills. In addition, students of therapy/technology learn to evaluate patients, diagnose conditions, develop treatment plans, and understand the rationale behind various treatments in order to judge their appropriateness and potential side effects. Educational curricula teach students to evaluate patients’ responses to therapy and make appropriate decisions about continued treatment or modification of treatment plans.

For more information about Allied Health, see the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions Website. The U.S. Department of Labor has a whole section on allied health professions on its Career Voyages Website.  The Health Professions Network (HPN) publishes a feature on the “Allied Health Profession of the Month. Another online newsletter called  MinorityNurse.com includes “A Day in the Life” of professionals in various allied health careers.

To find an accredited allied health program, see the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs Website— which lists most, but not all, of the allied health fields. Some allied health programs are credentialed by another accrediting body. The American Association of Community Colleges also provides a list of schools that train students for allied health careers.

Additional Resources:
Check out the Health Professions Network (HPN) Facebook pageFacebook to stay up-to-date on trends in health care careers.

KevinMD.com offers good articles and commentary on healthcare, and is one of the top social media websites.

Source: Allied Health Group

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Summer Health-Related Internships and Opportunities for 2012

There are many summer internship opportunities in health related fields. Most programs have application deadlines in January, February and March.

Opportunities are available in the following areas:
Research | Clinical | Public Health | Dental Medicine | Veterinary | International Opportunities | For Disadvantaged/Underrepresented Minority Students

These links are provided for your convenience and do not represent an endorsement by the Davidson College Office of Career Services, or Swarthmore College.  Click on the link of the areas you are interested in to find out about details, deadlines and requirements.  Start now to look for summer internships as positions will be competitive.

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Information to Improve Public Health

The Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce helps the public health workforce find and use information effectively to improve and protect the public’s health. It is a collaboration of U.S. government agencies, public health organizations, and health sciences libraries which provide timely, convenient access to selected public health resources on the Internet.

This website also provides links to information in the following main categories. Click on those sites of interest to you to locate organizations and resources of interest.

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Public Health Overview

Public health is the science and art of creating healthy communities through education, research, and promotion of healthy lifestyles. In public health, the focus is on health promotion and disease/injury prevention; this is in contrast to the medical model of care,which focuses more heavily upon diagnosing and treating illnesses and conditions after they occur.

Because of their “big picture” perspective, public health experts play a key role in emergency preparedness and response.* This may be why public health has become such a growing field in recent years.

You can earn over fifteen degrees from an accredited school of public health, including undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees. The most common are:

  • Master of Public Health (MPH)
  • Master of Health Administration (MHA)
  • Master of Science (MS)
  • Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  • Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
  • Doctor of Science (ScD)

Find an overview of Public Health here to see if this is something you are interested in, and stop by Career Services to find out about internships, shadowing possibilities and ways to connect with alumni in the field to conduct information interviews.

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Allied Health Care Careers

Allied health careers are a broad range of health care professions that deliver patient health care services, besides nursing or physicians. As many as 100 different medical jobs can be found in allied health care, with these workers making up approximately 60% of the health care work force. Individuals in allied health work with physicians and nurses, either directly or indirectly with patients to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and technical services in a patient’s treatment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ten of the 20 fastest growing occupations are health care related, largely due to the growing and aging population.

Currently there is a shortage of mid-level specialities in allied healthcare careers, such as physical therapy, physical therapist assistant, occupational therapy, occupational therapist assistant, or speech language pathology or various imaging, respiratory, or laboratory jobs. However, working as a healthcare professional in the allied medical careers is becoming more beneficial as general physicians are decreasing in number and health care is becoming more expensive.