Posted at 05:36 PM in Career Training | Permalink | Comments (0)
Dentists are doctors who perform preventative care and disease treatment on the teeth and gums. Cavities, fillings, extractions, and some oral surgery all fall under the purview of a dentist. There are two degrees that allow a person to become a dentist a DMA, or Doctor of Medical Dentistry, and a DDS, or a Doctor of Dental Surgery. Within these degrees there are a number of specializations that can be chosen, such as an oral pathologist, oral surgeon or an orthodontist, just to name a few. Becoming a dentist requires years of hard work and study, as the doctoral degree conferred upon a dentist is extremely comprehensive. Scottsdale dentist Dr. Manisha Javia recalls becoming a dentist as “very difficult, but ultimately extremely rewarding.” While becoming a dentist may be tough, many people choose this challenging and rewarding career path.
Deciding If Dentistry is Right for You
Before becoming a dentist, a prospective student must first decide if the career of dentistry is right for them. Dentists have enormous work flexibility, and are always in high demand. The work is rewarding for those who want to help people. The money isn’t bad either; according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average yearly salary for a dentist is just over $150,000. Before deciding on dentistry though, a person must first evaluate if they possess the necessary skills in order to make it into and through dental school, as well as hold a successful practice. A studious mind and strong desire of book learning is required, as well as a love of things such as biology, chemistry, and other sciences. A person must be willing to help people, and accommodate them as best they can. Without the desire to help others, dentistry is a difficult career to maintain, and those who enter the field just for the money will find themselves wishing they had chosen differently.
Becoming a Dentist
Becoming a dentist involves passing dental school, which usually involves getting an undergraduate bachelor’s degree. Most students choose a science, such as biology, as their undergraduate major, since it provides the best foundation for dental school. Students must be sure to maintain a high GPA and achieve a high score on the Dental Admissions Test in order to be accepted into dental school. Because of the high pay and flexibility of a dental career, admittance into dental school is competitive, and only the best students will be accepted. Extracurricular work or volunteering, such as working in a dentist’s office, can help a student get accepted to dental school. Students accepted to a dental school can expect to spend 4 years studying to become a dentist, before graduating and taking several exams to be licensed to be allowed to practice as a dentist.
Dentistry is extremely rewarding, but it is not for everyone. If you think dentistry is right for you, look at dental schools in your area and use their resources to determine exactly what path you should take to be admitted.
Posted at 12:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Those interested in a career as a paralegal will have many job options available to them. However, one area of interest that is quickly growing is paralegal services for medical malpractice attorneys. These attorneys rely on paralegal professionals on a day-to-day basis and have become vital to many practices. According to the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, this job has above average expected growth and will continue to be in high demand.
Duties and Responsibilities
The paralegal employed in a busy medical malpractice firm will have many job duties and responsibilities. This can include but is not limited to research, documentation, preparation of documents and evidence collection. Research not only pertains to laws and statutes but can also include important facts related to the case. For example, medical related research on transvaginal mesh devices for a case involving personal injury. Attending court hearings and working closely with attorneys is a must.
Educational Requirements
In order to find employment as a paralegal for a medical malpractice attorney, formal training is almost always required. There are both two year and four year paralegal study programs that are available with the two year option being the most common. Those that already possess a degree in another field may only have to complete a certificate program. On-the-job training is almost always not an option for those that do not already have a college degree. Certification is not mandatory for paralegal studies but may assist the graduate when seeking employment.
Paralegal Program Information
There are many educational programs for those interested in this exciting career. Options can include entirely online programs, classroom learning or a combination of both. In addition, accelerated degree programs may be available. Accelerated degree programs typically allow the learner to obtain an associate's degree in 18 months, rather than two years. Most paralegal programs do not require selective admissions criteria. This means that the individual will not have to apply directly to the program as well as the school of choice.
Specializing in Medical Malpractice
Many states do not allow attorneys nor paralegals to specialize within a specific area of practice. Therefore, experience is often considered. Those that wish to work for medical malpractice attorneys should attempt to gain as much experience as possible. Some schools may even require or offer internships, this may serve as a great opportunity to get a foot-in-the door. Whenever possible, the student may wish to consider obtaining the internship with a medical malpractice attorney for this reason.
Salary for a Medical Malpractice Paralegal
The salary of a paralegal employed by medical malpractice attorneys can differ significantly. The median annual wage for all paralegal professionals was $46,900 as of May 2012 with the highest earners compensated over $75,000. Factors that can affect salary include the particular firm, location and the education of the paralegal. Those with a bachelor's degree or higher or who have voluntarily obtained certification may earn more than those who have not. Experience can also play a crucial role in salary.
Posted at 07:55 PM in Career Training | Permalink | Comments (1)
Search engine optimization changes as quick as you can say "SEO." How can you ever become an expert with information moving this quickly? Follow these steps to get started and keep up to date with SEO.
Get Reading
There are plenty of resources available to you when it comes to learning what's new and what's coming with SEO. One of those includes the blog of SEOmoz (http://moz.com/blog), Another is Matt Cutts' blog, Google's head of search spam. He tells us what's new with how Google operates and answers questions from people who want to be better at SEO. Other resources include the community-based SearchEngineLand (http://searchengineland.com/).
Watch Videos
SEO gurus and webmasters flock to YouTube in hordes. You can learn how to optimize your website, get the most out of your AdWords campaigns and increase ROI with social media with video tutorials that walk you through the process step by step. This is perfect if you're an absolutely novice when it comes to SEO.
The following YouTube accounts are chock-full of helpful tutorials, Q&As and other videos:
The MozBlog also includes videos every Friday as part of the Whiteboard Friday project.
Talk to Others
While the basis of SEO is that you want your website to have more visibility than that of the competition, you shouldn't look at everyone as an enemy. You might be surprised what you can learn from other people who are beefing up their own skills or working on their own websites when you consider them as resources. There are plenty of places where this conversation can get rolling.
Consider LinkedIn, the social network for businesses and professionals. The groups on the network are a great place to ask and answer questions. While Facebook wasn't designed specifically for SEO gurus, you'll find plenty of groups for bloggers, webmasters and SEO help just by typing a keyword or two into the search box. Even Twitter can offer some insight if you pose a question and use a hashtag to trace it.
Attend a Conference
Social media and online interactions aren't the only way to talk about SEO. Consider attending SEO workshops and conferences. Here, you'll attend panels hosted by people who work for search engines and SEO pros who want to share their insight. You can take notes and engage in water-cooler talk with other people to share experience and tips. Some popular conferences include MozCon, Content Marketing World and Inbound Marketing Summit.
Practice, Practice, Practice
The truth about search engine optimization is that you have to put it into play before you'll know what works well for your. Your specific style, your audience and industry all affect what works particularly well for you. You have to be willing to experiment and measure results to make changes to make sure you're getting the most out of your SEO efforts. However, this flexibility will lead to success where rigidity and clinging to old traditions won't.
Posted at 07:55 PM in Career Training | Permalink | Comments (1)
If you're having problems looking for a job that you can make into a career, or if you're in a career and want a change of direction to something better, then perhaps one of these five occupations might be the perfect fit for you.
Continue reading "Five unique career options that might be perfect for you" »
Posted at 05:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Becoming an EMT, or Emergency Medical Technician is not as easy as taking a course, passing a test and jumping into an ambulance. Training must be taken from a state-certified course instructor or school.
Posted at 12:01 PM in Career Training, Health | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: EMS Training, EMT Training, Paramedic Training