Edward Said:

Medical careers (United States)?

We Answered:

MT for 6 years.

Average salary is hard to say; it depends upon your knowledge, speed, and most of all, discipline. If you don't have discipline (and only you can honestly say) look somewhere else because you will go broke. Seriously. I'm not going to say what I make but I make very good money. I would GUESS the average is $30,000 but many MTs, including me, make considerably more than that. Some make less.

I took an online course. Most are 2 years but I did it in 8 weeks, making that my full-time job ( I was laid off from a previous job). Cost varies widely, depending on whether you go to a local college, adult education course, or online course. At the very least, it will cost you $1500.

It can be boring just like any job. If you are a social butterfly and get lonely and bored alone or if you can't stay off the phone, look elsewhere. If you like solitude and quiet, you shouldn't have a problem with that aspect.

It can be stressful; most doctors are miserable dictators and many cannot put together a grammatically correct sentence to save their lives. Worse yet are the ESLs..."English Second Language." These days, there are many and you will have to get used to hearing very thick accents, bad enough that you are more translating than transcribing.

The pros are solitude, working from home (unless you choose to work in a hospital setting), relative freedom if you are an IC (although I am an employee and clock in and out like most people in an office). No stupid office politics or drama. You set the tone for your own office if you work from home.

You need to be extremely disciplined (I cannot emphasize this enough), an excellent typist, possess impeccable grammar (again, this cannot be emphasized enough), and knowledgeable in every medical discipline (this will come with training and time). Remember, each doctor will be an expert in their own field, but an MT will need to know more medical terminology than any given doctor because an MT will be working in all medical disciplines.

Contrary to what ads may say this is NOT a job to take if you want to stay home with the kids. You cannot watch children and do this at the same time and do a professional job and make decent money.

I would do it over again in a HEARTBEAT.

Go to mtstars.com and read through the message boards and get an idea of what it is like.

Best wishes.

Kelly Said:

Need info on some medical careers?

We Answered:

I am in school for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, which is the term used in the field for general sonography, rather than u/s technician. So I can give you some information on that.

Most prevalent is an 18 month or 2 yr associate's degree program. You want to make sure you find an accredited program (see link below) so you will be able to sit for your boards after graduating. Not only do they do pregnancy ultrasounds, there is also u/s for abdominal organs, pelvis, breast, neurosonogrpahy, etc. The cardiac specialization is called Echocardiography, and the Vascular specialization does u/s on blood vessels. Average pay is around $62-63k/year. This career is in demand, flexible, & challenging.
For acc'd programs: http://www.caahep.org/Find-An-Accredited…
For more info on DMS: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos273.htm

For info on medical technologist, search here: http://www.bls.gov/search/ooh.htm

Viola Said:

Medical Diagnostic Careers?

We Answered:

Sure, why not look into companies that produce the diagnostic equipment? That would open up doors like project manager, manager, sales, etc.

What companies? Think of the stuff you see in doctors' offices and research from there....try Baxter, Abbot, Roche. Most will have international ties.

Good Luck

Janice Said:

I need some info on Select Navy Careers!?

We Answered:

the first two are NECs in the HM rating. that rating is currently full.. males are waiting 6-9 months to ship out, and females aren't getting it at all. ALSO.. you cannot enlist for those specific NECs..you must go HM and then hope you can get one of the C schools.. and most..will NOT get one immediately. usually not before you have reported to your first duty station and you have to ask to be sent to them.

as for the third.. that sounds like NC..Career counselor. If I recall correctly,you cannot enlist for that rating, you must cross rate into it after serving a minimum one enlistment contract..typically 4-6 years.