Benjamin Said:

medical assisting certificate?

We Answered:

A medical career is always worth considering, from nurses and surgeons right down to hospital cleaning staff. The website in the box below has some fantastic guidance on entering this noble industry. My brother got some fantastic help from there in advance of securing a career as a medical admin assistant.

Barry Said:

Ultrasound Technologist?

We Answered:

"Im 16 and a junior in high school...I go to a nursing program at my local technology center" -- It was my understanding that the minimum age to be accepted into a nursing program is 17. You must mean CNA course. I believe that 16 is acceptable for that.

"And I'm curious as to what all that job [entails] and the education to get there -- Ultrasound tech is an allied health career and there are specialty areas, such as cardiovascular sonography, abdominal sonography, neurosonography, mammography and obstetric-gynecological sonography.

The programs typically include learning to gather, analyze and consolidate patient data and medical history, attend and care for patients, collection of anatomic, physiological and pathologic information, preparation of sonographic data. operation and maintenance of sonographic equipment, professional standards and work ethics, introduction to Ultrasound Imaging, Human Anatomy, Physiology, Medical Terminology, Radiology, Cross-Sectional Anatomy, Scanning Planes and Technology Mathematics. Go online, track down a few schools and find out the admission requirements. Probably a high school diploma or GED. There may be an entrance exam. A proprietary school (private school) will have a steep tuition but any prereqs are built into the program. A traditional school (community college or university) may have prereqs but you'd have to find out.

"so I'm wondering if that means I can go and take the 1-year certificate program to get a job then go and get my baccalaureate degree...all help would be greatly appreciated." -- The 2 year degree program you're ignoring is the first two years of a 4 year degree. A 2 year degree is an Associate's. A baccalaureate is a Bachelor's. I hope that you've considered that a 1 year certificate program may not prepare you for a 4 year degree program and what you learn in the certificate program may not apply academically toward a Bachelor's. By the way, you can earn a Master degree in this field.

I'm not sure how realistic you're being. In the current economy you may not be able to walk into a job after you complete a certificate program. If anyone's hired, it's going to be experienced techs. And if you did find work, you'd probably have to work part-time and go to school full-time simultaneously to earn a Bachelor's.

The salaries you saw may not be for entry level people. And pay varies by state and by region. In states where the cost of living is lower, pay is lower.

Phillip Said:

Air traffic Controller/ Dental hygienist/ pilot/ Doctor- Career Advice?

We Answered:

The medical industry holds a variety of different careers from the obvious nurse and doctor careers to adminstrative careers. My sister really wanted to work in this vocation, but she wasn't certain precisely what she really wanted to do. She discovered the website in the resource box below, it has lots of guidance, and it aided her to decide what she really wanted to do. They have guidance with other jobs too.

Erik Said:

medical assisting certificate vs associates degree?

We Answered:

Associate's degree is more general while a medical assisting certificate is specific and would be better if your end aim is in the medical field, plus you can work as a medical assistant while you are waiting for your spot.

You would probably get more as a medical assistant as it is a specialized program. Who gets more, the general doctor or the specialist doctor, ha?

And with just an associate's, you probably wouldn't get any job in the medical field while you are waiting for your other program except maybe receptionist.

Amanda Said:

how to decide what to do with the rest of your life...?

We Answered:

Have you talked to your guidance counselor? They have aptitude tests that you can take that will show you what careers you are most suited for based on your choice of answers. This would be a good starting point.

It isn't necessary any more to choose a career and stick with it the rest of your life. Many people change careers several times in their lifetimes.