Medical IT Jobs: Ways to Help You Find a Job in this Field

Posted by Jane Jane on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 / Labels: / Comments: (0)

Medical IT jobs utilize computer and digital technology in a medical facility. These jobs will include but not limited to electronic medical records, electronic coding, etc.

How to find a job in this field?
Medical IT jobs are exciting and challenging, at the same time. There are two ways to break into this field. One is to take the clinical side and the other one is to break through the IT side.

Transition from being a clinician to healthcare IT profession is the easier route. Keep in mind that clinical knowledge is vital in this field. Clinicians who are taking medical IT jobs want a new challenge in their lives where they can apply their clinical knowledge to process improvement. Or they are just seeking a new route to direct patient care.

When transitioning from being a clinician to this field, you will experience a sort of culture shock. The IT field is more rigid compared with the clinical environment. Clinicians are resistant to change. However, IT is all about change. Therefore, they have to adjust in order to fit into the environment of medical IT jobs.

From IT to health IT
The competition is stiff. Hence, it is more difficult to find a medical IT job if you do not have prior healthcare experience. To find your way in this field, you need to stand out ahead of the competition during the interview.

According to experts, you will thrive in this field if you are just willing to learn and are motivated. You also need to develop your ability to adapt to the changing needs of this environment.

Photo Source: medicalcodingandbillingcertification.net

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Medical Technologist

Radiology Career: Training Requirements When Pursuing a Career in this Field

Posted by Jane Jane on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 / Labels: , , / Comments: (0)

The job of a radiologist is to read and interpret digital images of patients obtained via a camera, machine and other imaging equipment. He/she uses this information to help the treating physician in diagnosing the patient and to come up with a course of treatment. Radiologists are also involved in image-guided procedures to aid in the treatment of health problems, such as cardiovascular diseases.

Training requirements
To practice in this area, radiologists must complete the following training requirements:
  1. Bachelor's degree
  2. Medical degree
  3. Residency training for 4 years
  4. Sub-specialization training
They must also meet additional requirements to practice medicine in the Philippines (or in other countries). Optional subspecialties will include radiology, body imaging, mammography and musculo-skeletal, among others. 

What is to like about this profession? 
  • Compensation. This area of medicine offers one of the highest salaries and best benefits. 
  • Vacation. Unlike other physicians, they have a lot of time for vacation. Even though they read tens of thousands of images a year, they have 8-12 weeks of free time. 
  • Work flexibility. They can read scans from home through a computer linked into a hospital network. They do not have to work at night like physicians of other areas of medicine. 
Another likeable factor about this profession is the fact that radiologists do not need to spend a lot of time directly interacting with their patients. However, they still need to develop their collaborative and consultative skills as they have to coordinate with other allied health professionals.

Photo Source: dentalradiology.com

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Pharmacist Career: 3 Things You Need to Do When Opting for this Profession

Posted by Jane Jane on Friday, May 11, 2012 / Labels: , / Comments: (0)

The career of a pharmacist is promising (unlike MT). Although this is a rapidly expanding field, it is essential for aspiring individuals to seriously consider the fierce competition in this field. Plus, there is more to being in this field than working in a local drugstore. To help you win in the competition, you might want to study the tips provided by veteran pharmacists.

  • Explore career options in this field. There are multitude of careers inside the pharmacy department. Pharmacists can work in insurance companies, veterinarian practices and law firms. You can also work in clinical research where you are tasked to investigate drugs that might someday be useful to (dying) patients. 
  • Apply to several colleges. Keep in mind that some schools that offer pharmacy programs only accept enrollees in this area once a year. Hence, if you will not be accepted, you will have to wait for another year to reapply. Therefore, you should apply to various schools to increase your chances of being accepted. But when you shop for the best school, however, you need to look at the passing rate in previous year's licensure examination. Completing your pharmacy education from an established school leads to better job opportunities. 
  • Be compassionate and thorough. The job of a pharmacist is not easy. This profession does not have a room for errors. Just like medical technology profession, accuracy is very important in this job. And because you are interacting with sick patients, you need to become compassionate all the time. You must be ready to help a patient who might be needing your assistance any time. 
(Note to myself: If I had known the multitude of opportunities offered by this profession, I would have picked it over MT.)

Photo Source: Pharmacist
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Recipes for a Vegetarian

Posted by Jane Jane on Thursday, May 10, 2012 / Labels: , , / Comments: (0)

Recipes for a vegetarian are becoming popular. But cooking or preparing vegetarian is still a big challenge. It could be that you do not have time to prepare/cook or that foods for vegetarians are too expensive and hard to find.

When looking for recipes for a vegetarian, you may heed to the following pieces of advice:
  • When cooking green vegetables, you should know how to test whether they are undercooked or overcooked. Steam them until they are tender but still crispy. After cooking vegies for 4 minutes, pierce a small piece using the tip of the knife. If they resist slightly, then they are ready to be served. 
  • Eat pears if you are looking for high fiber fruit. A medium-sized pear contains six grams of fiber, 190 milligrams of potassium and 26 grams of carbs. 
  • If you want recipes for a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian friends, you can serve grains, veggies and meat but serve them separately. You can also serve a pizza that has only meat on one side and vegies on another side. 
  • Some meatless options will include breads, couscous, rice, potatoes, and veggie casseroles. 
Among the recipes for a vegetarian I have seen, I want to try this Soy Milk Capuccino. It is said to be a healthy alternative to, well, brewed coffee or soda.

What you need: 
  • Unflavored soymilk
  • Honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Vanilla extract
  • Ground cinnamon
  • chocolate shavings
To prepare, heat soy milk through a saucepan or microwave. Heat it until below boiling and remove it from heat before adding the remaining ingredients. To make it frothy, beat it using an egg beater. You may add chocolate shavings for garnish.

Photo source: Yupedia.com

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Chicken Recipes: Essential Tips On How to Shop for Chicken and How to Properly Fry Chicken

Posted by Jane Jane on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 / Labels: , / Comments: (0)

Chicken recipes are easy to prepare. They are not just versatile but they are also very mouthwatering. Yup!

What I like most about chicken recipes is that they can be served with side dishes. Plus, they can be cooked in different ways: baking, frying and grilling, among others. But before making chicken meals, you (I) must know how to properly shop for the best chicken meat.


  • Read the label. Scrutinize its description, total weight, expiration date or sell-by date and calories and nutrition information. The sell-by date should be 7 to 10 days after the chicken was butchered. It will remain fresh for 2 to 3 days after the said date, if it is properly refrigerated. After 3 days, it should be cooked. If not, it should be frozen. 
  • Choose moist chicken. It must be transparent in appearance and not patchy. Frozen chicken should be rock hard without signs of freezer burn. 
Favorite chicken recipes
  • Chicken and crock pot are great partners. 
  • Chicken soup is ideal if you are conscious about nutrition. 
  • Chicken can be added to salads too. 
  • Chicken casseroles are good choice for busy individuals.
  • Chicken stew is great for a hearty heart meal in the morning. (If only I had time to prepare it.) 
  • Roast chicken is an easy-to-prepare dinner. 
Here are some tips provided by experts when frying chicken: 
  • Leave the skin while still cooking. You may remove it before eating. 
  • Cover it for the first 5 minutes and remove the cover for the remainder of the cooking time. 
  • Use spatula or tongs when placing chicken in the pan. Fork can pierce the chicken, thereby, allowing its juice to escape. 
  • Use dry utensils when cooking. Keep in mind that water will only make the oil splatter when heated. 
  • Use canola oil, if you want to have milder taste for your chicken recipes. 
  • Do not cover the chicken after it has been cooked. It looses its crispness when you cover it. 
Photo Source: Chicken
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Calories and Nutrition: Avoid the Calories in Your Starbucks Coffee Cup

Posted by Jane Jane on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 / Labels: , / Comments: (0)

You cannot see the calories and nutrition facts of Starbucks via its website. Hence, if you are conscious about  the number of calories you are taking in each day, then it is important that you know what you should not drink while in this popular coffee shop.

Tips that can prevent yourself from drinking coffee at Starbucks with calories equivalent to an entire meal.
  • Opt for skinny drinks. They are sugar free. They include non-fat milk and whip cream. Examples of skinny drinks will include vanilla latte or non-fat capuccino. The latter option is ideal if you want to have pure coffee taste. On the other hand, if you want to drink coffee at Starbucks with fewer calories than those options mentioned earlier, then you can have plain brewed coffee. It has only 5 calories. Or you can opt for cafe Americano with 10 calories. 
  • Drink tea, like green tea or passion fruit tea. The latter is my favorite pick every time I get to visit Starbucks. This is the best choice if you want to stay within your weight loss goal. Drinking tea allows you to save calories, thereby, helping you avoid cheating on your weight loss plans. 
  • Avoid the pastry. You should learn how to resist the pastry when you drop by Startucks coffee shop. The better option is to have yogurt at 300 calories, i.e. if you really need to fill your stomach in addition to the coffee drink that you have. 
These are just some of the simple ways that you can to help you save on calories and nutrition when it comes to drinking coffee at Starbucks.

Photo Source: DietsinReview.com

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Activities for Exercise: Tips on How to Improve Your Heart Rate

Posted by Jane Jane on Friday, May 4, 2012 / Labels: , , / Comments: (0)

To obtain the benefits of activities for exercise, you have to get your heart rate up. You can do so by engaging in various activities to help your heart. In order to start a healthy exercise plan, you might consider the following tips provided by health experts:

  • Increase your heart rate by doing aerobic exercises for 30 minutes a day. No treadmill at home? Well, you can have brisk walking or opt to climb the stairs in your office rather than taking the elevator. Or if you have Wii, you can have have great exercise with your kids and other family member through Wii Fit Step Aerobics. 
  • Exercise your heart muscle by engaging in swimming and Pilates. These are great activities for exercise that do not need a gym. You just need to grab a proper outfit and you can start exercising your heart muscle.
If you do not have time to exercise, then you might want to park your car away from the door of your office. In this way, you will be forced to walk. Keep in mind that 5 to 10 minutes of walking is good for your heart. 

For older people, they need to have the same amount of exercise as younger people need. However, they need  to participate in less intense exercise. 

Complement your aerobic training with strength training. It prevents muscle-mass loss. Although it does not increase heart rate, it does improve your stamina. 

Good to Know

Whatever activities for exercise you want to engage in, you need to remember to start slowly by warming up. From there, you can increase your pace. And, always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Photo Source: info.daystarseattle.com

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What are the Symptoms of Disease: Kidney Problems

Posted by Jane Jane on Thursday, May 3, 2012 / Labels: / Comments: (1)

What are the symptoms of kidney disease?

According to studies, there are many people who are suffering from the said disease but they do not know it yet. The reason for this is that the early signs are very subtle. Because of that, chronic kidney disease can turn into kidney failure.

Then again, it is still important to know what are the symptoms of kidney disease so you can help alleviate it sooner, rather than later. If you are worried about kidney problems, you should check with your doctor and have your urine tested.
  • Changes in urination. When kidneys are failing, your urine and how frequent you urinate may change. For instance, you may need to get up more often at night just to pee. Furthermore, you urinate more often with pale urine. The amount is also greater than usual. Or you may urinate less often, in smaller amount with dark yellow urine. Another change in urination you may notice is if your urine contains blood. 
  • Swelling or edema. This is caused by failure of the kidneys to get rid of extra fluid. As a result, it accumulates in your body causing swelling of the legs, face, ankles and feet. Before my father underwent a procedure for his kidney problems, his feet would swell if he would stand up for a long time. 
  • Fatigue or anemia. Because kidneys are important in making a hormone called erythropoietin that is important in making oxygen-carrying RBC, your kidneys produce less of this hormone. This would then lead to anemia. My father's nephrologist advised him to have EPO injection once a month to alleviate his being anemic because of kidney disease. 
Other symptoms of kidney disease will include skin rash, itching, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, dizziness and have trouble concentrating. 

When you experience one or some of these symptoms, you should check with your doctor immediately. This is to avoid worsening your condition.

Photo Source: DIYhealth.com

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Diseases & Disorders: Different Diseases and Disorders That Can Cause Hearing Loss

Posted by Jane Jane on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 / Labels: / Comments: (0)


Most of the time, the cause of hearing loss is preventable and/or treatable. If you are suffering from this condition, it would be a good idea to check with your doctor regularly.

The following are diseases & disorders that can cause hearing loss.
  • Meniere's Disease. It affects men and women ages 40 and 60. This disorder can cause vertigo and tinnitus (buzzing sound in your ears). It can lead into a permanent loss of hearing. Although the exact cause of this disorder is not yet known, doctors believed that it is caused by an imbalance of fluids in the inner ear. Unfortunately, alleviating the dizziness and hearing loss at the same time is not always possible. According to some medical reports, curing the vertigo caused by this disease may lead to permanent deafness. 

  • Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS). It is a rare genetic disorder that can cause facial distortion and abnormalities. This is caused by hypoplasia or underdevelopment of the craniofacial bones. Patients with this type of disorder may also suffer from loss of hearing. To alleviate the problem, they can use hearing aids. 

  • Mondini Syndrome. This is one of the diseases & disorders that affect the cochlea of the ear. This disorder leads to malformation of the cochlea resulting in flattened appearance. Unfortunately, it is impossible to detect it as the sufferer hears normally. Fortunately, it does not cause complete or permanent deafness. To enhance the patient's hearing abilities, he/she can undergo cochlear implants. 
It is difficult to suffer from hearing loss. Therefore, it is crucial to take care of your ears. Visit your ENT regularly to know the health status of your ears. 

Photo source: mikkovarakas.com

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