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Extra Credit Post: Name a problem with your industry and propose ideas on how to change it. Be innovative and think outside the box!

There are a number of issues associated with the medical industry. But obviously, the biggest issue is the cost of health care. There are over forty million Americans that do not have health insurance. This is a staggering statistic! However, people must be aware of the overhead that hospitals and doctors must endure in order to provide their services. While I am not a proponent of universal health care, I feel like something must be done in order to make health care more affordable for people. I feel like an innovative way to treat patients in an affordable manner is to begin doing “house calls” again. While this is something that is not popular and hasn’t been done in years, it will be convenient for the patient and more affordable. In the end, doctors make their money because of the patients so I feel that it wouldn’t be a large issue for me to complete house calls. However, it would only be to those that do not require the expensive equipment that hospitals carry; EKG machines, x-ray machines, etc. If we can visit our patients it will save them money and it’ll be a better way to connect with our patients. Many doctors nowadays don’t know anything about their patients, they walk in, perform their examinations, and leave. I expect myself to have a great relationship with all my patients and house calls would be a great way to do that. 

Week 10: Interview someone from your industry and explain their experiences.

 

For this blogpost I interviewed my father as he is a physician as well. My dad is my hero and I have learned a lot from him. He also has given me great advice on how to achieve my goals and he has given me a scope of what this industry is like. I first asked him what he liked most about being a physician. He answered by saying that the most enjoyable part is going home feeling like you actually did something good by helping people with their ailments. He said it’s a feeling that never gets old and he believes he chose this field for the sense of fulfillment. I then asked him how he copes with the loss of a patient. He told me that it is the hardest part of being a doctor. You get attached to the patients and it becomes extremely difficult. I know myself and I am sure I will get very attached to my patients. It’s hard not to when you’re trying to do what you can to help a person. Lastly, I asked my father if he could change anything about what he does what would it be. He simply said, “Nothing.”

Week 9: What do you hope to contribute to society with your chosen field?

I hope to contribute a lot in my chosen field. The field of Cardiology allows me the opportunity to save peoples’ lives. I hope to contribute a sense of hope in my patients. People should not have to live worrying about everything they eat and everything they do. By teaching people a different way of living, it begins to eliminate the sense of worry that people have. For example, by teaching a person to exercise at least three times a week, the chances of them having any heart problems lessens significantly. I want to bring joy to all my patients and I do not want to deliver any bad news to anyone. I know that this is impossible and not everyone will listen to my advice or anyone else’s but I want to contribute as much as I can to the idea of having people live a healthier life. In addition to helping people live a healthier life I would also like to contribute a sense of awareness amongst my patients. By educating patients they understand the risks of getting a heart issue. Part of me even thinks it wouldn’t be so bad to scare the patient by showing them various situations and various people that have suffered diseases that they are at a risk of getting. By scaring the patient you are not only giving them a wake-up call, but at the same time educating them.

Week 8: Who does your industry affect?

A Cardiologist is a physician that treats people with heart problems or could possibly have heart problems. But seeing the way the health of America is turning it seems as though my industry will somehow affect everyone. More specifically people with high cholesterol, people that do not exercise, and people that eat an unhealthy diet. As long as junk food is as cheap as it is, my industry will always be relevant for those who are threatened to be afflicted with heart disease or heart attacks. To this day, heart disease is the number one cause of death in America and it doesn’t seem like it is planning to slow down anytime soon. It really saddens me to know that the industry of Cardiology affects almost everyone because normally you do not visit a Cardiologist unless there is cause for concern. I believe people need to be more aware of what is in their food before they eat it. Raising awareness will give people a better understanding of the different choices they can make in order to eat healthier. With better health choices, more awareness, and more exercise, I hope that I will not have to be so busy in the future. 

Week 7: Are there any tests/ licensing/ boards etc. that you must take in order to work in your field?

YES. There are a bunch of tests and board certifications in order to work in the field of Cardiology. Probably the most significant test would be the MCAT. The MCAT is an exam that consists of physics, biology, and chemistry taken during undergrad. The scores you receive in this exam greatly affect the chances of getting into a medical school. It's basically the SAT for pre-med students! MCAT scores range from 3 to 45. The average MCAT that most colleges accept is within the high twenties and low thirties.Of course if your GPA isn't strong a higher MCAT score would be ideal. And if you have a strong GPA then an excellent MCAT isn't necessary, but is always a major plus. In addition to the MCATs you must also take a board of certification exam in the desired state that you would like to practice medicine. Lastly, you must renew your license to practice medicine once every ten years. This exam is called the MKSAT. My father recently took his and I am really dreading doing the same thing in the future. Failure to renew your license is considered a crime if you practice with an expired license in this field. I guess I'll be taking exams until I retire then...

Be introspective, is your chosen field your passion? Why or why not?

I can safely say that this field is my passion. The field of Cardiology is an amazing and innovative field that challenges the mind but at the same time gives a great sense of fulfillment to those who do it. This profession has become a passion of mine ever since I could remember. When I was asked in the third grade what I wanted to do when I grew up I answered “Cardiologist.” This field affects me in a very unique way and I hope it is a dream that can soon become a reality for me. I am very excited for the summer not only because I will be out of school but because this summer I am doing an internship at Wakemed. I hope this internship can give me a bird’s eye view of what to expect in this field and I am also hoping that this internship tests my true passion for this profession. I truly believe that my dream of becoming a Cardiologist is my passion. I hope that everyone that answers this question answers the “Why” part instead of the “Why not” because everyone should put themselves in a field they are passionate about. As Professor Bullock said, we on average will spend over ninety thousand hours working, so we might as well pick something we are passionate about.

Why is your chosen industry valuable?

I believe that the industry of Cardiology is very valuable because Cardiologists participate in saving people's lives. Cardiologists endure rigorous training and extensive studying in order to be able to make a difference in people's lives. Heart disease is the number one cause of death amongst females and males in America today. This fact properly illustrates the magnitutde of how valuable the industry of Cardiology. With the new health care plan being made, Cardiologists are going to be more valuable then ever. I can not wait to become part of this field so I can get that feeling of self fulfillment of helping people in need.

Week 4: What characteristics or personality traits are important and would be valuable to someone in your field?

Manyyyyy personality traits are not only important, but I feel are necessary in order to be valuable in the field of Cardiology. First and foremost a passion for health care and a passion to help people are necessary. Everything trickles down from being passionate about the field. If you are not passionate about a field in cardiology how do you plan on being passionate in helping the patients you see every day? Hard work is also a very important characteristic in order to be successful in this field. Being a physician is never easy and it takes hard work to become respected in the field. Additionally, I feel like its very important to be optimistic in this field. As a Cardiologist, you will deal with patients every day that do not want to come see you because of their potential illness. Being optimisic is important in making the patient feel like everything is going to be alright. Lastly, being a funny and outgoing person to me is a big necessity in this field. Patients are going to be coming in with heart disease and various other illnesses and to be able to put a smile on their face through laughter is one of the most rewarding experiences I can think of. Hopefully I will be able to exhibit these great qualities when I become a Cardiologist so I can make a difference in my patients' lives.

Week 3: What do you hope to contribute to society with your chosen field?

This question goes back to my Week 1 blogpost where I discussed why I want to be a Cardiologist. I hope to contribute by choosing this field by touching patients and stopping them from suffering like the millions of people that suffer from hearth disease and heart attacks. I feel like the fact that heart disease is the number one cause of death amongst males and females is not getting into people's head. All I want to do is help people to not suffer the way my family and I suffered by losing loved ones just because we as a people are not cautious of what we eat. At this rate heart disease will still remain the number one cause of death even if I do become a Cardiologist, but the point is to help the people I can with a passionate and optimistic point of view. 

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Week 2: What kind of education is necessary to succeed in your field?

The great thing about the cardiology field and the medical field in general is that there is always something new to learn. Education is necessary throughout you're career in order to succeed because every day new techniques are being discovered in order to better treat patients. Now, back to the question, a LOT of education is required to succeed in this field. Of course you'll need a High School Diploma or equivalent, then from there you must complete undergraduate school in a college or university. From there you must struggle in order to get into medical school, which requires a solid GPA, strong MCAT score, and various extracurriculer activities that pretty much must include an internship nowadays. After that, four years of medical school follows. After medical school you must complete about five years of internship and from there you have completed all the education you need to be a Cardiologist, sounds like fun right?