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Tag: Students

  • Top 10 Reasons for Studying Medicine or Dentistry in Eastern Europe

    Top 10 Reasons for Studying Medicine or Dentistry in Eastern Europe

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    Many students have been unsuccessful in pursuing medicine or dentistry in their home countries such as UK, Germany, USA. The nature of such courses is highly competitive. Here's why you should consider studying in Europe:

    • The course is taught entirely in English, with a foreign language class taught a few hours per week to help you fit in to the country and culture. The foreign language class can assist you when you communicate with the local people or with your patients, as well as when interacting in typical every situations with your new international friends.
    • You will be studying medicine or dentistry at some of the best universities in Europe. Even if your grades are not the best, you can still get accepted into some world class university as many Medical Faculties in Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine and many more allow some flexibility with grade requirements. Universities will not disregard your application and will individually look at your overall performance to give you a chance. Medical Schools in Europe want you to be able to puruse your dream so they'll give you a chance to study. It then depends on you to keep up with medical school and show them what you're worth.
    • You'll be studying medicine or dentistry at some of the largest medical campuses worldwide and largest teaching hospitals in Europe. The universities are all surrounded by very reputable teaching hospitals with many specialties and specialists. Some universities have specific centers like a military hospital or private hospitals with up to date technology, methodology and equipment.
    • Thousands of UK students are opting for studying medicine in Europe. The international community of students from the UK and Germany and other countries is amazing! There are many students who were in your shoes and managed to pursue their dream career abroad, and so should you.
    • Europe is alive, beautiful and safe, you'll experience a true culturally rich experience.
    • You'll have an exciting additional option, as opposed to the limited four university options that UCAS in the UK allows you. You can apply to as many medical universities in Europe as you like – your options are limitless. Apply to each university with its procedures and have an unlimited option of universities to choose from.
    • Annual Tuition fees begin from € 3000 per year. The tuition is paid in one or two instalments every year. Usually, non-EU applicants must pay the tuition upfront before applying for the visa
    • Living expenses are very low, you can live very comfortably on under € 300 per month. Living costs are fantastic and you will love living like a king with such a small amount of money. A Euro or Pound is twice or sometimes thrice as strong as the local currency making everything super cheap.
    • This will be a great back-up option and your safety net incase you are not accepted into medicine back home. Don't risk losing out on a year of your life because of medical school decided to not accept you, because you're not the best of the best of the best!
    • You are guaranteed a job after graduation from medical school in Europe as a doctor, as the universities are accepted worldwide.

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    Source by Osman M

    Views: 1

  • The Rise of High School Drug Testing

    The Rise of High School Drug Testing

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    School districts, much like employers, have begun to implement drug-testing policies. Many school officials cite statistics related to school performance and safety among drug users. Whether the drug testing acts as a method of screening students or as a method of deterrence from drug use, the popularity of this practice has increased significantly in many school systems.

    Supporters of high school drug testing often cite governmental statistics. These numbers show a steadily growing number of teenage drug users each year. Those in favor of mandatory drug testing suggest that such measures may be effective in keeping teenagers from using drugs. Fear of facing expulsion from school or punishment from their parents may be a good deterrent for high school students.

    Although some officials would like to see a policy of mandatory testing of every student, most drug screenings require parental consent. Most schools require that there be probable cause or reasonable suspicion before requesting a drug test. If a teacher notices a student who appears aloof or has red and glassy eyes, he or she may request a drug test.

    More common than random or suspicion-based high school drug testing is the testing of high school athletes. In nearly every school district, students who wish to compete in school sports must sign a release for a drug screening. This has become common in schools because of statistics showing that male high school athletes have a greater risk of drug abuse. These facts, accompanied by the fear of injury during competitions, have fueled the debate and existence of drug testing among athletes.

    Opponents of drug testing claim that it is a violation of privacy to require students to take drug tests. Privacy advocates suggest that with requests for mandatory drug screenings comes the potential for abuse. A few cases have existed in which a student was randomly searched and found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. In these cases, the students were either suspended from school or sent to drug rehabilitation centers; it is often the case that these students were productive in school and were not necessarily considered to be problem students. Regardless of these isolated cases, many school districts defend the benefits of drug testing. Although formal statistics do not prove the theory, many educational experts believe that high school drug testing deters students from using or abusing illegal drugs.

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    Source by Damian Sofsian

    Views: 0

  • Problems Encountered by Nigerian Entrepreneur and Possible Solutions

    Problems Encountered by Nigerian Entrepreneur and Possible Solutions

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    The success enjoyed by most industrialized countries can be attributed to the role played by technological innovation and entrepreneurship, both of which continue to drive their economies today. These two factors are seen as key components for the industrialization and development of African countries. The Nigerian government has recognized this fact and has taken measures aimed at promoting and cultivating the entrepreneurial culture in our country. Through the Nigerian Investing Commission (NIC), our government has in the past introduced a policy that required university students regardless of their area of study to take courses in entrepreneurship. While our government is putting extra effort in promoting entrepreneurship in Nigeria, there are still a number of problems that a Nigerian Entrepreneur faces. Below are some of the problems encountered and possible solutions.

    * Diversifying the Economy

    Though our country’s economy has over the last couple of decades relied heavily on its oil production, we must find ways to diversify our economy and avoid the over reliance on oil. Like other developing countries, Nigeria is facing an increase in its unemployment rate that is now at 6 % and is on the increase, with many graduates finding it hard to get jobs while most of those who get jobs are underemployed. This coupled with the global financial crisis in which massive numbers of employees are being laid off; entrepreneurship is seen as an essential key if we want our country to achieve its ambition of being an industrialized nation by the year 2020.

    * Unfriendly Business Climate

    Being an entrepreneur in Nigeria requires great determination as practicing and potential business owners are faced with countless challenges. Nigerian’s business climate should be made welcoming to those in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The role played by these MSMEs should not be underestimated since majority of the thriving businesses fall in this category and for us to achieve our goals, adequate attention and support must be directed towards these institutions. To be able to help and protect entrepreneurs, we must first have a clear idea of the challenges facing our entrepreneurs in their pursuit of making Nigeria a prosperous country.

    * Lack of Credit Facilities

    Potential Nigeria entrepreneurs go through many hardships when trying to access credit for their businesses. Though there is a wide range of financial institutions that offer business loans, they usually charge high interest rates deterring aspiring entrepreneurs. For instance, major banks have pegged their lending rates to as much a 28% deterring potential entrepreneurs who are mostly low income earners. Other obstacles faced by our entrepreneurs include severe collateral conditions set by banks and other lending institutions. Though our government through the Central Bank and the Banker’s Committee came up with guidelines requiring banks to set aside 10% of their profits for funding MSMEs, majority of these banks have been reluctant to do so. This has led to the emergence of micro-finance institutions which though helpful are not sufficient for meeting the financial requirements.

    * Multiple Taxation

    One other sensitive challenge that is encountered by majority of Nigerian entrepreneurs is multiple taxation. Although we have a responsibility of funding the government through paying taxes, most of the taxes charged on entrepreneurs are not lawful and have the effect of increasing the cost of doing business. Although Nigeria’s Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) has approved only 39 taxes and levies, there are over 500 various levies and taxes that are imposed by state and local government agents. These taxes are questionable and in the case where they are genuine, they are mostly duplicated and this has the effect of increasing the cost of doing business.

    * Poor State of the Country’s Infrastructure

    The state of our infrastructure can be deemed to be a nightmare to both entrepreneurs and the rest of the country’s population. With the existing infrastructure deteriorating and in some places it is non-existent; the cost of doing business has tremendously gone up. The state of the country’s road network makes it hard for entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector to transport harvested produce from farms to processing factories. According to a report released by the World Bank, Nigeria’s pace of socioeconomic development and growth is way below what we can achieve. This is mostly because of the erratic supply of electricity which has negatively affected many businesses. The outcome of power problems has prompted entrepreneurs to generate power through expensive ways that have in turn increased their production costs and made their products uncompetitive due to high prices. Our government should put policies in place to perk up Nigeria’s infrastructure so as to promote successful entrepreneurship.

    * Failure to Adapt to the Changing Business Environment

    Majority of those who venture into MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) do so because of their need to make money and in almost all cases, such entrepreneurs lack relevant and adequate information about the businesses they engage in. In the event where problems arise, most of these business owners lack sufficient problem solving skills and in the end they find it hard to survive. With the telecommunications sector having grown by about 206.5 % between 2002 and 2004 and is continually expanding, Nigeria has become one of the fastest growing ICT market not only in Africa but also worldwide. This presents a challenge to entrepreneurs who have not embraced technology, and who are now finding it hard to remain relevant in the competitive business environment. For existing and potential MSMEs to survive and be relevant, we must adapt to the changing business environment and embrace technology.

    * Addressing the Challenges

    Solving the problems encountered requires a combined effort by both the entrepreneur and all concerned stakeholders. As Small and medium business owners, we need to increase our knowledge and skills of the market by acquiring relevant and up to date education particularly in your area of business. Our entrepreneurs need to collect information about their target market by seeking help from consultants and professionals who have experience in the particular market.

    One strategy that can be used by our small and medium entrepreneurs to remain relevant and competitive in today’s market is to come up with fresh and creative ideas of doing business. Due to the increase in technology, business is fast changing, thus our MSMEs need to constantly re-invent the way they do business.

    There is a great need of creating a strong link between MSMEs and supporting institutions if Nigeria is to fully benefit from such businesses. Though some financial institutions are still reluctant to provide financial assistance to MSMEs, there are some that give out loans at reasonable rates provided the business sounds viable. The key challenge is for our entrepreneurs to prepare sound business proposals. For our country to achieve its goals and stop relying on oil alone, we need to focus much attention needs on the private sector and our government must create a conducive atmosphere for such businesses to thrive and drive the country towards economic prosperity.

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    Source by Peter O Osalor

    Views: 0

  • Successful Entrepreneurship – Cracking the Code

    Successful Entrepreneurship – Cracking the Code

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    We've heard stories of penniless immigrants who came to Canada with nothing but a dream, but within a single generation accumulate a lot of wealth. How do they do it?

    This is a mystery to the typical person who graduates with a post-secondary education and goes on to work in the labor force as an employee (ie, most people!). This is because our educational system specifically trains its students to become employees rather than entrepreneurs.

    So when we hear about these rags to riches stories, we ask ourselves – "how did they do it?" As someone who grew up in an entrepreneurial household, here is my take on Cracking the Code to Successful Entrepreneurship:

    1. In most cases, one will never become truly financially independent working as an employee. Whether you are an entry-level bookkeeper or the CEO of a large organization, you can be unexpectedly fired at a whim by whoever you report to. You are therefore susceptible to financial catastrophe.

    2. Therefore, the only way to achieve financial independence is to build and maintain a successful business.

    3. There is a "magic formula" that will allow to evaluate a businesses' odds of success:

    [( Sale price of product – Variable cost of product) x Units sold] – Fixed Overhead Costs = Profit

    This formula will be very familiar to accountants – it's called the Contribution Margin Ratio.

    Let's demonstrate this formula using a Bubble Tea business. Wonder why there are so many Bubble Tea shops in Toronto? Because they make a heck of a lot of money with little risk:

    Price per bubble tea drink – $ 4.00

    Cost to make per drink (water, powder, sugar) – $ 0.50

    Drink sales per month assuming 100 sold per day – 3,000

    Monthly rent for shop – $ 3,000

    · Assume no labor costs – in the early years, the owners will work the shop themselves

    · [($ 4.00 – $ 0.50) x 3,000] = $ 10,500 in sales

    · Profit after paying rent: $ 10,500 – $ 3,000 = $ 7,500

    Once you apply this formula to the multinational soft drink companies to analyze their beverage businesses, you can begin to understand why soft-drinks companies have grown from humble beginnings to global companies they are today.

    You can also use this formula to evaluate almost any small business you might be thinking of getting into: restaurant, nail salon, hair salon. You should quickly realize that it's best to choose businesses with a high profit margin (ie, high selling price for produce / service and low cost of supplying the product / service) and high customer traffic (ie, units sold, people serviced).

    Seeing the Future – Cash Flow Projection

    You want to know if you'll be making a profit before going any further. If you skip this step, your chances of failing increase significantly.

    Investigate your costs to start up and run your business. The most common are:

    · Rent – how much will it cost to rent at the location where you want to set up?

    · Wages and payroll tax – will you need employees or can your run the business yourself? How much do you need to pay yourself to meet your personal living costs?

    · Advertising costs – what types of advertising will you use – TV, radio, internet – and what is their cost versus their potential return on investment?

    · Cost of inventory or raw materials – will these be imported? If yes, you'll need to factor in the impact of exchange rates on your profitability.

    · Purchase of equipment – general office equipment like a phone system, computers and IT network, and furniture, as well as specialized equipment for your specific line of business like restaurant equipment (if you're opening up a restaurant).

    · Business liability insurance – to protect yourself from liability if someone is inadvertently harmed by your product or service, or if someone is injured on your premises.

    · Pricing – how much will you be able to sell your product or service so that's it's competitive with others in your line of business

    Once you've figured out your monthly costs (ie, your overhead) and pricing, you're now in the position to determine how many unit sales you need to make to breakeven – remember the Contribution Margin Ratio that we looked at. Use a spreadsheet to build a cash-flow projection model.

    Protecting Yourself – Creditor Proofing

    If things don't work out for your business you could be financially ruined. Therefore, consider the following techniques to protect your personal assets from your business creditors.

    1. Incorporate the business. This will provide you with a level of creditor protection – most of a corporation's obligations are limited to its assets so this structure can provide protection for personal assets. This structure also has income tax benefits, which will not be discussed here.

    2. Always pay statutory debt on time, specifically:

    · Payroll source deductions;

    · Federal and provincial sales tax collected; and

    · Employee wages and vacation payable.

    Corporate directors can be personally responsible for these debts, notwithstanding that the business is incorporated. In many incorporated small businesses, the shareholder (ie, the business owner) and director are the same person.

    3. If you can, avoid giving personal guarantees of your corporation's business obligations (eg, landlord, suppliers) unless it is absolutely necessary.

    You will need a financial expert on your team to deal with the issues raised in this article. Therefore, I would strongly advise that you contact a CPA who can help you further.

    For all you aspiring entrepreneurs out there, I hope that I've helped take out some of the "mystery" behind successful entrepreneurship. Use this tool wisely and never stop dreaming!

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    Source by Victor Fong

    Views: 0

  • Be An Expert Internet Marketer

    Be An Expert Internet Marketer

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    Perception is so important in dealing with other people in any aspect of human experience. In the field of internet marketing this is especially true. Your website visitors, subscribers and customers should perceive you as someone they can believe in; someone they can trust. To this end it is so important to always ensure that the information you provide is accurate and honest. Even if you are not the greatest expert on a topic your customers should perceive you as a source of reliable and valuable information. Never claim to be something you are not but by offering quality your subscribers and customers will consider you to be someone they can comfortably deal with.

    A good starting point is to establish yourself in a particular niche. At a later date you may well wish to expand your business into other fields, but I would recommend that you operate in just one subject area to start with. The more specialized your chosen niche is, the easier it will be to promote yourself as the 'go-to' person. If the niche you choose is one where you already have an in-depth knowledge then you are in a very strong position to market within that niche. You can genuinely portray yourself as an expert by way of autobiographical notes added to your website, articles or sales pages.

    If you do not have that level of expertise, concentrate on learning as much as possible about your niche through research and study. Immerse yourself in all aspects of the niche so you do become, at least, something of an expert, able to answer queries and give a genuine aura of knowledge which will go down very well with your customers. It has been said that the definition of an expert in any field is someone who knows more than you do. Any newly qualified teacher will tell you how, from time-to-time, they manage to stay just one lesson ahead of their students.

    There have been libraries full of advice about how to select an ideal niche so I am not going to cover that here. You will find that information very, very easily via your search engine, but one piece of general advice would be to find a topic which has a significant following but which has limited coverage on the internet. As always with internet marketing, research is the key. The marketplace is vast so there are seams of gold out there as yet un-mined if you can find them. Go prospecting!

    Being seen as an expert by your website visitors will always have a significant positive impact on your business but you do need people to find your website and related copy to be 'suitably impressed'. Finding a profitable niche which is largely undeveloped will make it easier to bring in the traffic as the competition will be much less fierce. Once you have people on your site then, and only then, can you impress them with your expertise, your available information and your products. You might say that these two things go hand-in-hand – traffic and expertise.

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    Source by Rob J Hinchliffe

    Views: 0

  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation: The Inconvenient Truth

    Entrepreneurship and Innovation: The Inconvenient Truth

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    Entrepreneurship and innovation: The popular belief

    Entrepreneurs are widely believed to be the agents behind economic growth and innovation. They are, we are told, the movers and shakers who create new industries, unseat current leaders from their thrones, and open new frontiers for everyone. Popular culture tirelessly propagates one success story after another – from Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, who was glorified in "The Social Network" movie, to Tesla's Elon Musk, an immigrant who became a household name, to Google's Sergey Brin, whose internet search engine name has officially become a verb in English.

    So persuasive is the narrative of the entrepreneurial technological prowess and success, that many countries – including developing countries that feel they are lagging behind – develop comprehensive policies to support and promote entrepreneurship and even set aside sizeable funds to invest in startups via government-run venture capital programs. But is this fascination with and belief in entrepreneurs justified? How likely are entrepreneurs to push the technological frontier and bring about the kind of change that governments want? Entrepreneurship Professor Sergey Anokhin from Kent State University says the hard evidence is far less convincing than the popular culture makes you believe.

    The dark side of entrepreneurship

    In a study of 35 countries over a 7-year period, Professor Anokhin from Kent State and Professor Joakim Wincent from Sweden's Lulea University of Technology show that there is no universally positive relationship between entrepreneurship and innovation. While for the world's leading economies such as the United States the positive link between startup rates and innovation may be true, for the developing economies the relationship is actually negative. Such countries are more likely to see innovation championed by the existing companies, not startups. With few exceptions, entrepreneurs there pursue opportunities of a different kind that are based on imitation and dissemination of others' ideas, and are not equipped to produce truly advanced "grand" innovations. On average, startups are less efficient than existing firms. Accordingly, if local governments support entrepreneurship, economic effectiveness may suffer, and innovation is less likely to occur. In fact, successful technological development in emerging economies is often associated with an aggressive entrepreneurial behavior of large corporations, not individual entrepreneurs. Such is the case, for instance, of South Korea with its chaebols .

    The figure below shows the vastly different impact of startup rates on innovation and technological development (as measured by patent applications) across countries. Only rich countries can expect more entrepreneurship to result in more innovation, says Dr. Anokhin. For the lesser developed countries, as the plot demonstrates, an increase in startup rates will only lead to less, not more innovative activities. The problem, according to Sergey Anokhin, is that developing countries often look up to the leading economies when trying to design their own policies. Moreover, quite naturally, the very textbooks that the students across the world use, are written by the scholars from the world's leading countries, and do not take developing economies' context into account. Taken together, it often locks policy makers in assuming the relationship between entrepreneurship and innovation that will not hold in their particular parts of the world. The pro-entrepreneurship policies will not bring about the effects expected, and the limited resources will be wasted to support activities that are largely detrimental.

    What it all means

    It is time to recognize that the relationship between entrepreneurship and innovation varies across countries, says Professor Anokhin. That is why World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council for Fostering Entrepreneurship explicitly acknowledges that Silicon Valley success stories do not necessarily resonate in other parts of the world. Broad-strokes policies that aim at fostering entrepreneurship to boost country innovativeness may well be misguided. A contingency approach that takes regional specifics into account should be employed instead.

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    Source by Sergey Ahmetov

    Views: 0

  • Future and Scope Of Multi-Level Marketing As An Alternative Employment Source

    Future and Scope Of Multi-Level Marketing As An Alternative Employment Source

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    The industry of multi-level marketing is becoming quite popular among budding entrepreneurs and people from different walks of life. The sole reason for this increasing popularity is that it offers every people to set their own home business with attractive financial opportunities. In addition to that, people do enjoy freedoms like fixing their own job hours along with developing their own marketing and product selling strategies without any kind of interference. Here they have the right to claim their legitimate financial shares not only from their personal sales but also that from their down-line members.

    In the multi-level marketing sector there is always an increased demand of hard working employees and this demand never extinguishes even during tight situation like that of global recession. For college students this sector provides the appropriate platform to receive training on product selling and to hone marketing skills under the supervision of experienced distributors without spending any money from the pocket.

    The Multi-level marketing industry will soon become the most suitable form of alternative employment opportunities even for the highly qualified professionals. It is because in the coming days this industry will be the sole guiding force to dominate the world economy. This strategic commercial model will also present the opportunity of earning part time incomes for retired people and those working in other service sectors. In order to join in this lucrative sector there is no need of acquiring special educational qualification except simple application of common sense while selling and marketing products before the target customers.

    Firms following this business model have been able to maximize the sale and marketing of their products and services to the fullest extent. It has also helped them in earning highest possible revenues in every year. Using this strategic business model companies like Qivana, Sunrider, Fuxion and many more have been able to be in constant touch with the changing tastes and preferences of the customers when it comes to buy and choose new products and services. These firms are also helping distributors with the options of leading luxurious life with greater financial autonomy through their unique and effective compensation plans.

    These compensation plans play a vital role in the sector of multi-level marketing in determining the hardworking initiative of the distributors to reward them adequately with robust bonuses and incentives along with the opportunity to spend vacation in exotic places. So without wasting any more time people must enroll in this sector early for leading a happy and joyous life with family and friends forever.

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    Source by Manojit Chatterjee

    Views: 0

  • Chiropractor Vs. Osteopath Vs. Orthopedic Doctor – Who Should I See?

    Chiropractor Vs. Osteopath Vs. Orthopedic Doctor – Who Should I See?

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    There are many medical fields that deal with body pain, and many patients often ask if they should visit a chiropractor, an osteopath or an orthopedist. While these professions seem related to each other, they are actually different health practices, each with their own specific specialties.

    Chiropractors, osteopaths and orthopedic doctors specialize in different things, thus the best health provider for you will depend greatly on your condition or injury. Before making a decision, it is important to understand what chiropractors, osteopaths and orthopedists do and what makes them different from each other so you can easily choose the right health care professional.

    Chiropractors

    Chiropractors are individuals who treat conditions related to the musculoskeletal system. They are also called D.C.s or Doctors of Chiropractic. D.C.s deal with pains and discomfort relating to the bones, muscles, ligaments, joints and nerves. Most of them treat pain conditions in close proximity to the spine. However, they also specialize in musculoskeletal pain on the various extremities of the body.

    The profession is well established in the United States and is the third largest health profession field after medicine and dentistry.

    What Do Chiropractors Do? The chiropractic approach is non-pharmacological in nature. Professionals make use of their hands or various instruments to manipulate joints, muscles, ligaments and other affected area. Most treatment plans involve several sessions of manipulation.

    Aside from manual adjustment and manipulation, they may also provide counseling to their patients. Chiropractors do not prescribe medication, but may usually recommend nutritional supplements or give suggestions on exercise and positive eating habits.

    Chiropractor Training. To practice the profession, an individual needs a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. Achieving this requires 4 years of post-graduate education after obtaining an associate’s degree. They will also need at least 500 hours of hands on experience and training for manipulations and adjustments.

    Osteopaths

    An osteopath or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) is a medical professional who puts emphasis on the body’s self-healing ability. Osteopaths advocate a care approach that focuses on the “whole person.” They believe that physical problems and abnormalities affect the whole body. To help facilitate the healing process of the body, they make use of manipulative and manual therapy.

    What Do Osteopaths Do? Like chiropractors, osteopaths also follow a natural approach to healing. They use a technique called osteopathic manipulative treatment or OMT. This technique allow them to use their hands to diagnose and treat injuries and painful conditions on the joins, ligaments and muscles.

    D.O.s usually employ gentle forms of manipulation such as stretching and application of mild pressure on the affected areas. What makes the practice different from chiropractic is the fact that osteopaths can write prescriptions and do surgical procedures.

    Osteopath Training. Obtaining a D.O. degree also requires 4 years of post graduate study after finishing a 4-year undergraduate degree.The degree requires students to go through at least a year of internship and rotations in hospitals. They can practice, prescribe medication and perform surgeries anywhere in the United States.

    Orthopedics

    Orthopedists are surgeons that specialize in the musculoskeletal system. While they are surgeons in nature, they do not necessarily use surgery every time. They also employ nonsurgical means to treat muscle and trauma and injuries, degenerative diseases, tumors, infections and congenital disorders of the musculoskeletal system. The labels orthopedists and orthopedic surgeons are often used interchangeably and mean the same thing.

    What Do Orthopedists Do?Orthopedic surgeons diagnose and treat various musculoskeletal problems. They diagnose conditions through physical exams, X-rays and other laboratory tests. Majority of the conditions are usually treated with non-surgical procedures like physical therapy, exercises or even pain management methods. In severe cases of pain disorders, orthopedists perform surgical treatments like joint replacement, soft tissue repair and arthroscopy.

    In cases that do not require surgical procedure, orthopedists may recommend patients to see physical therapists or osteopaths for therapy or manipulation. Because orthopedic surgeons are Medical Doctors (M.D.s) by profession, they can write prescriptions for their patients.

    Orthopedic Training. Orthopedic surgeons are required to complete a four year undergraduate degree and four years of medical school. Medical school graduates then have to undergo a five-year residency training to specialize in surgery. The five-year training consists of one year for general surgery and four years for orthopedic surgery.

    Who Should I See?

    Finding the right health care provider can be confusing for first time patients. Who you choose to see will greatly depend on your condition and the kind of approach you prefer. An osteopath is a good choice if you want holistic treatment. If you have acute back pain or pain caused by injury or trauma, a visit to a chiropractor may be a good idea. An orthopedic surgeon, on the other hand, may be recommended for extreme cases of pain or those caused by other underlying physical conditions.

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    Source by Dr. John Holland

    Views: 0

  • Ways Schools Can Fight A Drug Menace

    Ways Schools Can Fight A Drug Menace

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    A combination of factors, including the ease with which drugs can be procured, alienation and peer pressure, is driving American teens toward their abuse. As a result, adolescents in high school and college do drugs on the sly. In dorm and frat parties, it has become customary to pool all drugs – stolen from elder's medicine cabinets, or procured from vendors or pill mills – before going on the adventure ride of a collective high. However, this fun and adventure comes at a cost. As most teens doing drugs are aware of the implications of the misdemeanor once caught, they do not report to the authorities in case a peer overdoses, resulting in tragic loss of young lives.

    The problem of drug abuse has spread its deadly tentacles across schools, posing a significant threat to the future of children in terms of impact on their health, academics, career and personal life. In the wake of such a serious implication on the future of the society, many schools, despite the paucity of funds, have put together programs for spreading awareness and keeping drug abuse under check. While some approaches rely on prohibition and punishment, others stress on education and rehabilitation. The objective is to keep drugs off the campus and establish a solid foundation to empower individuals to resist such temptations.

    As youngsters prefer engagement to long boring lectures, some of the means adopted by the schools are as follows:

    Disseminating knowledge through antidrug assemblies : Antidrug assemblies are engaging means to showcase the grim consequences of drug-seeking habit. With addiction treatment doctors and recovering patients turning up as guest lecturers, students can have a realistic picture of how drugs take them away from their loved ones and cause impairment of cognitive skills, such as difficulty following instructions. Students get the opportunity to clarify their doubts during such sessions.

    Educating children as early as possible : Considering the fact that most youths start doing drugs, smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol in school days, or when they are on the cusp of adolescence, it is the best time to drive home the dangers of doing drugs and other addictive substances.

    Conducting self-reliance programs : Children who are confident about themselves are less likely to take drugs. Therefore, some programs stress on building the child's self-reliance in all sorts of social situations. This helps them even under adverse peer pressure to not succumb to the temptation of doing drugs and say no to such activities firmly. Such programs are effective even in the long run as they teach children some essential life skills necessary for abstaining from drugs, alcohol, etc.

    Stocking antidotes : As it makes no sense to shy away from the truth that youngsters, especially those in college, will be doing drugs irrespective of the controls, authorities are advised to stock up their supply of opioid overdose antidote naloxone.

    Engaging children from families grappling with addiction : Instead of isolating a child with a problematic family, including members addicted to drugs, it is essential to engage him or her in all school or college activities. Irrespective of whether the child reports late to school or has problems with homework, a concerned and supportive school environment will mitigate the chances of the child falling into the same addiction cycle. Children of drug addicted families could also participate as guest lecturers in antidrug assemblies.

    Focusing on building teen assertiveness : With the help of a trained child counselor and other professional services, schools could focus on providing training to teens to develop their assertiveness and emotional control level. This is not only handy in career building, but could also help the teen realize his or her worth. Teens who feel sad and befuddled have greater risks of taking drugs to feel successful or empowered.

    Get help for drug addiction

    Children run the increased risk of falling into the trap of drug addiction due to their emotional vulnerability and undeveloped brain still in the process of developing the key cognitive skills. It becomes essential for parents and teachers to listen and talk to their fears and emotional upheavals, rather than ignoring them as their tantrums.

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    Source by Barbara Odozi

    Views: 0

  • DOUBLE-BLINDED MEDICINE: When Doctor and Patient Are Both in the Dark

    DOUBLE-BLINDED MEDICINE: When Doctor and Patient Are Both in the Dark

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    DOUBLE-BLINDED MEDICINE:

    When Doctor and Patient Are

    Both in the Dark

    I met a dermatologist the other day who made my skin crawl. He was in his thirties, tall, lean, and unsmiling, like many doctors these days. But what stood out most was a fresh-looking, full-color, eye-popping tattoo on his right arm that snaked its way up from his wrist, circumvented his forearm, and slipped beneath his short-sleeved shirt to unknown anatomical areas. I believe he also had a tattoo on his left arm, but I was too gobsmacked at the time to take note.

    Now, you might think, as I do, that a tattooed dermatologist is an oxymoron. It doesn’t take much imagination, or research on the Internet, to realize that tattoos are bad for the skin.

    The most obvious issue is that tattooing is done by puncturing the skin, causing skin trauma and risk of infection. Interestingly, there is research that connects the injury to the skin made by both tattooing and vaccinations as a cause of numerous skin reactions, including cancer.

    The 2014 article, “Tattoo and vaccination sites: Possible nest for opportunistic infections, tumors, and dysimmune reactions”, in the journal Clinical Dermatology, explains that, “Both dermal tattoos and vaccine injections may alter local immune responses, creating an immunocompromised district on or near the site of placement. This can lead to the development of opportunistic infections, benign and malignant tumors, and local dysimmune reactions… A variety of tumors including basal and squamous cell carcinomas, keratoacanthomas, and malignant melanoma also have been reported in association with tattoos… Vaccination sites similarly provide a setting for both benign and malignant tumors.”

    The inks used are also a problem, causing allergies and exposure to heavy metals. It is fairly common for individuals to have an allergic reaction to the dyes used in tattoos. Ink is actually filled with many chemicals and unnatural ingredients that can irritate a person’s skin.

    There is also a link to skin cancer. When it comes to cancer, black ink can be especially dangerous because it contains a very high level of benzo(a)pyrene. Benzo(a)pyrene is currently listed as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Black ink is the most commonly used color for tattooing.

    You might think that this doctor may have gotten his tattoos before becoming a doctor, so he didn’t know any better. But this was a new tattoo. And he was flaunting it, not hiding it.

    Tattoos are common these days, and fashionable in certain circles. Doctors want to look cool, like everyone else. They grew up like everyone else, exposed to, and brainwashed by, the same cultural messages. They just choose to go into medicine.

    I also met a cardiologist who smoked cigarettes. He was also grossly overweight, and ate a big, juicy hamburger with fries for lunch. Of course, being obese, smoking and eating fried foods can increase heart disease.

    An obese, smoking cardiologist eating fast food makes as much sense as a tattooed dermatologist.

    Maybe these doctors are attracted to their specialties because they know they will need treatment from that specialty due to their lifestyles? It’s like when mentally-disturbed, neurotic people become psychologists or psychiatrists.

    How about female doctors who constrict their breasts with tight bras for long hours daily? There are many female breast health experts, including breast surgeons, who wear breast-harming bras. Their medical training never mentioned tight clothing as a cause of circulatory impairment and lymph stasis. These doctors willingly immobilize and alter their breast shape, hide their nipples, and basically re-design their breast appearance for cultural reasons, and do this despite the documented harms caused by bras, including causing breast pain, cysts, and cancer. Wearing bras is just something every woman is culturally expected to do, even doctors.

    Is this hypocrisy? Should we expect doctors to be paragons of health and healthy lifestyles?

    More basically, when we seek help, does it matter whether the helper is in the same mess we are in? In other words, can you trust a lifeline from someone in the same boat as you?

    We seek help in many places.

    Would you go to a priest who was a known pedophile?

    Would you use a mechanic whose car is broken down?

    Would you go to a hairdresser who is having a “bad hair day”?

    Would you use a plastic surgeon who has a big nose, cock-eyed chin, and facial scars?

    How about eating in a restaurant where the cook is out because of food poisoning?

    You could also go into a health food store and buy chips, coffee, candy, wine, beer, and lots of other unhealthy stuff.

    Then there are the drug addiction recovery programs that offer coffee to everyone, one of the most addictive substances we consume.

    Clearly, there’s a problem here. We live in a culture where there are lots of products and activities that can harm us. In fact, the biggest cause of disease and death is the culture and all the bad things it teaches us to think, do and feel. We absorb these cultural messages from the uterus onward, as our nature becomes modified by our culture.

    This applies to everyone. It includes doctors, too. Just because someone studied medicine, it does not mean that they personally eliminated all harmful cultural practices in their lives. The same cultural causes of disease that fill their waiting rooms also fill their personal lives. In fact, the medical culture is even worse on doctors.

    For some reason that is not clear, the medical system exploits doctors with long work hours and sleepless day and night shifts. Doctors are rushed and pressured, grabbing unhealthy snacks on the go. They become tempted to abuse drugs to keep going, but may settle for drinking 10-20 cups of strong coffee, instead. They also become tempted to use drugs to relax, but may settle for a few alcoholic drinks. They have little recreation time, or time with their families. And depending on their specialty, they are exposed daily to infectious diseases, death, radiation, the soul-robbing sights and smells of hospitals, and the depression of treating endless lines of sick people, often using treatments that do no good, and for conditions that have no known cause.

    Clearly, being a doctor can make you sick, mentally and physically. No wonder why there are so many doctor suicides. Just practicing medicine is slow suicide.

    This also means that doctors are not the ones to tell patients to clean up their lifestyles. The doctor’s lifestyle is at least as bad, and actually worse. They participate in the same unhealthy culture as everyone else, addicted to many of the same things, and suffering from the same psychological and physical issues. But they are the ones who are meant to treat those problems.

    This is a basic reason why medicine does not emphasize lifestyle or other cultural causes of disease. How can doctors tell patients to not do things that they themselves do?

    This is also why many discoveries of the cultural causes of disease are left unnoticed by medicine. For example, when smoking was culturally accepted as safe and good for you, everyone smoked, including doctors. In the 1950’s, there were ads by tobacco companies using doctors to promote smoking. New research that showed smoking caused lung cancer was ignored, ridiculed, and opposed vehemently by many in the medical profession.

    Nobody likes to be told that what they are doing is wrong and can harm them, especially doctors who are regarded as the experts on health. Telling smoking doctors that their habit is actually bad is a challenge to their authority. And how can they tell smoking patients to stop?

    Another example can be found in today’s debate over the health hazards of bras and their link to breast cancer. I know about this issue personally, as the co-researcher, with my wife Soma Grismaijer, of the world’s first study focused on the bra-cancer link. We announced our results in the 1995 book, Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, now updated for 2018.

    There are now many studies internationally which link breast cancer with the wearing of tight bras.

    Essentially, bra-free women have about the same risk of breast cancer as men, while the tighter and longer the bra is worn the higher the risk rises, to over 100 times higher for a 24/7 bra user compared to a bra-free woman.

    But this information is still being resisted by a culture which has become as addicted to bras as it had been to cigarettes. Women have become conditioned into believing that they need artificially-shaped breasts to be acceptable in public. Even doctors have bought into that message. Under the spell of the lingerie industry, the thought of being bra-free in public sends a chill down the backs of women who would feel naked and ashamed without their breasts being bound by a bra.

    As a result, the bra issue is still relegated to alternative health and fringe groups, although women are now asking why they need to wear bras in the post-#MeToo world. Must women’s breasts be constantly sexualized by pushing, squeezing, prodding, pinching, compressing, constricting, cleavaging, and lifting their breasts with bras? Many women are now saying no.

    Ironically, many female doctors who use bras are insisting that under no circumstances can bras cause disease, especially cancer. The reason is that they cannot imagine themselves being bra-free at work, which is a logical conclusion of this information. If they realized that bras were causing disease, then they would have to defend their bra habit.

    This means that there is an additional problem caused by doctors being as ignorant as everyone else with regards to unhealthy lifestyles. Not only does the bad-lifestyle doctor model bad lifestyles, but that doctor may also be personally and psychologically invested in defending those bad lifestyles. They don’t want to stop doing what everyone else is also doing. They want to belong, just like everyone else, even if that requires smoking, drinking, or doing other harmful behaviors.

    But their denial carries weight with patients. Doctors model and teach implicitly by their own behaviors.

    Should doctors be required to practice the latest lifestyle trend alleged to improve health and prevent disease? Before anything like this can even be considered, the bigger obstacle for doctors is their own medical culture that abuses them and drives them to depression and suicide. So long as the institutional and corporate powers that control medicine continue to abuse doctors with a harmful medical culture, don’t expect medicine to focus on culture.

    Medical culture is a glass house that will not throw stones at pop culture.

    And since the medical industry profits from the detection and treatment of the resulting diseases, there is actually financial incentive to maintain the cultural status quo, even if that culture is also killing doctors. There are many more pre-med students waiting to take their place.

    This is double-blind medicine. Both the patient and doctor are in the dark. It’s the blind leading the blind, except that the blind leaders deny their blindness and scoff at those who see the light.

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    Source by Sydney Ross Singer

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