Health careers
Career profiles featured in the Chicago Tribune.
August 6, 2011
Yoga instructors find path in certification
With yoga studios popping up all over the country, there are now more yoga studios and teaching certification classes than ever.
9:38 AM CDT, August 1, 2011
Children's Memorial Hospital aids new nurses
From assisting with emergencies to administering medicines and updating patient charts, being a registered nurse can be psychologically and physically demanding.
3:55 PM CDT, July 20, 2011
Night shift can burden health care workers
If you're considering health care as a career, count on working the graveyard shift at some point.
1:09 PM CDT, July 15, 2011
ER nurses prepared for action
Rosanne Salerno worked as nurse for more than 30 years in Chicago and downstate Carbondale, but if you ask her about her most memorable stint as a nurse, the answer is easy.
4:47 PM CDT, July 8, 2011
Home health care jobs on the rise
Most health care professionals got into the business to help others. Some help clients control their weight while others help patients follow a path to a healthier lifestyle. But becoming a home health aide is one of the most supportive health care careers anyone could pursue.
10:20 AM CDT, July 1, 2011
Nursing demand creates education jobs
As the number of aging baby boomers continues to grow, so does the need for health care. To meet demand, colleges and universities across the country have to expand enrollment in their health-related programs, specifically nursing care. They're having a hard time doing that.
12:40 PM CDT, July 1, 2011
Laser surgery just part of vision-care focus
If there is one truth in the world of vision care, we know it is this: Eyes are essential and so are the doctors who take care of them.
12:20 PM CDT, June 20, 2011
Dental lab technicians mix technology with craftsmanship
If you're looking for a career in dental health that offers a blend of science and art, consider the field of dental laboratory technology.
1:17 PM CDT, May 20, 2011
JOB PROFILE: Clinical Lab Technicians/Technologists
Lab work works for patient care results
Patients rely on their doctors to give them an accurate diagnosis and doctors rely on their laboratories to give them the insight needed to make an informed decision.
12:08 PM CDT, May 13, 2011
Health-care work settings: Another day at the lab?
Where you work may be as important as what you do. Considering the numerous career opportunities in health care, it's important for prospective employees consider the work setting they prefer. A few examples are listed below:
Health Career Profile Q&A;
Always learning: Education a lifelong process for UIC nurse
Name: Kathy Dunne Profession: Nurse-midwife and instructor at the University of Illinois-Chicago
3:15 PM CDT, May 9, 2011
Nurses must keep current on health care trends, opportunities
A career in nursing is a perfect spring storm of opportunity: The aging population means there is a greater demand for healthcare workers, and the training needed to become a nurse can take as little as one or two years, depending on the type of nursing practiced.
12:24 PM CDT, April 27, 2011
Digitizing medical records may create tech jobs
For the information-technology industry, health care represents the next frontier for job growth.
6:00 PM CDT, April 20, 2011
Health care job fairs offer face-to-face connections
In any job search, a personal touch still counts.
3:21 PM CDT, April 15, 2011
Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness Organization has a simple quest: Saving lives
The goose is a strong bird that works with its flock to fly 71 percent farther than if it was flying alone. When a goose falls ill, two other geese will stay on the ground until the goose either is able to fly or passes away. It's because of this bird's dedication to supporting others that the newly formed Ovarian Cancer Symptom Awareness Organization chose the goose as the symbol for their mission.
3:22 PM CST, March 11, 2011
City examines health targets
The Chicago Department of Public Health's mission, according to its website, "is to make Chicago a safer and healthier place by working with community partners to promote health, prevent disease, reduce environmental hazards and ensure access to health care for all Chicagoans."
5:48 PM CST, March 7, 2011
Respiratory Health Association helps others breathe easy
They start with a main pipe that breaks off and becomes two tubes, one going left and one going right. Each of these continues to branch 22 more times, forming more than 100,000 smaller tubes and more than 300 million air sacs called alveoli. Put it all together and you're left with two lungs.
11:27 AM CST, February 24, 2011
Chicago Diabetes Project focuses on insulin option
In January, the American Diabetes Association released data that once again confirmed a long known factthe number of diabetics in this country continues to grow. 25.8 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Thats nearly a tenth of the entire population. And with that number on the rise every day, diabetes could soon become the worlds leading cause of death.
3:49 PM CST, February 17, 2011
International Museum of Surgical Science offers unique take on human experience
Architecture aficionados in Chicago certainly have heard of the Gold Coast mansion that was built to mirror the elegant design of Le Petit Trianon in Versailles. What they might not know is whom its current occupants are.
2:00 PM CST, February 11, 2011
Pediatric dentist takes casual approach with children
Kids are a lot of work. Any simple task becomes exponentially harder when you bring a kid into the equation, like getting a haircut. To us, a haircut is a mundane task that could even be called enjoyable. Kids usually don't share that feeling. It's like you drove them down to Fleet Street to see Sweeney Todd.
5:22 PM CST, February 7, 2011
Naperville doctor promotes new eating strategy
David Kritchevsky, former professor of Philadelphia's Wistar Institute said, "In America, we no longer fear God or the communists, but we fear fat."
9:46 AM CST, January 31, 2011
Health care educators lead way with knowledge, technology
Health educators can have a profound impact on the life and well being of individuals and communities.
January 22, 2011
Northwestern doctor hoping to change stigma of plastic surgery
Plastic surgery might be the most controversial field in the health care industry. Tabloid pages are plastered with pictures of past vixens and hunks who have undergone procedures. Some gossip websites have made it their sole purpose to show botched jobs.
January 17, 2011
Wicker Park dermatologists know that good skin shines beyond the surface
Most people would agree that beauty isn't skin deep. But when we're not happy with the way our skin looks, that doesn't matter. Smooth, clear skin has been sought after and fought for by the masses for generations. And whether it's acne or wrinkles that plague you, to get great looking and feeling skin, you might need some help from the hands of a professional.
December 26, 2010
Chicago AIDS Research Center pools resources
More than 25 years ago, an announcement was made that a doctor from the National Cancer Institute had isolated the virus that caused acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. That same announcement said that a vaccine for AIDS would be available for testing before the 1990s.
December 17, 2010
OB/GYN puts priority on patient input
Obstetricians are physicians who are trained in the skillful arts of pregnancy, labor, and puerperium management. Gynecologists are physicians primarily focus on the health of the female reproductive system. They are different jobs that have been tied together in a title we all know as OB/GYN.
December 11, 2010
Dietitian loves helping others plan healthy meal options
Most of us like to think we know what our bodies need. A Diet Coke will quench our thirsts when our mouths are dry. Or when were hungry, a few Oreos will keep our stomachs from rumbling. While we might know when we need a drink or some food, the truth is most of us dont know whats best for our own bodies. We have dietitians for that.
December 11, 2010
Therapy industry offers new opportunities
Professionals in the rehabilitation therapy industry continue to experience low rates of unemployment and high demand, particularly in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
December 4, 2010
Chicago Research Center offers hope for the future
When we're sick, we rely on off-the-shelf and over-the-counter drugs to help us feel better. How would we sleep if we didn't have the help of nighttime flu medicine? How could we endure seasonal suffering without allergy relief? And getting over the sniffles would be pretty hard without cold medicine.
November 24, 2010
LASIK pioneer relishes chance to change lives
It seems like every great villain in history has had one. From Dr. Evil to Emperor Palpatine, one object has been sought after with great vigor--the laser. This machine has made its name in history by being one of the most sinister devices ever created, capable of massive destruction. Don't believe me? Ask Princess Leia how she feels about her home planet, Alderaan, being destroyed by the Death Star's laser.
November 18, 2010
Rewards, challenges at cancer recovery boutique
Pinpointing the exact moment when someone's life changed forever is a very difficult thing to do. For Che Guevara, a trip through South America awoke revolutionary ideas. It was an apple, falling from a tree, which forever altered the path of Sir Issac Newton. But, for many, it's the moment of being diagnosed with cancer that changes them forever.
November 18, 2010
Podiatrist enjoys scope of patient care
DPM can stand for a whole lot. Deputy prime minister. Digital postage mark. Dog population management. But when it's what's below the knees that's hurting, you only hope DPM stands for one thing--doctor of podiatric medicine.
November 7, 2010
Health insurance gives dentists a Halloween benefit
Never mind that you've been driven mad this past week by your kids' Halloween-candy-fueled sugar highs. What about their future health? What about their teeth?
November 7, 2010
Health Careers
Naperville prosthetist aims to restore patients' day-to-day movement
There are various ways an able-bodied person can lose a limb, but the outcome is always the same; Someone is left without something he or she had before.
November 2, 2010
Pediatric audiologist stresses benefits of cochlear implants
Trying to imagine a world without sound is difficult for a hearing person. But for those who have been born with profound deafness, it's the only world they've known.
12:00 AM CDT, October 25, 2010
Aging population requires more home health care workers
Chicago’s ever-increasing older population has caused a dramatic upturn in the demand for home health caregivers.
October 17, 2010
Total-U Fitness executive practices what he preaches
OK, children of the 80s, think back to when Daniel LaRusso, Ralph Macchio's character in the Karate Kid, injured his knee in competition. He didn't go running off to the hospital or start on a steady diet of painkillers. Instead, Mr. Miyagi rubbed his hands together, hummed a little and put his magical palms near the injury. In no time, LaRusso was back on the mats.
October 3, 2010
Physical therapists help get patients back in action
People movers: Physical therapists help get patients back in action
September 27, 2010
Nurse practitioners fill critical roles in expanding field
In every profession, there are those who pursue advanced education and training to achieve top-level expertise. Nurse practitioner (NP) is the title given to nurses who attain such proficiency in their field. Recent studies by PayScale.com show that the top-end salary for NPs can exceed $93,000 annually, and demand for healthcare professionals is growing faster than that of any other career.
Radiation therapist helps channel powerful treatment
The bite of a radioactive spider turned Peter Parker into Spider-Man. After being bombarded with cosmic radiation, the Fantastic Four had the ability to fight evil. And it was some nasty gamma radiation that allowed Bruce Banner to turn into the Hulk. Marvel Comics has transformed average people into wonderful superheroes with the help of radiation.
September 15, 2010
Fall prevention makes move in health field
Talling is no joke. According to the Center for Disease Control, falls are the leading cause of injury death among individuals over 65 years of age. They also put more seniors in nursing homes than any other cause. But there's no reason to lose hope yet. Even though people over the age of 65 are at the highest risk for a fall or dizziness induced injury, more than 75 percent of people suffering with dizziness, vertigo or an inner-ear disorder can be helped without medication.
September 7, 2010
Animal dermatologist treats pets' skin problems
Humans go to their main physician when they are sick. That physician will either find a way to fix the patient's problem or refer them to a specialist who hopefully will. Throat problem? See an ENT. Foot problem? See a podiatrist. Skin problem? See a dermatologist. So if we see these specialized doctors for our own problems, why wouldn't our animals?
June 23, 2010
Licensed clinical social workers have simple goal
The work of the modern day social worker has been muddied through various facets, one of those being television. TV shows usually portray social workers as middle-aged, white women who are taking care of the kids by day and fighting for community justice at night. In reality, the field of social work is vast, encompassing many different skills and values.
May 11, 2010
Male nurses? They're simply nurses
The days of referring to a nurse who happens to be a man as a "male nurse" have come and gone.
May 4, 2010
On the move: Northwestern nurse practitioner's responsibilities allow little time for rest
Laced into her sneakers, Jennifer Sullivan hits the ground running at 6:30 a.m. four days a week.
May 3, 2010
Operating room nurses rely on quick thinking, thorough approach
Anyone familiar with medical dramas on television see the pressure-soaked world of perioperative nurses, or operating room nurses, on a weekly basis.
April 10, 2010
Social work careers: In times of trouble, social workers extend lifeline
In a variety of ways, social workers help people help themselves.
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