Editorial

Smoking

According to ready to quit.org, someone dies from smoking every 8 seconds of the day.  Even though it may be hard to kick the addiction to smoking, there are ways to do it. I know you have seen the true commercials or rat commercials telling you how bad smoking is and how it kills so many people in the United States or all over the world even. Well most of these commercials fail to understand that smokers are well aware of the negative effects of smoking but it’s not as easy to stop as they may think. For example, facebook and twitter seem to be very influential in today’s society. Most people feel like they have to tweet or update their facebook statuses.  Well imagine if you started to feel nauseated, agitated, light headed, or on edge when you felt like getting on facebook or tweeting. This is how nicotine reacts in your body. There are a number of routes that smokers can take in order to kick their habit.  According to kid’s health.org, putting the reasons why you should quit smoking in writing typically helps motivate smokers to quit. Sometimes smokers begin to tune out people that constantly tell them to quit smoking, but if they see how quitting will help their everyday lives in a different form such as on paper. It may inspire that person. The money you will save, how much healthier you will feel, not coughing profusely, or sleeping  better at night are just a few reasons that some people have jotted down in the past.  Getting support from family or friends also helps you to stay on tract and gives you some guidance. Your friends and family will serve as motivators; similar to a cheerleader or coach. It’s hard for anyone to accomplish anything without motivation. It’s sort of like that feeling students get when their alarm clock awakens them early in the morning. We initially want to press the snooze button and go back to sleep but are well aware that if we miss class, we may miss out on an assignment, our grades may start to drop, and in the worst case scenario, they may not graduate.  Giving someone a lecture about the dangers of smoking is not likely to be very helpful. Smokers know cigarette smoking is an unhealthy, dangerous, and expensive habit that affects other people; they don’t need a sermon or to be patronized about it. Criticism and nagging are only going to shun the person away from quitting, but showing concern rather than disapproval, is far more helpful in getting a smoker to make the decision to quit.  If you are a young person that doesn’t want to tell your parents or family that you smoke, make sure your friends know, or consider speaking to a counselor or another adult you trust.

Readytoquit.org

This persuasive editorial was written to persuade college students that smoking is bad for them and should be stopped. The reason for writing this is because many college students are stressed out and resort to this habit in order to cope with their problems. This is a current and has been a previous problem for years. Smoking damages the lungs of smokers  and also could generate cancer. It is just not worth it. I chose to write about college students on college campuses because smoking generally becomes a problem amongst people of this age.  I would like for my audience to take a stand against smoking and quit if they are smokers or help others quit.

Beginning the Job Search

Since I am an exercise science major at USM, I am striving to further my education pursuing a PhD in physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, and athletic training. Physical therapists are physician that treat and detect injuries that occur amongst people of all ages. Most of them deal with the elderly, simply because their bodies become more fragile with age and they are more susceptible to injury. They arrange a plan for each patient in order to heal them back to health. They specialize in promoting the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. The American Physical Therapy Association’s accrediting body, called the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education accredits entry-level academic programs in physical therapy. It takes a about 2 to 2.5 years of graduate education in order to obtain your master’s and 3 years in order to obtain your doctorate.  Only graduate degree programs are accredited by this accrediting body. Eligibility requirements are different from state to state. Typical requirements for physical therapists include graduation from an accredited physical therapy education program; passing the National Physical Therapy Examination; and fulfilling State requirements such as jurisprudence exams. A number of States require continuing education as a condition of maintaining licensure. Most hospitals and practices are looking for physical therapists that are able to practice in different settings. The most prominent setting for practice are in hospitals, skilled nursing, and orthopedic settings, where the elderly are most often treated. Job prospects should be especially favorable in rural areas as many physical therapists tend to cluster in highly populated urban and suburban areas. However, if physical therapy does not work out as planned, then I will pursue becoming a chiropractor. Chiropractors are similar to physical therapists because they both deal with treating and diagnosing patients with injuries. Yet, chiropractors specialize in treating the musculoskeletal system and treating the effects of those problems of the nervous system.  Most chiropractors solely deal with maneuvering the spine.  Chiropractors must be licensed, which requires 2 to 4 years of undergraduate education, the completion of a 4-year chiropractic college course, and passing scores on national and State examinations. The Council on Chiropractic Education is the accrediting body for chiropractors. Applicants must have at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate study leading toward a bachelor's degree, including courses in English, the social sciences, organic and inorganic chemistry, biology, physics, and psychology. Many applicants have a bachelor's degree. Chiropractors can practice only in States where they are licensed. Chiropractic requires keen observation to detect physical abnormalities. It also takes considerable manual dexterity, but not unusual strength or endurance, to perform adjustments. Chiropractors should be able to work alone and handle their own responsibilities. The desire to help others and truly caring about the health of the patient are good qualities for dealing effectively with patients. The third occupation of choice that I would apply for would be occupational therapy. This job deals with treating patients with disabling conditions that may limit their normal lifestyle and basically show them how to relive their lives. Occupational therapists are regulated in all 50 States. Individuals pursuing a career as an occupational therapist usually need to earn a post-baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university or education classified as equivalent.  A master's degree or higher in occupational therapy is the typical minimum requirement for entry into the field. In order to become a certified OTR, you must graduate from an accredited program and pass a national certification exam. This job would not be a walk in the park. It takes kind, caring, and patient individuals to perform the duties required everyday to assist patients with disabling conditions. Those OTR’s working in home healthcare should be able to adjust to a variety of work settings.  My fourth job of interest would be athletic training. I am an athlete at USM currently and I have had several injuries so I have been around athletic trainers. They are similar to physical therapists but them special in athletes. They treat athletes with injuries due to physical activity. They improve the balance and strength of athletes while educating them on how to prevent these injuries.  A bachelor's degree is usually the minimum requirement, but many athletic trainers hold a master's or doctoral degree. Athletic trainers are similar to physical therapists but they may have to make a quick decision if an athlete gets severely hurt on the playing field. With that being said, I am close to finishing my degree in exercise science. I will then have the qualifications to pursue either of these careers. I am experience with rehabilitation and injuries so I feel like I am certified for the job. I also have great people skills and I am very patient with others; especially when it comes down to their health.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos294.htm

www.medical-career-schools.com/

http://www.jobacle.com/