Writing for the Health Professions
Writing 109HP
Readings
NOTE: Please do your reading before the date it is due so that we can talk about in class. Either print readings (in hardcopy form) and bring to class or have them ready to read on an electronic device. Weekly readings below indicate when you should have the reading done.
Weeks 1 & 2— Health Professions: Career Planning & Preparation
(For this week, select at least one of the reading sections (by profession) below, depending upon your future plans. Everyone must read resources marked with asterixes (***).
General Job Outlook for Health Professionals
*** “Healthcare Occupations | Occupational Outlook Handbook,” US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2019
NOTE: Enter a health profession into the “Search Handbook” search bar ("physicians," "registered nurses," "dental hygenists," etc.) to access BLS data.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm*** “Top 50 Healthcare Careers for 2019 and Beyond,” MedicalTechnologySchools.com, 2019
https://www.medicaltechnologyschools.com/medical-lab-technician/top-50-healthcare-careers
Physicians: Job outlooks, applications, grants, and scholarships
“New Findings Confirm Predictions on Physician Shortage,” AAMC, 2019
https://news.aamc.org/press-releases/article/2019-workforce-projections-update/“2019 Update | The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections from 2017 to 2032,” AAMC, 2019 April 18
https://aamc-black.global.ssl.fastly.net/production/media/filer_public/31/13/3113ee5c-a038-4c16-89af-294a69826650/2019_update_-_the_complexities_of_physician_supply_and_demand_-_projections_from_2017-2032.pdf"Aspiring Docs Fact Sheets," AAMC NOTE: This AAMC page is divided into four main links: "The Basics," "Get Experience," "Applying," and "What Medical School is Like." Each linked page contains a great deal of very useful, up-to-date information. Browse the articles here according to your interests.
“Taking the Sting Out of Medical School Debt,” Dinah Wisenberg Brin, 2017
https://news.aamc.org/medical-education/article/taking-sting-out-medical-school-debt/“Medical Student Education: Debt, Costs and Loan Repayment Fact Card 2018,” AAMC, Oct. 2018
https://store.aamc.org/downloadable/download/sample/sample_id/240/“You Can Afford Medical School,” AAMC, 2019
https://students-residents.aamc.org/choosing-medical-career/article/you-can-afford-medical-school/
Nursing (RN, MRN, NP, DNP): Job outlooks, applications, grants, and scholarships
“Nursing Shortage,” American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2019 APR 01
https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Fact-Sheets/Nursing-ShortageNOTE about NPs and DNPs: Alongside the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, the restructuring of nursing—including advanced nursing programs and degress for nurse practioners (NPs) and doctors of nusing practice (DNPs)—has arguably ushered in the greatest changes to American health care in 100 years. As larger percentages of MDs and DOs enter specialties, more and more responsibility for general practice and family medicine is being shouldered by NPs and DNPs, offering a 21st-century alternative to traditional MD/DO programs for those interested in primary care. A lot of students don't even know that these career options exist!
"DNP Jobs | Career Paths Available to Nurses with the Doctor of Nursing Practice," DoctorOfNursingPracticeDNP.org, 2019
https://www.doctorofnursingpracticednp.org/careers/
“2019’s Best Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for Nurses,” ForgetStudentLoanDebt.com, 2019
https://www.forgetstudentloandebt.com/student-loan-relief-programs/nursing-student-loan-forgiveness-programs/“Hospitals That Pay for Nursing School – Student Debt Relief,” StudentDebtRelief.us, 2019
https://www.studentdebtrelief.us/student-loans/hospitals-that-pay-for-nursing-school/“The Ultimate Guide to Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness,” Robert Farrington, 2019
https://thecollegeinvestor.com/19823/nursing-student-loan-forgiveness/
Dentistry: Job outlooks, applications, grants, and scholarships
“Dentist shortage in the US to worsen,” Dental Tribune Intl., 2016 MAR 16
https://am.dental-tribune.com/news/dentist-shortage-in-the-us-to-worsen/***"The Diversity of Dentistry," Gordon J. Christensen (Jan. 2000)
NOTE: This 20 year-old article is still an excellent summary of what makes dentistry an appealing occupation. See also the 2015 ADA News report (below) of US News and World Report's choice of dentistry as the number-one occupation for "comfortable salary, low unemployment rate and agreeable work-life balance.""Dentist #1 occupation," ADA News (January 14, 2015)
"Dental Admission Test (DAT) 2018 Program Guide" American Dental Association (2018)
NOTE: This document is "the official guide to policies and procedures for participation in the Dental Admission Test (DAT) Program."Browse: "BecomeADentist.org," Ben Green (blog), 2019
Browse: "Be a Dentist," ADA (2019)
NOTE: Be sure to click on the links in this article to access all of the information."Is Becoming a Dentist Worth $261,149 in Debt?," Elyssa Kirkham, 2018 APR 03
https://studentloanhero.com/featured/dental-school-debt-worth-it/
"Financial Planning Resources for Students and New Graduates," American Dental Association, 2019
https://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/dental-student-resources/financial-resources-for-students-and-recent-gradua“Educational Debt," ADEA, 2019
https://www.adea.org/GoDental/Money_Matters/Educational_Debt.aspx“The Ultimate Guide to Paying Off Dental School Debt in 2018,” Holly Johnson, 2018
https://www.magnifymoney.com/blog/college-students-and-recent-grads/dental-school-debt119487352/“Average Dental School Debt 2018,” Sarah Goldy-Brown, 2019
https://www.studentdebtrelief.us/news/average-dental-school-debt/
Misc.
***"'Out here it's just me': In the medical deserts of America, one doctor for 11,000 square miles," Eli Saslow, Washington Post, 2019 SEP 28
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/out-here-its-just-me/2019/09/28/fa1df9b6-deef-11e9-be96-6adb81821e90_story.html
Week 3— Current Health Topics; Interviewing
Affordable Care Act (ACA) — AKA "ObamaCare"
"About the Law," U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
MediCare / MediCal
Medicare.gov: official US government site for Medicare
Access to Healthcare
"A quiet healthcare crisis in dentistry," Joel Strom, Washington Examiner, 2019 AUG 05
Miscellaneous Healthcare Issues
"Ten threats to global health in 2019," World Health Organization (WHO), 2019 SEP
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (official website), 2019
NOTE: Browse the CDC's website for the latest news.
“Why I Hope to Die at 75,” Eziekiel Emanuel, 2014 OCT 18
"DRC Ebola Crisis Updates," Medicins sans Frontieres | Doctors Without Borders, 2019 SEP 23
Interviews and Interviewing
"Katie Couric on how to conduct a good interview," Katie Couric YouTube Channel (26 June 2009)
Week 4
Medical Science Publishing and Peer Review
"Is alcohol actually bad for you?," Bianca Nogrady (2015)
Beall's List of Standalone Predatory Journals (archival site)
NOTE: I have included the Beall lists here to support in-class discussions of how medical science has been impacted by the explosion in predatory open-access journals.
Emil Karlsson's web page on Jeffrey Beall (2017 JAN 16)
"Paper written as science hoax published by 157 science journals," UPI (03 Oct. 2013)
Drug Instructions and Labeling
Week 5
"Life After Death by PowerPoint 2010," Don McMillan YouTube Channel (2010)
"What makes a great talk, great: Chris Anderson at TEDGlobal 2013"
Week 6
"Example of a Complete History and Physical Write-Up," Columbia University
NOTE: For our physical health history assignment, you do not need to fill out the "Physical Exam," "Labs," "Formulation," "impression," or "Plan" sections given in the Columbia example. Be certain to obtain your subject's permission in advance, and anonymize all identifying information by using a pseudonym, made-up address, etc. None of the personal information in your health history should be real, identifiable and/or traceable to any living person.
NOTE: This is a much older example but may prove useful.
Week 7
See the Help page for readings and links related to Week 7 and later assignments.