The Official IAMP Blog

What is an Ultrasound?

2009-11-14T06:56:00.002-05:00

An ultrasound test is a radiology technique, which uses high- frequency sound waves to produce images of the organs and structures of the body. The sound waves are sent through body tissues with a device called a transducer. The transducer is placed directly on top of the skin, which has a gel applied to the surface. The sound waves that are sent by the transducer through the body are then reflected by internal structures as "echoes." These echoes return to the transducer and are transmitted electrically onto a viewing monitor. The echo images are then recorded on a plane film and can also be recorded on videotape. After the ultrasound, the gel is easily wiped off.

The technical term for ultrasound testing and recording is "sonography." Ultrasound testing is painless and harmless. Ultrasound tests involve no radiation and studies have not revealed any adverse effects.

For what purposes are ultrasounds performed?

Ultrasound examinations can be used in various areas of the body for a variety of purposes. These purposes include examination of the chest, abdomen, blood vessels (such as to detect blood clots in leg veins) and the evaluation of pregnancy. In the chest, ultrasound can be used to obtain detailed images of the size and function of the heart. Ultrasound can detect abnormalities of the heart valves, such as mitral valve prolapse, aortic stenosis, and infection (endocarditis). Ultrasound is commonly used to guide fluid withdrawal (aspiration) from the chest, lungs, or around the heart. Ultrasound is also commonly used to examine internal structures of the abdomen. Gallstones in the gallbladder are easily detected, as are kidney stones. The size and structure of the kidneys, the ureters, liver, spleen, pancreas, and aorta within the abdomen can be examined. Ultrasound can detect fluid, cysts, tumors or abscess in the abdomen or liver. Impaired blood flow from clots or arteriosclerosis in the legs can be detected by ultrasound. Aneurysms of the aorta can also be seen. Ultrasound is also commonly used to evaluate the structure of the thyroid gland in the neck.

During pregnancy, an ultrasound can be used to evaluate the size, gender, movement, and position of the growing baby. The baby's heart is usually visible early, and as the baby ages, body motion becomes more apparent. The baby can often be visualized by the mother during the ultrasound, and the gender of the baby is sometimes detectable.

How do patients prepare for an ultrasound?

Preparation for ultrasound is minimal. Generally, if internal organs such as the gallbladder are to be examined, patients are requested to avoid eating and drinking with the exception of water for six to eight hours prior to the examination. This is because food causes gallbladder contraction, minimizing the size, which would be visible during the ultrasound. In preparation for examination of the baby and womb during pregnancy, it is recommended that mothers drink at least four to six glasses of water approximately one to two hours prior to the examination for the purpose of filling the bladder. The extra fluid in the bladder moves air-filled bowel loops away from the womb so that the baby and womb are more visible during the ultrasound test.

How are results transmitted to the patient and doctor?

The ultrasound is generally performed by a technician. The technician will notice preliminary structures and may point out several of these structures during the examination. The official reading of the ultrasound is given by a radiologist, a physician who is an expert at interpreting ultrasound images. The radiologist records the interpretation and transmits it to the practitioner requesting the test. Occasionally, during the ultrasound test the radiologist will ask questions of the patient and/or perform an examination in order to further define the purpose for which the test is ordered or to clarify preliminary findings. Plain x-rays might be ordered to further evaluate early findings. A summary of results of all of the above is reported to the practitioner who requested the ultrasound. They then are discussed with the patient in the context of overall health status.

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Six Ways to Get the Inside Picture: A Quick Reference for Students of Radiology

2009-11-08T07:58:00.004-05:00

Projection radiography, you may call them radiographs or more formally Roentgenographs, as they're named after the discoverer of X-rays, Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen. These are often used for evaluation of bony structures and soft tissues. An X-Ray machine directs electromagnetic radiation upon a region in the body. The lower the density of the object, the more light passes through. Thus radiation tends to pass through skin, fat, muscle, and other tissues, but is absorbed by bones, tumors, and lungs affected by severe pneumonia. Radiation which has passed through a patient then exposes onto an X-ray film. Areas of film exposed to higher amounts of radiation will usually appear dark gray after development. The unexposed areas of film of course stay white. Fluoroscopy and angiography are special applications of X-ray imaging, in which a fluorescent screen or image intensifier tube is connected to a small television system, which allows real-time imaging of structures in motion. Radiocontrast agents are administered, which are often swallowed or injected into the body of the patient, that help delineate anatomy such as the blood vessels, the genitourinary system or the gastrointestinal tract. There is a radiocontrast agent for each specific type of evaluation. For example, barium in a suspension is administered into the gastrointestinal tract and the image is taken with fluoroscopy or radiography. Radiocontrast agents, which 'soak up' X-ray radiation, in conjunction with the real-time imaging allows demonstration of dynamic processes. Peristalsis in the digestive tract or blood flow in arteries and veins can easily be seen dynamically this way, for instance.

CT scanning/CT imaging uses X-rays in conjunction with computing algorithms to take an image of a variety of soft tissues in the body. CT is acquired in the axial plane, while coronal and sagittal images can be rendered by computer software reconstruction. It is of course only recently that the combined studies of computer imaging such as 3D ray-tracing and Computer Assisted Design have made this process possible. Yes, CT imaging owes a little debt to movies like "Tron"! Radiocontrast agents are often used with CT for enhanced delineation of the patient's anatomy. Intravenous contrast allows 3D reconstructions of arteries and veins, showing them as a network of branching tunnels in real-time space. While radiographs provide higher resolution for bone X-rays, CT can generate much more detailed images of the soft tissues. CT exposes the patient to more ionizing radiation than a radiograph, which is the main reason it isn't used any more oftan than it needs to be.

Ultrasound/Medical ultrasonography uses ultrasound, literal high-frequency sound waves, to visualize soft tissue structures in the body in real time. No ionizing radiation is involved, but the quality of the images obtained using ultrasound is highly dependent on the skill of the person performing the exam, who is known as the ultrasonographer. The use of ultrasound in medical imaging has developed mostly within the last thirty years. The first ultrasound images were static and two dimensional, but with modern-day ultrasonography 3D reconstructions can be observed in real-time. Because ultrasound does not utilize ionizing radiation like radiography, CT scans, and nuclear medicine imaging techniques, it is generally considered safer. For this reason, this imaging method plays a vital role in obstetrical imaging. Fetal development can be thoroughly evaluated, allowing early diagnosis of fetal anomalies or confirmation of a normal gestation.

MRI/NMR MRI uses strong magnetic fields to align spinning hydrogen proton nuclei within body tissues, then uses a radio signal to disturb the axis of rotation of these nuclei. It then observes the radio frequency signal generated as the nuclei return to their baseline states. MRI scans give the highest quality soft tissue contrast of all the imaging modalities. With advances in scanning speed and spatial resolution and improvements in computer 3D algorithms and hardware, MRI has made greatleaps forward in the recent years. One distinct disadvantage is that the patient has to hold still for long periods of time in a noisy, cramped space while the imaging is performed. Recent improvements in magnet design like wider, shorter magnet bores and more open magnet designs, have brought some relief for claustrophobic patients, who previously had to be sedated - unfortunate if you are looking at the brain on the MRI, since the brain shows different activity when sedated. MRI has it's best benefit in imaging the brain, spine, and musculoskeletal system. The modality can be contraindicated for patients with pacemakers (watch out for those magnets!), certain types of cerebral aneurysmal clips or metallic hardware due to the strong magnetic fields. Areas of present advancement include functional imaging, cardiovascular MRI, as well as MR image guided therapy.

Nuclear medicine imaging, our newest technology, involves the administration into the patient of substances labeled with radioactive tracers which have affinity for particular tissues. The heart, lungs, thyroid, liver, gallbladder, and bones are commonly evaluated for particular conditions using nuclear medicine techniques. While anatomical detail is limited in these kinds of images, nuclear medicine is useful in displaying physiological functions. For instance, processes such as the growth of a tumor can often be monitored, even when the tumor cannot be adequately visualized using any of the other methods. The principal imaging device is the gamma camera which detects the radiation emitted by the tracer in the body and displays it as an image on a computer monitor. Often the information is converted into a series of slices through the body like a loaf of bread. In the most modern devices, nuclear medicine images can be fused with a CT scan taken at the same time so that the physiological information can be super-imposed with the anatomical structures to improve diagnostic accuracy. PET scanning is another kind of nuclear medicine. The applications of nuclear medicine can include the scanning of bones, which traditionally has had a strong role in the staging of cancers. Molecular Imaging is the new and exciting frontier in this field. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but the development of each of these technologies to show doctors what's happening inside the body in a non-invasive fashion has been worthwhile for saving many times a thousand lives!

FREE Job Fair & Career Event

2009-09-10T14:09:00.000-05:00

A reminder to graduates looking for jobs, there are two upcoming Advance Job Fairs:

Attend This FREE Job Fair & Career Event in White Plains, NY

Westchester County Center

198 Central Park Ave White Plains NY 10606

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

FREE Job Fair9:00 AM - 2:30 PM

FREE Classes8:00 AM - 3:30 PM

AND

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

655 West 34th Street New York NY 10001

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

FREE Job Fair8:00 AM - 3:30 PM

FREE Classes8:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Call 800-546-4987 for information regarding either event.

Switching Careers, Part 2

2009-09-09T12:29:00.003-05:00

Once you’ve determined it’s time to switch careers and try something new, it’s important to understand what you really want. One way to do this is by taking a self-assessment test.

Self-assessment tests help you figure out what you really like, what you don’t like, and what would be a goof fit based on your personality, desires, interests, skills, and even your personal attitude.

The first place to start is the Myers Briggs Personality test. This test will help you determine what type of personality you have: introvert, extrovert, or a little of both. Understanding whether you prefer to work alone or with a group of people is vital to the success of your new career.
To take the test, visit http://www.ransdellassociates.com/

Follow the Myers Brigg Personality test with the Big Five Personality test. This test is designed to help you understand what type of worker you are. This is an important test to take if you plan to work in an area where you need to be organized, open-minded, or deal with large groups of people.
To take the test, visit http://www.outofservice.com/bigfive

Other tests you can take are:

For $0.00, Kalil’s Personality Test helps you figure out the real. Upon completion the system directs you to career choices that fall within your personality type. Then tells you what your communication style is like.
To take the test, visit http://www.truecolorscareer.com/quiz.asp

For $0.00, Career Assessment helps you understand the “real you” by providing information on your natural motivations, your interests, your talents, and your work habits. To take the test, visit
http://www.assessment.com/MAPPMembers/Welcome.asp?accnum=06-5712-003.00

For $7.95, The Career Key will measure your skills, abilities, values, and interests and then provide job listings that match your results. To take the test, visit
http://www.careerkey.org/asp/your_personality/take_test.asp

For $14.95, Testing Room will provide you with a report that lists jobs that match your interests, skills, and attitude. To take the test, visit
http://testingroom.com/b2cfiles/tests.html

For $19.95, Career Maze will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, while directing you to careers that fit your “you”. To take the test, visit http://www.careermaze.com/home.asp

Come back on Friday as we continue our discussion on switching careers.

Switching Careers Can be a Good Thing

2009-09-06T15:09:00.002-05:00

According to Richard Bolles, author of “What Color Is Your Parachute?” today’s workers are tired of simply working to keep busy or working to pay the bills. They’re ready for jobs that give their lives meaning.

But choosing a career that provides meaning and purpose can mean pay cuts, the added expense of returning to college, and finding new careers that compliment current skills. At first glance, the perceived hardships can cause you to turn away from the idea of finding a career that makes you happy and stick with a career that provides a sense of security. But if you truly want to find fulfillment in your life, if you’re ready to go to work thanking God for your job, and if you’re ready to prove to yourself that dreams do come true, you have to take a look at these reports…

Business Week Online shares a free video showcasing several men and women who’ve chosen to switch careers, midstream. One man took a 50% pay cut and has never looked back! To watch the report, visit http://feedroom.businessweek.com/?fr_story=747033e851a9689d3b69dd7428fba5386c80d306&rf=sitemap

Damon Yougn dropped out of college, but returned later to discover that his new career as a radiographer was the perfect fit. To read the full article, visit http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2007/042007/04122007/273911

Yes, starting over requires sacrifices. Yes, starting over can sometimes put a financial strain on your budget, but you have to stop to ask yourself, “Do I really want to be this miserable for the rest of my life or would I rather be doing something I love?”

Come back on Wednesday as we talk more about switching careers.

PET Can Help Guide Treatment Decisions For A Common Pediatric Cancer

2009-08-17T12:04:00.004-05:00

A new study published in the August issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine shows that positron emission tomography (PET) is an important tool for depicting the extent of neuroblastoma in some patients, particularly for those in the early stages of the disease. Neuroblastoma accounts for six to ten percent of all childhood cancers in the United States and 15 percent of cancer deaths in children. Accurately identifying where in the body the disease is located and whether it is spreading is critical for choosing appropriate types of treatment, which can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and-in the most advanced cases-a combination of all of these treatments along with bone marrow transplant or investigational therapies.

In recent years, 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) has been the main functional imaging agent used to assess the disease. Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET imaging of neuroblastoma is increasing, but questions remain regarding when and in which patients FDG PET imaging is most useful.

"Functional imaging plays an important role in assessing neuroblastoma, from initially diagnosing and staging the disease to determining whether patients are responding to treatment or whether the disease has recurred," said Susan E. Sharp, M.D., assistant professor of clinical radiology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and lead author of the study. "Our study found that while MIBG remains the front-line imaging tool for neuroblastoma, FDG-PET imaging can benefit some patients, especially those with early-stage disease."

The study also found that FDG PET may also be useful in imaging neuroblastoma tumors that do not readily absorb MIBG. In these cases, imaging with MIBG alone may not reveal some malignant lesions in the body.

Neuroblastoma--a form of cancer that starts in certain types of very primitive developing nerve cells found in an embryo or fetus--occurs most frequently in infants and young children. There are about 650 new cases of the cancer reported in the U.S. each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. The cancer most often originates on the adrenal glands--the triangular-shaped glands above the kidneys. Neuroblastoma often spreads to other parts of the body before any symptoms are apparent.

Patients with the disease are classified as low-, medium- or high-risk based on a combination of clinical staging of the disease and certain biologic and genetic characteristics, such as the age of the patient, extent of disease spread, microscopic appearance and genetic factors.

Treatment for each of the risk categories is very different. If the cancer is limited to one part of the body, it is often curable with surgery, sometimes with the addition of chemotherapy. However, long-term survival for children older than 18 months of age with advanced disease is poor despite aggressive treatments that include a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, bone marrow transplant and investigational therapies.

In the study, a total of 113 paired MIBG scans and FDG PET scans in 60 patients with neuroblastoma at two major pediatric cancer institutions were reviewed. PET was used in conjunction with localization computerized tomography (CT) scans, and MIBG planar and SPECT imaging were combined. The study shows that for stage 1 and stage 2 neuroblastoma patients, FDG-PET depicted more primary or residual neuroblastoma, although MIBG imaging may be needed to exclude higher-stage disease that has spread to the bone or bone marrow. MIBG is superior in evaluating stage 4 neuroblastoma, primarily because it can detect and follow the response to treatment of tumor in the bone or bone marrow more accurately.

Citation
S. Sharp, B. Shulkin, M. Gelfand, S. Salisbury, W. Furman, Departments of Radiology and Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati; and Departments of Radiological Sciences and Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis
"123 I-MIBG Scintigraphy and 18F-FDG PET in Neuroblastoma,"
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, August 2009.

Source
SNM - Advancing Molecular Imaging and Therapy

IAMP Atlanta Receives Praise

2009-08-10T16:10:00.004-05:00

Last week, IAMP’s Atlanta Campus had a special visit from Mr. Christopher D. Walker, Regional Screening Manager for Health Screen Specialists. Mr. Walker came to the campus to interview some of our graduates for hire. The visit resulted in the hiring of 2 out of 3 of his top IAMP candidates.

We're very proud of our Atlanta campus, its faculty, students, & graduates and wanted to share the wonderful email below with overwhelming compliments:

Date: 08/10/2009

Dear Destiny,

First off, I just want to reiterate how wonderful my experience was while visiting your school. It was honestly a "breath of fresh air" to walk into a place that was well organized. Believe me, I looked! From the way the classrooms were set up, the layout of the scanning rooms, to the appearance of your office, your registration/secretarial area, every nook and cranny I could get a peek of, that’s what I have always wanted to see. Frankly, no other school I have been to even comes close. In fact, if I absolutely had to point out a negative quality in your school, it would be that the equipment isn't all that great. It is however, right on par with any other school I have been to. I guess I got so excited with everything else that I somewhat assumed to see you blow away the competition in that aspect as well. Regardless, the equipment is perfectly satisfactory for training students.

Speaking of the students...WOW! I believe I interviewed 8 graduates that day, 6 of which I felt would make an improvement on any of my (soon to be) 4 teams. I really appreciate your ability to sort through and find people with the qualities that I was looking for. I want you to know that it was because of your students that I had such a hard time deciding who to hire. Ultimately, I chose to fill 2 of my 3 open position with graduates from IAMP. As you know, I hired Swati Patel the day of the interviews and just a moment ago I spoke with and hired January Risner. They will be receiving all the training information and travel information in the next few days via email. I am very excited to have them aboard!

On a personal note, I did want to mention to you that you are such a wonderful person. I really enjoyed all of our conversations throughout the day as well as your introduction of me to some of the other staff at IAMP. I don't think any school representative has ever made me feel so welcome. You went above an beyond, and that in itself is enough to keep me and Health Screen Specialists coming back to you and your school for our staffing needs. Thank you SO MUCH! Feel free to give me a call or email at anytime for any reason.

Sincerely,

Christopher D. Walker
Regional Screening Crew Manager

WMC Campus: Red Cross Blood Drive

2009-07-31T21:48:00.002-05:00

This coming Tuesday, August 4th from 12:00pm to 6:30pm Antun's of Westchester Catering in Elmsford, NY is hosting a Blood Drive they need our help! Call 914-592-5260 if you need directions. If you wish to preregister you can call the American Red Cross at (914) 946-6500 x252

Each person that donates receives a FREE BRUNCH CERTIFICATE to Antun's of Westchester's Sunday Champagne Brunch.

New York-Presbyterian Ranked 6th

2009-07-24T01:07:00.002-05:00

New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell ~ Clinical Site and Employer of IAMP Manhattan Graduates ranked sixth on America's Best Hospitals: the 2009–10 Honor Roll. They are among the best of the best—the 0.4 percent of all hospitals with high scores in 6 or more specialties on the Honor Roll of the best Hospitals in the nation by. Of the 174 hospitals that are ranked in one or more specialties, 21 qualified for the Honor Roll by earning high scores in at least six specialties.

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/best-hospitals/2009/07/15/americas-best-hospitals-the-2009-2010-honor-roll.html

Pregnancy Ultrasound: A Safe Diagnostic Tool

2009-07-12T13:12:00.003-05:00

For most women who have had babies, the pregnancy ultrasound will be a familiar procedure. Also known as a sonogram, the ultrasound is used commonly during pregnancy.

If your doctor decides to perform a pregnancy ultrasound, you will probably be asked to drink two to three glasses of water one hour before your appointment. This will ensure that your bladder will be full for the test. Since the ultrasound machine works by sending out high frequency waves that bounce off body structures to form a picture, fluid in the bladder helps the waves transmit more effectively.

Once you arrive at your appointment, you will be asked to lie down on the exam table. The technician will apply a conducting gel to your abdomen, and a probe will be used to create the pictures of your baby. The pregnancy ultrasound is virtually a painless procedure, with the exception of mild discomfort you may feel from having a full bladder. It is also a very safe instrument that can be used throughout the many stages of pregnancy to detect and diagnose many potential problems.

When to Use Pregnancy Ultrasound

Because pregnancy ultrasound is such a safe method of evaluating a pregnancy, it can be used at any time during the forty-week term. During the first trimester the procedure can be helpful in assessing the baby's age and finding the fetal heartbeat. It can rule out problems with the baby, as well as abnormalities with the placenta or uterus. It can also be recommended to determine if a woman is carrying multiple pregnancies.

During the second and third trimesters, pregnancy ultrasound can also be an easy method to assess not only gestational age, but how the baby is growing and what the position of the baby is. The ultrasound can identify potential developmental problems, and evaluate the condition of the placenta and amniotic fluid.

Since pregnancy ultrasound is fairly simple and virtually painless, it is a test expectant mothers can look forward to without much fear or trepidation. Most moms-to-be enjoy seeing a sneak peek of the little bundles inside, and many appreciate the opportunity to find out the gender of the child before birth.

Ultrasound can be used for this purpose as well, but most professionals will warn that the assessment is not always 100% accurate! Modern baby scrapbooks usually contain at least one or two sonogram pictures, and proud parents can show off images of the new addition long before labor begins.

Early Retirement

Twitter Back up!

2009-07-06T11:56:00.000-05:00

It appears that twitter has now been resolved the spam cloud issue and most suspended accounts have been restored. If your account is still suspended, please submit a support request at http://help.twitter.com and ask them to look at your account.

Follow IAMP On Twitter!

Twitter Account Suspensions

2009-07-05T21:10:00.002-05:00

Sunday, July 5th, 2009: A lot of people with legitimate Twitter accounts are currently suffering from having their accounts suspended (late Sunday afternoon). It appears IAMP's twitter account was caught in the cross fire so we contacted twitter to inquire.

We just heard back from Twitter via email, and they said : “Spamcloud hit. We’re working on restoring accounts.”

We just need to be patient. The suspended accounts will be restored.

Update: We have no idea exactly what a “spam cloud” means. It is probably Twitter staff lingo for a massive spam attack.

Update: We have seen during previous spam attacks that Twitter tends to shoot first and ask questions later and indiscriminately lay down carpet bombing when their system comes under a spam attack. A lot of innocent-bystander accounts get massacred in the process, which they then have to restore afterwards. This is most likely what has happened again.

So those following IAMP on twitter, please be patient, we will be up and running again shortly!

Here are some useful links:
http://twitter.com/twitter
http://status.twitter.com/post/136164828/restoring-accidentally-suspended-accounts

A Historical Look at IAMP - Part I: The Campuses

2009-04-27T12:24:00.014-05:00

Sometimes taking a trip down memory lane is nice so we wanted to take a second and share IAMP's rich history with our readers. The journey has been both rewarding and evolutionary; an essential component when in an ever changing and advancing industry such as medical imaging. We thought we'd break it down into 3 parts; Part I (The Campuses), Part II (The Programs), & Part III (The Future). Here's Part I...We hope you enjoy!

With its roots dating back to 1974, IAMP has held a long tradition of excellence! The Radiological Institute was established to conduct certificate programs in Radiological Sciences; the first program being Nuclear Medicine Technology. In September 1977, the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York granted the Institute its charter. In 1982, the Institute amended its charter to change its name to the Institute of Allied Medical Professions. This allowed the Institute to expand its program offerings to meet the growing needs of the health care industry. From there, it looks like this:

1984 - IAMP began its first Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

1995 - The program was then moved to New York Presbyterian Medical Center. In the same year, an IAMP Queens Campus was established to conduct programs in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

1998 – IAMP's St. Johns Riverside Hospital campus in Yonkers, New York was established.

2002 – IAMP's Florida campus was founded at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach. Due to a considerable amount of growth, in 2005 the campus was relocated to Delray Medical Center.

2003 – IAMP's Georgia campus was established at St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta.

2006 – IAMP's St. Johns Riverside Hospital campus in Yonkers, New York was relocated to Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla, New York.

2007 – IAMP Online was established as part of IAMP Delray Beach located at Delray Medical Center.

2008 – IAMP Queens Campus was relocated to Manhattan to join forces with the IAMP Manhattan.

Today, the Institute operates 5 campuses in 3 states: New York at IAMP Manhattan Campus & Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla, Georgia at St. Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta; Florida at Delray Medical Center in Delray Beach; and IAMP Online, a Division of IAMP Delray Beach at Delray Medical Center.

Free ADVANCE Virtual Job Fair

2009-04-25T13:49:00.004-05:00

ADVANCE is offering a free virtual job fair on May 12, 2009 | 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Eastern Time. According to thier announcments, some benefits include the following of which you can also read more about by clicking the 'Click Here' link at the bottom of this post:

Virtual Exhibit Hall

Visit exhibitor booths, collect information about job opportunities, research facilities and chat with top regional recruiters—all from the comfort of your computer.

Distribute Your Resume

You can create your resume ahead of time using their Resume Builder application or you may upload a pre-existing resume file once the virtual exhibit hall opens. You will be prompted with instructions the first time you click the ‘Submit a Resume’ button in a virtual booth. Resume Builder documents will automatically populate at this time. Once your resume has been successfully uploaded, it will be saved for distribution to other exhibitors for the remainder of the event.

FREE Online Education Sessions

Attend convenient classes on relevant, interesting healthcare topics via an easy to use webinar format. You can visit the Virtual Sessions area up to 30 minutes prior to the event. We encourage you to arrive early in order to complete all webinar set-up instructions before the session is scheduled to begin.

Cool Prizes

Enter to win great cash prizes or one of four Exxon/Mobile gift cards (one $200 and three $100 prizes awarded per night) as you navigate the virtual exhibit hall. Each booth you visit is another chance to win. All prizes will be awarded and sent to the winners by mail after the event ends.

Fun Shopping Discounts

Attendees will automatically receive a 20% off coupon for the ADVANCE Healthcare Shop good towards the purchase of all regular and sale priced merchandise (excluding clearance items). The coupon will appear in your virtual tote bag once the exhibit hall opens. Coupons will become valid at the close of the live event and will remain valid for 60 days.

Program Guide

Attendees will automatically receive a downloadable program guide full of important exhibitor information in their virtual tote bag. Program guides can be printed at your convenience for reference after the event has closed.

Access to the event for an additional 30 days

If you are unable to attend the live version, you will be able to access a recorded version of the educational sessions, collect facility information, view open positions and distribute your resume in each exhibitor booth for 30 days after the live event closes. Please note, however, that you will still need to register for the event and that the live recruiter chat options and prize drawings will no longer be available at this time.

ADVANCE Job Fair (Click Here)

IAMP On Twitter

2009-03-27T13:19:00.002-05:00

According to their website, “Twitter is a free service that lets you keep in touch with people through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?”

So why have we at IAMP decided to join and use twitter? Well, quite simple it is 2009 and being that we are a high tech medical imaging college it is important for us to stay current, progressive, and in touch with our students.

Utilizing twitter allows us to post quick notes to our students and alumni on topics such as upcoming events, classes, weather delays and/or cancelations, graduation dates, alumni meetings and really anything worthwhile that we feel you should know.

Our twitter URL is www.twitter.com/iampedu. It is free so you can join, become a follower of IAMP’s tweets and get automatically updated when postings go live.

We look forward to this venture. Let’s tweet!

MRI shows brain atrophy pattern that predicts Alzheimer's

2009-03-17T18:00:00.001-05:00

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Using special MRI methods, researchers have identified a pattern of regional brain atrophy in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that indicates a greater likelihood of progression to Alzheimer's disease. The findings are published in the online edition of Radiology.

"Previously, this pattern has been observed only after a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease," said the study's lead author, Linda K. McEvoy, Ph.D., assistant project scientist in the Department of Radiology at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine in La Jolla. "Our results show that some individuals with MCI have the atrophy pattern characteristic of mild Alzheimer's disease, and these people are at higher risk of experiencing a faster rate of brain degeneration and a faster decline to dementia than individuals with MCI who do not show that atrophy pattern."

According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than five million Americans currently have Alzheimer's disease. One of the goals of modern neuroimaging is to help in early and accurate diagnosis, which can be challenging. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but when it is diagnosed early, drug treatment may help improve or stabilize patient symptoms.

source: Eurekalert

Is Retraining The Right Choice For You?

2009-03-02T17:10:00.010-05:00

If you are considering a career change and thinking about retraining, there are several things that you need to take into consideration. Changing your career path and getting special training to acquire new sets of skills is obviously not an easy task. After all, training for a new career requires you to invest a considerable amount of time and money.

The Result Of Training

The first thing that you have to do is to study the outcome of the retraining. How is it going to enhance your overall qualifications? What are the benefits of gaining that qualification? Will the training help you move up the success ladder? Is there a good demand for the new profession you have chosen to go for? For how long is the demand likely to remain that high? Here are some results from the BLS regarding our medical imaging courses:

Can You Afford The Cost Of Training?

Once you are certain that the end result of the retraining is worth having, the next big thing you have to think about is the cost of training. Do your math and review its financial implications. Think about the period of training course and whether you can easily afford to invest that much time and money. Do you need to borrow money to pay for the cost of training? If yes, how long will it take for you to repay the same? Will you still be able to spend time with your friends and family even while the training is going on? A balance between professional and personal life is very important.

IAMP offers financial aid as well as a variety of student loans that can cover the entire cost of your tuition and living expenses. We also provide installment plans for those who want to pay their tuition over time.

All About Giving Yourself A Second Chance

Retraining gives you a second chance in your career life. You probably couldn't get the kind of fulfilment you always wanted to get in your current job. It maybe because then you didn't have enough money or time to get proper training that eventually blocked the doorway to opportunities. But now, you want to do the things you always wanted to do. However, it is important for you to understand that holding down a full-time job and still studying part-time is not an easy thing to do. Sometimes, you start contemplating the options for a career change just because you have developed new interests and that your particular attitude towards your professional life has changed.

In case you're interested, you can visit our program offerings by clicking here:-)

It Gets You An Expanded Outlook On Life

Retraining brings an array of advantages. It doesn't only give you a second chance, but it also gives you an expanded outlook on life by keeping your brain active. In fact, this is because of these benefits why you are stimulated to study and learn new skills even though you are tired after a daylong work.

The period of retraining is obviously not an easy one but the thought of a new career with increased income as well as enhanced job satisfaction will keep you strongly motivated to go for it!!

IAMP Delray Beach Receives CAAHEP Accreditation

2009-02-23T17:47:00.003-05:00

While this feat was achieved a few months ago, we wanted to share this item with the blogosphere as posted in our newswire:

IAMP is pleased to announce the programmatic accreditation of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) program at the campus of Delray Beach, Florida. The DMS program is a two year associate of science degree program which is accredited programmatically both in General and Cardiac modalities.

We are pleased to announce that we are the 57th accredited program in the country and also the only program in the state of Florida with two concentration accreditations as a private two year degree education. Our graduates can take the ARDMS registry exam in both RDMS(Abdominal and OB/GYN) and RDCS(adult Echo) immediately upon graduation.

We want to thank all the faculty and clinical affiliates at Delray Beach who have been instrumental in this achievement. We also want to thank the JRCDMS team for their review and approval of our program.

Radiation Therapy Specialties

2007-07-16T19:24:00.000-05:00

When one reads about radiation therapy in the news, the first instinct is to think “women, breast cancer, and radiation treatment”. But not all radiation treatment is geared towards women and women alone. Men and children also suffer from cancers that must be treated with radiation. Therefore, it’s important when considering a career in Radiation Therapy that you take the time to consider the type of patients you’d like to work with and if you’d serve those patients better by specializing in a specific field of study.

Radiation therapists can specialize in the type of cancer they treat, thus ensuring their patients receive the utmost care, empathy, and treatment. But in order to specialize, one must learn more than just medical procedures; one must understand what each type of cancer does to the patient’s physical, mental, and spiritual being. Only then can the therapist truly help the patient.

If you are considering specializing based on a “type” of cancer, here’s a short list to start with:

Once you know the type of cancer you’d like to help treat, take the time to get to know how that cancer affects the daily lives of your patients, only then will you be able to truly help them heal and move forward with their lives.

Come back on Monday to learn more about IAMP and its programs.

Making Money As A Radiographer

2007-07-09T21:25:00.000-05:00

While visiting the forums today, we ran across an old—yet timeless—topic on wages. A guest poster on Radiography.com’s forum posted the question, “After you graduate from a certificate or associate hospital based program - what's the average start out pay?”

It’s a great question to ask when deciding what field of study to enter into because in today’s day and age, a starting salary of $10 per hour isn’t going to afford you a nice home, a safe neighborhood, or a decent car.

As you may recall, back in January, we discussed what radiographers make. In fact, we stated “Radiographers, also known as x-ray technicians, earn $39,605 to $53,360 per year, on the average—increasing and decreasing depending on where the radiographer lives geographically—and usually spend their days x-raying bones for fractures and breaks, providing ultrasounds, and performing other imaging procedures. “

But as discussed in the forum, one must take into account the geographic area one lives in as well as the demand (or need) for radiographers. If an area is oversaturated with radiographers, hospitals can afford to offer less pay per hour. If an area is in desperate need of radiographers, hospitals have been known to offer what is known as “sign on bonuses” and higher salaries—just to get qualified help!

Come back on Monday to learn more about IAMP and its programs.

Nuclear Medicine Tech Jobs May Get Tougher

2007-07-02T17:01:00.000-05:00

According to a report by DotMed.com, Congress is considering a proposal to amend the Public Health Service Act. Currently, there is no set standard when it comes to education and being able to work as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. But if The Society of Nuclear Medicine has its way that will all change.

The reasoning behind The Society of Nuclear Medicine’s decision to force Congress’ hand is simple: uneducated techs make mistakes and those mistakes mean poor images and misdiagnosis—all of which costs millions of dollars and could cost the lives of countless human beings.

That’s why The Institute of Allied Medical Professions is proud of the fact that we’ve gone above and beyond our duty as a school. Not only are we an Accredited Allied Health School but we offer hands on clinical externships—designed to help students succeed with minimal error.

Come back on Monday to learn more about IAMP and its programs.

IAMP June Newsletter

2007-06-25T20:42:00.000-05:00

IAMP Newsletter

The IAMP Newsletter is now online and ready to be read. If you want to learn the inside scoop about our staff members, our campuses, and our students, you’ll want to read what’s inside by visiting IAMP.edu.

This month’s issue features Larissa Konshina. Larissa began teaching Sonography at IAMP in 2005 and in 2006 was appointed the DMS Program Director. You can read more about Larissa and her home country via the newsletter.

You’ll also discover how IAMP is using modern technology to help advance the careers of busy students through the use of online courses and why clinical experiences improve classroom discussions and student learning abilities.

And finally, you meet Eslaye Devine, a former student and recent graduate of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. Eslaye believes hard work, clinical rotations, and IAMP helped her gain work with the Electrical Workers Union—a job that allows her to work three days a week and receive full-time benefits.

Our quarterly newsletter is available online anytime. Just click now to read the above mentioned issue.

Come back on Monday to learn more about IAMP and its programs.

Radiation Therapy Videos

2007-06-18T19:05:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what really goes on behind closed doors? Thanks to the following videos, you can now see how radiation therapists use radiation to treat their patients. The videos offer great insight into the world of radiation therapy and for potential radiation therapy students, that’s good news! There’s nothing like applying for, being approved, and studying for a career that you later discover isn’t the right fit.

While these videos aren’t the end all answer to your questions, they will offer a good overview of what occurs during radiation therapy. Once you watch the videos, jot down your questions and concerns, then contact one of our admissions counselors for more information on our radiation therapy program.

Radiation Therapy treats cancer in a female patient.

Cancer Therapy update discusses breast cancer treatment using radiation therapy.

GliaSite Radiation Therapy device enters the brain of a cancer patient.

Radiation Therapy for prostate cancer.

Come back on Monday to learn more about IAMP and its programs.

Tips For Taking College Tests

2007-06-11T13:30:00.000-05:00

Have you ever sat down to a test and found yourself stricken with panic? What causes that panic attack? Is it really the fact that you don’t know the information, or do you fear doing poorly on your test will lower your overall grade?

When taking tests, the first thing you need to do is relax. Don’t think of the test as the last ditch effort to bring your grade up, or the reason your grade will drop. Instead, think of your test as just another homework assignment.

Once you sit down to take your test, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and tell yourself that you know the answers, then begin.

Multiple choice questions can be the trickiest of all because several answers can sound alike. The key to taking a multiple choice test is to read the question, then try to answer it without looking at the answer choices. Once you know the answer, read the answer choices and pick the one closest to your “thought” answer. If you don’t know the answer, read all the answer choices, then cross out the ones that you know for a fact are incorrect. What you have left should give you a 50/50 chance of coming up with the correct answer.

True or false questions only give you one chance to be right or wrong. When reviewing the questions, you must read the entire question before selecting an answer. Sometimes, half the question will be true, while the second half will be false. Only reading half the question could cause you to choose the wrong answer.

Essay questions are the most difficult to answer because it requires “knowing” your stuff. You can’t narrow down your choices by eliminating the wrong choices, you must write out your answers. When answering essay questions, always answer the easiest questions first. That way, you have more time to ponder the tougher questions—and sometimes, answering the easier questions will help jog your memory for the tougher questions or give clues to help you answer them.

In the end, your test scores will only be as good as your study habits.

Come back on Monday as we discuss all things related to the life of a medical student.

How To Study For Exams

2007-06-04T17:52:00.001-05:00

Are you a last minute crammer? Do you wait until the night before an exam then stay up all night hoping something will stay in your brain long enough to help you pass your exam? If so, we’d like to encourage you to rethink your study habits.

Last minute cramming only lasts long enough to take the test, which means as you progress in your studies, you’ll have to relearn what you should already know. So when should you begin studying for your exams? How about the moment you begin receiving in-class assignments and homework?

Studies have shown that students retain more information when they study in small chunks of time over a long period of time, versus studying in one large chunk of time over an extremely short period of time.

The best way to study is to make sure you understand the concepts being presented—even if it means seeking help after the assignment is turned in.

Once you understand the concepts, it’s time to begin memorizing what you’ve learned and the best way to do that is to break large chunks of information up into bite-size, digestible chunks of information.

Once you’ve broken the information up into smaller chunks, choose a study method that works best for you:

Study cards – write information down using keywords and bullet points.
Cue cards – use acronyms to help remember phrases.
Diagrams – use pictures and charts to help remember sequences and important information.
Recorders – when information is really complicated to remember, record the information and listen to it during drive time and rest periods.

Come back on Monday to learn more about taking college tests.

Where Not To Study

2007-06-01T17:52:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought, “I just can’t concentrate?” Perhaps it has nothing to do with what you’re trying to study and more to do with where you are studying. The next time you find yourself feeling frustrated because you can’t concentrate or remember the terms you’ve just reiterated ten times to yourself, ask yourself the following questions:

Is the lighting poor?
Poor lighting causes eyestrain which makes it difficult to continue studying for long periods of time. Eyestrain can also cause headaches which can put an end to your study time before it even starts.
Are there too many people coming and going?
When studying with a group of people, you might think hanging out in a public place, such as the library, a restaurant, a coffee house, or bookstore is the ideal place to study but nothing could be further from the truth.

Every opening and closing of the door, every customer order, ever cell phone that rings, every cell phone that gets answered, and every social gathering provides one more distraction that eats away at your study time. Just think about it. When you overhear a conversation about someone at working getting fired, or a boyfriend that was caught cheating on a girlfriend, can you honestly stop listening? Or do you find yourself caught up in the gossip, then discussing it with your study partners?
Are there too many things keeping you from studying?
Even home can be a bad place to study if you allow things to distract you from the task at hand.

When was the last time you found studying at home or in your dorm satisfactory? When was the last time you found it impossible to study, even though you were comfortable with your surroundings?

Do you find yourself tempted to clean, wash the dishes, fold the laundry, browse the Internet, chat on the telephone, or do countless other “well-meaning” tasks just to avoid the subject of study? If so, you may need to rethink where you study.

Come back on Monday as we discuss How To Study For Exams.

Staying On Top Of Nuclear Medicine

2007-05-30T18:12:00.000-05:00

Nuclear medicine has always been a fascinating medical phenomenon. Use the right dose of radiation and it helps fight disease, diagnose illnesses, and save lives. Use too much radiation and it could cause severe damage to the body’s organs and even death. This delicate balance makes the job of a nuclear medical technologist very important and proper training vital.

That’s why IAMP “dedicates itself to providing and promoting academic and clinical excellence that ensures high quality instruction, which ultimately contributes to the delivery of quality patient care”.

And one way we do this is by staying on top of the industry’s latest news. Understanding what’s going on in the field of nuclear medicine helps us improve our programs, and ensures our training is up-to-date—all of which helps you graduate as a competent, qualified nuclear medicine technologist.

If you’re interested in staying up-to-date yourself, you can do that by subscribing to medical trade magazines, or doing a quick search online. Just make sure that you choose “authorative” websites that can back up the information they share, such as those listed below…

http://tech.snmjournals.org/cgi/content/full/35/2/13A

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=69762

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,113763.shtml

Come back on Friday as we discuss where not to study.

$50,000 A Year Career

2007-05-28T16:19:00.000-05:00

When you think of earning $50,000 a year, what types of careers come to mind? Do you think lawyers, IT technicians, computer geniuses, doctors, dentists, and so forth? Do you think years and years of college education, compiled with years and years of repaying that college tuition?

Has it ever occurred to you that some associates degrees can actually help you earn that same $50,000 and without all that tuition debt? It’s true!

At IAMP, we offer several programs designed to help you earn a substantial, middle-American income, without having to spend years in school or put yourself in debt.

http://iampedu.blogspot.com/2007/01/what-is-pay-and-job-market-like-for.html

http://iampedu.blogspot.com/2007/01/what-is-pay-and-job-market-like-for_17.html

http://iampedu.blogspot.com/2007/01/what-is-pay-and-job-market-like-for_26.html

http://jobs.aol.com/article/_a/10-best-paying-jobs-for-associate/20060424101809990002

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss all things IAMP.

Nuclear Medicine

2007-05-25T18:47:00.000-05:00

Have you been toying with the idea of working in the field of nuclear medicine technology but kept putting it off? Do you know why you’re putting it off? Is it because you aren’t sure that this is the right field for you? Or do you worry that you won’t find a college that offers up-to-date curriculum?

If it’s curriculum you’re after, we have what you need. “Our curriculum offers detailed experience in nuclear medicine techniques while exposing you, the student, to newer imaging modalities such as SPECT scanning and full range of In-Vitro Nuclear Medicine procedures.” Which basically means we stay up-to-date with the newest technology to provide you with an education that will help get you a job when you graduate!

But if it’s trying to discover if this is a field you really want to get into and spend most of your days working in, the only way you’re going to know that for certain is to spend some time discovering what makes this field so fascinating. And to help you do that, we’ve scoured the Internet to give you several articles on the field of nuclear medicine.

http://tech.snmjournals.org/

http://www.cancerfacts.com/Home_News.asp?NewsId=2171&CB=14&CancerTypeId=4

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA052207.caninecancer.KENS.97561462.html

Come back on Monday as we discuss all things IAMP.

More On Women In College

2007-05-23T15:28:00.000-05:00

On Monday we discussed several reasons women return to college, but did you know that women are also the majority when it comes to college education?

According to recent studies, men only make up 42 to 44 percent of the student body while women make up 56 to 58 percent of the student body.

Why are more women attending college than men? There are different theories circulating amongst college admissions staff, but one thing’s certain: women tend to have more flexibility when it comes to attending and returning to college, staying in college, and fulfilling their educational dreams. Men, on the other hand, tend to drop out of college or pick degrees that allow them to enter the workforce as quickly as possible, earning the most money as possible.

Whatever theory you choose to believe, women definitely have their place in college and in the workforce and these articles offer great insight into the world of female college students.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec02/college.html

http://www.msmagazine.com/fall2005/college.asp

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/education/09college.html?ex=1310097600&en=cd9efba2e9595dec&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2005-10-19-male-college-cover_x.htm

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/departments/adultlearning/?article=collegewoman

Come back on Friday as we discuss all things IAMP.

Women Return To College

2007-05-21T14:39:00.000-05:00

When women marry and have children, their main role becomes that of “mother”. For many women, that new role often means letting go of dream jobs in exchange for more flexible schedules that allow them the freedom to be there when their little ones need them most: sickness, doctor appointments, school field trips, extracurricular activities, and so on.

But what happens when those children graduate from high school and move on with their lives? While some women will use the free time to pick up hobbies, most women discover a need to complete their own dreams—even if that means returning to college!

If you’re experiencing the empty nest syndrome and want to tackle the role of college student, you may find these articles inspirational:

Why baby boomers are returning to college….
http://adulted.about.com/cs/studiesstats1/a/boomers.htm

Grant opportunities for women…studies show more women complete undergraduate degrees than men…
http://www.scholarships-ar-us.org/grants/women.htm

Mother’s dreams fulfilled…
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070513/NEWS01/705130570/1008

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss all things IAMP.

Finding Money For College, Part 2

2007-05-18T14:55:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, we discussed three ways to help fund your college education, aside from student loans, pell grants, and scholarships. Here are two more simple, but effective ways to create money for your education.

4. Consolidate loans.
When all else fails, consolidate your credit cards and unsecured loans into one large loan. Often, by consolidating several bills into one bill, you’re able to cut your monthly payments in half and decrease the amount of interest you pay out each month.

Just make sure that you are careful about the company you use to consolidate your loans because some companies can actually hurt your credit score.

5. Sell your stuff.
Whether you choose to place an ad in the local paper, host a garage sale, or put your “stuff” up on e-Bay, getting rid of thing you purchased and never use is a great way to earn extra money for college. You can use that money to get rid of debt, thus freeing up your monthly income, or you can use it to fund your college experience.

While these tips may not seem like ways to increase your income, if you’re diligent in your attempts to cut your spending, you’ll discover money you never knew you had.

Come back on Monday as we talk more about college and the medical field.

Finding Money For College, Part 1

2007-05-16T15:41:00.001-05:00

One thing we haven’t talked about when it comes to switching careers is financing that career switch. Besides student loans, scholarships, and federal grants, financing one’s career switch may mean cutting back on expenses and paying off current debts.

Returning to college, whether part time, or full time, requires personal sacrifices and quite possibly, a bit of additional income. And to help you find that income, we’re going to give you a few simple, but effective, financial tips:

1. Cut out unnecessary fixed expenses.
Unnecessary fixed expenses may be hiring help to mow the lawn or clean the house once a week or it may involve a gym membership you never use or a cable bill that includes the “premium” package.

2. Start eating in.
The average American family spends nearly $300 per month eating out every single month. By eating cereal for breakfast, taking a bagged lunch to work, and slow-cooking dinners, you’ll instantly see extra money in your monthly budget.

3. Stop using credit cards.
People who charge their purchases are more likely to buy more than they planned. And with interest rates averaging 23.99%, the minimum payments barely cover the interest charged which means wasted money every single month!

Come back on Friday as we finish up our discussion on finding money for college.

Switching Careers, Part 4

2007-05-14T14:35:00.000-05:00

After returning to college, it’s time to update that resume. Writing your resume shouldn’t be intimidating; after all, you’ve been employed for years and you must have done something right or your boss wouldn’t have kept you on his payroll!

The key to writing a great resume is to make sure what you put on paper matches the job requirements of the job you’re applying for. If you’ve just graduated from college, you’re expertise in that field may be limited, but what have you done, in your previous jobs, that can be transferred over to your new career? Those are the skills you need to list on your resume.

The key elements your resume should have are:

Objective: What position do you want and why?
Experience: What skills, from previous jobs, are transferable to the job you are applying for? What skills, from your college courses, are transferable to the job you are applying for? List them here.

Make sure you keep everything in present tense. Use a bullet point list and break your skills up into no more than 4 main categories. Keep your bullet points short and concise. Use action words and don’t ramble.
Employment: List all relevant jobs, starting with last position held. Include company name, job title, and years of service. Don’t go into details about what you did on the job as they are covered under the experience section.
Awards: Leave high school awards out of the equation, unless you’ve just graduated from high school—same with college awards. Your awards should come from your current employer, past employers, and prestigious companies.
Education: List all relevant educational institutions. Colleges, seminars, and workshops. List them by name, degree or certificate received, and year graduated.
References: It’s always best to state “references available upon request.” That way, you can prepare your references for the calls they are about to receive and they won’t be taken by surprise.

Here’s a great tip: When applying for a new job, incorporate words the company used in the “help wanted ad” in your resume. In other words, match their needs. But never lie. Only include skills, talents, and degrees you actually hold.

Come back on Wednesday as we continue our discussion in switching careers.

Switching Careers, Part 3

2007-05-11T16:42:00.000-05:00

Once you’ve taken the self-assessment tests, it’s time to put those tests to use.

What did they tell you about your personality?
What did they tell you about your ability to work with others?
What did they tell you about your ability to learn new things?
What did they tell you is a good fit—job wise?

Having read the answers to the above questions, without reserve or a closed mind, can you see any truth in the answers provided? How do you feel about what these tests revealed? And how can you apply these results into your current situation?

Understanding how the results apply to your desire to switch careers is vital to the success of this life altering change you are about to make. After all, you wouldn’t want to end up in a career only to discover you were happier where you were before.

Once you have a basic understanding of where your talents lie, what your personality is like, and what careers fit best in those areas, it’s time to lay it all on the line. You must take a hard look at your current skills, degrees, and certifications, and ask yourself, “Do I have the necessary skills to switch careers now, or must I return to college to obtain those skills?”

If returning to college is necessary, you won’t be able to switch careers immediately. You’ll need to take preparatory steps to make the switch successful and the first place to start is by answering the following questions:

What type of additional training, certifications, or degrees will you need to complete the transfer?
How much will it cost to return to college?
How will you fund the cost of college tuition, books, supplies, and sitter fees?
How long will it take you to complete the necessary training?
Will you need to start at an entry-level position upon graduation and if so, how much money will you need to make up the difference in your current salary and still support your family? (This is the money you’ll need to put into savings before you quit your current job and if that’s not possible you’ll need to cut out expenses to help cover the difference.)

Come back on Monday as we continue our discussion on switching careers.

Sonograms Help Military Dads Stay Connected

2007-05-04T14:14:00.000-05:00

Many companies are showing support of our troops by providing free or discounted sonogram services to active-duty military personnel and their spouses. These programs are designed to offer moms-to-be the opportunity to share their pregnancies with their overseas spouses—thus building bonds and easing the feelings of isolation.

Our only caution is to remember that these ultra-sounds should not take the place of a competent doctor—women are advised to maintain regular check-ups with their doctors.

Small Wonders Imaging, LLC in Charleston, SC offers free 3-d ultrasounds to spouses of deployed servicemen. To learn more about the program, visit:
http://www.pr.com/press-release/37366

Pacific Coast Ultrasound offers military wives the chance to send a DVD of the ultrasound to their active-duty husbands, for free—when their insurance pays for the first ultrasound. Contact for more information, scroll to bottom of this page:
http://www.pacificcoastultrasound.com/4dultrasound.html

Tiny Images Ultrasounds offers a 15% discount for active military personnel. Their 4-D imaging program gives the clearest indication of baby. To learn more visit: http://www.tinyimagesultrasound.com/pricing.html

To locate more facilities that offer free ultrasounds to pregnant women of military personnel, contact your local hospital, your nearest free clinic, or your nearest pro-life center. If these establishments cannot offer advice, check with your local universities; sometimes medical students need practice patients.

Come back on Monday as we discuss our week long series on switching careers.

4 Tips To Make Studying Easier

2007-05-02T16:03:00.000-05:00

The difference between college and high school isn’t the freedom of “doing what you want, when you want”, it’s the workload that soon takes over the life of the college freshman. Straight out of high school, ready to embark on the unknown, freshmen soon discover that college is hard work and with that hard work comes the task of learning to juggle the heavy reading load, the tests that make up over half their grades, and projects that consume their evenings.

But feeling overwhelmed can be a thing of the past when you use these study tips:

Study daily.
Cramming the night before the test may help you pass that chapter test, but it won’t help you past that semester test and it won’t help you retain important information that’s needed for next semester’s advance course.
Study for shorter periods of time.
Have you ever noticed that the longer you study, the more confused you become? That’s because your brain begins to feel tired and stops processing the information you feed it. Give your brain a chance to assimilate the information you’ve fed it by taking short breaks between your study sessions.
Rest.
When your body is tired, your brain shuts down, making it difficult to retain the information you’ve just fed it. Take time out of each day—even if it’s only 15 minutes of me time—to relax and enjoy the life you’ve been given. Once you feel rejuvenated, get back to those books.
Find a partner.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your grades is to find a study partner. Study partners help keep you accountable, make learning fun, and even help you see things differently—especially when you’re struggling with a problem your study partner has already solved.

And don’t forget to use those techniques you learned in elementary school: study cards, repeating sentences or definitions until they stick, and using visual aides.

Come back on Friday as we discuss where to find free sonograms for military personnel.

4 Things To Consider When Applying To College

2007-04-30T13:53:00.000-05:00

When applying for college, do you only think about what you're going to do when you get there? Or do you think about what the college is going to do for you? Applying for college isn't just about fun and games, it's about picking the right college; the college that will help you succeed. So the next time you sit down to fill out those college applications, keep these four tips in mind:

Come back on Wednesday to discover 4 tips for making studying easier.

Success, Part 2

2007-04-27T11:20:00.000-05:00

Don’t Let Your First Year Ruin Your Chances Of Success, Part 2

On Wednesday we discused setting goals and purchasing both a planner and a file cabinet. Today we finish off our discussion with...

Finally, take care of your health by making time for exercising, getting plenty of rest, and eating healthy foods.

Come back on Monday as we 4 tips for choosing the right college.

Don’t Let Your First Year Ruin Your Chances Of Success, Part 1

2007-04-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

Have you heard how difficult college can be the first year? Transitioning from high school to college is no walk in the park. Many students have moved out of their comfy, safe homes to tackle life as an “adult” which means even straight A students find themselves struggling under the pressure. Balancing part-time jobs, club activities, sporting events, socializing, and course work can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.

Contrary to what your classmates say, the key to succeeding in college is not networking, joining as many social clubs as you can, or attending every party on campus. The key to succeeding in college is hard work—plain and simple. And to help you succeed, we’ve come up with a few simple tips to make the transition from high school student to college student easier:

Purchase a portable file cabinet. In your file cabinet, keep important documents in hanging folders. Documents like: school transcripts, college acceptance letters, letters of recommendations, resumes, scholarship information, bills by name, emergency contact numbers, and your social security card.
Purchase a planner. While it may seem “dorky” to carry a planner with you everywhere you go, it’s a great way to make sure you don’t over-commit yourself. Pencil in extra-curricular activities, but PEN in school and job obligations. While you can cancel extra-curricular activities, or arrange them to fit your schedule, classes, test dates, and work days cannot be altered. And to help remind of those important test dates, highlight the dates with a yellow marker.
Set realistic goals. One reason some college students don’t succeed the first year is because they do not take the time to set realistic goals. In your mind’s eye, you are Superman and can accomplish anything you set your mind to, even if it means juggling two important obligations on the same day, at the same time. But real life isn’t a movie. You cannot be in two places at the same time, nor can you complete a three hour project in only 30 minutes. Know your goals. Understand them, break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks, then schedule specific dates and times on your calendar to complete those tasks.

Come back on Friday as we finish up these tips.

10 Reasons To Choose IAMP

2007-04-23T15:52:00.000-05:00

Having a hard time deciding on the right college? Below are ten reasons you should choose The Institute of Allied Medical Professions:

We have state-of-the-art facilities designed to give our students the latest medical training available.
Our curriculum has been designed to offer a comprehensive understanding of the student’s field of study.
We are an Accredited Allied Health School offering both certificate and degree programs.
We offer diversified classroom instruction geared towards helping our students understand every nook and cranny in their field of study.
We offer clinical internships with some of the finest institutions in the area. Our clinical rotations offer students hands-on experience in their field of study.
We offer both clinical and didactic training for sonographers while our competition usually offers one or the other.
We take our course studies a step further by helping our students learn scenarios that involve both specialized and standard procedures.
Our facilities include a library of case studies, reference books and audio-visual aids, which complement curriculum objectives.
We have a fantastic financial assistance team ready to help you find funding solutions that fit your pocket book.
Upon graduating, our students recommend IAMP to friends and family—a huge compliment to our staff, our programs, and our students themselves

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss medicine and the world we live in.

What Do You Want?

2007-04-20T15:52:00.000-05:00

We know you're reading...our stats tell us so.

But you don't comment, so let us ask you this vital question: Are we meeting your needs?

If not, how can we help you?

What do you want to read?
Do your questions pertain to IAMP, the college?
Do they pertain to questions in the industry?

Whatever it is, leave us a comment in this spot and we'll be sure to cover it in an up-and-coming post!

Have a great week-end!

The IAMP Staff

Nuclear Imaging Cameras Save Lives

2007-04-20T15:50:00.000-05:00

According to Carolina Newswire, two of North Carolina’s counties have the highest cardiovascular death rates in the nation. But thanks to Dr. Lee A. Surkin and his new nuclear imaging camera things are about to change! Dr. Surkin, “is implementing cutting-edge cardiac imaging technology that can detect early risks and traces of cardiovascular disease,” thus offering hope and have the potential to help prevent heart related deaths.

Patients with family histories of heart disease are high candidates for having a heart attack themselves, that’s why non-evasive procedures such as nuclear imaging is so important. By “providing doctors with the ability to notice abnormalities in the muscle, pump function, or other signs that can lead to heart attack or acute coronary syndrome,” doctors can begin treating patients and ultimately saving lives.

To learn more about the importance of early screening, visit Dr. Thompson’s interview with UI Health Care
. (While the article is nearly 7 years old, it still offers important information.)

Come back on Monday as we discuss medicine and the world we live in.

Nuclear Medicine Removes Cancerous Cells

2007-04-18T14:48:00.000-05:00

Cancer is a malignant growth on cells that basically multiply until the body is infested with unhealthy cells that steal the life of a patient. And no matter what you believe, cancer will not go away by prayer and herbal treatments alone. Cancer must be treated—sometimes with radiation, sometimes with chemotherapy, and sometimes with surgery. The choice depends upon the type of cancer, how far it has spread, and where it’s located in the body.

Nuclear Medicine plays a key role in helping cancer patients fight cancer and regain their health. It truly is a powerful tool in treating cancer patients and saving lives.

Every year, technological advances in nuclear medicine improve the survival rate. Just take a look at the latest medical advances in nuclear medicine:

Click to read more.

To learn more about cancer, in everyday language, visit The American Cancer Society

Come back on Friday as we discuss medicine and the world we live in.

Nuclear Medicine Helps Heart Patients

2007-04-16T10:30:00.000-05:00

According to the U.S. Division For Heart Disease and Prevention, 700,000 people die from heart disease every year, making it the leading cause of death in both men and women.

While changes in diet and exercise can help prevent heart disease, early detection through routine doctor’s visits can help patients live longer, healthier lives.

Here are a few ways our students can help patients prevent heart disease from taking their lives:

DotMed News

Science Daily

DOE Medical Sciences

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss how nuclear medicine helps cancer patients.

Why Posts About The News

2007-04-13T15:28:00.000-05:00

You may be wondering, “IAMP why are you sharing posts about industry news with us?”

Well, the answer is simple: Understanding what is going on in the world around you—especially when it relates to a career you’re interested in, can help you determine whether or not that career is truly for you before you’ve plopped down that cold, hard cash or spent many restless nights studying for tests—for a career you’re not even sure you want any more.

True Life Lesson

Several years ago a young woman, named Kim, wanted desperately to become a veterinarian. She spent many years dreaming about what her life would be like and how she was going to help make a difference in the world by caring for its animals. She even borrowed books from the library—with intense photographs showing blood, guts, and many live operations—to see if she could stomach the idea of cutting an animal open in order to save its life. Then she got busy with life and those books and that research became a thing of the past.

A few years later, she signed up for veterinarian school. A year later, she dropped out. She simply couldn’t handle the actual surgeries.

Another example, a young man, named Danny, spent years studying to become an accountant because the money was good and he was intrigued with numbers. He graduated top of his class, but after two years in the field of accounting he was miserable. The idea of being an accountant was more glamorous than actually being one.

Despite the fact that the money was good, he couldn’t spend another minute as an account. He quit his job and had to start his education all over again.

While your job, as a diagnostic medical sonographer, nuclear medicine technician, radiation therapist, or radiographer won’t involve cutting up a live being, you will have to deal with sick patients, scared patients, and angry patients. And while you won’t find life in the medical field to be as mundane as the life of an accountant, you will need to continue your education as newly improved procedures and updated equipment becomes available, you’ll be on your feet a lot, and you’ll experience a lot of physical strain.

In other words, knowing what you’re getting into and discovering what the real world is like is an important step towards success!

Come back on Monday as we discuss why nuclear medicine helps prevent heart attacks.

Treatments In The News

2007-04-11T10:19:00.000-05:00

Every wonder what’s going on in the world of medicine? We recently ran across a few great articles that we felt were worthy of sharing.

Robesonian

Cincinnati Business Courier

Shanghai Daily

Shreveport Times

Come back on Friday as we discuss medicine and the world we live in.

More On College Interviews

2007-04-09T14:28:00.000-05:00

Over the past week we’ve discussed Preparing for College Entrance Interviews, What To Say During An Interview, and Questions College Admissions Officers May Ask.

Today, we thought it would be fun to have you take an Internet tour of several websites with valuable information geared towards helping you ACE your college entrance interviews.

Click here to learn more

The important thing to remember is that first impressions only happen once!

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss medicine and the world we live in.

Be Prepared To Answer Your Admissions Officer

2007-04-06T12:11:00.000-05:00

College admissions officers often conduct entrance interviews to get a better understanding of your goals, dreams, and how you will fit in. Knowing what types of questions you’ll be asked beforehand will give you ample time to think about what you want out of the college and what you can give back to the college—thus making for a rather impressive interview.

Here are a few questions you may be asked:

What were your academic strengths during high school?
Do you feel that you have any academic weaknesses?
What are they and why?
What was your favorite subject and why?
Were you involved in any extracurricular activities? What were they and what did you learn from participating in them?
How do you feel your extracurricular activities helped prepare you for college?
Did you work a part-time job during school or in the summer?
Why or why not? If yes, how has your job helped you prepare for college life? If not, how will you handle your college courses and working now?
Have you ever had trouble with a subject?
What course was it, what were you having problems with, and how did you tackle the issues?
Did you ever fail a class or receive a grade you were not happy with?
Was there a reason your grade was so bad? Did you retake the course and receive a higher grade? What made the difference?
What other colleges have you applied to?
On a list of 1 to 5, how important is it for you to get into this college?
Why did you choose this college?
Considering we can only accept __ applicants this year, why should we choose you over the other college applicants?
Where do you see yourself after graduation?
What are your overall career goals?

Come back on Monday where you'll discover a few good articles on great interviews.

What To Say During A College Interview

2007-04-04T14:48:00.000-05:00

While most colleges do not require admissions staff to conduct interviews with prospective college students, select colleges do so it never hurts to be prepared. Besides if your college application has something listed that needs further explanation or clarification, a trip to the admissions office could be the smartest move you ever make!

The key to a successful interview isn’t polished, flawless answers or high test scores. Sure those help, but the key to a successful interview is showing the admissions officer that you take your education seriously.

When answering questions, keep these tips in mind:

Be brief.
When you’re nervous, you have a tendency to ramble. Don’t. Answer the question asked directly. Offer any explanation necessary to get your point across, but don’t get side-tracked.
Be specific.
Did you take Chemistry II and fail, but later passed with a C? Why did you fail? How did you accomplish the C the second time around? Don’t be afraid to tell the truth: major illness, a death in the family, job loss, learning disability, or you simply couldn’t grasp the subject the first time around. Just don’t offer excuses—everyone has them and they won’t help you succeed.
Share your successes.
When asked why you should be accepted into the college, don’t just list off a bunch of awards and accomplishments. Don’t just tell the admissions officer where you see yourself when you graduate. And don’t just mention your strengths. Share a few success stories. Give concrete information showing how you went from point A to point B and what the outcome was. In other words, show off your assets.
Show interest.
Take the time to ask a few questions of your own. What questions do you have that you couldn’t find on the college website, in the application packet, or through word-of-mouth? Show the college admissions officer that you are so serious about attending that even after you did your research you still have questions and would like answers before the interview ends.

Interested in a career as a diagnostic medical sonography or nuclear medicine technologist? Our admissions officers are ready and willing to answer any questions you have.

Come back on Friday as we tell you what types of questions to be prepared for.

Entrance Interviews

2007-04-02T14:36:00.000-05:00

Sometimes grades from high school or current college courses are not enough to get into medical school. Sometimes, college admissions personnel want to know more about you and why you think medicine would be a good fit—career wise.

Here are a few tips to help you make a good first impression during your college entrance interview:

Eat before the meeting.
Nothing makes you more fidgety than getting the shakes because you skipped a meal or two. And nothing is more embarrassing than a loud, grumbling stomach. Besides, eating just might help calm your nerves!
Dress nice.
You don’t need to wear a suit, but where something that shows you are serious about your meeting.
Be on time.
Show the interviewer that you value your education enough to show up on time. Remember, excessive tardiness or absences can get you kicked out of school.
Sit up straight.
Slouching tells the interviewer that you aren’t interested in what he/she has to say.
Give eye contact.
Show the interviewer that you are secure in who you are. If you can’t look the interviewer in the eye, how are you going to be able to look your patients in the eye?
Be honest.
Don’t avoid questions you don’t have answers to. And never lie—especially if a simple computer search can turn up the answer. If you’re unclear on what’s being asked, ask for clarification.
Be prepared.
Know why you are in the meeting and what is expected of you. Some entrance interviews require resumes, letters of recommendations, copies of previous college or high school grades, and even bank statements showing you can indeed afford to attend the school of choice—and if you can’t, that you have some way of paying for your education such as a student loan, grant, or scholarship.
Say thank you.
A little manners can go a long way. Take the time to thank your interviewer for making the time to see you and for answering your questions.

To learn more about how to act during a college entrance interview, read these articles:

What Medical Schools Look For In Interviewees

Your Virtual Interview

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss what to say during college interviews.

Sonograms Find The Darndest Things

2007-03-30T15:29:00.000-05:00

It’s Friday and we thought it would be interesting to learn how sonograms are used to help solve unusual cases:

In 2006, a sonogram was used to uncover the route of pain between the back and upper abdomen of a patient. Upon reviewing the sonogram, the sonographer discovered the patient had swallowed a toothpick which launched into his liver. Upon a follow-up visit two years later, the toothpick still remained launched in the liver.
Read more…
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112604374/ABSTRACT

Two women show signs of pregnancy, even though doctors cannot find a heartbeat. Sonograms are used to determine two sacs have indeed formed in the women, but upon further observation the sacs turn out are determined to be molar pregnancies: which according to St. Jude’s, is a “rare cancer in women of childbearing age in which cancer cells grow in the tissues that are formed in the uterus after conception.”
Read more…
http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/reprint/160/1/137.pdf

To learn more about unusual ultrasound features and how they helped with pancreatic pseudocysts findings, read more…
http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/reprint/130/2/265.pdf

While the above mentioned scenarios aren’t typical for the average sonographer, they do give you an idea of what you have to look forward to. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a diagnostic medical sonographer, check out our webpage at http://iamp.edu/programs/diagnosticmedicalsonography/

Come back on Monday as we discuss entrance interviews.

3 Reasons You Know It’s The Right School For You

2007-03-28T14:26:00.000-05:00

When considering colleges do you only look at price and final outcome, or do you dig deeper? While it is important to find a college that offers the degree you want at the price you can afford, it’s vitally important to choose a college that feels right. After all, if you show up to class every day dreading it, you won’t get the best education.

How do you know if you’ve picked the right college for you?

Ask yourself the following questions. If after answering them your college of choice matches up, you have yourself a winner!

Will I be comfortable on campus and in class?
In other words, if you’re an introvert by nature, will a big campus hinder your learning because you feel out-of-place or self-conscious? If you’re an extrovert, will a small campus make you feel caged in and unable to concentrate? Is the campus in a bad area of town, causing you to feel frightened every time you leave for school—making attendance an issue?
Does the college provide student support?
If you discover a class to be too difficult, does the college have some type of program in place to help you succeed—like tutoring? Or are you left to your own demise?
Other than completion of a degree, what can this college do for me?
In other words,
- Are there hands-on training or internship programs in place?
- Is there a job placement program once you graduate?

If you’re considering IAMP, let us leave you with this bit of advice from a past graduate…
“I hope to encourage aspiring applicants to apply to IAMP….My earnest desire is that they should have the wisdom to choose a school like IAMP that is rooted firmly and is committed to promoting academic and clinical experience in the allied health field.” —Ravikumar Johnson, PET Technologist

Come back on Friday as we discuess how sonograms find the darndest things.

8 Reasons Why You Know You’re Ready For A Career Change

2007-03-26T15:15:00.000-05:00

Every morning you wake up thinking, “Just X more days until the week-end.”
On the way to work you have to “psyche” yourself into wanting to go to work.
Once you get to work, you begin to feel pressured and squeezed for time and you haven’t even clocked in yet.
As you begin to perform your tasks, your mind wanders, wondering if there’s something better, more exciting, or more fulfilling out there.
When you leave work, you’re already telling yourself the reasons why you must return tomorrow.
When you arrive home and your spouse asks, “How was your day?” You grunt and say, “Same old stuff. Let’s talk about something else.”
Friday’s paycheck arrives and as you read the dollar amount you instantly think, “This job is so not worth this!”
As you begin to pay your bills, you discover that once again you’re robbing Peter to pay Paul, which in terms causes a bit of depression and you “snap” on the closest person to you, even though there’s no reason to do so.

Yes, those are all true scenarios for people who desperately need to change careers. But change doesn’t come easy. In fact, it’s pretty darn hard. It means stepping out of one’s comfort zone, learning a new task, and asking your spouse to trust your decision. But it’s not impossible.

The best way to handle a career change is to take your time. In other words, don’t quit your day job as soon as you realize it’s making you miserable; after all, you need that paycheck!

Take a step back to figure out why you’re unhappy, and then take the steps necessary to figure out what would make you happy.

Once you know what will make you happy, take inventory of your skills, talents, and education. Can you start a new career doing what you love with what you currently possess or must you return to school?

If you must return to school, don’t go with the first school that comes to mind; take the time to meet with an administrations counselor to learn more about the school, payment options, and job placement programs.

Come back on Wednesday> to learn why you picked the right college for you.

Ready For A Career Change?

2007-03-23T13:10:00.000-05:00

Have you been dissatisfied with your current job? Have you longed to change careers but felt you were “too old” to go back to school? That old saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” just isn’t true.

Sometimes, having experienced life first hand makes you appreciate school more, causing you to study harder, and retain what you learn more easily.

Will it be easy? No.

Unlike students fresh out of college, you have more responsibilities and more of life to juggle. You’ll have to juggle a full time job, family commitments, and school. You’ll have to give up hobbies in exchange for doing homework, you’ll have to forgo church outings and the occasional school field trip to make room for college courses, and you’ll have to say goodbye to your favorite, weekly television show in order to replace it with studying for tests.

Hard? Yes! But so worth it.

In April 2003 Daniel Engel retired from a 22 year career to start a new career as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. After completing IAMPs classroom studies, he went on to intern at the New York Hospital in Queens, NY—just one of the internship facilities IAMP offers. And upon graduation, he found himself in a new career, doing something that excited him.

Are you ready to feel that excitement?

If not, perhaps Engel’s own words will inspire you, “IAMP prepared me very well for my internship and for that I am very thankful…IAMP will provide you with the material needed and if you put your effort into it you will reap great returns. I have not one regret from the moment I met with an Admissions Representative to the day of graduation.”

If you’re ready for a career change but not sure you have what it takes, call one of our Admissions Representatives. There’s no obligation and you just might discover you really do have what it takes to follow your dreams…

Come back on Monday as we discuss medicine and the world we live in.

Why Accreditation Is Important

2007-03-21T09:01:00.000-05:00

“In the early years of echocardiography, it was not uncommon for sonographers to receive only on-the-job training. Today, education at an accredited school is essential,” says Linda Gillam in a 2004 presidential message for The American Society of Echocardiography. Three years later, the same statement holds true. As machines become more technologically advanced, doctors need sonographers who can run the complicated equipment and provide optimal images—images used to diagnose patients.

But it’s the accreditation statement that caught our eyes. Ms. Gillam didn’t state “graduation at any school offering sonography courses” she specifically said, “accredited school”.

What makes accreditation so important?

Accreditation means the school has undergone rigorous evaluation by its peers to make sure it’s offering the best education. Accreditation also means the school meets certain criteria and industry standards so that graduates are qualified to work in the real world as sonographers.

To make sure your school of choice has been properly accredited follow these tips:

Ask the school who it is accredited by.
Research the accrediting institution.
Make sure it has the authority to accredit schools and that it actually checks out the schools, and not just the curriculum.

Come back on Friday as we discuss career changes.

Clinical Training

2007-03-19T12:37:00.000-05:00

Anthony Rodriguez chose IAMP because he wanted to become a licensed sonographer. Upon graduation, we asked him what he liked about IAMP, his response, “The curriculum was very thorough, clear and well thought out. The clinical training was so exciting that three weeks into my clinical practice I was offered a position as a sonographer.” (Of course he had to graduate first.)

Anthony made a very important assessment in his evaluation of our school, “the clinical training was so exciting”. As a medical student, your clinical trainings help prepare you for the real world—if you don’t like the way you’re being taught, much of what you learn will be lost. But if you enjoy what you’re being taught, much of what you learn will stick and that excitement and enthusiasm will carry into your attitude and show when you speak to colleagues and patients.

In the world of medicine, clinical training is taking what you learned in the classroom and applying it to the real world. It’s much like apprenticeships of days gone by. A student meets with a licensed practitioner who monitors the student as he (or she) performs the day-to-day tasks. When an incident occurs that prevents the student from performing a specific duty (i.e. surgery), the licensed practitioner takes over and the student monitors everything that takes place. This hands-on training solidifies what the student learned in class.

When looking for a medical school in your area, ask to speak to recent graduates. Then ask those graduates about their clinical training:

How many hours did they have to complete before graduation?
What was the teacher to student ratio during clinicals?
How much of the clinicals were hands-on versus watching the teacher and asking questions?
What type of hands-on training did they receive?
Did the clinicals work around traditional jobs? Were they mostly in the day or night?

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss why accreditation is important.

Sonography Saves Lives

2007-03-16T07:45:00.000-05:00

Have you ever dreamed of a career that involved life saving measures only to discover you couldn’t handle the sight or smell of blood? You don’t have to let that dream die. Become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer and you’re bound to save a life or two—even if it’s just the first step in the process.

Sonography diagnoses illnesses and diseases during their early stages. Early detection allows doctors to provide proper medical treatment—treatment that could mean the difference between life and death.

And if you have a compassionate heart and can show empathy for those diagnosed with life threatening diseases, such as cancer, you’ll be a God-send. When a patient is given “bad” news, he/she needs someone there who can lend an ear, share a prayer, and even offer a shoulder to cry on.

Once the “bad” news is given, the patient will return to you, the sonographer, for follow-up tests. During those tests, your patient may experience anxiety or break down in tears—fearing the worse. It’ll be your job to provide comfort and empathy, to calm down your patient so that you can obtain an accurate reading.

To learn more about how early detection can save lives, read the following articles:

Transvaginal Ultrasound Detects Early Ovarian Cancer

Sonography Better At Detecting Breast Cancer In Women Over 45

Ultrasound Detects RH-Negative Complications In The Womb

Ultrasound Detects Melanoma Metastases Missed by Clinical Examination

Ultrasound Shows Healing Progress Of Fracture And Need For 2nd Surgery

Come back on Monday as we clinical training.

Prenatal Sonography

2007-03-14T07:55:00.000-05:00

According to the Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics, “The use of prenatal sonography (PSG) is rapidly increasing as more pregnant women are even requesting studies. Most obstetric ultrasounds occur in general community settings like small hospitals and clinics with personnel who have variable training, experience, and interest levels.”

Most people refer to prenatal sonograms as ultrasounds. They are used to monitor the growth of a baby inside his/her mother’s womb, to assure both parents that the baby is healthy, to determine gender, and to keep an eye out for birth defects, disease, and illness.

Routine prenatal sonograms help parents make informed decisions such as taking maternity leave (thanks to a more reliable due date), requesting fetal therapy or in-uterus surgery (to save the life of the fetus or prevent birth defects), and terminating pregnancy (should reasons deem necessary).

Thanks to the invention of prenatal sonography, early detection has allowed surgeons to perform in-uterus surgeries that have corrected birth defects and saved the lives of countless infants.

To learn more about how prenatal sonography helps detect birth defects, disease, and illnesses, check out the following resources:

Medscape: The Role of Sonography in the Evaluation of Pregnant Women

RTS: Prenatal Diagnosis of Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome

Heart Online: Outcome after prenatal diagnosis of the hypoplastic left heart syndrome

prenatal testing

Come back on Friday as we discuss how diagnostic medical sonography helps save lives.

Cardiovascular Sonography

2007-03-12T12:48:00.000-05:00

Diagnostic medical sonographers have the opportunity to specialize in various fields, among those fields are: cardiovascular sonography, prenatal (keeping an eye on fetal growth), and prevention.

Today, we’re going to tackle cardiovascular sonography.

Cardiovascular sonography uses sound waves to produce images of the heart and the vessels leading to the heart. The main purpose of cardiovascular sonograms is to determine if the heart is functioning properly, and to locate problem areas and/or disease. Once a problem or health issue has been identified, doctors can take appropriate action to heal the heart.

According to The U.S. Department of Labor, “Cardiovascular technologists may specialize in any of three areas of practice: invasive cardiology, echocardiography, and vascular technology.” Regardless of the area of practice, most—if not all—sonographers work 40 hour work weeks with five days on and two days off.

To learn more about the field of cardiovascular sonography, check out the following resources:

The American Society of Echocardiography

Journal of Ultrasound In Medicine

Guidelines for Cardiac Sonographer

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss prenatal sonography.

Friday Praise At IAMP

2007-03-09T11:38:00.000-05:00

You’ve heard children whine, “My parents want me to attend their Alma Marter” and you’ve read about the rich stating, with all certainty, that their children will attend Princeton or Yale. But have you ever wondered why those parents were so adamant about pushing their children towards a specific college? Why that college was better than all the rest?

Was it really the name of the college that provided the career, the income, the lifestyle? Or was it the education the college provided? Surely it wasn’t the tradition of having five generations graduate from the same place…

It’s rare that you’ll find a technical school, a two-year college, or a trade school so highly praised. But when it happens, there’s reason to rejoice and that’s what this post is all about…

All In The Family
We’re calling this our Friday Praise Day because one family has chosen to start such a tradition.

In our winter newsletter we brought to attention the proud tradition started by Ravi Johnston. Seven years after graduating with a 4.0 G.P.A. from our Nuclear Medicine Technology program in 1993, Ravi’s cousin graduated from our Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. Two years after that Ravi’s brother graduated from our Nuclear Medicine Technology program and finally, 13 years later, his wife graduated from our Diagnostic Medical Sonography program.

Just goes to show that a little hard work does go a long way. Congratulations to Ravi for making a decision that has not only changed the course of his life, but that of his family as well. And congratulations to all the hard-working, dedicated students (past and present) of IAMP!

*If you’ve recently graduated from IAMP and would like to be interviewed on this blog, leave us a comment. We’ll get back with you shortly!

Come back on Monday as we discuss cardiovascular sonography.

Pediatric Nuclear Medicine Part 2

2007-03-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Realizing that nuclear medicine technologists have the option to work with adults or children, we thought it would be fun to send you, our readers, out on a scavenger hunt of sorts…

If you’re serious about getting into the field of nuclear medicine technology and the idea of working with children intrigues you, check out these resources…

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Technology has compiled a report on the common procedures and considerations for pediatric nuclear medicine.

The United States Government offers guidelines for sedating children during nuclear medicine tests.

Miami’s Children Hospital, offers a short but effective list of the many venues for using nuclear medicine in pediatrics.

Medscape Today talks about the new direction pediatric nuclear medicine took back in 2002.

To get an idea of how vast the job opportunities are for pediatric nuclear technicians, check out map on The Society of Pediatric Radiology’s website.

To view a short video clip on nuclear medicine technology, visit the IAMP website.

Wondering if there’s work in Florida? Upon completing your degree in nuclear medicine technology, you could apply to many fine institutions, such as:

Imaging Orlando

Miami’s Children Hospital

Holy Cross Hospital

Come back on Friday as we share a Friday Praise with our readers.

Pediatric Nuclear Medicine

2007-03-05T14:27:00.000-05:00

Love working with children, but thought the only careers in medicine that allowed you to do so were to become a doctor, nurse, or pediatrician? Think again. Pediatric nuclear medicine specializes in helping doctors diagnose babies, children, and teenagers.

According to Radiology Info pediatric nuclear medicine helps diagnose childhood disorders like gastrointestinal bleeding, infections, bone trauma, and tumors.

Since small children aren’t fond of doctors or being poked by needles and find large pieces of equipment scary, your role as a pediatric nuclear technologist would involve calming the children down as well as performing your duties.

Depending on hospital policy and the personalities of your little patients, calming them down may be as simple as telling a joke or as complex as explaining what every piece of machinery does. Performing the tests, however, may be a bit more difficult and require a lot more patience—as little children tend to squirm and move around a lot.

To learn more about the role of a pediatric nuclear technologist and what’s involved, visit Radio Info or contact us to discuss becoming a begin a career as a nuclear medical technologis.

Come back on Wednesday as we send you on a scavenger hunt around the web to learn more about pediatric nuclear medicine.

Why You Should Know About Alternative Treatments

2007-03-02T10:01:00.001-05:00

Radiation therapy is one of the best cures for cancer, but it’s also very hard on the human body. Radiation treatments leave patients feeling weak, sickly, nauseated, and fatigued. Radiation treatments also cause hair loss, shortness of breath, skin irritations, digestive problems, depression, and even anxiety.

With so many side effects, patients may seek alternative treatments before giving in to radiation treatment. It’s your job, as a radiation therapist, to educate yourself on the various alternative treatments so that you understand why those methods were chosen and can empathize with a patient who has succumbed to radiation therapy as well as the patient who has bailed out of the radiation treatment at the last minute only to return when alternative treatments don’t work.

Appearing knowledgeable to a frightened and often confused patient can help ease the anxiety and provide a moment of calm during each and every radiation treatment. The way you treat your patient, how you listen to his (or her) ramblings, insecurities, and concerns, and how you address each of those issues does affect the outcome of the radiation treatments and your patient’s health.

To learn more about the side effects of radiation therapy visit the American Cancer Society

Come back on Monday as we pediatric nuclear medicine.

How Radiation Therapy Works

2007-02-28T08:30:00.000-05:00

The human body is made up of nearly 100 trillion cells. These cells work day and night to keep the body working properly. If a cell becomes ill, the cell automatically begins to repair itself. But when cancer enters the body the cell no longer has the ability to heal itself so it stops working and begins to affect other cells in the human body. As the cancer spreads, it replaces healthy cells with cancerous cells.

If nothing is done to stop the cancerous cells, the body stops functioning, it begins to shut down and eventually dies. To help the body fight cancerous cells, radiation is introduced into the body via radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy is essentially a burst of radioactive beams designed to target only the cancerous cells. The radioactive beams are given to the patient in small doses over a period of weeks. This allows the good cells to rejuvenate as the bad cells die off. With any luck, the cancer will completely die off and the patient will be allowed to return home where he (or she) can begin to recover.

As a radiation therapist, your job will be to make sure the correct burst of radiation is given to the patient. You will also need to make sure the radiation targets the cancerous cells while minimizing its effect on the healthy cells.

To learn more about how radiation therapy works visit:

Imaginis: The Breast Cancer Resource

Prostate Cancer Treatment Guide

To learn more about how cancer spreads visit Health Castle

Come back on Friday as we discuss why you should know about alternative treatments.

Radiation Therapy And Prostate Cancer

2007-02-26T13:18:00.000-05:00

According to the Center For Disease Control, 29,554 men died from prostate cancer in 2003, making annual check-ups for men over 40 years of age vital. Lest you think the number of deaths due to prostate cancer low, you should know that according to the American Cancer Society 235,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006.

The survival rate of men with prostate cancer increases with early detection but the survival rate truly depends on one of two treatments:

Surgical removal of the prostate gland, or
Radiation therapy.

Of the two choices, most men opt for radiation therapy because they have a 50% chance of remaining potent (the ability to continue sexual intercourse) and a chance to have children later one.

As a radiation therapist, your job will be to help these men hold onto their dignity, provide hope for the future, and treat their illnesses.

To learn more about radiation therapy for prostate cancer patients, check out:

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss how radiation therapy works.

Sonogram Saves Lives

2007-02-23T09:54:00.000-05:00

You’ve heard the saying before, “Sonography save lives” but have you ever really given consideration to how sonograms save lives? Sonograms work as early detection tools. Find the disease early enough and modern medicine and surgery can help cure the disease before it takes over the body.

Below are just a few ways sonograms help save lives:

1. In an article that appears in October 2006 issue of The Kansas State Collegian, “Experts in the cardiac field estimate that one in 500 young adults suffer unknowingly from HCM. The only way to detect HCM is through an echocardiogram, a sonogram picture of the heart.”

2. According to the American Journal of Roentgenology, “Mammography is the only screening test that has been known to decrease a woman’s chances of dying from breast cancer.”

3. In a Dear Abby column, a reader mentions how her insistence of a sonogram spotted an aneurism that an AAA test couldn’t find. The sonogram—along with surgery, as the reader put it, “saved her life”.

Come back on Monday as we discuss radiation therapy as it pertains to prostate cancer patients.

Patients And Their Sonographers

2007-02-21T12:35:00.000-05:00

We thought it would be both fun and educational to share with you a few posts from patients who’ve given online homage to their sonographers by mentioning how great they’ve been via their personal blog posts.

Reading how patients feel about their sonographers, will help you—the potential graduates—understand just how important your roles are in the lives of your patients, and hopefully, help you understand why bedside manners are vital to your profession.

There are literally hundreds of blog posts mentioning sonographers in one way or another, just do a search on google for “sonographers, blogs” to read more. In the meantime, check out these brief, but powerful comments…

At 35 and a half weeks, Becca tells the world, “The sonographers at the Royal Alexandra Hospital here in Edmonton have been great. I have been seeing them every two weeks since October and they always make a point to let me know exactly what is going on with my baby. I think I might actually miss going to see them!”

Ms. Perky didn’t have much to say about her sonographer except that she finds seeing her regular sonographer “far preferable to the times that I get a doctor and no sonographer, because frankly... Margaret's better at this than they are.” Just goes to show how truly important bedside manners really are! Most patients prefer to see the doc over medical staff without such a degree.

Mellie, dealing with a frightful pregnancy took the time to mention just how helpful her sonographer was, mentioning how she “was quite nice and would explain what body part she was looking at, and frequently used the words ‘perfect’ and ‘beautiful’.”

Come back on Friday. We’ll be sharing ways sonographs save lives.

Sonographers Need To Be Fit

2007-02-19T12:58:00.000-05:00

Are you physically ready to become a sonographer? It’s a wonderful, fascinating career choice, but if you’re not physically fit, it could be play havoc on your body.

Sonographers must be able to:

Help patients get up and down exam tables.
While most patients will be under 250 pounds, there are patients who weigh more and are receiving sonograms because of personal injury; injury that prevents them from lifting their own bodies.
Stand for long periods of time.
Sonographers spend nearly six hours a day on their feet.
Stretch across tables.
According to a report by Sound Ergonomics, sonographers experience a lot of body aches due to stretching, but understanding how to properly stretch and work with patients can reduce physical stress on the body. To learn more about ways sonographers can prevent physical stress on their bodies, read September 2006’s issue of SonoWorld.
Push and pull objects.
Sonographers must move equipment around the patient to take adequate images. Those objects can weigh as much as 50 pounds.

If you have back or neck injuries, consult with your physician before considering a career as a medical sonographer.

Come back on Wednesday. We’ll be sharing a few blog posts about 'Patients And Their Sonographers" to help you understand just how important sonographers are.

IAMP Newsletters

2007-02-16T16:49:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the best way to learn about a college is to read the college newsletters. You’ll discover many things about how the college is run, what college graduates have been able to accomplish with their degrees, what’s happening in the college that may or may not effect your college education, and whether or not it’s the place you want to spend the next few years of your life.

The Institute of Applied Medical Professions offers quarterly newsletters, all of which are archived online at http://iamp.edu/newsletter

Here’s just a sample of what you’ll find in our newsletters:

Fall 2006
Learn more about one of our ultrasound instructors, Debbie Ridolfo.
Discover why obesity interferes with obtaining good images during sonograms.
Learn 4 tips designed to help you become an excellent sonographer.

Fall 2005
Good credit helps student obtain loans to fund their college education. Discover
7 tips designed to help you improve your credit score.

Fall 2004
Discover 5 tips for conducting the job interview.
Read about one sonographer’s experiences with older machines and staying current with the latest technological advances.

Come back on Monday. We’ll be discussing why sonographers need to be physically fit.

8 Questions To Ask When Choosing A Medical School

2007-02-14T08:43:00.000-05:00

Choosing a college to attend is no easy task so we’ve come up with eight questions to ask yourself to help narrow down your selection:

Will my current high school grades get me into medical school and if not, what can I do to make it happen?
(Note: According to an article on Yahoo! Education, “Many medical schools do not include community college grades when calculating GPAs”.)
Do I work better in a large classroom or small classroom?
Do I want to sacrifice attending the best medical school (academic recognition) to be closer to family and friends?
Do I want the best education money can buy or do I want an education that fits within my current financial situation?
Do I want more hands-on training sessions (patient contact) or more lectures and book learning?
(Note: IAMP offers clinical and didactic training.)
Do I want a certificate or diploma so I can start working in the medical field right away? And if so, will the job and certification I receive offer early training for further studies?
Will the college help prepare me for further education should I want to obtain a bachelor’s, master’s or PhD or need to transfer to another medical school?
What does the college require upon entrance and can I meet all those requirements? (i.e. application; entrance exam; letters of recommendations from teachers, employers, colleagues, etc.; certain grade point average and school records, extracurricular activities, etc.)

Finally, medical school is expensive. Don’t forget to ask, “Does the medical school offer private scholarships, work-study programs, and a qualified financial aid counselor?”

Come back on Friday as we discuss financing your college education.

Are You Thinking Of A Career In Medicine?, Part 4

2007-02-12T12:04:00.000-05:00

In part 3, we discussed the importance of understanding how your dreams and goals play a part in the career you choose. Today, we’re going finish up our series on “Choosing A New Career” with adaptation.

No matter which career you choose, there will come a time when you will need to adapt and change. Every day modern advances in medicine improve our way of life. These advances save lives, end disease, or simply prolong the lives of terminally ill patients a few more years. But these advances don’t come without cost.

Medical professionals must devote a certain number of hours and a certain amount of money towards learning about these new advances. If you have no desire to return to school after you’ve graduated with your degree, then the field of medicine may not be for you.

To learn more about how the advances in medicine affects your culture, your patients, and your time, check out the following links:

Come back on Tuesday as we discuss the questions you need to ask yourself when considering medical school.

Are You Thinking Of A Career In Medicine?, Part 3

2007-02-09T11:32:00.000-05:00

In part 2, we discussed the importance of understanding how your learned skills and natural talent play a part in the career you choose. Today, we’re going to discuss your dreams and goals.

Yes, your overall dreams and goals should play a HUGE part in the career you choose. After all, how much money you make, in a given year, determines which of your dreams and goals get fulfilled and which of them don’t.

If you have dreams of taking a yearly vacation, raising a family of four, owning an SUV, and living in a white picketed fence, a yearly salary of $20,000 isn’t going to get you there. A high school education simply won’t be enough and neither will an office job as a receptionist or a day laborer in a factory, but a career as a radiation therapist earning $45,000 to $274,000 per year can!

But let’s say that your dreams are to remain single, living a modest life that allows you to “make a real difference” in the lives you come in contact with. The career you choose still matters, even if the pay doesn’t. A career as a member of the medical staff—where your decisions help change lives on a daily basis—can help you feel as though you’re doing more with your life and the added benefit is the money you earn can be used for good, too.

Come back on Monday as we finish up our series on “Choosing A New Career”.

Are You Thinking Of A Career In Medicine?, Part 2

2007-02-07T11:36:00.001-05:00

In part 1, we discussed the importance of understanding how your interests play a part in the career you choose. Today, we’re going to discuss your skills: both learned and natural talent.

Learned skills are taught to you. You’ve learned them by choice or they were impressed upon you because of a certain situation. Either way, you didn’t have that skill until something happened to cause you to learn them.

Natural talent is something you’re born with. For some reason, certain things come naturally to you and because they come naturally, you enjoy them more than things you struggle with. (To learn more about discovering your natural talent, visit Path Finders.)

No matter what career you choose, there are things you must learn. Whether it’s mathematical equations, how to administer the right dose of radiation, how to properly run certain machinery, or how to read a monitor screen you’ll have to learn something new. In fact, you’ll have to attend a course, listen to the instructor, take notes, apply what you’ve learned, and then test your way to the next course until eventually, you’ve reached your degree of choice.

Wouldn’t it be easier if you could take what you’re naturally good at and transfer those talents to your career of choice? Would it be easier to pass a course if you had some natural talent to fall back on? And wouldn’t you love your job more if it naturally drew your interest?

Come back on Friday as we discuss step three in our “Choosing A New Career” series.

Are You Thinking Of A Career In Medicine?

2007-02-05T12:07:00.000-05:00

The first question high school students are asked when preparing college applications is, “What do you want to major in when you attend college?” For many of these students, the answer given is, “I don’t know, maybe I’ll just start with my general education courses. That way, I’ll have more time to figure it out.”

But what happens if they never figure it out? Will they settle for a career in a profession they hate? Or will they find themselves back in college, twenty years later, trying to complete a degree they wished they would’ve completed during their younger years?

If choosing the right career is hard for you, and you’ve toyed with working in the medical profession, our series on “Choosing A New Career” may help you make an informed and educated decision.

Step One: What Keeps Your Interest?

When most people think about their interests, they think of things that keep them occupied for long periods of time or things that hold their interests over many months or years. Others think of things they like to do when they’re not working. Things like their favorite movie or book genre, their favorite sports, an arts and crafts project, listening to a specific type of music or playing a certain instrument, and so on and so forth.

And while those “interests” have their place in your life, we’d like you to take a moment to think about what keeps your interests in terms of how your interests apply to a full-time career.

You see, if you choose a career you don’t enjoy, any work outside your career of choice—such as studying for an exam to keep your license current, reading medical journals, or returning to school to advance your career—will become a burden. That burden can then grow into resentment which can inadvertly hurt your chances of advancement, your personal relationships and even your patients.

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss step two in our “Choosing A New Career” series.

Bedside Manners For Medical Staff, Part 2

2007-02-02T10:10:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, we discussed the important of having a listening ear and showing enthusiasm, compassion, and empathy for your patients. Today, we’re going to finish up our discussion with two more ways to show good bedside manners.

3. Communicate
It’s not just important to actively listen to your patient. It’s also important to talk with your patient. How can you address your patient’s concerns? Have you explained the procedures in layman’s terms or in doctor terms? Have you nodded to let your patient know you hear him even though your back is turned because you’re setting up the equipment or reading a monitor? Have you made notes in your chart so that you can ask your patient, on his next visit if a concern resolved itself? Or have you made notes so that the patient’s doctor can follow-up on concerns you’re not qualified to answer? Have you asked enough questions to get a clear understanding of what the patient is trying to convey or did you simply dismiss the patient’s concerns and/or questions because you didn’t understand what he was asking?

4. Time
In a world where hospitals, clinics, and doctors’ offices run on tight schedules and 15 minute slots, it’s hard to not feel rushed and even harder to not put that tension on your patient. But it’s important to realize that no matter how rushed for time you feel or how scatter-brained you feel, you cannot let your patient see that. Your patient needs your undivided attention—even if all you can give him is five minutes of your time. Your patient needs to know that during those five minutes, he is all that matters.

To learn more about how bedside manners play a role in your medical career, check out these articles:

Bedside Manners And An Old Fashion Doctor

Good Bedside Manners Make A Difference

Doctors Urged To Mind Bedside Manners

Art of Communication

Come back on Monday to learn how to choose the right career for you from the staff of the Institute of Allied Medical Professions.

Bedside Manners For Medical Staff

2007-01-31T11:02:00.000-05:00

When students hear the words bedside manners, their first impulse is to think, “But only doctors and nurses need to have bedside manners. We’re simply technicians working with equipment that scans the human body for illness, why do we need to have bedside manners? What could we possibly say that would affect our patients so negatively?”

Our reply at the Institute of Applied Medical Professsions is always “Everything.”

From the time your patient walks into your room, he (or she) needs both your empathy and your compassion. Just take a look at the list of bedside manners we’ve compiled to help you in your medical profession:

1. Listening Ear
You may only see your patient once in his/her lifetime. You may believe there’s no reason to take the time to listen to the patient’s concerns but that’s where you’re wrong. Even if all you do is listen as you perform the tests, listen.

You may have run that piece of machinery a thousand times, but it’s very likely it’s the first time your patient is seeing this piece of machinery. You know how much radiation is harmful, but your patient never went to school to study the effects of radiation. Your patient is scared about why the tests need to be taken in the first place, he needs someone to hear his concerns and offer comfort. You are that person.

2. Enthusiasm
Your energy and enthusiasm for your job gives comfort to your patient. Not only do you need to appear confident in your abilities to run the complicated machinery, such as the CT Scan, but you need to appear genuinely interested in your patient. How his he feeling? Does the closed CT scanning equipment make him uncomfortable? Is the colored die being administered into his veins burning? Is that normal and if so, can you reassure your patient? Is your patient back for another series of scans? Do you remember your patient as the human being he is, or have you already forgotten him—even though it’s his fifth trip to you in 3 months?

Come back on Friday as we finish up our discussion on bedside manners.

Bedside Manners Count

2007-01-29T09:14:00.000-05:00

When patients visit hospitals and doctors offices, they go because something isn’t right. When doctors request a set of medical tests all sorts of things run through the minds of patients.

“If the doctor’s baffled does that mean something is seriously wrong with me?” they quietly fret and worry.

That’s where bedside manners come in from those performing the tests. By taking the time to address any concerns, explaining procedures in layman’s terms, and even showing compassion and empathy, medical staff can ease fear and anxiety, making an unpleasant situation bearable.

Don’t think how you treat your patients matter?

One blogger still remembers the day, 6 years ago, when a radiographer treated her as a grunt for the military instead of a scared human being or the day, three years ago, when a radiographer decided the medical student was more important than the patient. Those may be just glimpses or forgotten memories to the medical staff who assisted her, but to this woman, their rude, inconsiderate behavior left a mental scar.

Fast forward to January 25, 2007. The same patient receives more tests, but this time from a radiographer who treated her with “kindness and respect”. Guess what happened? She publicly thanked the radiographer for treating her like a “human being.”

Yes, dear medical students and professionals, your bedside manners do make a difference in the lives of your patients. Remember how would you like to be treated if the roles were reversed and act accordingly.

Come back on Wednesday as we discuss the types of bedside manners you need to succeed in the field of medicine.

What Is The Pay And Job Market Like For A Nuclear Medicine Technician?

2007-01-26T11:55:00.000-05:00

According to the Society of Nuclear Medicine, “The future looks bright for nuclear medicine technologists as findings show that technologists enjoy their jobs, find their salaries near the top of the scale for professions with similar educational requirements, are well educated, and remain poised for continuing growth and change.”

You know what that means don’t you? It means the field of nuclear medicine is not only advancing in technology, but in pay as well. It also means that office politics—often associated with medicine—isn’t making the job unbearable, stringent, and difficult, but rather adds excitement to the job.

Is There Room For More NMTs?
In the United States alone there were 18,000 nuclear medicine technologist jobs in 2004 with 7 out of 10 of those jobs held in hospitals and the remaining 3 out of 10 jobs held in clinics and laboratories, according to the United States Department of Labor. But what’s impressive isn’t the fact that technology has opened up so many well-paying jobs, but that as medical advances continue to grow in the field of nuclear medicine, so does the need for more nuclear medicine technologists.

The Pay
In 2006, Salary.com did a study that discovered the median pay scale for a nuclear medicine technologist, in the United States, is $60,039 per year.

With the following median pay scales for Floridians living in:

To learn more about what nuclear medicine technologists are making, check out the following websites.

NMT Job Satisfaction

Visit us on Monday as we talk more about the field of medicine as it applies to the courses we offer at the Institute of Allied Medical Professions.

What Is Nuclear Medicine Technology?

2007-01-24T11:05:00.000-05:00

A nuclear medicine technologist is a medical professional who is trained to use radioactive materials to take images of organs in the human body, to diagnose illnesses, to treat disease, and to study the effects radioactive materials have on living cells.

Nuclear medicine technologists:

Explain the procedure and tests to patients,
Prepare and administer radioactive drugs,
Take images,
Process the images and accompany data,
Analyze specimens in a laboratory, and
Work closely with doctors.

Imaging involves administering radioactive drugs into the human body which attach themselves to human organs, bones, and tissues. This helps scintillation cameras locate the targeted area and produce images of the organs without having to perform invasive or exploratory surgery. Once the images are developed on photographic film or saved to be shown on a computer screen, doctors can analyze the patient’s condition and recommend proper treatment.

Therapeutic treatment involves administering a precise dose of radiopharmaceuticals (radioactive drugs) into the human body to kill disease. This treatment, however, is often a last resort.

To learn more about nuclear medicine technology, visit:

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology

Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board

Society of Nuclear Medicine

Come back on Friday as we finish up our discussion on nuclear medicine technology.

What Is The Pay And Job Market Like For A Radiation Therapist?

2007-01-22T11:10:00.000-05:00

Besides the technical aspect of understanding how the machines work and how to safely administer the proper dose of radiation, radiation therapists must show compassion and sensitivity when working with patients. Most patients are scared and upset. They may not fully understand all that is happening to their bodies and may, at times, appear confused. Therefore, radiation therapists must show patience and understanding when going over procedures. They must also take the time make sure all their patients’ questions are answered in a way that is not only comprehendible to the lay person, but provides some type of comfort.

The Pay
According to the United States of Labor radiation therapists are the fastest growing occupation and will continue to grow at fast pace until the year 2014.

Radiation therapists make between $38,550 and $57,700 per year with more experienced radiation therapists earning more than $83,340 per year.

In Atlanta Georgia, for instance, the median annual salary for a:

Radiation Technician is $44,811
Radiologic Technologist is $46,997
Radiation Therapy Technologist is $62,490
Radiation Therapist Dosimetrist is $78, 987
Radiation Physicist is $133,442
Radiation Therapy Physician is $274,218

Finding Employment
Wondering where you’d find employment as a radiation therapist? Check out these job boards to discover what companies are hiring and what the pay is:

Careers at Salary.com

Or if you’re in Georgia, contact the Human Resource Department of these fine establishments:

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Emory Eye Center

GA Radiation

Northside Hospital

Radiotherapy Clinics of Georgia

Come back on Wednesday. We’ll be discussing Nuclear Medicine Technology.

What Is A Radiation Therapist?

2007-01-19T11:31:00.000-05:00

A radiation therapist is a medical professional who is trained to administer beams of radiation to a targeted area of the human body. The beams of radiation are “treatments” to cure disease, such as cancer.

A radiation therapist works closely with both the patient and the doctor to make sure the treatment is done with minimal pain and discomfort. The radiation therapist first consults with the patient’s doctor, then interprets the treatment needed. On the day of treatment, the radiation therapist walks the patient through the process, then administers and records the treatment.

Administering treatment requires calculating the proper dose of radiation, positioning the radiation equipment over the tumor (or area of treatment), adjusting accessories or external devices to make sure only the effected area gets the dose of radiation, and operating the radiation equipment.

Most treatment sessions last only a few minutes, but overall treatments last several weeks therefore proper recordkeeping is vital to the success of the patient’s treatment. Record keeping not only includes the dosage and extent of radiation treatment, but how the patient reacts to treatment (including any new symptoms since the last treatment), how the cancerous cells react to treatment (did they shrink, increase, or show no change), and how the non-cancerous cells are affected by the current treatment (including how they were affected by past treatments).

To get the facts about radiation therapy, visit the National Cancer Institute. To learn more about how radiation therapy works, visit MedicineNet.com and Tirgan.com.

Come back on Monday as we finish up our discussion on Radiation Therapy.

What Is The Pay And Job Market Like For A Radiographer?

2007-01-17T12:29:00.000-05:00

According to the American Society of Radiological Technologists, “radiologic technologists are the largest group of allied health professionals in the country” performing more than 300 millions procedures per year. With that many procedures, it’s no wonder radiographers are in high demand.

The pay scale varies according to the specialty of the radiographer, the place of employment, and the geographic area.

Pay Scale Examples
The top 90th percentile in New York alone averages $63,677 per year with the top 90th percentile in Delray Beach averaging $54,281 per and the top 90th percentile in Atlanta averaging $54,038 per year. To learn more about these figures, check out Salary.com

As the radiographer increases his/her knowledge through hands-on experience and by receiving additional medical training and certification, his/her pay scale increases.

Radiographers, also known as x-ray technicians, earn $39,605 to $53,360 per year, on the average—increasing and decreasing depending on where the radiographer lives geographically—and usually spend their days x-raying bones for fractures and breaks, providing ultrasounds, and performing other imaging procedures.

More advanced radiographers make $50,000 and up per year. Their job titles include, but are not limited to:

Cardiovascular And Interventional Radiographers
Cardiovascular radiographers use specialized x-ray equipment to study the flow of blood to the heart through the blood vessels. To learn more visit the Association of Vascular and Interventional Radiographers.
Computed Tomography Radiographers
Computed Tomography Radiographers produce 3D images from several flat x-rays to help doctors get a better look at what’s going on inside the human body. This procedure is known as a CT scan. To learn more about CT scans, visit Medi-Rad Associates.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techs use magnets and radio waves to examine the inside of the human body. To learn more visit the Western Journal of Medicine.
Mammographers
Mammographers use x-ray technology to check breasts for abnormalities and cancer cells. To learn more visit Radiology Info Source for Patients.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Nuclear Medicine Techs administer radio active drugs to patients then analyze the distribution of the drug throughout the body via gamma camera. To learn more visit the Society of Nuclear Medicine.
Radiation Therapy Technologist
Radiation therapists disburse radiation to kill living cancer cells. To learn more visit the American Society of Radiologic Technologies.

Come back on Friday as we discuss Radiation Therapy: what it is, what it entails, and where you can find work.

What Is A Radiographer?

2007-01-15T13:53:00.000-05:00

A radiographer is a medical professional who is trained to operate equipment that detects and produces radiation. There are two types of radiographers: diagnostic and therapeutic.

Diagnostic radiographers use x-rays and body scans to take images of the inside of the body. These images help doctors locate the root of an illness, injury, or disease; monitor changes within the body; and determine proper treatment.

Therapeutic radiographers use radiation to help heal the human body. Most people recognize this type of treatment when they think of cancer patients. The radiographer delivers a precise does of radiation to the cancer cells while minimizing the effect the radiation has on the surrounding body tissues. The correct dose of radiation helps kill the cancer cells and gives the cancer patient a chance to live a cancer-free life.

Radiographers also use two types of radiation: ionizing and non-ionizing.

Ionizing radiation is used during x-rays and therapeutic treatments. It basically alters the atoms in a body by removing electrons and when used in high dosages, damages living cells.

Non-ionizing radiation is used during ultrasounds. It basically uses electromagnetic radiation which doesn’t alter, change, or damage living cells.

To learn more about the differences between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, both of which are used by medical radiographers, visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency website.

Come back on Wednesday as we finish up our discussion on Radiographers.

What Is The Pay And Job Market Like For A Diagnostic Medical Sonographer?

2007-01-12T12:52:00.000-05:00

The Pay…
According to research, the pay for a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer averages $29 per hour or $55,000 per year. To find out what the pay scale would be for your area, check out Salary.com

The Job Market…
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 42,000 Diagnositc Medical Sonographers held full-time jobs in 2004 with 6 out of 10 of those sonographers working in hospitals.

And according to the Florida Area Health Education Centers, 650 job openings for a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer will open in Florida alone, in 2008.

Finding Employment…
Or course, you wouldn’t start actively looking for work until you’ve received your certification, but it never hurts to find out what the job market is like before putting all that money into tuition and all that time into studying!

But once you receive that certification, the sky’s the limit.

Your first step towards locating the right job is to determine what type of environment you want to work in: hospital, clinic, doctor’s office, lab, or research facility.

Once you have a better understanding of your ideal environment, it’s time to start hunting for that ideal job. Start by calling the human resource center. If no jobs are open, ask if resumes will be held for future openings. If yes, submit. If no, look elsewhere. Once you’ve tackled HR, check out your local newspapers: online and in print. Finally, don’t hesitate to visit job boards, like:

The American Society of Echo Cardiology

Career Builder

Job Search

Monster

Come back on Monday as we discuss Radiographer: what it is, what it entails, and where you can find work.

What Is A Diagnostic Medical Sonographer?

2007-01-10T11:33:00.000-05:00

A Diagnostic Medical Sonographer is a medical professional who uses ultrasonic sound waves to produce images of the human organs. This allows doctors to see what’s going on inside the human body without having to cut the person up to do so.

Still not sure what a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer does?

The best example we can give you would be to think about a mother expecting her very first baby. She arrives at the doctor’s office for what is known as an Ultrasound. The doctor hooks up a machine, rubs a little gel onto the mother’s abdomen, places a transducer on her abdomen, then gently and slowly runs the transducer across the abdomen. In a few minutes, the ultrasonic sound waves send an image to the machine’s monitor showing a healthy, beautiful baby with a strong heartbeat.

There are other uses for this wonderful piece of machinery, too. When used properly, it can examine several parts of the body to help determine what’s going on inside the body before doctors have to operate. Parts like: the heart, the lungs, the liver, the reproductive system, the brain, the spinal cord, blood vessels and so much more.

And as medical technology advances, the need for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers will continue to grow. Hospitals, doctor’s offices, research facilities, clinics, and labs all need sonographers.

Come back on Friday as we finish up our discussion on Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Is Medical School Right For You?

2007-01-08T11:23:00.000-05:00

Whether you’re in high school thinking about the medical field, a recent high school graduate, a college student ready to change majors, or an adult wanting a career change, medical school may be the answer to your dreams.

Medical school, however, isn’t easy. There’s a lot of work involved. Late night study dates, hands on medical training, and tons of scientific facts to remember. And if you decide to become a doctor, surgeon, or specialist, you must be able to stomach blood, cutting open a live person, mending broken bones, and so much more.

But what about those of us who want to work in the medical field and not doctor? What about those of us who want to make a difference in the lives of a patient but don’t have the stomach for blood, knives, or other medical procedures?

Do we simply give up working in the medical field? Not at all.

There are many hands on careers in the medical field that don’t involve doctoring. In fact, The Institute of Allied Medical Professions can offer you a career as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, an entry-level Medical Assistant, an entry-level Radiographer, or a Radiation Therapist.

Come back on Wednesday. We’ll be talking a little bit more about being a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer: what it is, what it entails, and where you can find work.

Glad you stopped by.

2007-01-05T19:13:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Institute of Allied Medical Professions blog.

This blog is a new endeavor for us, but one we hope will ignite a passion for medicine in our students, our faculty, and our readers.

But before we jump into the world of blogging and start posting about “all things medicine” or “the life of a medical student”, let us take a moment to share with you a little bit about our institute and why we’re proud to be a part of the medical profession.

We were founded in 1974 as the The Radiological Institute with a certificate program in Nuclear Medicine Technology. By 1977, the state of New York granted us our charter and in 1982 we changed our name to the Institute of Allied Medical Professions which ultimately allowed us to add more medical programs and expand our campuses to three different states: NY, FL, and GA. Then in 2006, The Commission for Independent Education granted us the right to “grant degrees”, allowing us to start our very first Associate of Applied Science program in the in the field of Radiology and Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

As to why we’re proud to be a part of the medical profession, let’s just say that without professionals in the medical field, lives couldn’t be saved.

Every life, no matter how insignificant it may seem to another is significant to someone, somewhere. And no matter how hard we try to live good, safe lives, incidents happen that cause us to need the help and care of someone in the medical profession. Whether it’s the radiologist, the medical assistant, the nurse, the lab technician, or the surgeon, every staff member plays a part in helping us achieve our goals of living healthy, happy lives.

If you have a question you’d like answered, don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Whether you leave it anonymously, or with your ID, we’ll do our best to help you find the answers you need to make informed decisions.

But please be advised that we cannot ethically, or legally, give medical advice. If you’re experiencing any type of ailment, please seek the help of a confident member of the medical profession.

See you next week!