What Does A Surge in U.S. Medical Schools Mean for Students in Health Professions?
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Recently, an article about a surge of enrollment in medical schools in the New York Times might bring concerns for students that are in the Health Profession program here in Juniata.. Medical schools were always hard to get in to, but with the increasing population in medical studies, people are now expecting an influx in these schools. Debra Kirchhof-Glazier explores the implications or the article for Juniatians.
What does this article means for health profession students?
It simply means that the number of medical schools in America would increase.
Will the health care bill affect medical schools in the US in any ways?
I’m not sure whether the health care bill will affect medical schools, but it will affect the insurance industry, and since a big proportion of physicians’ income comes from insurance companies, thereby physicians’ income maybe altered significantly. Also, more physicians will be needed to support the wide needs of medical treatment through the health care bill. Therefore medical school would need to expand their enrollment rate, or there would be more medical schools emerging.
Do the foreign-trained and foreign-born physicians working in American hospitals have an impact on the job opportunities for these students?
Not really. American hospitals’ accepting more foreign physicians doesn’t mean that they will bump out American physicians.
What advice would you give to students in health profession when they are selecting medical schools in the future?
When health profession student are selecting medical school, we encourage them to choose schools that best fits their interests. Students should not be blinded by the term “medical doctor.” Other degrees in the medical field such as DO also serve the same purpose, and may fit student interests even more.
-Helen Hu ‘13, Juniata Online Journalist
Should Athletes Be Role Models?
Many people view Tiger Woods as a phenomenal golfer who upholds an image of success and hard work. He is dedicated and one of the best golfers in professional athletic history. However, after viewing all of the media coverage of Woods’ sex-related scandal, should we still view Tiger Woods, “The Chosen One,” as a role model? Amy Mathur, assistant professor of English, has shared her spin on the issue of whether athletes should be viewed as role models.
Do you believe athletes should be viewed as role models?
This is situational. I would be fine with my son looking up to an athlete in terms of work ethic and the way he plays the game, but it is my husband’s duty and mine as parents to be role models for ethics and morals.
Would you want your children looking up to Tiger Woods?
No.
What was your view of Tiger Woods before the scandal?
I viewed him as a tremendous golfer and phenomenon. I didn’t pay attention to him off of the golf course. My attention to him was limited to the golf course and commercials. I had no personal interest in him.
What is your view of him now?
He is an incredible golfer, but not someone I would want to sit down and have lunch with or have a personal relationship with, because loyalty is the cornerstone of character.
What do you think is the reason behind Tiger’s promiscuous behavior?
I think Tiger thought he was untouchable and beyond reproach. He has become accustomed to winning at every endeavor. Sexual pursuit is an endeavor. It was another arena to get that rush of success.
Do you believe there is anything we should take into consideration in regards to Tiger’s promiscuity?
Tiger is accustomed to being agreed with. When yes is said all the time, it is difficult where you can see where to say no to yourself. He is living in a culture where everyone is pushing for more. If more is always better, what’s the difference if it’s more women?
Do you think we should know everything (In terms of professional and personal life) about our athletes or do you think they deserve to have their privacy?
It depends on the athlete. If an athlete is making a lot of money on selling image and is benefiting from it, they have the responsibility to own up to it when their actions do not match up with beliefs and they fall short of the image they are selling. If it is a person behind the scenes, then they are not responsible for putting information out.
-Mary Munion ’12, Juniata Online Journalist
Ultra-Egalitarianism: Physics’ Attempt to Distinguish the Different as the Same
Recently, according to the New York Times, scientists “whacked a tiny region of space with enough energy to briefly distort the laws of physics.” The temperature generated was 4 trillion degrees Celsius, the hottest temperature ever generated by science. Jim Borgardt, associate professor of physics, explains more:
What exactly took place?
The temperatures were produced in a machine called a particle accelerator that uses extremely powerful magnets to speed up particles to near the speed of light and smash them together. I think this particular event occurred in the Relative Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) on Long Island. — Relative, here, meaning on such a scale as to involve Einstein’s theories of relativity. The reason for this is that atoms are essentially bundles of particles glued together by nuclear forces; smashing them together breaks those forces, so particles like protons, neutrons and electrons can be observed. Smash them together hard enough and even those particles break into smaller pieces – that’s where we get things like quarks.
What were scientists trying to learn from this?
Think of it this way: I come into the room with a glass of water, an ice cube and a steaming kettle, and I say, “Look at these new substances I found,” and you would say “Those are all the same substance,” and I would ask you to prove it. So you would melt the ice or boil the water, etc. In other words, substances that appear very different can be the same. One of the central ideas in theoretical physics is the search for a Unified Theory – a theory of everything. The process of breaking atoms and subatomic parts into their components is a search for evidence that all forces boil down to the same thing. If you heat things to the point where they mimic the conditions of the early universe, you look back on a time where, say, gravity and magnetism are the same thing.
Are these experiments dangerous?
People are always asking, “What if they made a black hole, what if they created massive explosions?” The scale on which these collisions take place are so incredibly small, they are not any danger. For example, the 4 trillion degrees Celsius generated lasted a billionth of a billionth of a billionth of a second. There is much more energy coming through our atmosphere at any given time.
Where do scientists go from here?
The faster the collisions and the hotter the temperatures, the further we can break down material. In other words, the colliders will keep getting bigger. Actually, one called the Large Hadron Collider is currently under construction. It is over twenty miles long, as compared to the RHIC, which is only 2.4 miles. Inevitably, new answers will lead to new questions.
-Joe Aultman-Moore ’12, Juniata Online Journalist
Mid-term Motivations: Remaining Calm in Testing Times
It’s that time of year again — mid-terms. Students are consuming large quantities of caffeine, neglecting sleep like professionals and hiding in the booths of Muddy. Early in the morning, a few students were willing to talk about their ability to remain calm and what they do when they are not studying.
Chelsea Greenlee ’13, Harrisburg, Pa.: I remain clam by doing an exorbitant amount of napping. During free time, I get mad that I am not currently studying and then stress over that. Oh, but sometimes I watch “Lost.”
Jennifer Biggs ’13, Arnold Md.: What is calm? I don’t remain calm… I haven’t figured that out yet. In my free time, I eat, sleep, and sleep and prepare myself for more studying
Evan LaTourette ’12, Stony Brook Ny.: I don’t really remain calm. When I’m not studying I play soccer, hang out, don’t think about school.
Nicole Houck ’12, Hollidaysburg, Pa.: I don’t have free time during midterms. When I am not in class, I am studying. Today, I holed up in the library for 17 hours, with a break for class and a meal. I remain calm because I’m not wasting time freaking out.
Emma Ruggery ’12, Duncansville, Pa.: During Mid-terms I stay calm by singing in random places. During my free time I will either play piano and or work on my paint by numbers. No lie.
-Erin Kreischer ’13, Juniata Online Journalist
Physics Research Explained: Laser Pointers
Juniata College is unique in many ways. One way it is unique is in its ability to prepare students for life after college. Juniata allows prestigious students to receive a hands-on learning experience by doing research. Brad Dinardo ’10, of Altoona, Pa. shares his experience:
What interested you in research at Juniata?
I would like to go to graduate school and get a doctorate in physics. A Ph.D. is a research degree. You need to have as much undergrad experience as possible. We have our own optics lab and I wanted to be a part of that. So, freshman year I did really well in my classes and got an offer. It’s a really good way to get experience working in a lab.
Describe the research that you did.
Here on campus, I did research with lasers. Specifically we looked at rubidium. We took two infra-red lasers and we shone them into rubidium. Out of nowhere, there was a blue light coming out. We were working with people in Melbourne, Australia to figure out why this was happening. I’m pretty sure they found out now, but I don’t know the answer because the summer ended.
Another thing we worked on was laser locking. Lasers can change their wavelengths really easily, caused by temperatures. They are supposed to send out this certain type of red light. Small fluctuation in temperatures can cause that light to become a slightly different wavelength, which you cannot have! We developed a way to lock lasers onto a certain frequency, which allows us to have a definite wavelength to use in our experiments.
What was the most meaningful part of this experience?
The most meaningful part was working with a lot of the scientists. A lot of the scientists are really young- born in the same decade as me. I gained such camaraderie working with people and I feel that it was a really good method to gain communication skills.
What did you learn about yourself?
I learned that I could literally pick up something without knowing very much about it and become efficient at it. I know the physics, but what we dealt was a subfield that I really didn’t have any experience with. I learned that I could really accomplish anything if I set my mind to it.
Do you have any advice for other students who also want to do research?
Number one, just try as hard as you can. Learn the physics on paper first. If you want to do research, apply to many places. Work on your communication skills. If you can’t tell someone what you know, it’s useless. Also, never give up on anything.
-Erin Kreischer ‘13, Juniata Online Journalist
A New Spin on the Recession: ‘Chicken Soup’ for the Student’s Soul
It is difficult to ignore the poor state of the economy, especially as college students who are paying to get an education, only to realize that the jobs we desire may not even be available to us upon graduation. Bradley Andrew, associate professor of Accounting, Business, and Economics, was interviewed to find out the real scoop on what to expect and how to combat the recession in the next few years.
What is your personal take on the state of the economy?
To put it bluntly, the economy is limping along. The last three recessions have been different than in previous post World War II recessions in a bad way; in that it takes a lot longer for employment to recover. Up through the 1980s they were largely due to the fact that workers were temporarily laid-off by factories and then called back again once they could use the help. New jobs are usually created in different industries, but jobs are no longer needed because the industries are shrinking and closing. There is a delay before new industries grow to give new jobs; hence long-term unemployment has been rising.
Do you think we will ever completely recover from this recession? If so, how soon?
Because new industries have to be created or expanded, it will take a long time. Honestly, it won’t surprise me if we don’t see unemployment levels get back to where we were two years ago, which was at 6 percent, for at least 4 more years.
What would you say the job market outlook is for students in the next couple of years?
I don’t think most people will get a job as they expected and it will take longer to move up the ladder and earn higher incomes. Certainly, it will prove to be more challenging and anything students can do to increase their chances of scoring a job — attending career fairs, or whatever else is necessary — do it. You need to differentiate yourselves.
Should we be worried?
If worried means losing sleep over it, then no. But it would be wise to be concerned about getting resumes together more quickly and making contacts as soon as possible. It would be very helpful to expand your network of contacts to provide more opportunities for yourselves. It would be a good thing to find people that could help you and maintain contact so you can help them.
Do you have any advice you would like to impart?
Apart from what I’ve just said, my advice would be to find as many internships wherever and whenever possible. Find something to differentiate you from your peers. Do what is asked of you and be someone the company would hire, help, or recommend for another job. Stay in contact with those people.
-Samantha Stroup ’12, Juniata Online Journalist
Off the Tour and into the “Woods”: The Tiger Saga
Like sands through the sandtrap, so are the days of Tiger Woods – at least this is how it has been portrayed in the media. Countless hours have been spent dwelling on the subject by tabloids and pop media icons, most notably not to be overlooked – Nancy Grace. With so much frenzy around the subject, many have begun questioning the man not only in terms of moral integrity, but also athletic ability. Why the uproar and overt concern? Sarah Worley, a professor of Communication, talks about the Tiger Woods news story.
Why is the media so interested in the Tiger Woods news story?
The media cares because they think we care. It’s dramatic, it gets ratings, it’s all emotion, it gets people’s attention, and it’s the stuff that sells.
Why is the American public so interested?
That’s a different reason. This situation brings out the worst in us. Whether we like to admit it or not, we like to see people fall from grace. Tiger Woods has had such a clean reputation up until this. He has kept his private life very private. It fuels peoples’ desire for information when someone is so protective of their privacy. People want to know why he has been guarding his privacy. In the U.S. there has always been this bizarre tension between what is private and what is public in the media. The American public takes cues from celebrities.
How do you think the public would have reacted if this happened 30 years ago?
I don’t think people would care 30 years ago about this type of incident. The thing is, about celebrities, is that any attention is better than no attention. They truly believe that. People who were committed to him before are even more committed to him now. In any case, they end up making more money than they would have if things like this were not made public. It might hurt his marriage but it probably won’t hurt his success as a golfer.
What do you think will happen?
I think it is a non-issue for the most part, and I think it will go away.
-Caitlin Stormont ’10, Juniata Online Journalist
What Not to Wear: Juniata Edition
All humans are born without clothing. Some Juniata students think that many fashion-challenged students should have been born with a directional guide on what not to wear. Students comment on the campus clothing trends that they are tired of seeing:
Ellie King, ’12, Manchester, Conn.: People wearing tights as pants. Wear pants. It is cold out.
Amanda Broadwell, ’10, Newfoundland, N.J.: Skirts and boots. It is not logical.
Rachel Reimer, ’13, Altoona Pa.: SPANDEX ARE NOT PANTS!
Hannah Miller, ’13, Hanover Pa.: Terry-cloth lounge things…. like the matching zip-up sweater and pants. They remind me of the ’90s and rich, blond-highlighted, French-tipped mothers who have nothing to do but walk their tiny dogs.
Meg Hourigan, ’13, Memphis N.Y.: Fake blonde (hair) and booty shorts in February (not necessarily together).
Andrew Medlyn, ’12, Towson Md.: The combination of Ugg boots and a North Face was unoriginal when the trend first began, yet bizarrely remains popular.
-Erin Kreischer ‘13, Juniata Opinion Online Journalist
What Kind of Transportation do you have at Juniata?
Huntingdon, a peaceful small town, has a few stores downtown, but not much else for students to spend a whole lot of time off-campus. Many students spend their spare time on campus, but there are still a fair amount of people that has vehicles and other transportation here in Juniata for various purposes. Let’s see what kinds of transportation Juniatians prefer.
Miranda Martz ’13, Fallentimber Pa.: “I have a Pontiac Grand Am car here in Juniata, and I mostly use it to go home and go to Walmart. Sometimes I use it to drive my international roommate around since she does have a car here in the U.S.”
Stephanie Marci ’12 Fitchburg Mass.: “I have a bike here, but I don’t use it really often. Sometimes I use it to go to Weis to get groceries.”
Jennifer Rodland ’12, Tobyhanna Pa.: “I have a SUV, and I use it to drive home and to Walmart. Also I drive up to the field station to see my friends and hang out with them.”
Christina Gongaware ’11, North Huntingdon Pa.: “The transportation I have is a Chrysler Sebring. I usually use it to drive to the grocery store or as transportation for home.”
Sophia Feng ’11, International Student from China: “My friendship family lent me a bike, and I use it to go to Weis for groceries, and sometimes Sheetz too. When it’s warm my friends and I would ride our bikes to downtown Huntingdon and go to some of the shops there.”
-Helen Hu ‘13, Juniata Opinion Online Journalist
Rocking the Suburbs: The Spread of Poverty
The stereotypical view of poverty is that it is an urban phenomenon. While poverty certainly is a problem in urban areas, suburbs are being affected as well. In fact, suburbs are generally subject to higher rates of poverty than urban areas. Professor Robert Reilly, Dana professor of sociology, explains further.
As a social scientist, how would you describe the suburbanization of poverty?
Let me provide some context for you; this is old news. Suburban poverty has been going on for 10 to 15 years; it must be getting [the media’s] attention because of the rapidity of the increase. If you look at the data, poverty in general has increased significantly during the recession. The rate of increase is about 2-3 percent while the increase in suburban areas is about 4-5 times that.
Where exactly is the poverty increasing?
There are a few hairs to split. If you look at the layout of a typical city, you have an urban core with a suburban ring, another ring, and then you have exurbs. Beyond the boundaries of the suburban rings in what once were rural areas, development pockets emerged with commercial businesses and malls, which form the exurbs. Suburban poverty in the first outer ring is not new. The new poverty is in outer rings.
Why the increase in poverty in suburbs?
There are several reasons. Poverty increased due to gentrification within urban areas, which forces the impoverished into suburbs because the cost of living is less there. The American labor market has seen a fairly rapid and cataclysmic decline in industrial and manufacturing jobs and an increase in service and information jobs, which pay less and have fewer benefits. Another factor is that debt has spiked, especially housing debt. Many people have overextended themselves and are unable to manage their debt, and their houses have lost equity as well. Also, the safety net is significantly frayed, and states are considering Medicaid cuts as use grows. Finally, the real unemployment rate, which includes unemployed plus discouraged and part-time workers, has caused increases in poverty across the board.
How does the increase in suburban poverty breakdown along racial and ethnic lines?
Generally speaking, racial and ethnic minorities will be disproportionately affected. Families with children headed by women will be profoundly affected.
What steps are being taken to manage the suburbanization of poverty?
Aside from extending unemployment benefits, I’m not seeing very much at the federal and state level to handle these kinds of problems. The American cultural assumption is that if resources are pumped into the top, they will trickle down. There is not much direct help; most of it is flowing into privately based initiatives. Finally, as rates of bankruptcy and foreclosure increase, suburbs will be hit hard. It is a myth that poverty is mainly an urban problem.
-Aaron Adams ’12, Juniata Online Journalist
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