There are many careers that I am interested in

							There are many careers that I am interested in and many that I could never see
myself doing. I know that I am the type of person who loves to learn, so I will
definitely do something that requires me to go to college. The two careers that I
explored for this project are that of a physician and a school administrator. I
learned a lot about both of these careers. I also learned a great deal about
myself as well.

The career that I would never want to have is that of a physician. This career is
not appealing to me because of the tremendous responsibility of literally having
someone’s life in my hands. I could not live with making a mistake that could be
life-threatening to another human being. I cannot imagine the devastation of
losing a life and not being able to prevent it. While there are many positive
aspects of this career, I the negative aspects prevail for me.

The training required for a physician is extremely demanding. A physician must
complete a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Pre-Medicine (approximately four years) at
a university. After this has been accomplished, the physician applies to medical
school where he or she must first be admitted by taking the MCAT (Medical
College Admission Test). Once the student has been admitted to medical school,
he or she will be there studying for approximately four years.

At medical school the Doctor of Medicine degree is earned by taking courses that
focus on every aspect of the human body, medicine, and research. The medical
student also completes an internship program during medical school. Some
internships are paid, and some are not. It depends upon the area of
specialization as well as the hospital that is conducting the internship. Once this
has been completed the student is now a licensed physician who is allowed to
practice medicine (doctor). Doctors are then required to complete a residency
program. “Most residencies last between three and seven years, depending on
the specialty studied. For example, family practice residencies last three years
and general surgery residencies last five years” (www.careercruising.com).

The starting salary for a physician is approximately $113,000 a year. This is
based on a general physician; doctors can earn more money depending on their
specialized field. For example, a surgeon starts out at approximately $146,000
per year. The median wage and the wage the potential long-term wage for a
doctor exceeds $146,000. Doctors have paid benefits and vacations. They must
also have insurance that protects them from lawsuit cases. There will be an 8.5
% increase in the need of doctors over the next ten years (Career Cruising). The
medical field is a continuously growing area for careers and people will always
need doctors.
Doctors must have the ability to diagnose and treat patients who have a variety
of health issues. They are trained to know whether the patient can be treated
by the doctor or if they need to be sent to a specialist in a particular area. For
example, a doctor who is an internal medicine doctor will run more exams to find
a solution for a problem than a general practitioner. A pediatrician meets the
needs of children, and an allergist specializes in treating allergies. Doctors
generally manage a team of staff members if they have an individual practice. A
doctor who works in the hospital may manage a particular group of doctors or be
responsible for working on a variety of committees (Career Cruising).

There are many skills necessary for the position of a doctor. Again, it is essential
that a physician have the ability to diagnose and treat patients. If the doctor is
unable to do this, he or she must have the decision making skills to send the
patient to someone who can properly do this. Doctors must be highly proficient
in math and science in order to make proper diagnosis as well as treat with
medication. A doctor must have the ability to maintain and manage stress and
keep himself or herself healthy. Another important skill that is necessary for a
physician is good communication skills. Doctors sometimes have to deliver bad
news to patients and families. They must be able to communicate this news in a
professional, yet sympathetic manner.

The physical demands for a doctor can be extreme. Doctors work long hours
and this can truly take a toll on the body. They must be able to manage their
own health in addition to that of their patients. Since doctors work so many
hours, they do have to consider the physical toll that lack of sleep has on their
body. Again, the job of a doctor can be emotionally draining and stressful.
Doctors need to be able to separate themselves from their caseloads and many
times this is difficult to do. Doctors are responsible for human lives and this
knowledge can be physically and emotionally draining.

There was a great deal of information that I did not know about the career of a
physician prior to conducting this research. I was not aware that the MCAT
stood for Medical College Admission Test. I also did not realize that the
internship period for a doctor takes place prior to the doctor receiving his or her
license to practice medicine. Another aspect of this career that I was not
completely aware of is that of the fellowship program. According to Career
Cruising, this is a program where doctors are able to become specialized in a
particular area of medicine. I thought that doctors did this within their medical
training as they are obtaining their license. Although I found many areas of this
profession fascinating, I know I would never want to be a physician because the
emotional responsibility is one that is too great.

The career that I do intend to pursue is that of a school administrator. I want to
be a principal someday. I know that I have the ability to be an administrator
who is not only caring and compassionate toward my students, but to my faculty
and staff as well. I want to be a leader within a school district as well as the
community the school district serves. I became a teacher because I wanted to
positively impact the lives of students and make a difference. I still have that
goal; however, now it is on a different level.

The occupation of a principal is appealing to me because of the leadership role
that comes with this position. I love to conduct presentations and I really do
enjoy managing people. I also feel that this will not only challenge me as an
educator, but will help me to grow on a personal level as well. I do not have any
desire to leave the field of education and this position is one that I know I will
successfully fulfill.

The school principal must first obtain a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Teaching in a
specialized area (Elementary or Secondary level as well). The principal must also
obtain a Master’s of Arts Degree (or a higher degree) in Educational Leadership.
This is approximately two additional years of study beyond the Bachelor’s
Degree. The school principal must conduct two internship programs of
approximately 400 hours outside of the classroom (and generally without pay).

The starting salary for a school principal is approximately $75,000 in the state of
Michigan. Principals have the potential to earn up to $100,000 per year toward
the end of their career. The salary of a principal varies from state to state. An
example of this is the fact that a principal earns approximately $60,000 a year in
the state of Texas (starting salary). This is significantly lower than in Michigan
and surrounding states.

Principals must have excellent verbal and written communication skills. They
must be consistent in their values and ethics. Principals must have the ability to
try to keep personal feelings out of most situations. Principals must also have
the ability to be life-long learners. This is essential as the world of education is
continuously changing.

The physical demand that can take its toll most on school principals is that of
stress. The school administrator works long hours. He or she is expected to be
at all school functions and is responsible for all happenings in his or her building.
This can be an enormous responsibility and can truly create a great deal of
stress. The school principal must also be able to problem solve and sometimes
this can create physical demands as well (lifting, moving equipments, etc.).

I had no idea prior to starting this research that a school administrator earns a
much different salary in other states. Since my brother lives in the state of
Texas, I found this information to be quite valuable. The educational
requirements for a school administrator vary from state to state as well. This
was very interesting to me, though, as I am not sure I will always live in the
state of Michigan.

After conducting this research I am more confident than ever that I want to be a
principal. I believe that I truly have the skills and personality for this position. I
have worked hard to obtain this career and I have the credentials to hold this
position. I believe that I will have a positive impact on my students and staff by
pursuing the career of a building principal. This profession truly matches my
personality and goals. I will continue to strive to be an excellent educational
leader.