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When looking at the current business model that makes up pharmaceutical practices and businesses, the main theme of Western medicine is mainly focused on managing symptoms, instead of finding the root of the problem and working to solve it. This may not be an ideal situation, but in some instances, there is little choice, and this is actually the best possible option – but not for the long term. What is the major issue with this policy of doling out medication to simply stop symptoms? The main problem is that the care and treatment of a patient usually stops when a prescription is handed over, and this can be an issue in the long run.

A pharmacist who is intelligent and able to competently complete all functions of their job should provide counseling about the prescribed medication. Why is this? Because, the end goal of prescribing these medications is that they will get better and not become dependent on the drugs being prescribed, if this is possible. And when pills are given without any further treatment or counseling to address the mental needs that accommodate the physical needs, the symptoms are never ‘fully’ looked at and addressed. This is a crutch that many people can rely on, using their medication instead of doing what they need when it comes to activity level and diet to help prevent the long term effects of the problem.

Should you only think about your health when something goes wrong? No! This ultimately ends up happening regardless, but as a future pharmacist, you need to take proactive steps to use this opportunity in someone’s life to help them see the long term effects of their habits, providing an intervention of sorts. If not, the patient’s health will continue to go downhill, and this is no good for anyone involved. By masking the symptoms of a condition only – you are preventing the patient from seeing any changes in their condition, if you don’t make them aware of this. This can spiral out of control for the patient – leaving a harmless transaction of medication to seem like a lethal incident.

Now that we understand the implications of what can happen if we rely on medication to solve all of our patient’s problems, let look at where our healthcare system is currently. Each year we spend more and more on healthcare costs and despite this increase there is still a growing collapse in the health of many Americans. Major illnesses like diabetes, cancer and a whole list of other diseases are making an appearance in the lives of the majority of Americans, but the way the current healthcare system works, truly prevents us as pharmacists from making a difference. With all of the time you spend in school learning, and all of the pooled resources and information we have about pharmacology, surgery and biology, why are we still all playing victim to all of these disease?

When looking at holistic and natural medical methods through the eyes of medical practice in the Western World, it is easy to claim that these treatments are ineffective and useless, but is it really the case? There are many who believe that pharmacists should take on the role of dispensing these more natural supplements, moving away from simply dispensing drugs. But where do we go from here? The consensus of many physicians, educators and health care professionals believe that preventative care is the right way to go, in order to better the health of Americans. As a future pharmacist, how does this make you feel?

Because of your job path, you are directly in line to help people in your community and country, in order to help them implement positive changes in their health. You are as accessible in the community as someone in the medical profession to make a positive example, and this is something you shouldn’t ignore. Just think about it – if you were to only do automated tasks, like doling out prescriptions, who’s to stop companies from replacing pharmacists with automatic dispensaries or machines? Even from a self-preservation stand point, you can see how it does make an impact if you take the time to add the personal touch with customer interactions, and urge them to address the problem – not just the symptoms.

Now that your compensation package as a pharmacist isn’t based on the volume of prescriptions filled, take this time to really interact with the customer. You are the knowledgeable one – you studied about science and medical health, and you need to pass this information along. If you help your patrons to solve their medical issues, they will likely still need to take the medicine, but you are elongating their life, ensuring that they remain a customer for longer. If you have the opportunity to keep your patients coming back, which secures your job, then why not? You’re a great pharmacist, so let everyone else see it too.

There are actually businesses called “integrative pharmacies,” that offer a picture and insight as to how medicine will look if holistic remedies take more hold in the public conscious. Instead of treating the symptoms, and being a beacon of disease, they’ve become a symbol of health and vitality. There is a presence of normal medical health practices, along with alternative ones that focus more on treating the problem. While you could work here as a pharmacist, you would also be working alongside nutritionists, nurses, aestheticians, naturopaths and massage therapists, all working in a symbiotic partnership that helps people in your community to be well – and to feel well.

So when you are looking to enter the world of pharmacy – where do you see yourself? You have the capacity to make a difference in the lives of so many, with your unique skills and qualifications, and this is why you need to really assess what it is that you want out of your career. Think that working with a more holistic approach is the right way for you? Then look at these integrative pharmacies and their job vacancies where you would fit. Not thinking that this approach is right for you? Then try working in a conventional pharmacy, but offering up education and information that’s important to improving your customer’s lives.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past five years, then chances are you’ve seen and utilized the savvy of social media sites and social networking sites. It’s become an integral part of our common shared culture, and when we say sharing we mean it! Sharing updates, stories, photos and videos – all of the time! But are all of these sharing based websites actually good for our health – or bad? Taking a look at this is important, as those who are going into pharmaceutical careers need to know about how outside factors have the capacity to impact their patients’ health.

Do social media have the ability to make our medical interactions easier? The answer appears to be no, suggesting that these social media sites make our interactions with the conception of healthcare more confusing and unclear than ever before. Because patients feel they now have more power over their treatment due to information online, they feel that they can’t trust the doctors and pharmacists to do what they’re trained to do. Issues with the professionalism of medical staff and doctors is coming into question, as these staff members are posting on these social networking sites, in many cases deterring from their professional credibility, and sometimes costing themselves their job. There has also been a complete shift in the structure of relationships and business dealings in the healthcare industry that make everything seem a little shaky. Yes, while social networking sites do have the ability to make our personal interactions in a less healthy way, this really does depend on the independent variables and people involved in each situation.

Yes, there have been advancements and adaptations in the medical field for hundreds of years, but never has it occurred and adapted to a fast pace, like the one that is presented to the masses via the Internet. Doctors, companies and corporations have had to take on an ‘online presence’ to compete in the global market, and hop on the bandwagon with popular trends and phrases on the Internet. Many people use this fast paced outlet of information to look for medical information to research or ‘self-diagnose’ themselves, which can cause issues for psychosomatic patients and hypochondriacs, who begin exhibiting the symptoms online – just by reading about them. People are not as trustworthy with their actual doctors due to this, but instead trust shady and inaccurate websites who post information that they want to hear.

There is a moral based and ethics based approach that is used by doctors in ideal cases, but it is difficult to continue using this behavioral model on patients, particularly young ones, who don’t have exposure to a moral code, as the Internet in many cases desensitizes youth from what is right and wrong, with pornography, violence and ignorant humor and content that is often offensive. Not that all Internet interactions are like this! This is just a growing trend that is impacting the way doctors feel about their patients, as the distrust that many patients who ‘self-diagnose’ before going to the doctor can cause resentment issues, as often times these self-diagnosis’ are incorrect.

Social media and networking should enhance the ‘human experience’ instead of making it obsolete. With the updates and upgrades that have revolutionized the world, you would think that these advancements would be used to bond humans and make human interaction a high priority, right? Wrong. Instead, machines and computers with social media have stripped away the name from the face, and machines and mechanized systems have been replacing the care, compassion and human touch that doctors and pharmacists bring to the medical industry. With the stripping away of human interactions, many children and young adults now have issues interacting in society, and lash out accordingly. This doesn’t need to happen! Why not use technology and retool it so the compassion and interaction between medical professionals is maintained, versus a faceless technological tool?

It really is a bigger look at what technology has done to society as a whole, which trickles down into the medical profession and many other crucial industries as well. With people unable to interact with others, how can we expect these people to reach out and get the medical attention that they need? Or even, how will they be able to work in groups, like exercise groups, to better their health and body, when they are so conditioned to sit stationary, alone in front of a computer screen? As an entire society, proactive steps are going to need to be taken from both sides to prevent this degradation in the interactions of patients in health professions. Doctors and pharmacists are going to have to better monitor their online presence, and work with the various available technologies to better human interactions in the office, not just productivity and streamlined processes that focus more on making money.

From the other side of this, patients are going to need to make a more conscientious effort to listen to what a doctor is saying fully, instead of only trusting online articles that are usually factually incorrect. They are also going to need to better communicate their symptoms, needs and habits to medical staff, so any issues can be addressed, before they evolve into a severe issue. Patients need to be more open to meeting with support groups or groups that have a common goal, as a means of alternative treatment. If this is done, then there will be a better symbiotic relationship between the medical professionals and the technology that surrounds them each and every day.

When flu shot season comes around each year, during the beginning of the holiday season, it may seem like an afterthought while shopping for all those gifts and organizing events, but it is something that needs to be a priority, as these flu shot vaccines will protect you each season from the flu virus. And with illnesses like the H1N1 flu and other influenza viruses that can completely impair your day to day life, you need to schedule a time slot where you can go in to your doctor or pharmacy to get your flu shot. Let’s take a look at the flu shot, its importance, and who should be getting this vaccine each and every year.

While you may hear the word ‘flu’ as a common buzzword – do you really know what the flu is? The medical term, influenza, is actually considered an infection of the respiratory tract, and this can be a very serious and dangerous illness, causing particularly devastating effects in very young children and the elderly, as they are more vulnerable to the impact of infection. This is why the CDC says that anyone who is 6 months or older should definitely by vaccinated with the flu vaccine, each year. The flu shot is the most successful form of protection against any of the flu viruses.

Now that you know about the importance and necessity of getting your flu shot – you’re most likely clambering to get one as soon as possible. Depending on the region you live in, and the anticipated amount of flu cases projected for the year, this can vary drastically. The flu shot is usually sent out in shipments as it’s made, so it’s more available at some times, and less at others. In some cases, when the flu season is predicted to be severe, you may not even be able to get one right away. How do you avoid shortages impacting you and your family? Calling ahead and setting up an appointment with your primary care doctor early in the pre-flu season is crucial, as there are usually no shortages in that time.

In a general sense, the flu vaccine starts its availability period in the early fall or late summer region, all the way up through flu season.  Why is it better to get the dead version of the virus from the flu vaccine in your system as soon as possible? Aside from avoiding contracting the flu, you also need to be aware that it often takes over two weeks for the vaccine to actually build up immunities of the flu strain inside your body, so getting it before flu season technically starts will allow it to be completely immune in your system by the time the flu season does start.

If you think that you can get one flu shot in your lifetime, and instantly become immune to the illness for the rest of your life – then you’re very wrong. Each year there are new strains and mutations of the influenza virus that occur, and this is why they need to be taken yearly, to adapt and accommodate to these mutations in the virus. One example of this mutation is the H1N1 virus, which was an unexpected mutation that took the world by storm one year during flu season. Ensuring that you’re safe from the flu virus means getting an updated shot each year, without fail, in order for it to work properly.

How does the virus build up in your immune system to keep you safe? This is actually caused by the antibodies in your body that react to the dead version of the virus in the flu virus injection. They help block off and protect you from infection. The only issue with this is that these antibodies don’t last forever, and they do decline and die off around the six month mark after getting your vaccination.

As we said earlier, those who are elderly or young children are high risk for getting the flu and suffering from severe complications without the vaccination, and the same goes for women who are pregnant and nursing. Aside from these high risk demographic groups, there are also a list of medical conditions that put men and women at a higher risk for the flu as well, so if you have one of these conditions, make it a priority to get the vaccine each year. If you have asthma of any severity, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, obesity, sickle cell, kidney disease or muscular dystrophy, then you must get a vaccine each year to avoid issues with the flu virus.

Now while it is recommended that everyone gets a flu vaccination, there are some small segments who can’t or shouldn’t get the flu vaccine. If you are someone who has had an allergic reaction to a past vaccine, have an allergy of chicken eggs, or have a fever on the scheduled day of your vaccine, then you at least need to see your primary care doctor beforehand. They can clear you and say if you’re able to get the vaccine without any severe complications.

Did you know that you actually have option when it comes to taking your flu vaccine each year? There are two forms of flu vaccine available each year, and they each are slightly different with different qualities. The most common form is an injection or show, which is actually made from the dead version of the virus. You’ll find that in most cases, they inject this vaccine into the arm, and due to the fact that the virus is already dead when it enters your body, this means you cannot become infected with the virus this way. The other form is the nasal spray, typically called FluMist that actually gives you a small amount of the live virus into your system. This won’t cause the flu either, but it will inevitably cause some kind of respiratory response in your body.

Don’t forget to get your flu shot each year – so you can be happy and healthy this holiday season!

If you’ve ever been to your local pharmacy, only to find that you’re paying hundreds of dollars for a “brand name drug,” then you’re far from alone. Many people shell out big bucks for these brand name drugs, not even knowing that there is an alternative. What is this alternative? It’s called a generic drug, and it can make a huge difference in the amount you spend for medication and medical expenses.

Before you can compare the differences and similarities of a generic versus a brand name drug, you first need to identify the two. A brand name drug is just like its name implies – a medication with a branded name that is usually accompanied by a great deal of advertising and publicity. What’s the major difference between these brand name drugs and generic drugs? Other than brand name recognition, the only major difference is price!

So what exactly is a generic drug? It’s a drug that is considered a ‘copy’ of a brand name drug, and it not only has the same active ingredients in its contents as a brand name drug, but it also comes with the same usage, dosing instructions, risks, side effects and strength as the pricier brand name drug! So say you were taking a birth control pill like Yaz, that carries a brand name, but you wanted to switch to a generic. This wouldn’t interfere with the treatment and affects you receive from the drug, the only thing it would alter is the name on the pill bottle and the amount of money that you have in your checking account.

Because a generic drug doesn’t have a brand name and advertising campaign behind it, it’s much more cost effective than its brand name counterpart. Think that this can’t be true? There are many consumers on the market are concerned about the major difference in price – but you shouldn’t be. Just because the generic drug is cheaper in no way will impact the quality and effectiveness of the medication, when compared with its brand name competition. Still don’t believe that this can be possible? Well the FDA actually backs this up, saying “A generic drug is identical, or bioequivalent to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use.”  The FDA requires all generics to go through the same safety testing and safeguards, as well as the approval process, before it is sent out and ingested by patients.

While there is a 20% variation in the level of the active ingredient, this is a low number and you’re still getting a medication that is generic, which will do just as much as the brand name medications. If you step back and look at the bigger picture, this variation is so slight that it in no way devaluates the importance of the money saving capabilities of buying a generic brand versus a brand name and it is something you should certainly look into.

So what are all the differences between the two that make the drug cheaper? A generic drug is much cheaper for many reasons, but quality and rate of success are not one of them. The real reason why generics are far more affordable than brand name versions? This is mostly because the manufacturers who create and sell these generic drugs do not have to spend money developing the product itself, in stages of product development, nor do they need to have an intensive marketing campaign. There is also the purchase of a patent involved that raises the price for brand name drugs, as these patents prevent other companies from selling this brand name medication in the exact same name and formulation.

Like with any patent of an invention or product – there is an expiration date. As soon as the brand name drug loses its patent or it expires, then outside manufacturers who look to make generic drugs for the market can speak with the proper channels at the FDA to request permission to manufacture these brand name drugs. This is why at first when a groundbreaking new medication comes out, there are no other options, but with mainstream and established medications, there is almost always a generic drug for purchase on the market. Once the brand name drug is available to be manufactured generically, many companies will start to create and sell this generic version, and the factors of supply and demand allow the price to go down even more.

So when you hear rumors about the ineffectiveness and poor quality of generic medications, please know that this is incorrect, as the FDA holds generic medication manufacturers to the same stringently high standards as the brand name medication manufacturers. The FDA does this to keep the playing field fair amongst manufacturers, as well as aiming to keep all consumers in the United States safe from shady business practices and manufacturing processes. And while typically brand name medication manufacturers act as though they have nothing to do with the generic brands, you would be surprised to know that 50% of all generic drugs that are made in the US are actually created by companies who often make the brand name drugs.

And don’t get bent out of shape if you notice that a generic is a different color or shape when compared to a brand name medication. There are actually laws that prevent these two types of medications from looking like one another. But why is this done? Actually, it’s a protection measure, so you know that you’re getting a generic, not being fooled by a similar looking prescription. While they are not allowed to look the same, they are required to have the same ingredients that are active in the formulation.

Now that you know the entire story behind generics versus brand name medications, you can move forward, saving you and your family a great deal of money by switching from your pricy brand name meds to a more affordable generic option that still has all the same effects.

Going to college or university costs money. How much depends on the education facility and what program you are enrolled in. For the most part online universities and colleges have a significantly lower tuition fee structure than traditional universities and colleges. They also tend to have fewer additional fees such as student association fees.

Traditional universities offer a full range of financial aid including government student loans. It’s a common mistake to think that online universities and colleges do not offer the same financial aid options as traditional education facilities. Actually, many of the online universities also offer financial aid in various forms. Let’s have a look at how financial aid and online education work together.

There are many financial aid opportunities. Let’s have a look at a few:

Scholarships
Scholarships are tied to your academic achievements. You must apply for scholarship, which come in all shapes and sizes. They can provide money for all or a portion of your tuition, and they can be for one semester, one year, or your entire program. Each scholarship you apply for will outline what the requirements for application are and what it will provide you with.

Almost anyone can apply for a scholarship if they are attending university or college. The application for a scholarship is quite extensive so be sure you have enough time set aside to fill it out. Just a little mistake and your application could be thrown out so make sure you read the instructions carefully.

There are thousands of scholarships available. A search online can provide you with some excellent starting points.

Grants
Grants are different. While you still must apply for grants they are paid as a one-time payment for a specific amount. Your grant could be for a project or course, a business grant, or it could be based on your low-income status. There are many different grants. Grants do not have to be paid back. They are provided by the federal government, local governments, and business to name just a few sources. Search online and you can find many grants to apply for.

Make sure to properly fill out the application reading the instructions carefully otherwise, your grant application could be thrown out.

Student Loans
Bothe federal and state student loans are available and while not all online universities or colleges qualify you for a student loan, many do. Federal student loans are the largest source for educational loans, and their terms are more favorable than private loans. Your credit score does not affect the application.

Private Student Loans
Private student loans are available from private sources including financial institutes and large corporations who might finance their employees returning to university or college. Most times with private student loans, you will not find out all the details until after you have submitted your application. For example, interest rates can vary significantly and most times the lowest rates are the only ones advertised. Other rates are disclosed based on your application.

In House Financing
Many online universities offer their own in house financing. Once approved you are given a monthly payment that you are required to submit to the online university or college.

The manner in which in house financing is handled can be as simple agreement that you will pay x number of dollars per month for x months, to a more complex document that outlines total owing, interest, fee structure, etc.

Going to university or college is an exciting time. Choosing an online education has many benefits over the more conventional method of post secondary education. The cost of online degrees is generally considerably cheaper than attending a college or university; therefore, you will not have to worry about the enormous debt loads that are incurred through conventional channels.

Taking your degree online also means you can continue to work and meet your current obligations to your family. That means less stress all the way around. Financial aid and online education work well together. Try it for yourself.