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  • Major Career Change

    Hey everyone, since we have such a grand array of people on the board, i need some help/advice on a possible career change.

    Some background: I'm a US citizen, with a Bachelor of Clinic Science from China (I went out of country for med school, long story). I've been wrestling with US medical board exams, but sadly its not going well, especially for foreign grads. Anyways, since I'm not getting any younger, need to consider a possible career change. With the medical world slowly embracing new tech, I'm thinking of switching to the technical side of medical care.

    So some questions:

    1. There is a new emerging National Certificate for Health Technology Information, which is to help integrate healthcare professionals with emerging tech and electronic medical records, just wondering if anyone know more about it.

    2. I am thinking about learning more on a professional level on Computer networking and computer programming/app developement. Any recommendations on what i need to learn/study. I'm pretty good with computers, but nothing on a professional level.

    That's all i can think of at the moment, since I'm still struggling with this decision and very unclear on what to do. I welcome all and any responses.

    Thanks to all in advance.

  • #2
    Nuke imaging!!!!! Learn to make people's insides glow in the dark, there is a shortage of nuke imaging techs around.
    EVE Online: 99% of the time you sit around waiting for something to happen, but that 1% of action is what hooks people like crack, you don't get interviewed by the BBC for a WoW raid.

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    • #3
      and kick start the mutant evolution?? didnt magneto wanted to do something like that?

      Comment


      • #4
        Quoth MDLackey View Post

        2. I am thinking about learning more on a professional level on Computer networking and computer programming/app developement. Any recommendations on what i need to learn/study. I'm pretty good with computers, but nothing on a professional level.
        Yes. Java, C#, and mobile development. The Model-View-Controller pattern seems to be the "hot" thing right now, as does "Agile" development.

        But with computer programming, it's really going to help you to have a breadth and depth. You will most likely need some database skills, as well.

        And it can be difficult to get an entry-level job doing it, as it is with most things.

        To get started, you should look into downloading Eclipse, the Android Development Toolkit, and an "express" version of Visual Studio.NET and an express version of SQL Server. If you really want to, you can go onto Oracle's site and sign up there and get an oracle "Learning" edition.

        There are various tutorials around the web, but if you need to get books, then do so, although they can be fairly expensive at $35+ per book (some as high as $75 or so).
        Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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        • #5
          don't forget physical medical tech too - monitoring equipment, etc, that you may want to tie into your app development

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          • #6
            Thanks mjr...I'll look into those. Basically I have no knowledge of programming languages. So need to start with those. Books wise...yea they are no where as expensive as medical books.

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            • #7
              Quoth MDLackey View Post
              and kick start the mutant evolution?? didnt magneto wanted to do something like that?
              I'll be first in line for that, if you don't mind.
              By popular request....I am now officially the Enemy of Normalcy.

              "What is unobtainium? To Seraph, it's a normal client. :P" -- Observant Friend

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              • #8
                Quoth MDLackey View Post
                Thanks mjr...I'll look into those. Basically I have no knowledge of programming languages. So need to start with those. Books wise...yea they are no where as expensive as medical books.
                Best advice I could give you as far as programming: Start simple, and then get more complex. If you try to get too complex too fast, you might get frustrated too easily, or not understand why something is done the way it is.

                Most books/tutorials start with the classic "Hello, World." Try to find one of those.
                Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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                • #9
                  Quoth mjr View Post
                  Most books/tutorials start with the classic "Hello, World." Try to find one of those.
                  And the first time you try to run it, the code says "World not found".
                  I am not an a**hole. I am a hemorrhoid. I irritate a**holes!
                  Procrastination: Forward planning to insure there is something to do tomorrow.
                  Derails threads faster than a pocket nuke.

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                  • #10
                    Quoth MDLackey View Post
                    2. I am thinking about learning more on a professional level on Computer networking and computer programming/app developement. Any recommendations on what i need to learn/study. I'm pretty good with computers, but nothing on a professional level.
                    I'd definitely recommend learning Java if you want to go into computer programming/app development. It's a very flexible language, extremely powerful, and is the primary development language for Android which is eating marketshare like a Pac Man. A big advantage of starting with Android is the lack of a startup cost. One of the best development environments for Android is Eclipse, which is completely free, and even if you don't have an Android device you can do all your development with the emulation software that comes built into the Android SDK in Eclipse. On top of that, 95% of the potential employers I've talked to as a CSE student facing graduation are looking almost exclusively for Java programmers. It's probably the best language to learn at the moment.

                    Alternatively, IIRC Objective C is the primary development language for iOS. I know nothing about this language, so I can't speak for it, but it's worth noting that if you want to develop for the iPhone/iPad you're required to have a Mac. There are a few ways around this, but they're typically more trouble than they're worth. If you don't already have a Mac, keep in mind that getting practical experience and example apps to show prospective employers will come with an upfront cost.

                    You could also go with C# for Windows Phone 8, but I wouldn't recommend it. Windows Phone 8 doesn't really have much presence in the US market, and there's very little evidence that that will be changing any time soon. On the bright side, I've heard good things about C# as a general purpose language, but as far as mobile development goes I don't hold out too much hope for it.



                    Ultimately, the best advice I can give you is that regardless of which environment you decide to go with, bring examples of your projects with you to job interviews! With mobile technology nowadays you can turn your phone into a pocket sized portfolio and interviewers LOVE to see functional projects. Not only does this prove that you actually can do (at least some of) the things you're claiming, but it says a lot about a potential employee if they're driven enough to actually create things without a direct cash incentive.

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                    • #11
                      I'll throw in another vote for Java. Its not terribly difficult to learn, its flexible, the tools are free and it excels at multiplatform distribution. If you can make something for Android, you're 3 clicks from making something for an iPhone, web or PC.

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                      • #12
                        Quoth AccountingDrone View Post
                        Nuke imaging!!!!! Learn to make people's insides glow in the dark, there is a shortage of nuke imaging techs around.
                        There is outside the US. Last I heard Europe and Australia were practically begging for Nuc Techs. In the US.....not so much.

                        Quoth MDLackey View Post
                        and kick start the mutant evolution?? didnt magneto wanted to do something like that?
                        Been working in Nucs for 6 years now and still no super powers. I'm pretty bummed. Quite frankly I expected to be able to teleport by now.
                        I am no longer of capable of the emotion you humans call “compassion”. Though I can feign it in exchange for an hourly wage. (Gravekeeper)

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                        • #13
                          Guess I need to start learning Java....mmm...the algorithmic form keeps you up all night..and the liquid form gets you going all day long..

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                          • #14
                            Any good resources regarding networking wise? I have set up my own wireless networking at home, but thats with the included apps and tutorials. Dont know much about troubleshoot other than the 30-sec unplugging.

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