Content

If you aspire to a career as a physician, physician’s assistant, dentist, optometrist, veterinarian or other health professional, Wilkes University’s Health Sciences Pre-Professional Program can provide the guidance and experiences you need to advance, no matter your academic major.

Program Snapshot

Why Study at Wilkes?

Hands-on research, personalized attention and tailored advising for health sciences students prepare you for the competitive application process and rigors of medical, dental and other professional schools.

Wilkes University has a long tradition of educating students who become health care professionals in a variety of community settings. Our strengths in the sciences and the humanities can make you a competitive candidate for professional schools.

The Health Sciences Program at Wilkes offers you a broad choice professions:

Medical Laboratory SciencePre-DentalPre-Medical: Allopathic or OsteopathicPre-Occupational TherapyPre-OptometryPre-Physical TherapyPre-Physician AssistantPre-PodiatryPre-Veterinary

More than 90% of students who have strong academic and service records, complete the premedical core, and receive letters of evaluation from the Health Sciences Committee, are accepted into professional schools.

What Will You Gain?

• You’ll access a team of individuals to help you design your course schedule each semester and guide you through the process of professional school searches, requirements, study guides and admissions exams. This is in addition to your faculty advisor in your academic major.
• Shadow health care professionals beginning in your freshman year, allowing you to gain health care insight outside the classroom.
• You’ll be encouraged to participate in poster presentations at regional and national conferences, giving you the unique opportunity to earn publishing credit as an undergraduate student.
• As a member of the Pre-Professional Society of the College of Science and Engineering, you’ll gain professional development to foster success; this includes biannual seminars to assist with resume preparation, personal statement development, and application preparation.
• Benefit from connections with organizations offering diverse community service opportunities that not allow you to serve those in need, but will also help Boost interpersonal skills and gain experience that will assist in the preparation for professional school and your career.
• Take part in networking opportunities with professional schools at the annual Professional/Graduate School Fair.
• Get to know mentors, including students from Wilkes and affiliated professional schools.

The health professionals category of donors, like the healthcare field itself, includes a wide range of occupations. Among the most prominent are physicians, psychiatrists, pharmacists and nutritionists, as well as their professional associations. (We have more specific breakdowns available for nurses, dentists and chiropractors.)

In the 2016 cycle, they contributed more than $136 million to candidates and groups -- down from their total of nearly $154 million in 2012, but nonetheless a substantial amount of giving. For a sense of scale: They gave more than three times the amount contributed by commercial banks.

A lot of that money -- $27.5 million -- came from the Adelson Drug Clinic, a nonprofit that billionaire mega-donor Miriam Adelson often lists as her occupation/employer when making contributions; Adelson is married to Sheldon Adelson, the casino titan, and the two regularly make our top donors lists. Another $3.5 million was from Besilu Stables, run by Benjamin León, a healthcare business executive; the funds went to Conservative Solutions PAC, a super PAC that was devoted to helping GOP Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) in his presidential bid.

Health professionals tend to skew Republican, but the 2016 election marked one of the occasional cycles when giving to Democrats won out. Dems received 50 percent of the group's contributions to candidates and party committees, compared to the GOP's 49 percent. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was by far the top choice of health professionals, receiving more than $10 million in contributions. President Donald Trump got a bit more than $2.8 million, coming in second.

Alongside big-name donors, professional associations accounted for much of the field's contributions. Top contributors included the Cooperative of American Physicians (just under $2 million), the American Society of Anesthesiologists (almost $1.9 million) and the American Medical Association (over $1.8 million); the three groups all gave the majority of their contributions to Republicans and conservatives.

That last group -- the American Medical Association, a professional organization for physicians -- was the top health professionals lobbying organization of 2016. It spent more than $19.4 million lobbying on issues like mental health, Medicare and prescription drug prices. In fact, more broadly, health professionals are consistently prolific lobbyists, having spent at least $80 million on the practice since 2008.

-- Niv Sultan

Updated April 2017

Healthcare professionals are under immense pressure to provide quality patient care while conserving energy. To help them achieve this, there are a number of innovative ways they can save energy in their workplace and beyond. One such way is to visit a comparison website and discover the best energy supplier deals.

From adopting new technologies to implementing green practices, healthcare professionals can take steps to reduce their environmental impact in the long run. We will explore ten innovative ways healthcare professionals can conserve energy.

How Healthcare Professionals Make a Positive Impact on the Environment

Healthcare professionals have an important role to play in protecting the environment. With their expertise and dedication, they can significantly contribute to reducing the environmental impact of healthcare services. By understanding the ecological implications of their work and taking action to reduce them, healthcare professionals can help protect our planet for future generations.

Below are ten ways healthcare professionals can bring their part to conserve energy:

1. Implementing energy-efficient lighting systems is one of the most cost-effective and impactful ways to reduce energy costs and Boost sustainability. By using LED lights, motion sensors, and other smart lighting technologies, businesses can save up to 70% on their electricity bills while reducing their carbon footprint. This makes it an attractive option for companies looking to lower expenses while being eco-friendly.
2. Installing motion-sensing technology to automatically turn off lights and other equipment when not in use. By automatically turning off lights and other equipment when not in use, these systems can help reduce electricity bills and contribute to environmental consciousness. With the latest advancements in this area, it is now possible to install such systems quickly and easily without the need for complex wiring or expensive installation costs.
3. Using low-energy, energy-efficient equipment, such as computers and medical devices. Computers, medical devices, and other high-tech gadgets all require power to operate, and this power can be expensive or difficult to source.
4. By utilising natural light and ventilation in patient rooms and common areas, hospitals can reduce energy costs and create healthier, more efficient spaces. This benefits the patients and the medical staff who work long hours in these spaces. Natural light is also good for our mental health because it lowers stress, improves mood, and makes us more productive.
5. Implementing a successful recycling programme can help reduce waste and lower energy consumption, leading to a healthier environment and economy. Recycling preserves natural resources, helps create jobs, and generates revenue for local businesses. This makes it an ideal solution for reducing our environmental footprint in the long run.
6. By utilising telemedicine, patients can access medical care from the comfort of their homes, eliminating the need to travel to a clinic or hospital. Additionally, by using remote consultations, medical professionals can provide care without being physically present. This reduces energy use and reduces the environmental impact of transportation-related emissions.
7. Using renewable energy sources as cost-effective alternatives to traditional sources of energy. The potential for renewable energy is immense and promises to revolutionise how we generate electricity. Focusing on renewable sources can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help protect our environment for future generations.
8. Optimising HVAC systems to reduce energy consumption while maintaining optimal indoor air quality. The good news is that new technologies allow building owners to reduce their energy consumption while maintaining a comfortable environment for occupants. Building owners can use advanced HVAC optimization techniques to maximise their energy savings while protecting indoor air quality.
9. By conducting regular energy audits, businesses can identify areas where they are wasting energy and money and implement corrective measures to reduce their overall energy consumption. This helps companies save money and benefit from the environmental benefits of reducing their carbon footprint.
10. Through training and awareness programs, healthcare professionals can be educated on the importance of energy conservation and how to implement it in their everyday lives. In the same way, teaching patients how important it is to save energy is another way we can all help the environment.

The Benefits of Energy Conservation for Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals are in a unique position to make a significant impact on energy conservation. By taking steps to reduce their energy consumption, healthcare professionals can help reduce their environmental footprint and save money and resources. Saving energy could also make patients safer, make hospitals run more smoothly, and cut costs.

In Summary

We've learned that healthcare professionals can take numerous steps to impact the environment positively.

Promoting green practices such as recycling and composting can help reduce waste and pollution while educating patients on how they, too, can be more environmentally conscious.

Healthcare professionals can also have a say in how policies are made about protecting the environment, which helps make sure that our planet is safe for future generations.

© Provided by Getty Images Banana image

BSc. Dietetics · 8 years of experience · Canada

Bananas are a low-calorie and low-fat source of carbohydrate. One medium banana is an excellent source of vitamin B6; a good source of potassium, fiber, and vitamin C; and a source of magnesium. The less ripe the banana, the more complex carbohydrate and bitter flavor it contains. The riper the banana, the less complex carbohydrate and sweeter flavor it contains. Because bananas are a good source of potassium and fiber, they can contribute to heart and digestive health, respectively.

→ See more questions and expert answers related to Banana.

→ Love Banana? Get nutritional facts, tips from health experts, and more

Master Science in Sport Nutrition · 3 years of experience · UK

It has been proved that bananas have a wide variety of health benefits such as: 1) Improvement of blood sugar levels 2) Supporting digestive health 3) Promoting weight loss 4) Supporting heart health 5) improvement of insulin sensitivity 6) Improvement of kidney health

→ See more questions and expert answers related to Banana.

→ Love Banana? Get nutritional facts, tips from health experts, and more

Bachelors of Science in Dietetics, Foods, & Nutrition · 2 years of experience · USA

Bananas are a healthy way to add to the daily consumption of potassium and fiber, with around 12% of the daily recommended amount of potassium and fiber within one medium banana. It also has high levels of B6 and vitamin C.

→ See more questions and expert answers related to Banana.

→ Love Banana? Get nutritional facts, tips from health experts, and more

Even though the demand for virtual mental health services exploded in 2020, 37 states have reported shortages in quality mental health care availability. The Department of Health and Human Services, or DHHS, projects a deficit equalling nearly 27,000 full-time jobs across nine professions, including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, therapists, and social workers, by 2025.

The DHHS also employed Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration data from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to project an alternative scenario—one far more alarming. With SAMSHA data incorporated, the country will be short 250,510 people in nine critical mental health professions by 2025. Population growth, aging, economic conditions, and the geographic location of the health workforce are some of the many factors that could lead to such shortages.

The Health Resources and Services Administration, which is charged with improving access to quality mental health care for isolated and/or financially vulnerable communities, oversees programs that allocate educational resources as well as clinical training integrating mental health care with primary care.

Charlie Health investigated how every state ranks in the shortage of mental health professionals and what it would take to close the shortfall using data from the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Census Bureau. States are ranked by the percentage of counties with a mental health professional shortage.

Only geographic areas with a fully designated shortage status and listed ratio of patients to providers were included in the list. The following states are not included because they do not currently have any counties or census tracts designated with mental health professional shortages: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Wyoming.

Research suggests that training mental health workers in community-based settings—and rural areas that often experience shortages—is likely to produce providers willing to serve these high-need areas during their careers. Focusing resources in states with the most significant lack of mental health care providers could eliminate more than 40% of the projected shortages. Seven states have more than half of the counties with shortages. Six of these seven states are in the Midwest, where communities are generally more spread apart, which can impede access to a mental health care provider. Keep practicing to learn where shortages are worst.