Why Any College Major Can Qualify for Any Employer

Your college major will most likely have nothing to do with what career path you choose, your chances of getting hired, your starting salary level or your professional growth. While in college, though, hone your “soft skills” and learn to make informed decisions about the job market. That will make all the difference in what happens after graduation.

Consider this:

• Most CEOs were liberal arts undergraduates.
• Most new jobs today are being created by small businesses.
• Most employers hire on the basis of “soft skills”, like creative problem-solving and communications.

That’s not to say that a college major has nothing to do with your success. Research shows that some majors are better prepared for higher pay than others. Liberal Arts majors get promoted faster and rise higher than Business and Engineering students hired at the same time at the same organization. And one-fourth of new hires at technical organizations do not have technical degrees.

That said, students who can support the “knowledge economy” with technical and analytical skills are in the best position to command higher starting salaries. A 2006 study at Carnegie-Mellon University found that their newly minted Computer Scientists, Electrical/Computer Engineers, Mathematicians, Economists and Business Administrators pulled the highest starting salaries.

But any management, consulting or sales position is viable for any major; even if it “sounds like business”. Every college major demands critical thinking skills. Demonstrate those during a job interview. If it’s a data-driven employer or industry, play up your quantitative skills, even if you acquired them from a non-science, non-business major. The job title may not specifically require them, but you may be able to get on the short list of candidates, if you have these skills. Giving examples from class projects, as well as internships, will show that you can recognize when these skills are needed on a project, and can offer them.

High-Demand Careers in Ohio: Physical Therapy Assistant

Physical therapy assistant jobs will grow 31.5% in Ohio through 2018. This job requires a associate’s degree and has an average salary of $51,189. Demand for this job will grow for several reasons:
• Improved patient access to physical therapy services, due to changes in insurance restrictions
• Growth in key service areas:
- The elderly population who are vulnerable to chronic and debilitating conditions that require assistance during physical therapy
- Baby-boomers, who will increasingly experience heart attacks and strokes, and need cardiac and physical rehabilitation
- Infant and trauma victim survival; improved rates from medical developments.
Annually, in Ohio, over 220 new jobs will be added in this field, though 2018. However, it will be a very competitive field and most states require:

• Licensure, registration or certification
• A degree from an accredited institution
• Passage of the National Physical Therapy Exam and sometimes a state exam.
• Continuing education credits to maintain licensure.
• CPR certification or a minimum number of hours worked in a clinical setting
Physical therapist assistants have clinical responsibilities and assist physical therapists in treating patients who have had accidents or who have disabilities. The goal is to improve mobility, relieve pain, and reduce or prevent physical disabilities. The physical therapy assistant:
• Helps patients exercise or use equipment
• Provides patient instruction, and therapies such as electrical stimulation, traction, ultrasound and massage.
• Keeps track of and reports patient responses to treatment.

A supporting, even more competitive position, “physical therapy aide”, does not require licensure and is under the supervision of a physical therapy assistant. The physical therapy aide gathers and prepares equipment, keeps the treatment area organized, and transport patients within the facility. Depending on the staffing levels of the facility, the aide or the assistant orders supplies, answers the phone, and fills out insurance forms and other paperwork.
About 75% percent of positions are health practitioner offices and hospitals. Home health agencies and hospitals typically have the best pay scale, although nursing care facilities, and outpatient care centers offer additional opportunities.

How to Find the Best College for a Physical Therapy Assistant Degree

The American Physical Therapy Association’s Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education accredits two-year programs, which are divided into academic coursework and clinical field experience in facilities.

Schools currently accredited in Ohio are:

Cleveland State University
College of Mount St Joseph
Ohio University
The Ohio State University
The University of Findlay
University of Cincinnati
University of Dayton
University of Toledo
Walsh University
Youngstown State University

Courses include algebra, English, anatomy and physiology, and psychology. Clinical work includes certifications in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other first aid, and hands-on patient experience.
When evaluating schools, I recommend that you look closely at the course listings offered, and talk directly to the professors who teach them to find out where their recent students are working and to explore their teaching philosophy.

Tips for Getting Hired

On-the-job training is considered critical in this field. Experience leads to permanent and better positions. Special skills, such as medical coding and billing, are an advantage in the hiring process. A demonstrated skill as an effective team member with good patient rapport will also be important in hiring decisions. The American Physical Therapy Association also recognizes additional training in specialties, such as geriatric, pediatric, musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, integumentary, and cardiopulmonary therapy.
Acute hospital, skilled nursing, and orthopedic facilities are expected to have the most job growth, particularly in rural areas, since physical therapists tend to cluster in more urban and suburban areas.
As always, What’s Your Major? strongly recommends joining a professional association and attending local or national meetings to get a better understanding of the field and to kick off your job networking campaign. For additional information about a career as a physical therapy assistant, contact: The American Physical Therapy Association, 1111 North Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1488. Internet: http://www.apta.org

High-Demand Careers in Ohio: Physician Assistant

Physician Assistant jobs will grow by 33.5% in Ohio through 2018. This job requires a Master’s degree and has an average salary of $83,886. The expansion of the healthcare industry is responsible for the job growth, with an increasing use of PAs by healthcare establishments for cost containment purposes.

Annually, in Ohio, over 99 new jobs will be added in this field, though 2018. This occupation should not be confused with medical assistants, who perform routine clinical and clerical tasks.

However, the number of jobs is greater than the number of practicing PAs because about 15% of them hold two or more jobs (for example, with a supervising physician and also in another healthcare facility).

PAs work in primary care (general internal medicine, pediatrics or family medicine), or in specialty areas, such as general and thoracic surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, and geriatrics. Most job growth will occur in rural and inner-city healthcare facilities, where it is difficult to attract physicians. A possible downside of these locations is the lack of close supervision.

Over 50% of PAs work in physicians’ offices, and about 25% in hospitals. The rest of the positions are in outpatient care centers (like health maintenance organizations), the Federal Government; and colleges or professional schools.
According to the national accrediting commission, physician assistants are prepared academically and clinically to provide health care services under the direction and supervision of a surgeon or doctor of medicine or osteopathy.

PAs make clinical decisions for primary and specialty care, and provide diagnostic, therapeutic, preventive, and health maintenance services. PAs’ work includes primary and specialty care in medical and surgical practice and may include patient instruction and counseling, educational, research, and administrative activities, such as making progress notes. A physician assistant (PA) is a specially qualified health care professional who provides medical care under the supervision of a licensed physician in a variety of health care settings.

As a member of a healthcare team, a PA’s span of control is wide and determined both by state law and the supervising physician. Prospective students should get familiar, and stay current, with the Ohio state law governing the scope of a PAs work. Physicians may delegate to PAs medical duties that are both within the physician’s scope of practice and aligned with the PA’s training and experience and state law.

He or she:

• Takes medical histories
• Examines and treat patients
• Orders or carries out therapy
• Orders and interprets laboratory tests and x rays
• Makes diagnoses
• Treats minor injuries by suturing, splinting, and casting
• Prescribes specific medications
• Performs managerial duties, such as ordering medical supplies or equipment
• Supervises medical technicians and assistants
• Makes house calls or goes to hospitals and nursing care facilities to check on patients, and then report back to the physician.
• PAs who specialize in surgery may work as first or second assistants during major surgery to provide preoperative and postoperative care.

How to Find the Best College for a Physician Assistant Degree

Attending a school accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant is critical to passing the national exam and obtaining a license. PAs are licensed and regulated by the Ohio State Medical Board, the same as physicians. About 80% of programs offer the master’s degree.

Most applicants have a college degree and typically, four years of health-related work experience. Nurses, EMTs, and paramedics often apply to these programs.

Schools current accredited in Ohio are:
Cuyahoga Community College / Cleveland State University
Kettering College Of Medical Arts
Marietta College
Medical University of Ohio at University of Toledo
Mount Union College (*provisional)
University Of Findlay (on probation)

The curriculum includes medical, behavioral, and social sciences courses that cover health policy and professional practice issues. Students are given an introduction to clinical medicine and patient assessment; and supervised clinical practice.

Classroom and laboratory instruction includes biochemistry, pathology, human anatomy, physiology, clinical pharmacology, clinical medicine, physical diagnosis, and medical ethics.

Only the University of Toledo is included, as number 69, in the U.S. News and World Report rankings of top schools nationwide for physician assistant training. The top-ranked are: The University of Iowa, Duke University, Emory University, George Washington University, The University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center, and the University of Utah.

In school, physicians, PAs and others provide instruction in a curriculum following the medical school model. Here, the relationship between PA and physician begins. Many accredited programs offer clinical experience, in affiliation with a medical school. PA students share classes, facilities and clinical rotations with medical students.

Physician assistant educational programs usually take at least 2 years to complete on a full-time basis. Most programs are at schools of allied health, academic health centers, medical schools, or 4-year colleges. Some are at community colleges or hospitals, or are part of the military.

When evaluating schools, I recommend that you look closely at the course listings offered, and talk directly to the professors who teach them to find out where their recent students are working and to explore their teaching philosophy. PA programs include supervised clinical training in areas like family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, prenatal care and gynecology, geriatrics, emergency medicine, and pediatrics.

Tips for Getting Hired

PA students sometimes serve in one or more of clinical areas under the supervision of a physician who is seeking to hire a PA. The rotation may lead to permanent employment in one of these areas.

To obtain a license, physician assistants must complete an accredited education program and pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, which is open only to graduates of accredited programs and is administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). After passing the exam, PAs are “Physician Assistant-Certified.”

To maintain certification, PAs must obtain 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years (as physician must do). PAs must then pass a national recertification exam every six years or complete an alternative program that combines learning experiences and a take-home examination.

Although the physician-PA relationship is critical, in many settings (particularly the growing rural and urban practices), close physician supervision is not possible, as a doctor may only be present a couple of days per week. In such cases, conferences with a supervising physician and other medical professionals are required by law.

According to the commission, excellent soft skills are, therefore, mandatory: “The role of the PA demands intelligence, sound judgment, intellectual honesty, appropriate interpersonal skills, and the capacity to react to emergencies in a calm and reasoned manner. An attitude of respect for self and others, adherence to the concepts of privilege and confidentiality in communicating with patients, and a commitment to the patient’s welfare are essential attributes of the graduate PA.”
As always, What’s Your Major? strongly recommends joining a professional association and attending local or national meetings to get a better understanding of the field and to kick off your job networking campaign. For additional information about a career in Ohio as a physician assistant, contact: the Ohio Association for Physician Assistants, 4700 Reed Road, Suite N • Columbus, OH 43220 Tel: 800.292.4997 • Fax: 614.824.2103 • OAPA@OhioPA.com

For information a list of accredited programs, contact:
American Academy of Physician Assistants Information Center, 950 North Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Internet: http://www.aapa.org

Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistants, 12000 Findley Road, Suite 240, Johns Creek, Georgia 30097. Internet: http://www.arc-pa.org

For eligibility requirements and a description of the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination, contact: National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, Inc., 12000 Findley Rd., Suite 200, Duluth, GA 30097. Internet: http://www.nccpa.net

Series: High-Demand College Majors in Ohio, Part 3: Physical Therapist

Jobs for physical therapists are expected to grow 27.1% through 2016, with the largest openings in acute hospitalization, rehabilitation and orthopedic settings.

Average starting salary is $48,530 and median annual earnings are $69,760, which depends on length of experience, geographic location and employer.

Schools must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Schools in Ohio that offer a program in Physical Therapy are:

Cleveland State University (A4, D6, F1, PU)
College of Mount St Joseph (A2, A4, D6, F1, PR)
Ohio University (A4, D6, F1, PU)
The Ohio State University (A4, D6, F1, PU)
The University of Findlay (A1, A6, D6, E3, F3, PR)
University of Cincinnati (A1, A4, D6, E5, F1, PU)
University of Dayton (A4, D6, F1, PR)
University of Toledo (D6, D7, F1, PU)
Walsh University (A4, D6, F1, PR)
Youngstown State University (D6, F1, PU)

Physical therapists improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength and decrease or prevent deformity from disease on injury. Ambulatory health care service providers are expected to provide the greatest job growth through 2016 (44.2%).

In Ohio, there are about 250 for physical therapists each year. By 2016, employment is expected to reach 8510 jobs.

Sources:
www.apta.org
The College Board
“50 Best College Majors for a Secure Future” by Lawrence Shatkin.
http://www.projectionscentral.com/lt_search.aspx

Sizing Up Campus Culture

The best time to dig deep into a college's culture is after you've determined that the college meets your academic and financial and practical needs, and you've visited once. When you're ready to put together your final list of eight to ten colleges that meet all of your basic criteria, you need to further evaluate your chances for success at them:

1. Read about the college‟s mission statement, strategic plan, and President‟s message on the web site. Ask to see the most recent student satisfaction survey, which should be on file in the President's office.

2. Don't assume that a college that is affiliated with a religious institution will express that heritage in daily campus life. The influence of that institution may or may not be dominant on campus.

3. Ask the tour guide and college representatives about the social tone, campus culture (or campus climate) and to provide examples of how they experience it.

4. Visit your final choice colleges a second time, after you‟ve been accepted, but before you accept the financial aid offer. On this visit:

- Pay attention to verbiage used in event posters, student newspapers and presentations. And ask random students on campus for their opinion about the campus climate.

- Take advantage of overnight stay programs that are commonly offered by the Admissions Department.

- Have your child visit or call the residence halls, explaining that he/she is a prospective student and ask the same questions that you asked of the tour guides and official representatives.

5. To fully understand how diversity and collaborative learning impacts daily campus life, take the extra effort to interview faculty members (especially those in your child‟s field of study). Be sure to ask for specific examples or data about the following questions:

- How does the institution encourage activities where students from different backgrounds meet and work together? Ask for examples where the activities impacted the majority of students, not just members of club or academic program.

- How often do students work in teams to complete assignments, solve problems or apply course content?

- How frequently do students engage in service learning or take part in community-based projects to fulfill class requirements?

- How many students collaborate on research with faculty members?

- How many interdisciplinary courses are offered? Are they open to all students?

- How many students are involved with living and learning communities? How is the faculty involved with these communities?

7. Since retention and graduation rates are correlated with student satisfaction, look them up on the College Board College Matchmaker, or other, college search engine, and compare your final choice colleges.

8. Consult student-written guides and forums about campus life, which are available for selected campuses. The most popular guides are:

“The Insider‟s Guide to The Colleges,” The Yale Daily News
“Students‟ Guide to Colleges”, The Penguin Group
“The Big Book of Colleges”, College Prowler

Visit online forums, where you can read comments and pose questions to experienced parents and students:
www.collegeconfidential.com
www.campusdirt.com

9. You may want to have a discussion with your child about the importance of campus diversity and culture to his or her happiness as a student. But don‟t expect tremendous insight. Your child‟s personality is still in a formative stage and he or she has a limited worldview.

10. Resist the urge to judge the campus morals and values, superficially. What you think is best for your child might not, in fact, be best. Listen beyond what your child says about a campus. He or she wants to please you and may be telling you what you want to hear. Look for signs of genuine enthusiasm.

Rankings vs. Reality: How Do You Assess Your College Choices?

College rankings publishers are getting smart about answering students’ real questions about what makes for a great higher education experience. Whether you use or believe these rankings, or the methodology used, the newer, more creative rankings publishers, can open students’ minds about what might really be important in their college decisions.

Look on the home page of any college web site. If it made the cut on one of the U.S. News and World Report or The Princeton Review’s favorable lists of distinctions, it will certainly be promoted there. U.S .News and World Report rankings are developed by peer ratings from college administrators, while The Princeton Review’s come from student surveys.

So, despite the controversy over rankings, colleges care about them.

Most students make final college choices on the basis of some reality: financial, career or just how the campus “feels” to them. However, it’s also worthwhile to look at how the college might impact you as a person.

Some publishers have responded creatively to new and different issues raised by the public, the media and even higher educators themselves about what makes for a great college experience. Since 1996, Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) , a non-profit organization, has member schools who are recognized as having “students heavily involved in cooperative rather than competitive learning, and a faculty of scholars devoted to helping young people develop their powers, mentors who often become their valued friends."

And this fall, the Washington Monthly evaluated schools based on:

- “Social mobility” - the recruiting and graduating of poorer students
- Research - the support of scientific and humanistic study, by producing PhDs and by the winning research grants
- Service – the school’s effectiveness at giving back to the country, through either military or civilian service

One can certainly imagine the positive impact on character that would come from a collaborative learning experience in an environment that focuses on social impact. Ask creative questions of your prospective faculty on these matters when you whittle down your college list.