April 2009
Welcome to Pathways!
HCC officers
Our goal is to serve as a resource for you as you navigate the pathway through school and, ultimately, to a health career. Each month, you'll receive career and college planning tips, advice and resources to help you make your health career dreams a reality.

News from NC-HCAP...

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NC-HCAP now has a home on Facebook. Stay connected to NC-HCAP and all the resources and activities we offer to help you make your health career dreams a reality.
In This Issue
Motivational Minute
Health Careers 101
Question of the Month
Resources
Join our Mailing List!
About NC-HCAP
The North Carolina Health Careers Access Program (NC-HCAP) is located at UNC-Chapel Hill. Additional campus-based centers are located at Elizabeth City State University, North Carolina Central University, and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Established in 1971 by Dr. Cecil G. Sheps, we work to increase the number of underrepresented minorities or economically and/or educationally disadvantaged students who are educated, trained and employed in the health professions.

For more than 35 years, we have provided thousands of students with a variety of programs and activities to raise their awareness of opportunities available within the health professions and to increase their competitiveness as a health professional school applicant.

We're always here to assist you. Simply contact us at:

(919) 966-2264
nchcap@unc.edu

http://nchcap.unc.edu
Motivational Minute
Has "Spring Fever" taken hold of you this semester? Are you tired and feel like this school year just won't end? Do you need to recharge your batteries to finish out the school year with energy and focus? We all get tired sometimes, given all the demands of balancing school, work, and other activities, so now is the time to get re-fueled and "Keep on Keepin' On"!




Keep On Keepin' On
Anonymous Poet

If the day looks kinder gloomy and your chances kinder slim,
If the situation's puzzlin' and the prospect's awful grim,

If perplexities keep pressin' 'til hope is nearly gone,
Just bristle up and grit your teeth and keep on keepin' on.

Frettin' never wins a fight and fumin' never pays;
There ain't no use in broodin' in these pessimistic ways;

Smile just kinder cheerfully though hope is nearly gone,
And bristle up and grit your teeth and keep on keepin' on.

There ain't no use in growlin' and grumblin' all the time,
When music's ringin' everywhere and everything's a rhyme.

Just keep on smilin' cheerfully if hope is nearly gone,
And bristle up and grit your teeth and keep on keepin' on.
Health Careers 101
Do you excel in chemistry, biology, and math? Do you communicate well with others and have a desire to help people? Are you dependable and detail-oriented? If so, you may want to consider a career as a pharmacist.

Opportunities abound, and with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) reporting a nationwide shortage in the field throughout the U.S., this could be just the right opportunity for you to work in a wide variety of health care settings.

Pharmacists
Pharmacists prepare medicine prescribed by a doctor and counsel patients about how to safely and correctly use their medicine. Phamacists work in drug stores, research labs, hospitals, and more.

Salary: $96,000 or more

Education: You will need at least two years of undergraduate study followed by four years of pharmacy school. Graduation from pharmacy school will earn you a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD).

Hot Link: American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

Source: NC-HCAP Health Careers Information & Enrichment Workshop manual
Spotlight on  Success
6 Principals for Leading a Successful and Fulfilling Life
Moses Goldmon
 
Countless students speak about wanting to have a successful life, but how do they get there? What are the principles that should guide their actions along the way? Glad you asked. According to former NC-HCAP Associate Director, Moses Goldmon, here are seven principles that you can start applying today to help increase your chances of a successful tomorrow.
 
Principle 1: Discover your purpose & that which makes you unique
Who are you anyway? Think about it. Are you the person others think you are?..If you are troubled by who you are, develop an appreciation for your uniqueness...Make the most of your time and place in history by discovering your purpose for living." Each of us has unique gifts, talents, and abilities. Begin identifying yours today!
 
Principle 2: Establish career goals that connect to your passion
Start thinking and exploring deeply possible options that relate to what you might want to do as a career. "Access your career choice inside and out." Does your career choice connect to your passion in life and the thing that you're naturally good or skilled at? "For example, if you don't enjoy working with people, then becoming a physician might not be a good career choice."
 
Principle 3: Diligently seek to increase your knowledge and improve your skills daily
"This is difficult. It takes hard work. And it has to be done consistently for the rest of your life...Contrary to popular opinion, knowledge is not power. It is the application of knowledge that leads to power. You can know all the facts about a plane, but if you don't have the skill to fly, I wouldn't trust you as my pilot."
 
Principle 4: Make personal renewal a daily habit
Are you taking good care of yourself? As students, you too need to think about taking care of yourselves and assuring you have the energy to make it through all the demands that being a student entails! "Let's get practical. Eat properly. Get your rest. Cliché'? Hardly. There are people all over America whose bodies are falling apart because they lack a balanced diet and adequate exercise-another reason why health professionals are in high demand... The purpose of food is to give us energy." Renew your mind daily and take time out to rest & relax, while carving out some me time. Sure you've got to study, go to practice, and work, but in the rush of your daily activities, don't forget time for you!
 
Principle 5: Make a commitment to give back to others
"As students interested in pursuing the health professions, you have a responsibility to reach out and help others...Serving others is [one of] the most personally fulfilling things we can do. You know you've served [others] when your actions have made a positive impact on [others]." Get involved in the community today. There's a volunteer or shadowing opportunity out there waiting on YOU!
 
Principle 6: Live according to your motives and beliefs, while examining your choices
"The choices you make today will impact the quality of your life tomorrow. Life is more than the years available to you. You are a link in a long chain of people and events. Make the most of your time and place in history."

Source: NC-HCAP Access Newsletter Spring 1998 Vol. VII No. I
 
Question of the Month
Do you have a college or career planning question you'd like to ask? If so, email Mrs. Rivera at kdrivera@unc.edu. Each month, at least one question will be answered right here in Pathways.

Question: I'm in high school, and with summer coming up, I would like to do some volunteering at a hospital. How do I go about doing this?
Junior, Charlotte, NC
 
Answer:
Volunteering is a great way for you to find out more about potential health careers that might be right for you. Many hospitals have volunteer opportunities for teens in a variety of departments. The Volunteer Services Department at your local hospital is a great place to find information about available opportunities including requirements and deadlines to apply. Most have a teen volunteer packet that they can mail out to you that will outline everything you need to know about their volunteer experience. 
Resources
College Planning and Preparation
Find information on college careers & majors, the college application process, and financial aid at www.collegeview.com.

Interested in finding out more about UNC and how to apply to become a student here? Visit the UNC Undergraduate Admissions Web site at http://admissions.unc.edu/.
 
For prospective undergraduate students, parents, school counselors, view 2008-2009 recruitment events sponsored by UNC-Chapel Hill's Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs  at http://www.unc.edu/diversity/events.html. You can also call 919-843-6086 for more information.
  
Enrichment Programs
For information about additional health professions enrichment programs, activities, and summer camps in your local area, contact the NC Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) in your area.

Financial Aid
For information to help you plan, apply, and pay for college, contact The College Foundation of North Carolina.

Scholarships are available based on many different criteria: financial need, merit, and chosen college major. Begin your search today at Fastweb.

Health Careers
Explore various health careers, read about students and professionals in the health field, and even locate information on current health-related issues and topics at nchealthcareers.com and www.explorehealthcareers.org.
  Meet Mrs. Rivera
As the pre-college coordinator, Mrs. Koyah Rivera is responsible for planning, developing and implementing pre-college outreach initiatives across North Carolina.

Before joining NC-HCAP, Ms. Rivera was employed as a college admissions counselor at Shaw University in Raleigh. She has served as a Language Arts teacher for Wake County Public Schools and TV news producer/writer at two NBC TV stations. She is also the founder/executive director/TV host of Beyond Gifted, Inc., a non-profit organization which produces the "Beyond Gifted" television program to assist K-12 students in developing post-secondary plans to reach school and life success. She received dual B.A. degrees in communications and English from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.