Caribbean medical schools have long been the butt of jokes but their graduates are the ones having the last laugh. There are thousands of licensed physicians from Caribbean schools practicing all across the country. Over 25% of all doctors in the US are from international schools. Do you know where your primary care physician went to medical school? This is the field where Caribbean graduates are expected to dominate with a large percentage of graduates training in Internal and Family Medicine. They are expected to fill a nationwide shortage that is currently occupied by Physicians Assistants and Nurse Practitioners.

Picture this. A 17 year old high school graduate enrolls in a pre-medical program at a Caribbean university. Schools will automatically accept students to their medical programs as long as they maintain a certain GPA in the pre-program. This means there is no need to take the MCAT so you can save yourself the headaches from preparing for that. The program is completed in 2 years and the student enrolls in the first year of the medical degree program at 19 years old.

Numerous Caribbean schools offer an accelerated curriculum that divide the year into trimesters. Students attend school year round and are able to complete their M.D. in less than 36 months. Not to mention you only spend 18 months studying on the island. The clinical years are spent training alongside American medical student at hospitals in the US. St. George’s medical school has hospital affiliations that match any US school. Our fictional student graduates with his Doctorate in Medicine at the ripe age of 22 (going on 23).

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The Administrative Assistant position is one that can serve as a catalyst to advanced positions, such as Executive Administrative Assistant, which requires years of experience, training, and often a degree. Some Administrative Assistants begin their careers with goals to climb the corporate ladder and become managers or even executives themselves. The advantage of working in an administrative role is the exposure you have to some of the sharpest minds in business.

With some focused research, the Administrative Assistant can determine what types of opportunities are available before accepting any position. Learn about the companies you are interested in to get an idea of what they stand for. Investigate the companies’ core values, principles, and priorities as you research prospective jobs. Your objective is to determine what companies are in alignment with your professional goals so you can decide if you want to invest your time.

Once you have applied for a position, take some time to do research on the manager you would be working for. This person will serve as a teacher and mentor to you, so you will want to gain knowledge of his or her professional history with the company. Search for professional accomplishments, noteworthy ties to the community, and any charitable affiliations. An all-inclusive profile will provide you with invaluable information on what you are more than likely to learn while under the supervisor’s wing.

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It’s sad but it’s true. The cost of a college degree is becoming increasingly unreachable, and annual cost for a degree from a public university is approaching $20,000, and private universities cost nearly $30,000 a year. Those who pursue that degree often graduate with a mountain of debt and no job prospects.

It’s true that on average a college graduate earns more, but it’s also true that the nature of computer programming has shifted since the days of cardboard punch cards. Development platforms, object-oriented programming, and formal methodologies have eliminated much of the complexity, and created an environment in which the wheel need not be re-invented for every application. While promoters of college educations hold out big promises – pumping up minds with fantastic visions of a Gatesperian rise toward fame and riches – the fact is that today, proficiency at programming, particularly in the C# environment, does not require a Baccalaureate degree. The good news is that anyone willing to work hard and learn with an open mind can absorb the material and build a good, solid career as a software systems programmer, with no degree required.

Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone…
C# is the powerful, multi-paradigm programming language for Microsoft’s.Net platform, and being able to use it skillfully will open doors of opportunity. A C# course can certainly be taken at a university, but the real key to legitimate programming opportunity lies in C# proficiency (which can be achieved with a few months of dedicated study and practice), as opposed to degree status.

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