Doctors, also called physicians, have an effect on everyone’s life. They treat people when they are sick or hurt. They give advice to patients to help keep them from getting sick. They bandage knees, prescribe medicine, sew up cuts, and operate on bones. They bring new babies into the world and comfort older people who are sick or dying. People often know at a young age that they want to become doctors. Perhaps they are naturally good at math and science. How doctors spend their time depends on what type of physician they are and where they work. Some doctors work in hospitals, some work in offices, and some work in laboratories.
In the children’s room of a city library, a woman gathers toddlers and their parents together for story time. At a law school, a man teaches students how to find information they need for their classes. In an office downtown, a man working for a large corporation searches the Internet for news about a rival company. In a special museum vault, a woman carefully mends a rare book printed three hundred years ago. What do these people have in common? They are all librarians. Librarians perform a wide range of tasks, both in public view and behind the scenes. A librarian in a large library might work in only one department. For example, he or she might focus on organizing magazines or answering reference questions.
Anyone who makes and performs music is considered a musician. Some play instruments, others sing, and many do both. Most musicians realize the importance of talent. Some talent, such as a beautiful singing voice or the ability to play instruments, may come naturally. However, it takes many years of work to develop talent to a professional level. Young people who dream about becoming professional musicians may think only about the magic of being on stage. However, a musician’s career is about more than just performing. It also involves a tremendous amount of work.
Teachers help children learn about the countries of the world and the stars in the sky, famous people from the past and predictions for the future. They teach math, science, and history, and they help children learn why this information matters in their lives. Teachers must enjoy being surrounded by young people. They must genuinely care about their students, and have the desire and willingness to help them learn. They must be enthusiastic about teaching, so they can lead and inspire. They must be understanding, and perhaps most important of all, must be patient.
Veterinarians are doctors whose patients are pets and wildlife. They perform many different services and may treat their patients at animal clinics, zoos, aquariums, or farms. In North America there are nearly seventy thousand practicing veterinarians. Many veterinarians say they decided what career to pursue at a very young age. In most cases, it was because they loved animals. Depending on their specialties, veterinarians’ jobs often differ from day to day.
Many people think of themselves as writers because they often spend time writing for fun. They may write poetry and short stories or articles for a school newspaper. The paths writers follow in their careers vary based on what type of writing they do. Most of them attend college and earn a four-year degree. Depending on their writing specialty, writers’ jobs are often very different.
Computers have changed the way people live their lives. Nowadays, people use computers for everything from paying bills to finding library books, from chatting with friends to shopping. Many people use computers so often that they could not imagine life without them. Computer programmers work in big companies and small companies all over the United States and throughout the world.
Job descriptions and careers, good career and job opportunities, career choices and profiles, and career search.
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