Technology medicine: as many as 425,000 high-tech jobs may go unfilled in coming years

Careers and Colleges, Jan-Feb, 2003

REWARDS: Thompson enjoys the variety of his job, because there are "different things to do every day." Systems analysts solve technical glitches and help their organization get the most from its computer resources. Sometimes evening or weekend work may be required to solve certain problems. Attracted to the Army for the opportunity to do something he loved and pay off college loans (the Army will pay off either one-third of the debt or $1,500 for each year of service), Thompson calls it "one of the best moves I ever made."

CHALLENGES: Military security demands up to twice the amount of encryption used on civilian computers: "Right now, Internet security [needs to be] high. If we let down our security, communications can be cut off. We are running checks and tests on the network for weak entry points or possible backdoors. We keep everything as secure as possible," he says.

MORE INFO: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, www.computer.org; U.S. Army, www.goarmy.com

Jami Dittus

PHARMACIST

Nadina Powell

AGE: 28

LOCATION: Franklin Lakes, NJ

JOB: Pharmacist/Pharmacy Practice Resident, Merck-Medco

EDUCATION: Powell earned a bachelor's degree in environmental chemistry from the University of California, San Diego, a master's degree in chemistry from California State University in Los Angeles, and a doctorate of pharmacy from Howard University in Washington, DC. Pharmacists must get a degree from a college of pharmacy, do an internship, and pass a state licensing exam.

SALARY: Pharmacy residents earn about $30,000, according to Powell. Drug store and staff pharmacists earn about $63,400.

ON THE JOB: While many pharmacists work in drug stores, some work in hospital, clinical, or managed care settings. As a pharmacy practice resident for Merck-Medco, which provides prescription drug benefits to 65 million people, Powell does more than just dispense pills. Like a medical resident, she rotates to different sections of the benefits management division to learn all aspects of the job. A typical day might include reviewing a formulary (a list of medications covered under a pharmacy benefit), researching questions about prescriptions, and counseling patients by phone. Powell is part of a team of pharmacists that contacts patients with multiple sclerosis to counsel them on the proper use and side effects of their medications.

STARTING OUT: As a chemistry graduate student, Powell worked in a pharmacy and became intrigued by the career and its emphasis on anatomy, microbiology, and physiology.

REWARDS: Powell helps make recommendations to Merck-Medco pharmacists nationwide. "In managed care, every program I help to develop impacts millions of lives."

CHALLENGES: "[My job] differs from a dispensing pharmacy environment because I have several projects to choose from. It's hard to pick one. I want to do it all!"

MORE INFO: The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, www.amcp.org; Merck-Medco careers. www.merck-medcooharmcareers.com

COMPUTER GAMES ANIMATOR

Courtnay Sander

Jamie Chu