Academic Argument Essay Example for Free

Academic Argument Essay High school students today are all excited about post-college life, which for most means going away to college to further their education. The question is, are they truly being provided the necessary tools needed to be successful at the college levels? Are teachers, counselors, parents and the government both state and federal doing enough to lead these young minds out into the world? We all know how expensive college is and that only a small amount will graduate college and go on to live the life the always dreamed, but without a college education the odds are far worse. So shouldn’t every student who has aspirations of going on to college be awarded a little more preparation? The bottom line is we being parents, teachers, counselors, and the government needs to have better programs available for high school students so that the transition, that is already hard enough, is a little easier; as Benjamin Franklin once said â€Å"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. † (www . goodreads . com) The National of State Legislature defines college prep programs as â€Å"programs aimed to increase college access, particularly for those students who are least likely to enroll. These programs take many forms and serve a variety of students. Some start as early as elementary school, others in the senior year of high school. Some college preparatory programs focus on increasing academic readiness, while others specialize in college admissions or financial aid. Some involve families and mentors, and others incorporate service learning or recreational activities. †(www . ncsl . org/issues-research) What I want to know is where are these programs being used and what are they? In 2007 the NY Times published an article stating that only a  quarter of high school students who take a full set of â€Å"college prep† courses which include four years of English and three each of mathematics, science and social studies are well prepared for college according to a study by the ACT, and the Iowa testing organization. The study examined about 1. 2 million students who took the ACT, which is one of the country’s major college admissions tests, along with the SAT, and graduated from high school June of 2008. The study projected whether students had a good chance of scoring a C or better in introductory college  courses based on their test scores and the success rates of past students who had taken it previously. It showed that only 26 percent of those who took the core curriculum were ready for college level work in all four of the â€Å"college prep† core areas. Another 19 percent were not satisfactorily prepared in any of them. â€Å"While taking the right number of courses is certainly better than not, it is no longer enough,† the report said. †(www . nytimes . com) This quote really hits the nail on the head; just like how today’s Bachelor’s Degree is the equivalent of the high school diploma 20 years ago. This is an important issue in our society today, we want our young people to go to college to better their education but we can’t help them along the way. So how did it get to be so bad well in April 1983 the Secretary of Education and United States Department of Education saw that America ranked in the bottom half of education in the world so Ronald Regan declared â€Å"Nation At Risk† which kick-started decades of tough talk about public schools and reforms that culminated in 2002s No Child Left Behind, the Bush administration law that pushes schools to improve students basic skills or face ever-tougher sanctions. Jay Summer, an original teacher on the 1983 panel says â€Å"A true Cold War document, it famously stated: If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to ourselves. (usatoday30 . usatoday . com/ â€Å"In 1999, Clifford Adelman, then a researcher at the federal Education Department, found that the strength of high school work was the most important factor in determining college success, more than the socioeconomic status of a student’s family. The new report, which cites Mr. Adelman’s research, makes the case that many high school courses are not providing the necessary quality that he described. † (www . nytimes . com) According to the National Center for Educational Statistics and a study done by the Harvard Graduate School, of the students who graduated college in 2011, only 56 percent graduated with four year degrees but took them six years. Also of those students in the same class 78 percent failed to receive a diploma at all. This study also showed the reasons for dropping out; which student claimed, â€Å"not being prepared for the rigors  of academic work; inability to cope with the competing demands of study, family and jobs; and cost† (www . reuters . com/article/2012) What we see here is that there have been attempts to make things better but they have slowly helped create the mess we have today. I have three points that will hopefully show how we can better this situation we are currently in. My first claim is that if we continue to ignore the fact that students today aren’t prepared for the struggles that await them at college then the dropout rate will continue to rise and effect the country as a whole. If students aren’t prepared for college then they either don’t go or most likely drop out. This affects the economy because if you have thousands of students not getting the proper education which leads to no jobs or low paying jobs, then the country can suffer. This leads to less students getting out into the work force or having very low paying jobs in which they can’t afford their monthly loan payments or other basic needs. With the economy being the way it is we can’t afford to let this happen. My second claim is that statistics show students who take extra or AP level courses perform better in college. In my high school there were luckily many extra courses available to help prepare us for college. I took College level English throughout my four years of high school. When I got to college and took the required English 101 course it was almost a mirror image as what I had previously taken. I was one of the few students who knew what MLA format was and how to use it in a paper. My school also offered AP Government, Calculus, English, Music Theory, which I also took, and Physics. I’m now in my third year of college and doing really well for myself. This just goes to show what  students can achieve with a little more preparation. Students put more pressure on themselves than ever before trying to achieve their goals. It’s up to us to take some of the pressure off them and give them a push in the right direction with more groundwork. My last claim is that students who finish college will have a better future for themselves and a family. Even with student loan debt at a high point these days with an education more financial opportunities are made available to students to deal with the burden of student loan debt. A degree from a technical institute is still better than a high school diploma. My cousin was a college dropout with two kids and no father to help support them. She worked two and three jobs sometimes just to keep her family afloat. One day she decided to take night classes at the local community college. Three years later she has an Associate’s degree in business and is making $20,000 more a year working only one job as opposed to three. She is more financially stable now and not so stressed all the time. Students may think that a high school diploma is enough but the sad truth is you can get the same jobs with a high school diploma that they are giving to 15 year olds at McDonalds. So what I’m trying to say is that if we don’t act now more students will continue to go down a road not knowing that they could have had more help. Education is the key to a better life for you and for a possible family which means better jobs and financial status, which today a lot of Americans lack. Of course some argue that a degree is the wrong path â€Å"Michael Nelson, 22, of Fayetteville, Georgia, retired from nearby LaGrange College during his freshman year. â€Å"I knew it wasnt going to take me where I wanted to go, he says. Now a gold and precious metals dealer, he made $85,000 in 2011. A lot of my friends are coming out of school with $50,000 in debt, Nelson says. They dont know how theyre going to survive because they dont have a job. † (www . reuters . com/article/2012) For some select few this is the case. But this is a rare case of someone who just happens to have a job fall in their lap. It is true that many high school graduates that never attended college or dropped out are doing just fine. Coal miners can make upwards of 100k and I’ve never met a coal miner who attended college. On the other hand I’ve never met a CEO or brain sergeant with high school diplomas. Statistics show that the average college graduate will make $19,550 more a year than someone with a high school diploma according to the U. S. Census Bureau. Also college students need to understand that the economy will not be this bad forever. If we can recover from the Great Depression then we can certainly find a way to fix this financial crisis. Today it’s tough for all people, including college graduates, to find a job and make a decent living. Many students believe that their best option would be to take a semester or two off from college for only a brief period of time and enter the workforce or  the military. The military’s financial benefits are very pleasing to young adults when they consider loan forgiveness programs and tuition compensation. The appeals of the military look great to college students that still believe that nothing bad can happen to them, but the reality of the dangers that young people face while serving abroad are very costly as most of us hear about on the news every week. Another reason kids shouldn’t chase the American dream of a college diploma is that they realize they don’t want the headache of the debt that most every college grad deals with. They know they can’t declare bankruptcy off of student loan debt so what other option do they have? Yet for some students, dropping out with loans can be worse than dealing with the debt. â€Å"Many college dropouts will face career barriers due to the lack of a degree, experts say. Current unemployment statistics show that those without a college degree are twice as likely to be unemployed as those with a bachelors degree. One way students and families can tilt the equation in their favor is to simply spend less, experts say. † If students are more reasonable and selective about where theyre going to get that degree, college costs are more  manageable, says Eleanor Blayney with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. At the very least they can do the first two years at a community college and then transfer. † (www . reuters . com/article/2012) So what we can see is that college is definitely the better route to take if you want a stable future. In conclusion there needs to be more or better programs for students who wish to attend college and succeed in life. You have seen the attempts made by the government to make it easier for students to learn and become better prepared for college, but the recent studies shows a  negative effect on the youths of today and possibly the youths of tomorrow. You have also seen a couple of reasons why I believe better programs will increase students’ academic levels in college; plus opposing arguments from those who think college is a waste of time and money and will only leave you in pile of debt. This in fact is far from the truth and leads me to believe that only people without a proper education could make such an accusation. Finally I hope that soon everyone who has the power to get involved in helping the future leaders of America will step up to the plate and take responsibility for the welfare of these young minds. The sad part is that the ones this affects the most, being high school students, have little to no say in the matter. The Obama administration has shown they have a huge interest in education with cutting student loan debt and making school lunches healthier. I can only hope this very important topic is next on their next to do list. Every student deserves a fair chance to achieve and it’s about time they get some. Franklin, Benjamin. â€Å"goodreads. † http://www . goodreads . com/quotes/tag/preparation.  © 2012 Goodreads Inc. â€Å"College Preparatory Programs. † http://www . ncsl . org/issues-research/educ/college-preparatory- programs-types-of-programs . aspx.  ©2012 National Conference of State Legislatures Arenson, Karen W. â€Å"Study Finds College-Prep Courses in High School Leave Many Students Lagging. † http://www . nytimes . com/2007/05/16/education/16report . html? _r=0. May 16, 2007 Plitt, Todd. â€Å"Nation at Risk: The best thing or the worst thing for education? † http://usatoday30 . usatoday . com/news/education/2008-04-22-nation-at-risk_N . htm. Copyright 2011 USA TODAY The National Commission on Excellence in Education. â€Å"A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform†http://datacenter . spps .org/uploads/SOTW_A_Nation_at_Risk_1983 . pdf. April, 1983 Carlozo, Lou. â€Å"Why college students stop short of a degree. † http://www . reuters . com/article/2012/03/27/us-attn-andrea-education-dropouts- idUSBRE82Q0Y120120327. Tue Mar 27, 2012 â€Å"College Students Should Stay in School. † http://bestessayhelp . com/examples/education/college-students-should-stay-in-school- %E2%80%93-essay-sample.  © 2010 2012 Global Writers Limited â€Å"Summer at Georgetown†. http://scs . georgetown . edu/programs/107/summer-programs-for-high- school-students-college-preparatory-program.  © 2012 Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies.

Literature Review of biopsychosocial model of back pain

Literature Review of biopsychosocial model of back pain The bio psychosocial model is now widely accepted for the diagnosis and the management of multifaceted nature of pain. The bio psychosocial model of pain presents an integrated view of biological, psychological and socio cultural factors, which could occur in pain (Jull and Sterling 2009). Seventy-five percentages of individuals in the western world during their lifetime affected with acute or chronic low back pain, which leads to major cause of disability (Kirk et al.2005). Low back pain must be considered as a bio-psycho-social syndrome that consequently requires a multidisciplinary bio-psycho-social treatment approach. (Negrini et al .2008, p.55). The result of a dynamic interaction between psychological, social and patho- physiological factors of chronic pain makes difficulty for the individual patient to determine the pre-eminent factor in his experience of chronic pain, which emphases the importance of bio-psycho-social treatment approach (Kirk et al. 2005). European guidelines also recommend the bio-psycho-social treatment approach for the treatment of chronic low back pain (Balague et al .2007). 1.1 Rationale behind investigating this topic. In clinical area of practice, low back pain is a common health problem for both healthcare professionals and patients, which reflect the thought to find out the role of bio psychosocial perspective in assessment, diagnosis and treatment of chronic low back pain. This would lead us to better understanding of low back pain and pain in general. The aim of this assignment is to critically evaluate the available evidence regarding biopsychosocial model in relation to chronic low back pain. It will also reflect on clinical practice, taking into account the principles of evidence based practice. 2.0Literature review A literature search was carried out using the Science direct, Pub Med, Medline, Ovid, Cochrane and Google Scholar was undertaken for relevant studies in the last 5years and then extended into 10 years .the initial search did not yield enough evidence for assignment aim. The keyword search included :bio psychosocial approach, chronic low back pain, psychosocial factors, mood disorders and combination of key word also used. The search was limited to studies published in English and conducted in human beings. The strength of evidence was established using the Sacketsc hierarchy of evidence (1997) (Please see appendix 1). Each of the papers were analysed for validity and rigour according to the framework given by (Rees 1997, cited in Taylor 2009). (Please see appendix 2). Case history to relate to bio psychosocial model into clinical practise. Mrs smith 35 year old mother of one child, a health professional has been suffering from chronic back pain since 2006 to2008, who feels so depressed as she has some family problems (son was sick with heart problem) and problems with her manager at work (never agreeing with shift adaptation to look after the child). She went to see her GP and complete medical assessment was negative, started on analgesics .The conflict existed, which lead her into severe depression. In 2009 she went see a psychotherapist. The manger agreed with her job flexibility to look after the child, by the time childs condition improved lead her to less frequent and less intense episodes of pain. Like many other patients the patient had never considered the possibility of psychological or social factors for two years, which could contribute to her chronic pain. Mrs smith she was told by psychotherapist that any biological reason together with psychosocial concerns can exacerbate the experience of pain and she realized the contributing psychosocial factors to her pain gradually. As she was a health care professional she started to use coping mechanism effectively with the help of psychotherapist, which helped her to control her stress with subsequent less intense episodes of pain. In the light of the above case, one of the reasons that her medical treatment had failed to respond is because of the underlying psychosocial factors have been left un-addressed. The health care professionals should understand and exploit the bio psychosocial approach to the management of chronic pain will provide effective treatment modality for patients. The bio psychosocial model relates to chronic low back pain: Evidence from studies A systematic review of randomised controlled trials conducted by George (2008) ,to evaluate the effectiveness bio psychosocial approach for the management of chronic back pain .The study also aimed to evaluate the role of individual physiotherapist in bio psychosocial approach for treating for chronic back pain The result of the review was supporting bio psychosocial approach .The sample studies were 9 randomised control studies, where individual physiotherapist has major role in intervention. George (2008,p.4) The result demonstrated significance p The NNT odds ratio reported also showed clinical significance for the result. Compared results of different studies established generalisability and consistency (lack of heterogeneity) of study findings. The included studies were experimental studies and systematic review of experimental studies where intervention provided by individual physiotherapist with minimal support from other health professionals. These studies were concentrated only to chronic back pain treated with psychosocial interventions in adults. The inclusion criteria for selected studies for the review was specific to question set for review, which contributed to get a reliable and accurate result from the review. The selected studies were scoring high to moderate quality on PEDro(physiotherapy evidence data base) appraisal tool, which can provide quality data to support the validity of the result. The interventions carried out in these studies differ from basic physical therapy treatment, which highlights importance of the capability of individual physiotherapist. The generalisability of these finding needs to consider as all care settings does not have trained physiotherapist who can provide interventions to achieve bio psychosocial approach in chronic back pain management. The search strategy identified 99 potential sample studies and the final sample was only 9 randomised control studies after filtration through the inclusion criteria. There is potential chance of bias through objectivity as because there is chance for choice of articles to support the authors viewpoint. . The review gives the strong evidence for the bio psychosocial approach for the management of chronic back pain. The similarity or homogeneity of studies involve d in this review broadening the applicability of bio psychosocial approach by an individual physiotherapist who has appropriate knowledge and capability to carry out the interventions The study reported that individual physiotherapist who manages the bio psychosocial approach for the treatment of chronic back pain is effective as multidisciplinary management of chronic back pain .As it sounds cost effective and may more feasible for patient because of one to one interaction further research must be essential the to promote individual physiotherapy approach. .Waxman et al. (2008) conducted an observational study to examine the impact of psychosocial factors in chronic back pain patients and their relationship satisfaction. The observed sample included was24 men and 30women(N=54) with chronic low back pain who were married or cohabitating and were recruited through chronic pain clinic. The finding from the study reported that depression and negative partner response have significant impact on relationship satisfaction among chronic back pain patients. Table:2 Standardized regression (Path) Coefficients of mediational models with psychosocial variables as mediators of pain and relationship for total sample (Waxman et al. 2008,p.438) The total effect of pain on relationship satisfaction was significant,B=-.32p The association between pain and depression was significant=.63p Indirect effect of pain on relationship satisfaction through depression was significant =-.21,p The relation between pain and negative responses was significant=.38,p The indirect effect of pain on relationship satisfaction through negative response was significant indirect effect =-.20p From this significant evidence reveals that negative response by partner is also a mediator of pain and relationship satisfaction The study reported significant evidence to reveal the relation between various components in bio psychosocial model which include pain(bio),relationship satisfaction(social) depression(psycho) perceived negative response(psychosocial) . (SeeApeedix:5) Reflecting the study back to the case of Mrs smith Its not clear about her partners involvement in her treatment, but she was showing signs and symptoms of depression which might contributed to the chronic nature of pain. The study result underscores the importance of partner involvement in patients pain assessment and treatment the study. In clinical practise there is a need to promote education programme for partners of patients with chronic back pain as part of treatment plan to achieve bio psychosocial approach. When reflecting this finding to clinical practise which explain the reason why the widow or patients who lives alone are more vulnerable candidates for the chronic nature of the pain. These finding consistent with previous following study results .Future research need to consider to compare self reported data from both patients and partners to know the response and behaviours that related to pain. The ethical consideration was done on study as the study was approved by the local IRB, and written consent was obtain from patients as a proof or willingness also promotes the strength of the study. The reliable tools used for data collection was rigor to the study. The recruitment method for sample selection was based on self selection which can contribute to selection bias, which can affect the rigor of the study. The patients who has greater pain and psychological symptoms may not take initiative to participate in the study. The results in this study were based on self-reported outcomes from the questionnaires that were sent to the patients, which makes the data subjective and are most likely to be true and contribute to the rigor of the study, can promote the rigor of the study. The study also reported that the approximate time for completion of questionnaires was 45 minutes. The reliability of data can affect because of length of time especially these patient who are with pain and psychological symptoms. The study is ranked as class 3c on the hierarchy of evidence considering the design and methods employed in the study. The evidence reaffirms the bio psychosocial model for assessment and treatment of chronic back pain. Tang et al. (2008) conducted an experimental study to examine effects of mood on pain responses and pain tolerance in chronic back pain patients. The recruited sample was 55 patients suffering from chronic back pain aged between18-65.The patients were randomly allocated into three groups ,depressed group:18,neutral group19 elated group:18.The the participants were asked to perform a baseline task (reading magazine) to establish a baseline for mood and pain ratings. An artificial mood was induced to participants (musical mood induction)and followed by pain provoking task(holding a heavy bag) to assess the pain rating and tolerance. The study result proved that the participants with depressive mood showed high pain ratings and lower pain tolerance at rest, but happy mood induction resulted in lower pain ratings and higher pain tolerance. The table:3 shows that depressive mood positively correlated with increase in pain ratings(Tang et al. 2008,p.399) The participants were manipulated to examine the effect of artificially induced mood on artificially induced pain which may affects the reliability result when it apply into real mood and pain of chronic back pain patients. Even though researcher adapted a pre-determined mood change criteria to judge the effectiveness of mood on the participants during the study. This can contributed to rigour to study and it can promotes the reliability of the result. The sample population was aged between 18-65,tolerence of induced mood and pain may not be same between these age groups .The difference in sex also can affect the mood and pain tolerance. The Researcher failed to mention about the method of randomisation to overcome confounding factors. Blinding not performed and can affects the performance bias The study design was experimental designwhich comes under level 1a in hierarchy. This study also proved that music therapy is effective to improve pain and pain tolerance in chronic back pain patients. It agrees with (Guetin 2005),music therapy is a effective complementary treatment in chronic back pain associated anxiety-depression and behavioural consequences. Future research needs to consider for evaluating the effectiveness music therapy as part of multidisciplinary rehabilitation. Bio psychosocial approach for assessment helps to identify the matching treatment for patients based on their characteristics and refine the focus of treatments and achieve effective outcome. Even though there are weaknesses for this study it proved that mood can influence the pain. The result is consistent with Waxman et al.(2008 ) discussed in previous study. These studies highlights the importance of cognitive behavioural therapy in bio psychosocial rehabilitation for chronic back pain patients NICE(2009). Mitchell et al. (2009) conducted a cross sectional study to evaluate the role of personal bio psychosocial factors on low back pain, in nursing students. The results proved that modifiable life style, psychological, physical factors were relates to low back pain in nursing students. One hundred and seventy undergraduate nursing students from two university nursing schools of western Australia were enrolled for this study. The study compared three groups of students (no LBP group, mild LBP group significant LBP group) and reported that students with significant low back pain were more physically active compared to no low back pain group group. The DASS total score and stress subscale score were higher in significant low back pain group compared to NO LBP group .The study also reported that social measures did not influence their pain intensity. The study result mentioned that the social measures including household income and smoking did not affect the significant low back pain patients. This cannot be generalized into general population types, as it conducted on healthy university sample may not be much influenced by social factors. There are contrasting findings which mention the relation between low back pain and social measures(Shiri et al.2009) Study gives the evidence for sufficient statistical power and ethical consideration. The researcher used triangulation in data collection, which overcome the limitations of a single method of collecting data and hence increased the validity of the results. The results of this study were based on self-reported (questionnaire) outcomes that were collected from patients. It can contribute to validity of the results, because they are more subjective and most likely true. The inclusion criteria on sample selection was appropriate to focus bio psychosocial approach in chronic back pain patients, as the criteria excluded patients with inflammatory disorders ,neurological or metastasis disease, pregnancy or less than 6 months postpartum. The study was conducted as cross sectional study which classified in to class 3c on level of evidence.,and researcher failed to include other factors like fear avoidance and genetic factors. This study was carried out in the Australia and their socio cultural factors and life style may differ from United Kingdom , decreasing the accuracy of reproducing these results to UK practice.Even though study result is consistent with other studies conduced in united kingdom . In the area of practice physical and psychosocial factors has important role on experiencing low back pain among healthcare professionals and potential candidates, which reflects the necessity of education related to stress management such as relaxation techniques and meditation and mandatory manual handling training. Job stress and fear related to pain are mediators to inability to return to work Gheldof et al.(2005) The high prevalence rate of low back pain highlights the importance of targeting prevention interventions among healthcare professionals and patients. The case study of patient discussed has not had much benefit from the conventional treatment pattern and showed clear evidence of personnel and psychological factors that can contribute to pain. The understanding of bio psychosocial factors helps to find out cause diagnosis treatment and prevention of chronic back pain Suprina (2003) conducted a case study to discuss the efficacy of bio psychosocial model. The sample for this study was a 32-year-old woman who suffers from chronic back pain for almost ten years and study reported that bio psychosocial model helps the women for successful reduction of symptoms. This study also proves that single practitioner can plan bio psychosocial model for the treatment of chronic back pain. The researcher reports that the treatment can be more effective when implementing one person integration model than multidisciplinary approach as it has easy access to patient also saves money and time. This study classified under level 3d as this is a study of only one individual. There is chance of performance bias as the subject blinding done in this study . Even though it is individual case study it agrees with widely accepted bio psychosocial model. The study reveals that all health professional should consider individual patient as one with complex behaviours and emotions and not just organism with physiological changes .The researcher who conducted this st udy in United states is supporting the one-person integration model, practicability of this one- person integration model in United kingdoms clinical practise is questionable because the way of clinical practise may vary in different countries. The current trouble within heath care system in European countries is relegate mainly to biomedical perspective and not considering psychosocial aspects because of time constrict and inadequate training. Mauksch (2005) compared the current state of bio psychosocial approach to a dormant seed, which is sitting on the shelf, which need to be watered with bio psychosocial education by health care professionals and placed in an environment fertile with bio psychosocial practise. The knowledge about bio psychosocial approach helps healthcare professionals for better assessment and treatment of patients, which also agrees with case study discussed. Currie and Wang (2004) examined prevalence and correlation between major depression and chronic back pain. The data collected from 118,533 household residents from Canadian community health survey .The study result showed that low back pain is significant factor as a predictor for major depression (Fig:1). Individuals with severe pain intensity represented highest risk of major depression(odds ratio,1.61;95%confidence interval L:1.34-1.97;p Fig1:Prevalence of major depression(MD)in persons with chronic back pain stratified by pain severity . Currie and Wang (2004,p.55) The study also proved that individuals with chronic back pain and major depression were younger and they were more likely to be single and younger. The personal factors play an important role for contribution to low back pain which agrees with Mitchell et al. (2009). The episode of depression were measured by WHOS fully structured diagnostic interview, Composite International Diagnostic Interview -Short Form for depression. Which produce internal validity to the study.(scott et.al.(2000), The study mentioned that this is the largest sample size(118,533 residents)ever used in population -based study of chronic pain and depression. This sample size from national population health survey gives power to the study and promotes the reliability and generalisability of the results. The sample included in the study was aged from 12 years .As age, gender and cultural factors have an influence on level of perceived pain and influence of depression,these are important factors to consider to avoid selection bias and to make the study rigorous. The researcher used multi staged stratified random sampling procedure in the study would have added rigor to the study. The population for this study was from Canadian community health survey. As we discussed cultural factors and personal factors has influence in experiencing pain and depression in individual, reflection of the results into United Kingdom population may be not accurate. Even though study result is consistent with other studies conduced in United Kingdom The study was conducted as cross sectional study which classified in to class 3c on level of evidence Mrs smith case report also illustrates signs and symptoms of depression, which could contribute to her chronic back pain. She was lacking multidisciplinary  Ã‚   bio psychosocial rehabilitation in her treatment. Multidisciplinary  Ã‚   bio psychosocial rehabilitation with functional restoration reduces pain and improves function in patients with chronic low back pain(Lang et al.2003,P.270), (Demoulin et al.2010). Woby et al.(2007)aimed a study to determine the relation between cognitive factors and level of pain and disability in chronic back pain and reports that pain intensity and disability strongly related to cognitive factors . The sample selected for the study was 183 C L B P(chronic low back pain) patients with onset of back pain>3 months who had been referred to an physiotherapy rehabilitation programme which underpinned by cognitive-behavioural principles and revealed that higher levels of functional self -efficacy (b=0.40;p The researcher used triangulation in data collection, which overcome the limitations of a single method of collecting data and hence increased the validity of the results. As all data collected by self reported measures the validity of data can be affected by social desirability .The selection bias in sample selection needs to be considered because patients selected for study was from rehabilitation programme, who had been referred to cognitive behavioural based intervention. It indicates that sample may be already affected with psychosocial factors, which can affect the validity of the result. The results suggest that psychosocial factors should consider as integral facet for treatments for chronic low back pain. The cause of chronic pain in case Mrs smith should have been identified by the team involved in her care than trying to alleviate her suffering through the conventional treatment like pain killers.  The pathway in fig:2 explaining Mrs smith painful experience, disability and its recovery, which also agrees with the Woby et al.(2007)study results. Mauksch (2005) reported that average visiting length between physician and patient is highly stressed for 15 minutes in primary care system in European countries, which may possibly happened with Mrs smith case, which emphasis the need of the adequate structured training to all healthcare professionals to practise bio psychosocial model with in limited time. Fig2: Revised fear-avoidance model incorporating the mediational role of functional self-efficacy (Woby et al.2007,p.716). The health care professionals should understand that the psychosocial factors are very important prognostic factors in the prediction of chronic pain and disability. 2.3 Bio psychosocial model can promote patient satisfaction -evidence from study Margalit et al.(2004) conducted a experimental study to find out the effect of bio psychosocial approach for patient satisfaction in their care. The study confirms that bio psychosocial model approach can reduce the heath care expenditures and can promote patients satisfaction.( Table:2,appendix:6). The study sample was 44 general practitioners randomly selected from 523 practitioners who works with North Israel district. Again researcher used randomisation to allocate teaching methods, which gives rigour to the study. In this study he compared pre teaching effect and post teaching effect of two teaching interventions with two groups of general practitioners. The first method (didactic) consisted with reading assignments and lectures. The second method consist (interactive) consisted with role-play and group discussions. The result reported that the interactive teaching method elicited higher patient satisfaction. Finestone et al. (2008) included a set of suggestion for physician to introduce bio psychosocial model in his study. Fig:4(Appendix:3). There are limitations to this study. The method of randomisation is not mentioned on this study. The researcher highlighted the reasons for dropouts of patients from study but not mentioned anything about intention to treat analysis. Even though recruited sample were consented, the researcher did not request approval from institutional review board. There is chance of bias through hawthrown effect because subjects known that they are video taping for the study. It is worth mentioning that the study is conducted in Israel and application of the results to UK clinical practise needs to consider as their teaching method may differ. This study highlights the importance of interactive assessment to achieve bio psychosocial model treatment. Future researches are needed to support this study result and apply to UK clinical practise. 3.0 Conclusion: The systematic review conducted by George (2008) reported after that bio psychosocial approach for assessment and treatment of chronic back pain can make the successful reduction of symptoms . This study result also agrees with Suprina (2003) and Margalit et al.(2004) which reported that the approach can reduce the health care expenditures and can promote patients satisfaction .these studied also proved that single trained practitioner can achieve bio psychosocial model for the assessment and treatment of chronic back pain. Tang et al. (2008) , Currie and Wang (2004) and Waxman et al .(2008)also reported the same fact which explains the relation between depression and pain intensity. Depression can significantly leads to higher pain ratings and higher pain ratings can also leads to severe depression. The studies also proved that psychosocial factors like fear avoidance behaviour, stress ,negative responses by a partner and cognitive factors are contributing to chronic back pain. The cross sectional study conducted by Mitchell et al.(2008) reported that modifiable personal factors like lifestyle,physical sctvity can contribute to low back pain. After extrapolating the results and considering the nature of the studies, the findings suggest that bio psychosocial factors have important contribution to low back pain. One of these factors could trigger the other and vice versa. In practice, it is difficult, rather impossible, to dissociate one factor from the other, which emphases the importance of bio-psycho-social treatment approach. References . . . Balaguà ©, F., Mannion, A., Pellisà © , F. and Cedraschi, C. 2007 Clinical update: low back pain. The Lancet, 369(9563), pp.726-728. Breen, A., Austin, H., Campion-Smith, C., Carr, E. and Mann, E. 2007 You feel so hopeless: A qualitative study of GP management of acute back pain. European Journal of Pain, 11(1), pp.21-29. Currie, S. and Wrang, J. (2004) Chronic back pain and major depression in the general Canadian population. Pain, 107(1), pp.54-60. Demoulin, C., Grosdent, S., Capron, L., Tomasella, M., Somville, P., Crielaard, J. M. and Vanderthommen, M. (2010) Effectiveness of a semi-intensive multidisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation program in chronic low back pain. Joint Bone Spine, 77(1), pp.58-63 Egwu, M. and Nwuga, V. (2008) Relationship between low back pain and life-stressing events among Nigerian and Caucasian patients. Physiotherapy, 94(2), pp.678-688. Finestone, H., Alfeeli , A. and Fisher, W. (2008) Stress-induceed physiologic changes as a basis for the Bio psychosocial model of chronic musculokeletal pain. Clinical Journal of pain, 24(9), pp.767-775. Guà ©tin, S., Portet , F., Picot , M. C., Pommià ©, C., Messaoudi, M., Djabelkir, L., Olsen , A. L., Cano , M. M., Lecourt, E. and Touchon, J. (2009) Effect of music therapy among hospitalized patients with chronic low back pain: a controlled, randomized trial. Ann Phys Rehabil Med, 53(1), pp.3-14. Gheldof, E., Vinck, J., Vlaeyen, J., Hidding, A. and Crombez, G. (2005) The differential role of pain, work characteristics and pain-related fear in explaining back pain and sick leave in occupational settings. Pain, 113(1,2), pp.71-81. Johnston , V., Jimmieson , N., Jull, G. and Souvlis, Tina . (2009) Contribution of individual, workplace, psychosocial ;and physiological factors to neck pain in female office workers. European Journal of Pain, 13(9), pp.985-991. Jull, G. and Sterling, M. (2009) Bring back biopsychosocial model for neck pain disorders. Manual therapy, 14(2), pp.117-118. Kirka, L., Underwoodb, M., Chappellc, L., Martins-Mendezd, M. and Thomas , P. (2005) The effect of osteopathy in the treatment of chronic low back pain-a feasibility study. International journal of osteopathic medicine, 8(1), pp.5-11. Lang, E., Liebig, K., Kastner, S., Neundà ¶rfer, B., Heuschmann, P. and (2003) Multidisciplinary rehabilitation versus usual care for chronic low back pain in the community: effects on quality of life. The Spine Journal, 3(4), pp.270-276. Margalit, A. P. A., Glick, S. M., Benbassat, Jochanan and Cohen, A. (2004) Effect of a bio psychosocial approach on patient satisfaction and patterns of care. Journal of general internal medicine, 19(5), pp.485-491. Mauksch.Larry (2005) But first,training in biopsychosocial care :A Commentary on The Bio psychosocial Model Is Shrink Wrapped ,on the Shelf, Ready to be used ,but waiting for a new process of care. Families Systems, Health, 23(4), pp.448-449. Mitchell, T., Osullivan, P., Smith, A., Burnett, A., Straker, L., Thornton, J. and Rudd, C. (2009) Bio psychosocial factors are associated with low back pain in female nursing students: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46(5), pp.678-688. Negrini, S., Fusco, C., Atanasio, S., Romano , M. and Zaina , F. (2008) Low back pain :State of art. European journal of pain supplements, 2(1), pp.52-56. NICE. (2009)

Understanding The Moral Viewpoint Philosophy Essay

Understanding The Moral Viewpoint Philosophy Essay What is the moral point of view, and why is it regarded as important? ¿Ã‚ ½ Defend or criticize the view that business people must operate from the moral point of view. The moral point of view as stated by Partridge, (2010) assumes that a morally mature individual possesses a cognitive capacity which just might be unique to our species: the capacity of each of us to recognize in others the personal qualities such as emotions, aspiration, values, and consciousness, that we immediately experience ourselves. Whereas Kurt Baier holds that one is taking the moral point of view if one is not being egoistic, one is doing things on principle, one is willing to universalize one principles, and in doing so one considers the good of everyone alike. (Gensler, Spurgin Swindal , 2004). Yet, Hume thought that the moral point of view was that of sympathy. (Gensler, Spurgin Swindal , 2004), When we take the moral point of view, we seek to adjudicate disputes rationally, we assume that other persons are neither more nor less important than ourselves, and we assume that our own claims will be considered alongside those of others in an impartial manner. These three components of the moral point of view are respectively concerned with rationality in the sense that it involves the application of reason rather than feeling or mere inclination, universalizability in the sense that the principles or propositions ascertained therefrom apply to all persons and to all relevantly similar circumstances, and impartiality in the sense that principles or propositions ascertained therefrom apply to persons irrespective of arbitrary considerations (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). Thus in a collective sense, the moral point of view may be understood as the point of view of every person and could be defined as approaching a problem from the perspective of its being morally right or wrong, or morally excellent. The Moral Point of View has two key features: a commitment or willingness to seek out and act on reasons in that the best action is the one supported by the best reasons and a commitment to impartiality, of regarding the interests of everyone as equally worthy of consideration. A commitment to these two key features is justified by the fact that we are rational and communal beings; acting this way, therefore, best fits with who and what we are. The application of the moral point of view within business is one that is needed. According to Beauchamp, Bowie, and Arnold, (2008), a business organization that is solely guided by economic considerations is an amoral or unethical organization. An organization that operates under the pretense that what and how they do business does not impact or affect others is destined for a short and rocky history. An organization must understand they not only impact or interact with suppliers, employees, other business, but also those not directly involved with their operations, but those second or third removed, with association through the suppliers, through the employees, and through other business and the community. When a business is amoral or unethical, they present themselves as less of a competitor and will find their profit margin shrink, as they do their customer base. References Beauchamp, T. L., Bowie, N. E., and Arnold, D. G. (2008). Ethical Theory and Business (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Gensler, H. J., Spurgin, E. W. and Swindal, J. (2004). Ethics: contemporary readings /. New York: Routledge Partridge, E., Ph.D (2010). Environmental Ethics and Public Policy [Website]. The Online Gadfly, Retrieved December 4, 2010, from www.igc.org/gadfly Question 2 Provide an exposition of the stockholder view of the corporation as defended by Milton Friedman. ¿Ã‚ ½ What would Friedman likely say about the NYSEG Corporate responsibility program? ¿Ã‚ ½ Provide an exposition of the stakeholder view of the corporation as defended by R. Edward Freeman. ¿Ã‚ ½ What would Freeman likely say about the NYSEG Corporate responsibility program? ¿Ã‚ ½ With whom do you agree more? Answer The traditional or classical Stockholder View, the one presented by Milton Friedman, is that the corporation seeks to maximize profits in the interest of increasing the wealth of its owners, the shareholders (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008) in the simplest of terms ?to make money.? Managers are morally and legally obligated to serve as agents of the stockholders, and advance their interests regardless of how those decisions might affect the other stakeholders. The only group that has a moral claim on the corporation is the people who own shares of the stock. Regarding Friedman?s view on NYSEG Corporate Responsibility Program, Friedman would tow the hard line. Based on his theory, he would say it was good business to cut off services to those that are unable to pay, since it did not violate a law or regulation, and it was within the organizations right to do so. Sitting at the other end of the spectrum is the Stakeholder View, essentially a balanced accountability approach, presented by R. Edward Freeman. The corporation is obligated to seek balance in striving to serve justly the particular demands of each of its stakeholder groups (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). The key is finding the correct balance of returns provided and contributions expected for each stakeholder group, including owners, management, employees, customers, suppliers, government, the community, and society as a whole. This involves trade-offs, while profit generation is one goal, this has to be balanced against other goals and sometimes profit may be sacrificed in order to help out other stakeholders. Managers are morally and legally obligated to serve as agents of all stakeholder groups, and try to advance all of these interests collectively, without favoring any one group. Many groups have a moral claim on the corporation that derives from the corporation potential t o harm or benefit them these groups would includes the owners, corporate managers, local community, customers, employees and suppliers Regarding Freeman?s view on NYSEG Corporate Responsibility Program, Freeman would support the program. Based on his theory, the customers are a stakeholder group that is worthy of consideration. Striving for the balance of profit, and support of those customers requiring assistance. With Freeman?s view, I find myself in total agreement, his view provides for a stable and balanced approach. In that developing a strong relationship with the customers, provides to a degree the possibility of profit gain to the shareholder, as well as providing a marketing prospect for new customers. References Beauchamp, T. L., Bowie, N. E., and Arnold, D. G. (2008). Ethical Theory and Business (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Question 3 What are the main features of Kantian ethics? What are the main features of utilitarian ethics? ¿Ã‚ ½ Which view do you find most persuasive? Why? Answer Kantian ethics In Kantian ethics the main guiding principle is known as the categorical imperative also called Formula of Universal Law, or Formula of the Kingdom of Ends; what everyone, everywhere, ought to do. A key feature of the categorical imperative is its universal nature in framing goodness, but there may be exceptions, and only if they can be universalized (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). Although Kantian ethics contain several main principles, the primary concept is the idea that certain principles are intrinsically moral, and that a moral person or society must observe these categorical imperatives in all situations. Moral rules should be based on the premise of reason and rational agents, not on human nature or conscience (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). Intentions, motives, will of the person and actions-in-themselves are morally relevant and more important than consequences. When considering an action an individual must ask whether they can imagine their intentions for an action as a general rule for everyone. If a person does something out of a sense of duty to moral law, to make an informed, uncoerced decision, free of external authority, then his actions have moral value. Treating people with ?dignity? and respect is a moral consideration. Respect for the person, people are intrinsically valuable and should not be used or treated as a means to an end. People should be respected as ends in and of themselves. Utilitarian Theory According to Beauchamp, Bowie, and Arnold, (2008), John Stuart Mill argues that unconvincing and incompatible theories can be coherently unified by a single standard of beneficence that allows us to decide objectively what is right and wrong, developing Utilitarianism. The principle of utility, or the ?greatest happiness? principle, dictates that the given action or practice is right when compared with any alternative action or practice if it leads to the greatest possible balance of beneficial consequences or to the least possible balance of bad consequences. Mill also holds that the concepts of duty, obligation, and right are subordinated to, and determined by, that which maximizes benefits and minimizes harmful outcomes (Beauchamp, Bowie, Arnold, 2008). Utilitarianism is a moral principle that holds that the morally right course of action in any situation is the one that produces the greatest balance of benefits over harms for everyone affected. So long as a course of action produces maximum benefits for everyone, utilitarianism does not care whether the benefits are produced by lies, manipulation, or coercion. In evaluating the goodness of an action, utilitarianists look for the effect or consequence that the action may have, and whether or not the greatest happiness by all will be achieved. Utilitarianists do not necessarily view an action as having any intrinsic worth in and of itself. They do not require we know every possible consequence of an action, but that we take into account what can reasonably be anticipated to result from the action. Utilitarianism offers a relatively straightforward method for deciding the morally right course of action for any particular situation we may find ourselves in. To discover what we ought to do in any situation, we first identify the various courses of action that we could perform. Second, we determine all of the foreseeable benefits and harms that would result from each course of action for everyone affected by the action. And third, we choose the course of action that provides the greatest benefits after the costs have been taken into account. Which is more persuasive, Kantian or Utilitarian? Kants theory of imperatives, though quite rational, seems to be a utopian concept that cannot be fully realized in a complex society. Whereas Utilitarian calculation requires that we assign values to the benefits and harms resulting from our actions and compare them with the benefits and harms that might result from other actions; this in itself would be a tremendous undertaking. Kantian ethics focuses more on the actual action or motive and the morality of that action as opposed to utilitarianism, which focuses more on the morality of the consequence and, not of the action or motive. Kantian ethics state the treatment of everyone should be as an end in themselves and never exploit them as means, as opposed to utilitarianism, which states the treatment of people should be as means to improve everyone?s situation. Looking at Kantian and Utilitarian philosophies, the two appear as polar opposites. But in the end, they both seek a morally right and virtuous life. Each brings a different aspect to a given situation. The two theories are not all encompassing for every situation; it is in this that both are persuasive for a given event.

Rain At Auvers by Vincent Van Gogh Essay -- Art Analysis Art Interpret

Artist: Vincent Van Gogh Name of Piece: Rain At Auvers Description - Verbal From the piece of artwork â€Å"Rain at the Auvers†. I can see roofs of houses that are tucked into a valley, trees hiding the town, black birds, clouds upon the horizon, hills, vegetation, a dark stormy sky and rain. The artistic style is brush stroke? Aesthetic is the function or purpose of the work. The subject genre is still life. The image is impressionism. Oil and Crayon Watercolour paint was used with a variety of different style brushes. It is a natural piece The Rain of Auvers can be found at the National Museum of Wales Analysis The colours used in the artwork are earthy tones with various browns, greens, yellows, blues and some violet. These colours create a sense of harmony on the...

Racial Discrimination in the U.S. Justice System Essay -- Race Racial

Racial Discrimination in the U.S. Justice System Introduction In modern-day America the issue of racial discrimination in the criminal justice system is controversial because there is substantial evidence confirming both individual and systemic biases. While there is reason to believe that there are discriminatory elements at every step of the judicial process, this treatment will investigate and attempt to elucidate such elements in two of the most critical judicial junctures, criminal apprehension and prosecution. Criminal Apprehension Statistical accounts show consistent accord in that African Americans are disproportionately arrested over whites. What is much less lucid, however, is the real reason for this disparity. Both criminologists and political scientists alike have expounded remarkably polarized explanations for this phenomenon. Exemplary of this are two arguments as developed as they are diametrically opposed, that of William Wilbanks and that of Samuel Walker, Cassia Spohn and Miriam DeLone. These authors’ arguments are both well-articulated and comprehensive, addressing virtually every pertinent concept in the issue of explaining racially disparate arrest rates. In The Myth of a Racist Criminal Justice System, Wilbanks insists that racial discrimination in the criminal justice system is a fabrication, explaining the over-representation of African Americans in arrest numbers simply through higher incidence of crime. Walker, Spohn and DeLone’s The Color of Justice dissents that not only are African Americans not anywhere near the disproportionate level of crime that police statistics would indicate, they are also arrested more because they are policed discriminately. Walker, Spohn and DeLone addi... ...ican Sociological Review 55(5): 609-627. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-1224%28199010%2955%3A5%3C609%3ACADOTL%3E2.0.CO%3B2-4 Tappan, Paul W. 1947. â€Å"Who Is the Criminal?† American Sociological Review 12 (1): 96-102. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-1224%28194702%2912%3A1%3C96%3AWITC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Z Turner, Billy. 1986. â€Å"Race and Peremptory Challenges During Voir Dire: Do Prosecution and Defense Agree?† Journal of Criminal Justice 14: 61-69. U.S. Department of Justice. 2002. â€Å"What is the Sequence of Events in the Criminal Justice System?† http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/cjsflowco.pdf. Walker, Samuel, Cassia Spohn, and Miriam DeLone. 2000. The Color of Justice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Wilbanks, William. 1987. The Myth of the Racist Criminal Justice System. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

The Witches Of Salem :: essays research papers

When I started reading, my impression was that this whole witchcraft test would be rather childish, and aimed toward elementary students. As I took the test the first time, I was feeling as if parts of it were somewhat pointless. Then as the test progressed on it started to get better. However, when I chose not to confess to something I didn’t do, I felt as if the was a little bit of a problem with the reasoning of these people. They didn’t let me get a word in edgewise, and on top of that, the judges seemed to favor the girls and only their opinions. It was almost as if the court wanted to condemn a lot of people to death or Hell, and they were allowing a young girl to be the ringleader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But then again, when I was taking the test, a few thoughts crossed my mind about the whole trial and some of the thoughts of the people involved. One thing that puzzled me was why anyone would not be intelligent enough to say something while on the stand like, â€Å"I am not a witch, and I love God. And I am with the Lord.† And then start reciting the Ten Commandments. Something like that would blow the court away, and the judges wouldn’t know what to say to that, because it is totally the truth. But then another thing crossed my mind, maybe because of the times, and the little education of the people involved. In any case either the women did not wish to speak out, or they were unable to think so quickly on their feet of such comments. This is unfortunate because maybe if they were able to be so witty with the truth, then some lives might have been spared. However, it might not have worked at all, because when people are under pressure it is harder for them to think clearly. All in all I felt the experience was good and helpful too. It gives a better understanding of what it was like to live in Salem during the unjust accusatory trials. The experience of the test was extremely real, and did make me feel a little uneasy, due to all the questioning and harsh accusations.

Tips for a Career: Financial Analyst and Financial Engineering

If you are one of those persons who thought that you have to be an engineer by profession and academic background to be a financial engineer, you are under the wrong impression. If you are very good in mathematics and would like to take a de route to your attaining success in life without losing your flare for math, this is where you should be, and this is a tip for a career. How much can you earn? It depends on you. A wizard can earn to his heart’s content it looks like because financial engineering deals with predictive modeling in investment and  financial analysis.Now you can guess why the investors and financial institution’s chief executives wish that they had paid more attention to their math classes. If you are a young aspiring person yet to bloom here are some tips for building a lucrative career for yourself. If you would like to make it all the way to the Wall Street lucrative jobs and be there offering advice on one what to buy or when to buy, or, what to sell and when to sell, or, go to top in investment banking a financial analyst career can help you get there.Just imagine if you can do the modeling and are also very efficient analyst you could be walking on the golden path laughing all the way to your bank Don’t wonder why I have combined these two. I see analysts with weakness in model building and custom software generation today. Similarly I also see that quite fewfinancial engineers  are not comfortable with the analysis part. Therefore, there can be bright future including entrepreneur possibilities for a person who develops expertise in both areas.If you are an ambitious person interested in this line read on these tips for a career in this field. Current total employment potential for financial advisor’s career is well above 200,000 with a predicted growth of 41 percent. What is financial engineering? Financial engineering is involves application of financial theory, the methods of financing, and tools of ma thematics, computation and the practice of programming to achieve the desired end results. Financial engineering can help create new and enhanced products out of existing financial instruments.Financial engineers can help create the most effective bundles out of products and investment portfolios out of existing  investment alternatives  and their predicted outcomes and associated risks. Thus if an investment company or wealth management bank wants to advise its clients, it needs financial engineering due to the multi various investment alternatives available. Similarly if an insurance company wants to know what is the best way to put two or three types of insurance covers and sell as a brand both to increase sales and profits financial engineer can help.Sounds exciting? Yes, it is, a financial engineer can earn millions if he or she gets commissions. What is financial Analyst Financial analysts keep themselves up to date with macroeconomic environment and also analyze the balan ce sheet and other relevant information related companies to write reports and give advice on buying and selling of stocks, or future financial strategies companies should adopt, or make investments that they can make. They usually specialize in some area depending on the organization they work for.They may be working for bank, buy side or sell side investment companies and insurance companies and investment banks Tips for a career- the qualification required for a career as financial engineer or Financial Analyst The diversity is quite high. After an undergraduate degree with a good grade point one can work for MBA with financial engineering as one specialization, or a Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) or MA in Mathematical Finance or M. SC in Financial Engineering. It would help a lot if you have taken enough mathematics and computer courses.In some schools the term  computational finance  is also used to denote financial engineering. You have to be cautious in making the right choice and you need to be pretty clear on whether you would like to work for an industry or get into academics. To be in academics you will need a PH. D too. This is not to imply that PH. D is not useful for industry jobs. For example a Hedge fund financial engineer in a trading firm job needs would be like knowing C++, SQL, Linux and Unix high frequency high frequency automated trading.He will be responsible for trading strategies and algorithm enhancement. He should define and implement data collection and acquisition matter. He should perform statistical analysis and optimize innovations and enhancement to trading models. He should be able to write functional requirements for  software developersand collaborate with software developers. Tips for a career as financial analyst Normally  MBA  in finance from a reputed university would be a good to start.However Chartered Financial analyst certificate (CFA) could be great asset if not essential. For anyone not comfortable with all the technical aspects the CFA program uses it would better to start with series & and series 63 exams. These programs need sponsorship from a company that is NASD member or self regulatory organizationhttp://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/General_Securities_Representative_Exam In addition to MBA finance or MFE it would be advisable to get a CFA, Chartered Financial analyst certificate.Another program of use may be the certified International Analyst program offered by the Council for Portfolio Management and research offered by the Association Certified International Analysts, Zurich, Switzerland (links below) There are also programs offered by JP Morgan’s chase’s finance division for under grad degree holders and Deutsche bank analyst type of programs. Generally these are targeted at undergrad degree holders with finance and accounting majors.Best Graduate Programs offering Master’s degrees and Doctoral degrees in Financial Engineering As mentioned above the diversity is quite high in the degree though there is a good overlap in the curriculum. The choice would depend on the reputation of the school and your planned career that is teaching, industry or banking career. The duration of the program is also different and range from 1 year to 2 years. The tuition can vary from about $74,000 for 1. 5 to 2 year program to $37,000 to $ 44,000 for one year programs. The schools given below also have excellent MBA programs with Finance specialization.The top ten lists for General Management and other specializations may be different USA programs Carnegie Mellon University Columbia University Princeton University Stanford University University of Chicago New York University University of California Berkeley Boston University Georgia Institute of technology North Carolina University University of Illinois Urbana University of Michigan Claremont Graduate School Rutgers University University of Southern California Kent State University Purdue Univer sity Best Programs outside USA Imperial College, London, UK Warwick, UKKing’s college, UK Birkbeck, UK City,UK ICMP reading Leeds University, UK Leicester University Liverpool Manchester Oxford University Hongkong University Hongkong Nan yang technical University, Singapore National University of Singapore Dublin University EDHEC France Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne, Switzerland Frankfurt school of finance Germany Tilburg University Netherlands Indian Schools Indian Institute of Management (IIMs) Indian Institute of technology (IITs) IFMR Chennai Indian Institute of Capital Markets Mumbai, former UT I Institute of capital markets PG DiplomaIndian Institute Of Capital Markets. (Formerly UTI Institute of Capital markets), P B No:99, UTI house, plot no:82 Sector-17,vashi,Navi mumbai-400705. Phone:022-27892815/16 Salary ranges for Financial engineers In USA Financial engineer salary at level is about $63000 to $101,000 Financial Engineer salary is about $86,000 to 116, 000 Manager Financial engineering salary is in the range $144,000 to 156,000 In UK is about pounds 38,000 Salary ranges for Financial Analysts holding CFA certification USA Portfolio Manger $80,000-$149,000 Financial Analyst 48000-$73,000Senior Financial analyst $66249-$96000 Financial securities investment analyst $ 67000-97000 Chief Financial Officer $100,000 – $ 198000 UK Pounds 36000 With pounds 40000 Australia Financial Analyst, A$ 60,000-80,000 Financial/ securities/investment analyst A$ 50,000 – $ 90,000 India Financial analyst Rs 269,000 – Rs 700,000 Senior Financial analyst Rs 500,000- Rs100,000 Financial/securities /investment analyst Rs 500,000 – Rs 100,000 Common Employers Trading houses, Corporate Finance Divisions, Banks, Insurance Companies Tips on Career planning In financial engineeringYou need to be clear in goals. The Master of Finance program and financial engineering are not same. There is heavy math, C++ use and Monte Carlo in financ ial engineering. This is not done in finance programs. Some of the applied math programs are now financial engineering programs. Putting it simply, Mathematical finance is theoretical, quantitative finance is program oriented and financial engineering seems to fit in between, Thus you could be fine for teaching with mathematical finance but not for trading firms and industry.In teaching too you may experience limitations. The program designers don’t readily see the difference. Best is to compare the courses. In India it is best to do it in best Business schools preferably IIMs. In my view IIM Kolkata has perhaps the best program. Indian School of Business offers some executive programs for those unable to get into the best financial engineering programs because of lack of adequate experience, or commerce background it may better to join IT company or consulting company and enter banking and capital markets domain.Alternately one can try brokerage and trading firms and may be you will make it to Wall Street to earn the big bucks. The path is hard and needs lot of dedication and hard work. Good luck. I would recommend financial engineering programs for engineers and anyone with strong math background. If you are a typical commerce graduate you might find it hard and it may be advisable to stay on the financial analysis side with proper certifications and a well designed specialization based on where you want to work, like the sell side or buy side and trading or investment banking.For anyone planning to continue as financial analysts and depend on ready software packages MBA finance and certified financial analyst should be adequate. Certified public accountant or Chartered accountancy with CFA may work but it’s not the best. For someone who likes to have full flexibility in developing IT for financial analysis and be well rounded with plans for a IT start up, a combination of MFE with CFA can do well. These are essential tips for a career as a fin ancial analyst or financial engineer Useful links ttp://gmatclub. com/forum/2009-best-financial-engineering-math-finance-ranking-86796. html http://www. global-derivatives. com/index. php/further-education-othermenu-36/55-quantitative-masters-programs-complete-list#Australasia links for CFA program in USA and India http://ace3levels. com/_mgxroot/page_10737. html http://www. cfainstitute. org/about/locations/asiapac/Pages/cfa_institute_in_india. aspx CIIA Switzerland:  http://www. cpmrindia. org/welcome_message. asp India:  http://www. cpmrindia. org/ciia. asp