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Local Medical Academies Preparing Students for Health Careers

by CHERYL ROGERS Eighteen public schools in Polk County train students for future careers in healthcare through medical or health science programs. Here’s a look at how some of them have fared. Katya Viegas and Janet Hernandez are heading to medical school. Jesus Jimenez, or J.J., is glad he found an incentive to finish high…
Pop Quiz: Facts and Stats about Immunizations

by ERIKA ALDRICH August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to explore the topic of immunizations around the globe. The efforts to immunize people against debilitating and life-threatening diseases is a global initiative that we are all a part of. Test your knowledge of facts and statistics about immunizations by taking…
Tips to Prepare for the New School Year

by Mary Toothman It’s that time of year again: School supply aisles will be flooded with parents and children, clutching lists of what is required. First-day-of-school outfits will be carefully selected by many students. Late-morning sleep-ins will be replaced by early wake-up calls. Back to school means many things to parents and students — some…

Ask a Nurse: Dental plaque & arterial plaque

Have you ever wondered what the dentist scrapes off of your teeth when you go in for your annual cleaning? Several studies over the past few years have found some surprising results. In 2010, Cornell University and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden collected samples from the mouth, gut, and arteries of 15 heart disease patients.…
Publisher’s Note: More options coming for Florida residents seeking health and dental coverage

You may or may not have heard already that there is an alternative option for discounted health coverage outside of the plans offered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Four companies intend to offer 15 to 20 discounted plans, which will include health and dental coverage options. Once the website is launched, residents should be…
Medical advice: Poison help in the home

If you suspected that a member of your household had ingested a potentially poisonous substance, would you know what to do? Did you know you can call the Florida Poison Information Center—sometimes referred to as Poison Control—at 1-800-222-1222 for assistance with any possible poison event? A health care professional is available 24 hours a day,…