Q: I am an immigrant and have been here for almost a year. I have two paramedical degrees from my country plus a lot of experience, but I can't seem to get a job here. I have good conversational English and very good writing skills, but I have discovered that my degrees can't be accepted. I would need to get a degree from this country, but our budget is stretched already. My wife works to support our family, but we don't have the extra money for me to go to school. I have a seasonal job that pays very little. I grew up with a father who was a good provider, and I would like to be able to do the same because I know my wife is getting stressed out by the situation.

A: Many foreigners with degrees in the medical and dental fields experience the same problems in finding jobs in their fields. U.S. medical educations are known to have the highest standards. There is no way around it. If you want to remain in your field, you will have to comply with the requirements. Medical and paramedical professionals not only are degreed but also are licensed by the particular states in which they practice. Some states have reciprocal licensing laws; some do not. So even American citizens with degrees from schools in the United States have to retake tests if they want jobs in their fields when they move from state to state. Consider meeting with a career counselor at a community college to discuss your options. In the meantime, take advantage of your English-speaking skills to secure a full-time job outside the medical field, one that requires excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Nurses Union Stops Call Center's Work-at-Home Program With No Explanation

Q: I am a registered nurse working for a hospital's "advice call center." Two years ago, our hospital began a six-month pilot program to allow the nurses to work from home. Four months into the program, our union pulled its support from the program and forced us to remain working on-site. At the same time, the doctors successfully completed their own pilot program to work at home. This leaves only the nurses commuting back and forth to the hospital's call center.

As health care workers, we would like to do our part in cleaning up the air, but now we are contributing to the emissions problem. The doctors and nurses all work on the phone and on computers, so these jobs can be transferred easily to our homes. Our union advertises itself as representing workers who are on the front lines caring for pollution-induced ailments. We cannot understand the union's refusal, and it is supposed to represent us. We are searching for a legal solution to this.

A: Yes, unions are supposed to represent their union members. If you know that the majority of the nurses in your union want to work at home and the job requirements are not compromised by doing so, consider getting together to hire your own labor lawyer to investigate the situation. If your union representative can't offer solid reasons for stopping the pilot, clearly something is going on behind the scenes that needs to be exposed.

Please send your questions to: Lindsey Novak, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. E-mail her at LindseyNovak@yahoo.com, or visit her Web site at www.LindseyNovak.com. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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