In 2005, 17 states declined abstinence-only funding. Of those 17, only three, or 17.6 percent, had teen pregnancy rates higher than the national average. Fifteen of the 34 states, or 44 percent, that accepted the funding and teach abstinence-only sex education in public schools had teen pregnancy rates higher than the average. In many cases, teen pregnancies are terminated. However, as you’ll see, the number of teen pregnancies do not necessarily correlate with the number of teen abortions, by region nor overall.

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Having a baby can be overwhelming. Raising your baby as he or she grows into a child and then a teenager and beyond can also be overwhelming. The good news is that there are plenty of people who feel like you do. If you are interested in finding some inspiration and support for your work raising a new baby, here are some of the best mommy blogs around. These mommy bloggers can help you with your new baby — and beyond.

Newborns

Understanding how to care for newborns can be a daunting task. Especially if you are a first time mom. Here are some mommy bloggers that can help you find your way:

1. MomBlog: This collection of blogs from FamilyLife offers helpful insight on different stages of development. The newborns blog is written by different moms who share their perspectives and wisdom in caring for the newest addition to your family.
2. Breastfeeding 1-2-3: With helpful advice on breastfeeding from Angela, a breastfeeding lawyer, this great resource provides practical advice on making it work for you and your newborn.
3. Baby Care Answers: Get answers to some of your baby care questions. This blog is written by Cortney Gibson, a mom dedicated to helping parents of newborns take better care of their babies.
4. Babylune: Learn how to take care of your baby, and get helpful parenting tips from Eliza Ferree.
5. Breastfeeding Mums Blog: Another breastfeeding blog, this one helps you learn about the benefits of breastfeeding and how it can work for you.
6. Nursing Your Kids: This blog is mostly about the different ways your newborn can benefit from breastfeeding. Give your newborn the best start.
7. Cloth Diaper Blog: If you are interested in a “greener” way to care for your newborn, you can get good information and tips from this blog about effective cloth diapering.
8. What to Expect: The author of the popular What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Heidi Murkoff, has a site/blog full of articles about baby care and newborn care. It’s not just about the pregnancy.
9. ModernMommyBlog: This blog is written by a mom with a sociology degree and who teaches about child development. She a child just out of the newborn stage, and a great deal of insight on what happens in the first year, and beyond.
10. The Natural Newborn’s Blog: For eco-conscious parents, this blogger is intent on helping you find ways to take care of your baby in a more natural way.
11. Suburban Cloth: This is another diaper blog about cloth diapers and using them for more natural care of your newborn. Christine helps you learn how to care for your baby in a more natural manner.
12. Molly Hilton Baby: This blog isn’t exactly about caring for your newborns. But if you are interested in having your baby photographed, Molly Hilton can provide you with some great ideas.

Twins and Multiples

Taking care of multiple babies can be difficult on any parent. There are plenty of blogs about caring for twins and multiples that can help you figure out what needs to be done — or just provide a little support and perspective.

13. Twins & Multiples: Pamela Prindle Fierro has identical twin girls, and provides a number of helpful insights on her About.com blog.
14. How Do You Do It?: This blog offers insight from a number of mothers who parent multiples. These is even information on this blog about caring for preemies.
15. BeTwinned: A great place to go to learn about parenting multiples — and doing it with cancer.
16. The Joys of Twins: Learn how to take care of twins, and other multiples. Dawn has interesting insights and a clean style, making her clear and approachable.
17. 4tunate: Follow the life adventures of a “quatro mama” who had quadruplets.
18. Got Triplets? This blog is devoted to raising three firecracker girls who happen to be triplets.
19. Multiples… and More!: This blog is all about having multiples, how to care for them, and sharing stories about how they can change your life.
20. Twin Utero: Thoughts and insight on parenting twins, and overcoming the challenges.
21. Susan Heim on Parenting: Susan is a mommy blogger writing about parenting multiples from a Christian perspective.
22. Les Sharma: Twin boys, along with an older boy. A great look on dealing with the craziness that is parenting three active boys.
23. Looky, Daddy!: It’s not exactly a mommy blog, but it does offer insight into caring for twins — especially when you already have another child. This stay-at-home dad tells it like it is.

Special Needs

Many parents find out during pregnancy, or soon after the birth, that their child is a special needs child. Looking online for those who can understand and who can provide you with helpful hints on parenting can be a real godsend.

24. Special Needs Children: Another great offering from About.com. Terri Mauro provides helpful information on taking proper care of a special needs child.
25. The Special Needs Parent Blog: Joan helps you find strategies to parent your special needs child, whether he or she is a baby or getting older.
26. To The Max: This blog is about parenting a child with cerebral palsy. Ellen writes honestly about taking care of Max from the time he was born.
27. speak softly…: Vicki’s special needs child passed away, but she still blogs about disabilities, and advocates for children. A great blog for reading about caring for children with special needs, and getting through the pain of losing a child.
28. Slurping Life: Melody has given birth to and adopted boys with different special needs. Her kids are affected by bipolar, ADHD, cerebral palsy and autism.
29. 1-2-3 Autism Free: This mommy blogger writes about caring for a baby and, later, a child with autism.
30. MOM — Not Otherwise Specified: A great blog written by a mom raising a child on the autism spectrum.
31. Cerebral Palsy Baby: Shannon writes about having cerebral palsy and still giving birth. An interesting perspective.
32. Parenting Children with Special Needs: This blog is found on an adoption blog, and can provide insight to those who adopt a baby with special needs.

Parenting with Attitude

Sometimes, when you are dealing with the stresses of a new baby, what you really need is someone irreverent to help you get through it. You also may need some laughter and insight from a source with attitude. These mommy bloggers can help you laugh and get through it all when you really need it.

33. Badgermama: With her purple hair, Liz occasionally raises some eyebrows. But her fresh approach to parenting can be a real help.
34. Chookooloonnks: With a sly wit, Karen shares her thoughts on motherhood and life.
35. IzzyMom: This sarcastic mom has an irreverent view of life. She is a non-traditional in a number of ways, and can provide a bit of spunk and attitude to your day.
36. Fussy: Eden blogs about raising children and doing it with a little attitude.
37. Motherhood Uncensored: Just what you would expect: An unapologetic and unflinching view of the ups and downs of parenting.
38. Not Calm (dot com): Read about the crazy life of Jen, a mother of four. Brings a little laughter and perspective to your day.
39. Notes from the Trenches: Learn about the insane life of Chris, a mother who works hard to keep her six boys and one girl in line.
40. Three Kid Circus: Jenny is a seasoned mother of three who can help you learn how to raise your kids with a little levity.
41. Karen Sugarpants: This mother is often hilarious, sharing thoughts on motherhood and helping you get away from it for a little bit.
42. Mama Drama: Houston Chronicle readers weigh in about motherhood. A range of experiences from a variety of mommy bloggers.

Finding Balance

A new baby can make it difficult for you to accomplish everything you feel you should. Here are some blogs that can help you find yourself again — and still be a good (or at least adequate!) mother.

43. It’s All About Balance: April shares her thoughts on keeping it all together.
44. The Journey: Renee blogs about finding balance and peace, starting on the inside.
45. On Balance: Leslie blogs for The Washington Post about finding that balance between work life and home life. A valuable resource for working moms with new babies.
46. Dirty Laundry: A helpful blog about knowing what to let slide, and figuring out what is important.
47. Birth Balance: A blog devoted to finding balance and harmony throughout the birthing and postpartum processes.
48. Postpartum Progress: Addresses the issue of postpartum depression, and what can be done about it.
49. PPD Survivor: Learn how to deal with postpartum depression.
50. Motherlode: This blog from The New York Times writer Lisa offers insight on newborns, finding balance, caring for yourself and addressing emotional issues in child rearing.

Are you interested in working with your favorite sports team or athlete as a medical professional? Fortunately for you, many medical fields hold specializations for sports, often known as ’sports medicine.’ You can enter the field as a dietician or nutritionist, for example, and work into developing programs specifically for a given sport. Or, you can spend years training as a doctor or a surgeon who specializes in sports injuries and prevention of those mishaps.

The purpose behind any sports medicine field is to help athletes maintain peak physical and mental condition, to help those athletes avoid injury and to treat those injuries to help the athlete return to peak condition. Although sports medicine often was the domain of a team doctor, today many pro sports teams hire individuals to build a sports medicine team that works together to create the optimal conditions for success. This sports medicine team focuses on every aspect of the athlete to help that person become part of a dynamic and healthy team.

The following ten medical careers are just a few that can enable you to work with a pro sports team. These careers are listed alphabetically to show readers that we do not favor one career over another. The links take you to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, where you can learn more about the training involved in each field, the general employment outlook and related occupations. You also can learn about salary ranges, but you might add a few more dollars for specialization within the sports arena. The growth in the field is expected to be better than average through 2016.

1. Athletic Trainer: This person is trained to help athletes avoid injury through strength training, preventative measures such as diet and nutrition and by advising athletes on the proper use of training equipment. Usually, trainers work under the supervision of a licensed physician in cooperation with other health care providers.
2. Chiropractor: Also known professionally as doctors of chiropractic or chiropractic physicians, these professionals diagnose and treat problems with an individual’s musculoskeletal system and also treat the effects of those problems on the nervous system and on overall general health. Some chiropractors specialize in sports injuries, including nutrition and diagnostic imaging.
3. Fitness Worker: Fitness workers, also known as ‘coaches’ on many teams, are unlike individual trainers as the former is focused on leading, instructing and motivating individuals to work as groups to exercise for cardiovascular strength, strength training and stretching for flexibility. As a fitness coach, many professionals also specialize in a given sport to learn more about the types of movements and orientation involved in a team’s physical fitness. Fitness workers also need to learn how to motivate individuals to work as a team.
4. Massage Therapist: What athletic team can not use the expertise of a trained massage therapist? A professional massage therapist can reduce pain, decompress tired and overworked muscles, reduce stress, rehabilitate sports injuries and promote general good health. A good massage of soft tissue muscles also can reduce a body’s toxicity level by helping to remove waste products from muscles.
5. Physical Therapist: A physical therapist provides services that help people to develop, restore and maintain movement and function. Although a physical therapist can work with people of all ages, many athletes appreciate a physical therapist’s knowledge of anatomy, kinesiology, biomechanics, therapeutic techniques and procedures.
6. Podiatrist: A podiatrist, or foot doctor, is a vital part of any sports medical team, as this doctor specializes in the medical care of the foot, ankle and lower leg. Of special interest is injuries common to athletic activities. In many cases, the podiatrist is a surgeon who carries out restorative work and prescribes programs for postoperative rehabilitation.
7. Psychologist: The human mind is powerful, as it can affect how the physical body reacts to situations. Any athletic team that suffers one person who cannot ‘get with the program’ understands how that one person can destroy any team effort. Psychologists who work in the sports field work with individuals as well as with entire teams to help overcome barriers to working as a team and to motivate that team for success.
8. Recreational Therapist: These therapists work alongside physical therapists, doctors and other professionals to provide individuals with activities and with relaxation methods during recuperation from injury. Knowledge of psychology along with medical and acute observational skills can make this person invaluable to any sports team. These professionals can help team members relax, concentrate and use their physiques to the best of that athlete’s abilities.
9. Respiratory Therapists: Just as many sports doctors now realize the importance of an athlete’s cardio and lung capacity, so sports teams now are realizing the importance of a respiratory therapist. These professionals evaluate, treat and care for patients who have breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. For instance, respiratory therapists test a patient’s breathing capacity and determine the concentration of oxygen and other gases in a patient’s blood. They also measure a patient’s pH, which indicates the acidity or alkalinity of the blood. All these tools can be used to refine an athlete’s abilities during the game.
10. Sports Doctor: A sports medicine doctor is a medical doctor who specializes in prevention and treatment of injuries associated with athletic activities. The focus is on injuries to the joints, muscles and bones, but a new interest is in cardiac and lung capacities with a special interest in athletic internal medicine.

Are you into ultrasound, or sonographic, imaging and technology? This field encompasses ultrasound (US), but it also touches on magnetic resonance (MR), positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT), endoscopy (ENDO), mammograms (MG), digital radiography (DR) and computed radiography (CR). The top fifty blogs for ultrasound techs listed below focus on ultrasound, but they also branch out into the various imaging fields noted here.

The blogs are divided into categories and listed alphabetically. This method shows our readers that we do not favor one blog over another.

First-Hand Accounts

1. Reflections in Real Time: Daniel Merton, a diagnostic medical sonographer, provides his insights into this field.
2. Scan Man’s Notes: “Random noise, nebulous views and artifacts” from a ’scan man’ in India.
3. Stan’s NMR Blog: This is a long-running blog that focuses on NMR, MRI, ESR and NOR.
4. The Student Radiographer: A student radiographer in London provides updates on his education as a second-year student.
5. Cochinblogs: Learn from the vast array of images and commentary provided by this blog.
6. Life in the Fast Lane: This link takes readers to the “investigation [tests]” section of this Web site, where they offer information about various testing practices, including ultrasound.
7. Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Get your fill of MRI imagery, commentary and notes from this blog.
8. Musculoskeletal and Orthopedic MRI: This image-centric site serves as a great resource for orthopedic surgeons and other health care professionals.
9. Sonographers Blog: ARDMS-certified sonographer offers his knowledge on ultrasound to anyone willing to learn.
10. Spread the Word: A Medical Technology Student’s Perspective: Follow Tiffany Landis as she shares her experiences.
11. Sumer’s Radiology Site: Sumer Sethi, located in Delhi, India, provides up-to-date images and commentary at his blog.

Company Blogs

12. Diagnostic Ultrasound: Brian Gill is the President of GPS Medical, Inc., a company specializing in sales and service of diagnostic ultrasound equipment. He specializes in 3D/4D ultrasound techniques as well as evaluating image quality and ease-of-use of various ultrasound models.
13. First Peek Ultrasound Blog: This blog is maintained by Chicago’s First Peek Ultrasound studio, a 3D and 4D service.
14. Little Bo Peep: This blog is maintained by the business of the same name, and offers readers information about pregnancy imaging.
15. MRI Metal Detector Blog: This blog focuses on ferromagnetic detection and MRI safety and screening. Tobias Gilk, who serves as the President and MRI Safety Director for Mednovus, a company that manufactures and sells ferromagnetic detection systems, maintains this blog.
16. NMR Blog: Learn more about Nuclear Magnetic Resonance from this Norell blog.
17. SonoWorld: SonoWorld, a division of MedimageWorld, is dedicated to the mission of bringing free or low-cost educational materials and information to the global ultrasound community.

News

18. Aunt Minnie: This link goes directly to an ultrasound news source within a portal that provides much more. Register to gain access to imaging communities, education, conferences and a marketplace.
19. Diagnostic Imaging: This link goes directly to Diagnostic Imaging’s ultrasound page, where they provide news about the industry.
20. Digitalxrays: This blog focuses on digital x-ray news and events.
21. Imaging Informatics News: News updates in the field of medical imaging informatics.
22. Medical News Today Radiology and Nuclear Medicine: This blog includes news on medical imaging — using ionizing radiation, radionuclides. Includes advances in technology, improvements in treatment techniques and much more.
23. Medscape Radiology: This page within Medscape focuses on imaging news.
24. Radiology 101: A registered radiologic technician offers news and information about workers who are occupationally exposed to radiation.
25. Radiology Bulletin: This radiology news site is compiled by the Library at East Cheshire NHS Trust in the U.K.
26. Science Blog MRI: This page provides news for those individuals who are interested in magnetic resonance imaging updates.
27. Sonography News: This blog offers diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging news.

PACS (picture archiving and communication systems) Blogs

28. Dalai’s PACS Blog: Dr. Dalai offers his personal opinions and observations on various PACS projects.
29. Digital Pathology Blog: Keith is a surgical pathologist who is interested in digital pathology, and he passes his enthusiasm for this field on to his readers.
30. Health Informatics Blog: A U.K. medical doctor, who currently works as a research fellow at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, offers his insights into health informatics.
31. Healthcare Informatics Blogs: You can find an array of blogs listed here, mostly provided by CIOs involved in informatics production and sales.
32. Health Technology Revolution: Geared toward PACS selection, rather than vendors.
33. PACS-aholic: Cristen Bolan, editor if Imaging Technology news, provides insight into PACS news.
34. Radiology Today PACS: This link goes to the PACS and informatics entries at this radiology news and opinion site.
35. The Daily Scan: This blog is maintained by Aperio Technologies, and offers readers various techniques on how to use their tools, news and conference information.

Technology

36. Med Tech Sentinel: Learn about the latest innovations in health and medicine through this blog, part of the OneMedPlace virtual community.
37. MedGadget: Tap into this site that focuses on medical technology for the healthcare field.
38. Medical Technology Resources Blog: This news blog is maintained by MTR, a medical services company specializing in drug-delivery technology and the billing of infusion products to healthcare providers.
39. Research!America: This blog focuses on research that improves health care nationwide.
40. Tech Blog Romow: This is the official blog of Science and Technology Directory, where you can find information about science and technology in general.

Organizations and Publications

41. Americans For Responsible Imaging: This group is comprised of doctors and patients who want to “preserve the American Healthcare system.”
42. AJNR Blog: The American Journal of Neuroradiology provides a blog based upon their recent articles, case of the week, lessons and medical specialties.
43. British Journal of Healthcare Computing and Information Mangement: You can find information about jobs, news, features and market reports at this site.
44. Cases Journal: Readers have open access to most articles in this journal. Read about diagnoses, imaging and more here.
45. Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation: This blog is part of an effort to accelerate and support the clinical adoption of MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery.
46. Image Blogs: Look to this site to find a number of blogs written at Image Magazine’s online venue.
47. IVUS News: This ultrasound news site is one of many imaging news features offered by Angioplasty.org, a physician’s community site.
48. Radiology: This site belongs to the monthly journal devoted to clinical radiology and allied sciences.
49. Society for Vascular Ultrasound: You can become a member to gain access to more information, but SVU news frequently is updated on the homepage.
50. Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography: You must become a member to gain access to the SDMS President’s Blog, discussions and other opportunities for diagnostic medical sonographers.

We love celebrities. The only thing we love more than celebrities is celebrity babies. When celebrities become pregnant, it is always interesting to see what they are doing, how things are going, and how they look as they swell to pregnancy-size. And, of course, it is equally interesting to see what celebrity babies look like when they emerge. Here are 10 of the most followed celebrity pregnancies:

1. Angelina Jolie: Everything having to do with this star is followed obsessively. Her adoptions of children from third-world countries were followed with interest, and when Jolie and her partner, Brad Pitt, announced they were having a baby in January 2006, the tabloids, entertainment magazines and everyone else went wild. A sonogram claiming that it showed Jolie’s baby was listed on eBay, and quickly removed. Shiloh Nouvel was born in May of 2006. In July 2008, Jolie gave birth to twins, Knox Léon and Vivienne Marcheline. That pregnancy was also followed obsessively in the tabloids. With three adopted children, and three biological children, there is little surprise that the baby-hungry actress is once again the subject of more pregnancy rumors. Even while tabloids report that the relationship with Pitt is on the rocks, speculation continues that Jolie is pregnant — or trying to become so.
2. Katie Holmes: The world watched in wonder as Katie Holmes began a relationship with Tom Cruise. She had grown up watching him in movies, and was now living every young girl’s fantasy: to marry her teen idol. Rumors that Holmes was pregnant surfaced soon after she met Tom Cruise, and were soon confirmed. People couldn’t get enough of the pregnancy news, even though both Holmes and Cruise tried to avoid the press and keep things as private as possible. Indeed, when Suri was born in April 2006, it was months until pictures of Suri were published in the September issue of Vanity Fair. As soon as 2007, the rumors of another pregnancy started, but even there are constant rumors of a second child on the way, none of them have been substantiated as yet.
3. Britney Spears: When Britney Spears became pregnant with her first child, the world took notice. Spears had been making headlines due to her marriage to dancer Kevin Federline, whom she wed after he left his girlfriend for Spears. The press followed every move during the pregnancy, especially since rumors of a rocky relationship between Spears and Federline were swirling. However, Sean Preston was born in September of 2005, and Spears was pregnant a couple of months later. Indeed, Spears’ second pregnancy was followed as voraciously as the first was, and the birth of Jayden James happened just before Sean’s first birthday in 2006. Two months later, Spears filed for divorce against Federline, in what became a media circus. Once again, pregnancy rumors are surrounding Britney Spears, but she is denying them.
4. Sarah Jessica Parker: The Sex and the City star was married to Matthew Broderick for five years before they had their son James Wilke. Women were very interested in Parker’s pregnancy and followed it obsessively. On screen, the makers of Sex and the City employed a number of tricks, since they didn’t want her character, Carrie Bradshaw, to have a baby. That season of Sex and the City was cut short to accommodate Parker’s needs. Instead of getting pregnant again herself, Parker decided on a surrogate for her next pregnancy. She and Broderick decided to hire a surrogate mother for their next child. In April of 2009, Parker’s surrogate delivered twin girls, who now live in New York City with the rest of the family.
5. Julia Roberts: Linked romantically to a number of famous men, Julia Roberts married cameraman Danny Moder in 2002, after the Moder’s divorce from his wife was finalized. Roberts had long expressed a desire to settle down and have children, but she went a long time without doing so. When she was finally pregnant in 2004, the world couldn’t get enough. And, to make this high profile pregnancy even more high profile, it was revealed that she was having twins. After giving birth to twins in 2004, Roberts took a break from movies and concentrate on her twins, living quietly on her ranch in New Mexico. However, in 2007, she had her third child. Early in 2009, Roberts was seen leaving a hospital and once again pregnancy rumors swirled around the star, as well as speculation about her health in a pregnancy now that she is in her forties.
6. Nicole Richie: After battling her weight problems (as in not enough), Nicole Richie began putting on weight. That was enough to start the pregnancy rumor mill. Richie was made famous for her role on The Simple Life, in which she starred with Paris Hilton. The two had a falling-out, though, and Richie went her own way. Richie announced her pregnancy around the time she pleaded guilty for driving under the influence of drugs. The tabloids leaped on the story, obsessively following the pregnancy, and watching for signs that the skinny socialite was unhealthy. Her first child was born in January 2008. Soon after, pregnancy rumors began swirling again. Nicole Richie gave birth to another child in September 2009.

TV Character Pregnancies

Sometimes when TV stars get pregnant, the condition is written into the script. This means that celebrity pregnancies are followed on a number of levels. Here are some of the TV character pregnancies that generated some interest for the public.

7. Dana Scully: The hit television show, The X-Files, featured a pregnancy for FBI agent Dana Scully. Scully, played by Gillian Anderson, was told she would never have a baby. However, after becoming romantically involved with her partner Fox Mulder (something that generated interest itself), and after a series of strange events, it was revealed that Scully was expecting. Anderson had been pregnant before, but the show’s producers and writers apparently felt it was not time for Scully to have a baby. In the end, Scully’s baby is revealed to have special powers. He is given up for adoption. However, it was never revealed on the show who the father was, nor how Scully became pregnant in the first place. In the latest move about The X-Files, Scully’s son is referred to, but there are no answers about what became of him.
8. Phoebe Buffay: When Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay on the extremely popular TV show, Friends, became pregnant during the fourth season, the producers and writers decided to create a pregnancy for her in the show. Instead of having her own babies, though, in the show Buffay acts as surrogate for her half brother. The world watched as she had triplets on behalf of someone else. This TV pregnancy raised the profile of surrogacy, and saw an interest in this method of conception and pregnancy.
9. Sydney Bristow: One of the more popular television shows was Alias, in which Jennifer Garner played secret agent Sydney Bristow. However, when Garner became pregnant during season five with Ben Affleck’s baby, the show took that into account and decided that her character should have a baby with Bristow’s lover, Vaughn. Bristow continues to go on missions, even though she is pregnant. She does end up being pulled off assignment at one point. The world watched with interest, on and off screen, as Garner’s (and Bristow’s) pregnancy unfolded. On the show, Bristow had her baby while trying to free herself from a kidnapper.
10. Lucille Ball: Back in the day when I Love Lucy was hugely popular, pregnancy was not considered “decent” for television. However, while Ball was pregnant with the child of her husband and co-star, the producers and writers decided to work it in. As the TV audience watched, Ball’s pregnancy progressed. However, to keep from totally offending the sensibilities of the audience, the word “pregnant” was never used.

You probably know that Edie Falco never studied medicine, although she plays Nurse Jackie in a show by the same name. And, the entire cast of Gray’s Anatomy includes actors and actresses who never entered college classes for medicine, although they play roles as members of a hospital staff. But, over the decades, many doctors have become famous for their expertise, including Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the chief medical correspondent for the health and medical unit at CNN. Between these two extremes are many people who studied medicine who became celebrities in their own right, whether through their profession or through another talent.

The following list contains some very familiar names and names of those who are yet to make their mark on an international basis. Some individuals sing and others act. Some of the following individuals are comedians, and still others became famous through their great looks and personality. The following ten famous people whose careers began in medicine is listed alphabetically to show readers that we do not favor one celebrity over another.

1. Abigail Titmuss: Mostly known as Abi, this former English nurse turned glamor model, television personality and actress became a staff nurse at London’s University College Hospital after her graduation from City University in St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in 1998. She met television presenter John Leslie at a party that same year, which led to a well-publicized sex and drug relationship. Found innocent of any implications in the scandals, Titmuss gained enough coverage to become noticed by the public and by producers. Although she is recognized by mainstream media, she seems to prefer sexual roles just shy of pornography.
2. Alberta Hunter: Alberta was somewhat mixed about her career, as she began in singing, but later studied as a practical nurse. Then, unbeknown to her nursing colleagues, she was coaxed into making two recordings with Lovie Austin in 1961 and Jimmy Archey in 1962. After she retired from nursing, her return to singing led to greater fame than she ever experienced during her earlier career. She continued to perform until a few months before her death in 1984.
3. Bonnie Hunt: Born in Chicago, Illinois, to a large family, Hunt worked as an oncology nurse in 1982. However, life must have been far too funny for words, as two years later she co-founded “An Impulsive Thing” improvisational comedy troupe and also began to perform as a member of Chicago’s world-famous The Second City in 1986. Her talent landed several offers (such as Saturday Night Live), which she refused; but, she also built friendships with people such as David Letterman, who helped her to create a short-lived sitcom, The Building. Hunt has built a solid career, starring opposite such stars as Robin Williams in Jumanji and Steve Martin in Cheaper by the Dozen and its sequel.
4. Emer McGilloway: Former neurologist turned opera singer, McGilloway shuttles between four or five countries singing with Opera North. Emer was born and raised in Derry in Northern Ireland, and both parents are head teachers and teach arts subjects. There were no doctors or professional musicians in her family, but her family was “musically aware” and everyone played an instrument. She is shown here in her recent role as Lady Essex in Elizabeth and Essex.
5. Naomi Judd: Born Diana Ellen Judd, this singer was born to a gas station owner and a mother who began as a homemaker but later became a riverboat cook. After the birth of her own daughter, Christina Ciminella (later Wynonna Judd), at age eighteen, Naomi attended nursing school. She later worked as an emergency room nurse to support two daughters. Naomi then formed the highly successful singing duo known as the Judds with her first daughter in the 1980s. After being treated for Hepatitis C., Naomi has since moved on to acting and to raising awareness for her disease.
6. Phil McGraw: McGraw is best known as “Dr. Phil,” talk show host, television personality and psychologist. Becoming a psychologist was a lifelong dream for McGraw, and he gained that degree through football scholarships and through owning a construction business with his brother-in-law. His dissertation focused on psychological aspects of rheumatoid arthritis. After he obtained his degree, he joined lawyer Gary Dobbs in co-founding Courtroom Sciences, Inc. (CSI), which is how he met Oprah Winfrey. From there, it is history, as McGraw writes his own celebrity history – literally – through books, shows and celebrity interventions among other publicity moves.
7. Reynaldo “CJ” Concepcion: This is a famous person in the making, as Concepcion won one gold medal and four silvers at the 12th Annual World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Los Angeles, California for his vocals. Concepcion, 27, beat hundreds of talents from 40 countries in a week-long competition considered to be the official “World Talent Championships” and “Hollywood Olympics” for aspiring performers and entertainers. When he’s not on a career path to singing fame, Concepcion works as a nurse.
8. Robert Jarvik: Dr. Jarvik is a well known scientist, researcher and entrepreneur who obtained his fame with his role in developing the Jarvik-7 artificial heart. But, his true fame began with his career in television commercials for Pfizer Pharmaceutical’s cholesterol medication, Lupitor. Under the pressure of Congressional investigation into whether his television advertisements constitute medical advice given without a license to practice medicine, Pfizer withdrew its ads starring Dr. Jarvik in February 2008.
9. Tera Patrick: Born to a Thai mother and a father who was an American Army doctor of English and Dutch descent, Tera’s great looks landed her a career first with the Ford Agency as a model. At age eighteen, she quit modeling and returned to school to obtain a degree in microbiology. She then worked as a nurse, but drifted into nude modeling for men’s magazines. In 1999, she began a career as a pornography star and rose quickly to the top of the charts. She now owns her own production company, Teravision, Inc., and plans to produce her own porn films.
10. Thomas Noguchi: This man’s career as chief medical examiner for Los Angeles County, California, earned him the nickname of “Coroner to the Stars.” He performed or oversaw autopsies on celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood and Robert F. Kennedy, making him a celebrity in his own right. Noguchi is widely considered as the model for Jack Klugman’s character in the television series, Qunicy, and Noguchi also has made appearances in various documentaries as himself.

When it comes to your health and wellness, it can be worth it to consider holistic options. This is because the idea behind holistic health is that the whole body — mind and spirit included — should be treated. Holistic healing isn’t just about treating symptoms, it’s about a specific lifestyle aimed at complete wellness. While holistic healing methods have not received complete welcome by the community of Western medicine, some doctors are open to the idea of using some holistic methods to complement the treatments most of us are familiar with. If you are interested in learning more about holistic health and wellness, here are 50 blogs that can point you in that direction:

General Holistic Health and Wellness Blogs

These are blogs that focus on a number of topics related to holistic living and wellness.

1. Podcast — Holistic Health and Wellness: Learn more about the holistic lifestyle and how to thrive living a more natural lifestyle.
2. Beliefnet’s Fresh Living: This is one of the blogs on Beliefnet that is aimed at helping you live a holistic lifestyle and adopt spiritual and physical wellness.
3. Natural Holistic Health Blog: Aimed at providing tips and information on living a holistic lifestyle.
4. Healthedia’s Natural Holistic Health Blog: Another blog with information on treating different ailments with holistic remedies and adopting holistic wellness techniques.
5. Underground Wellness: Focuses on some of the holistic wellness ideas and techniques available, as well as news from the world of not-so-wellness.

Chiropractic Blogs

Even though chiropractic has received some props recently, it is still considered somewhat “alternative” when it comes to medicine. Chiropractic focuses mostly on the manipulation of the spine to help keep the rest of the body in balance, and to manage pain and other issues.

6. The Chiropractic Blog: Focus is on chiropractic and the science and philosophy behind it.
7. The Next Generation Chiropractor: Provides information on chiropractic practices.
8. Dr. Riggs’ Chiropractic Blog: Offers information on chiropractic as part of an overall holistic lifestyle.
9. The Blog of Franson Chiropractic: Information about chiropractic and how it can help you obtain complete wellness.
10. Albany Wellness and Chiropractic Blog: Tips and helpful hints on holistic wellness, with a specific focus on chiropractic.

Natural Childbirth Blogs

Many are concerned about how sterile and un-natural the childbirth experience has become. If you are interested in learning more about how to make childbirth a connective experience that is more natural, here are some helpful blogs.

11. Natural Childbirth for the “HIP CHICK”: Provides answers to questions about natural childbirth and busts myths.
12. Bellies and Babies: Looks at childbirth from the viewpoint of a doula who assists in natural childbirth.
13. Nine Months and Beyond: Goes a little bit beyond natural childbirth, but includes helpful hints on successful natural childbirth.
14. Hathor the Cow Goddess: A blog with a comic strip about natural childbirth and breastfeeding. Informative, with a little bit of levity.
15. mama…doula…girl: A look at how to have a natural childbirth with the help of a doula.
16. Birth is Good: Helpful information on natural childbirth and real stories about going through a natural pregnancy.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are often amused about the term “traditional” medicine used in the Western world. This is because many TCM techniques pre-date “traditional” Western medicine. Here are some blogs about TCM, including acupuncture.

17. Chinese Medicine News: The latest happenings in TCM, and how they can be applied to overall wellness.
18. Blue Poppy Blog: Looks at TCM, and how it can be part of a holistic lifestyle.
19. Life Is Like A Sunflower: Offers information about holistic health through TCM, including information on acupuncture.
20. Acupuncture & TCM Blog: Focus is on acupuncture, but other aspects of TCM — including Tai Chi — are discussed.
21. Tai Chi Blog: Learning to harness wellness through the Chinese practice of Tai Chi.
22. Tai Chi Heartwork: A look at ancient wisdom and applying it to wellness and holistic health today.

Ayurveda Blogs

Just as TCM looks at ancient medicine traditions, so too does Ayurveda. However, Ayurveda is the practice in use in India, even today. Ayurveda focuses on total health and wellness, rather than just treating symptoms. Includes some yoga blogs.

23. Ayurveda and Yoga Blog: Helps you integrate holistic principles of physical and spiritual well being into your daily life.
24. Ayurveda School Blog: A blog that is attached to a health care clinic and school, but that offers helpful suggestions on health and wellness with a Ayurvedic perspective.
25. The Everything Yoga Blog: Looks at how yoga can help you live a life of increased wellness.
26. Yoga On and Off the Mat: Applying yogic principles into all aspects of life for enhanced wellness.
27. Total Health Yoga: How to use yoga as part of a holistic lifestyle.

Herbalism Blogs

Herbalism uses what is found in nature to help enhance health and even cure various ailments.

28. Herbalist Blog: Learn about different herbs, and what they can be used for.
29. The Herbalist’s Path: Offers information and helpful hints from a variety of herbalist traditions.
30. Herbalism Blog: How different herbs can help aid in helping you achieve holistic health.
31. Henriette’s Herbal Homepage: A variety of herbs and how they can be integrated into total health and wellness.
32. Timeless Herb Secrets: Learn about the secrets of herbs, and how they can aid you in better wellness.

Massage and Meditation Blogs

Many believe that massage and meditation can aid in total wellness. These two practices address the physical and mental/spiritual aspects of holistic health.

33. Fingertips: This is a wellness blog with a focus on massage.
34. Punkie Spelt’s Massage Therapy Blog: Learn about how massage can help you find focus and better holistic health.
35. Massage Therapy Blog: This blog from the Cortiva Institute focuses on how massage can help you increase your wellness.
36. The Meditation Blog: Helps you keep you body in balance with meditation and breathing techniques.
37. Meditation Blog: Techniques to help you maintain holistic health by integrating meditation.

Naturopathy Blogs

The focus of naturopathy is to help you incorporate more natural methods into your lifestyle in order to treat illness and live a more holistic lifestyle.

38. Naturopathic Medicine: A Fresh Perspective: Looks at how getting back to something more natural can help your overall health.
39. Physicians Who Listen: This is the blog of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and offers helpful tips and insights on better holistic health.
40. New York Naturopathic Blog: Includes information and therapies using holistic methods.
41. Swanz Naturopathy: Offers a look at using naturopathic means to enhance wellness and health.
42. Naturopathy Blog: Information on living a naturopathic lifestyle for better holistic health.

Homeopathy Blog

Homeopathy works to use your individual body make-up, the environment and other factors to help you enjoy better wellness.

43. Homeopathy and Homeopathic Medicine Blog: Learn more about how homeopathy can aid holistic health.
44. Arizona Homeopathic and Integrative Medicine: Include homeopathy as part of a total wellness regime. Also includes news and happenings in the world of alternative medicine.
45. Sue Young Homeopathy: Living in London, this homeopath offers history on the practice, and insight on how it can be integrated into a holistic health plan.
46. Homeopathy News: Lifestyle tips from a homeopathic perspective.

Reiki Blog

Reiki is an energy and healing practice that is meant to help you spiritually as well as physically to enjoy better overall wellness.

47. Reiki Help Blog: Helps you learn more about tapping your inner energy for holistic health.
48. Reiki Healing: Learn about Reiki and how it can help you achieve better wellness.
49. Reiki Matt’s Blog: Techniques on using Reiki, and information on how you can yourself become a Reiki practitioner.
50. Reiki Goddess: Helpful information about using Reiki in healing and holistic health.

One of the things that you might be interested in when working in a health care field is clinical research. Reading up on the latest results from trials and studies can give you a good idea of what is happening in the medical world. Here are 50 Web sites where you can read, for free, the results of clinical medical research:

Government Resources for Clinical Research

Governments offer great resources for reading about clinical medical research. Most developed countries have places where the public can go to read about what’s happening in the world of clinical trials.

1. FDA: This is the Web site run by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can find information about pending applications and review regulations and clinical research.
2. European Medicines Agency: The European Union has its own agency designed to help keep track of clinical and medical research. You can learn about regulations and the results of applications as well.
3. Therapeutic Products Directorate: This is the Canadian agency that reviews clinical research and sets guidelines for substances used in the country.
4. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency: In the United Kingdom, this is the body that is in charge of reviewing clinical medical research and evaluating the effects and usage in the general population.
5. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: The Japanese site offers interesting information and reviews of medical research conducted for use in that country.
6. State Food and Drug Administration: Provides information about medical and clinical trials and research for the use of the country of China.
7. Therapeutic Goods Administration: The Australian agency regulates goods associated with medical and health benefits, and reviews claims of efficacy.
8. Australian Drug Evaluation Committee: This agency is another one that offers insight into claims made by different companies and shares research and information on drugs seeking approval in Australia.
9. Swedish Medical Products Agency: Get information from the Swedish government about clinical research and medical information.
10. Norwegian Medicines Agency: Find out about what is looking for approval in Norway in terms of medicine.
11. Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products: This is Belgium’s attempt at regulating medicines and sharing some information on testing, trials and medical reviews.

Medical Journals

You may have to pay for print copies, but the headquarters for many journals offer free analysis and reports of the results of clinical trials and medical research. These are quite handy to look at.

12. The Journal of the American Medical Association: Includes extracts and abstracts of articles, as well as some free full text articles from the journal. Also includes podcasts of audio commentary.
13. Southern Medical Journal: From the Southern Medical Association, the SMJ is focused on providing information on a number of diseases and areas of medical research. Includes information on spirituality and medicine.
14. British Medical Journal: Contains news and information on clinical research. Also includes free full text articles on some medical research topics.
15. The Lancet: In order to read most full articles from this world-renowned medical journal, you will have to pay. However, you can get medical research news, as well as summaries of articles and clinical results, for free.
16. Canadian Medical Association Journal: Provides a number of PDF articles as well as online articles that you can peruse with regard the latest developments in medicine.
17. Calicut Medical Journal: This free journal provides access to information on medical research and clinical trials from alumni of the Calicut Medical College in India.
18. Highwire Press: This is a service from Stanford University that offers free, online full-text articles related to medical and clinical research.
19. Medscape: A service from WebMD provides the latest news and information from the medical research field, as well as free full-text articles from a variety of medical journals.
20. Free Medical Journals: Offers access to content from some medical journals. Provides information about different area of medicine.
21. Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research: You can find access to a number of free medical journals by going through this Web site. Get them in German, French, Spanish and Italian in addition to English.
22. Carpenter Center Library: This is a service from Wake Forest University that offers a directory to free medical journals and databases.
23. JournalWatch: Summarizes information and medical research from a number of journals.

Pharmaceutical Research

One of the most common types of clinical research is done with pharmaceutical drugs. You can find a great deal on different types of pharma research online. There are several sites that can help you look over the latest findings and review some of what is up and comping in the pharmacy world.

24. Pharmaceutical Business Review: Offers information related to pharma as a business. Get the latest results on clinical trials and medical research, and keep up to date on what’s happening in different phases of different trials.
25. DrugLib.com: Learn about different drugs, and review their effectiveness and the results of clinical trials and research.
26. PHRMA.org: Provides news, information  and results on the latest drug clinical trials.
27. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: Get information on pharma research and the results of clinical trials.
28. Pharmacist.com: This is the Web site of the American Pharmacists Association, and provides information on drug trials and results, as well as news.
29. Cafe Pharma: A great place to congregate to get the latest news from around the Web related to drugs, drug trials and pharma research.
30. BioSpace: A community focusing on pharmaceuticals and on the news related to clinical research.
31. Pharmaceutical Market Research Reports: Even though you have to pay to get some of the reports on pharma research and clinical trials, there are some free sections of this site that provide no-cost access to information.
32. Pharmaceutical Industry Blog: BusinessWeek helps you keep up to date on the latest in pharma, as well as provide some information on the outcomes of clinical trials.

Clinical Trials and Medical Research News

There are some sites that offer information on specific types of clinical trials and their results. Visit them to learn about different subjects in medical research.

33. Cancer.gov Clinical Trials Home Page: This is from the National Cancer Institute in the U.S., and provides the outcomes of cancer clinical trials, as well as help locating clinical trials.
34. Clinical Connection: Learn about clinical trials, what is happening with them and who sponsors them. Also get health news, results and more.
35. Clinical Trial Results: Get a look at different clinical trials, and find their results. Includes news and multimedia.
36. CenterWatch: Provides news and information on clinical trials, and results of medical research.
37. Medical News Today: Includes information on drug trials and other medical research. Health news headlines and information on a range of diseases.
38. Healthcare Finance News: Focuses on the business and finance side of medical research. Offers news and clinical trial research results.
39. The Medical News: Looks at the latest in medical research and results.
40. SciCentral: Health and Medical News: This section of the SciCentral Web site focuses on medical research and clinical results.
41. Science Daily: Plenty of news from the world of medical and clinical research.
42. Molecular Station: Medical news and information focusing on molecular biology.
43. MDLinx: This is an interesting service that summarizes the news and journal articles from a variety of sources and then delivers them to your email address.

Learn About Clinical and Medical Research Design

Get educated about what goes into clinical trials, and how medical research is performed. Learn about how trials are designed and carried out.

44. ClinicalTrials.gov: Learn about the requirements of clinical trials and what they are meant to accomplish.
45. Learn About Clinical Trials: This primer from the University of Michigan is rather educational.
46. Drug Creation Process: Get a quick overview, from Wyeth — a pharma company – - about the drug creation process. Also includes clinical trial results and listings.
47. Types of Trials: This page from the Moffitt Cancer Center is very helpful in learning about the different trials available, and how they work. Also provides searches of active trials, and videos.
48. Clinical Trials: This page from the Canadian government describes the ethics involved when using human participants in clinical trials.
49. Making Sense of Medical Research: This resource guide helps you figure out how medical research works.
50. Adaptive Clinical Trials: An overview of adaptive clinical trials, which are growing in popularity.

Do you want to know more about your health, but were afraid to ask? You can learn more about what affects your health (and, how your health affects others) in a variety of free open courseware classes, offered by some of the major universities throughout the U.S. Although you cannot gain credits for taking these courses, you can increase your knowledge at your own time, pace and well within budget.

The following twenty-five free open courseware classes are define by categories that cover chronic and infectious disease, public health and mental health and environmental health issues. Each link to a course within those categories is listed alphabetically to show readers that we do not value one course over another.

Chronic Disease

1. Cardiovascular Pathophysiology: Learn the spectrum of coronary disease and cardiomyopathies as well as the basics of vascular diseases. You also are introduced to the pathophysiologic basis for common cardiovascular diseases. [Tufts]
2. Fundamentals of Oncology for Public Health Practitioners: After completing this course, you should be able to describe the manner of disease presentation and treatment approaches for major cancers as well as explain the major differences in prevention studies as compared to treatment studies. You also learn how to define controversies in treatment, screening, and risk assessment and learn how to assess whether science is making progress against cancer. [Johns Hopkins]
3. Pathophysiology of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism: Learn more about the endocrine system and new hormones and complex endocrine pathways that have been discovered that have increased understanding of normal human physiology and behavior and provided insights into the pathophysiology of various diseases. [Tufts]
4. Tumor Pathophysiology and Transport Phenomena: This is a graduate course the focuses on how tumor pathophysiology plays a central role in the growth, invasion, metastasis and treatment of solid tumors. [MIT]
5. Understanding cardiovascular diseases: An easy-to-understand primer on cardiovascular diseases, risk factors, treatments and preventative care. [Open University]

Environment

6. Chemicals in the Environment: Toxicology and Public Health: This course covers the qualitative and quantitative health risk assessment methods used in the U.S. as bases for regulatory decision-making about epidemiological approaches to understanding disease causation; biostatistical methods; evaluation of human exposure to chemicals and their internal distribution, metabolism, reactions with cellular components, and biological effects. [MIT]
7. Environmental Health: Topics include how the body reacts to environmental pollutants; physical, chemical, and biological agents of environmental contamination; vectors for dissemination (air, water, soil); solid and hazardous waste; susceptible populations; biomarkers and risk analysis; the scientific basis for policy decisions; and emerging global environmental health problems. [Johns Hopkins]
8. Health and environment: This course can help you understand the importance of environment on health, and illustrates an interdependence between environment and humankind. [Open University]
9. Impact on Human Health: This module studies how degraded environmental conditions affect human health. [Rice University Connexions]
10. Radiation Terror 101: This topic introduces you to general radiation principles, radiation safety and protection, and the basic types of radiological terror, and also provides practical guidance on acute response techniques and general countermeasures. The OCW version of this presentation comprises slides only. A full version, including synchronized audio is available at no charge by visiting the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health Preparedness (registration required). [Johns Hopkins]

General Public Health

11. Designing and Sustaining Technology Innovation for Global Health Practice: Each week, the course features a lecture and skills-based tutorial session led by industry, non-profit foundation, technology, and academic leaders to think outside the box in tackling and solving problems in innovation for global health practice through the rationale design of technology and service solutions. [MIT]
12. Impact of Pandemic Influenza on Public Health: This training focuses on the path of avian influenza and examines how it could impact world health. The OCW version of this presentation comprises slides only. A full version, including synchronized audio is available at no charge by visiting the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health Preparedness (registration required). [Johns Hopkins]
13. Introduction to Technical Communication: Perspectives on Medicine and Public Health: Explore writings by physicians and other health practitioners on medicine and public health issues such as AIDS, asthma, malaria control, and obesity. [MIT]
14. Population Medicine: Directed to future physicians, this course examines the connection that these doctors will make with patients, and how that connection affects public health issues. [Tufts]
15. The History of Public Health: This material seeks to reveal how the organization of societies facilitates or mitigates the production and transmission of disease. The concentration is from 1750 to today and it omits detailed examination of public health in antiquity and the middle ages (although these time periods will be alluded to frequently). [Johns Hopkins]

Infectious Disease

16. Contagious diseases: Tuberculosis, cholera, HIV and AIDS are covered in this module along with directions on how to purify water. [Rice University Connexions]
17. Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases: Learn about the basic methods for infectious disease epidemiology and case studies of important disease syndromes and entities. Case-studies focus on acute respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, hepatitis, HIV, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, malaria, and other vector-borne diseases. [Johns Hopkins]
18. Medical Anthropology: Culture, Society, and Ethics in Disease and Health: Instead of focusing on the disease alone, this course ventures into connections among disease, health, body and mind in Western medicine, and how these topics articluate with national and international institutions.
19. Pathophysiology of Infectious Diseases: This course provides an introductory background into the clinical and pathophysiologic aspects of infectious disease of organ systems. [Tufts]
20. Sexual Health, HIV/STI, and Human Rights: Responses that address human rights may improve STI prevention and control, and better human rights contexts for those at risk. Learn more about human rights and how reactions to these rights may affect sexual and reproductive health outcomes, including STI and HIV. [Johns Hopkins]

Mental Health

21. Challenging ideas in mental health: Accept the invitation to challenge ideas in relation to mental health. You will examine the definitions of mental health, learn the boundaries and discover more about the ‘business of madness.’ [Open University]
22. General Psychology: These lecture archives offer an introduction to the principal areas, problems, and concepts of psychology. [University of California Berkeley]
23. Introduction to Mental Health and Disaster Preparedness: Learn more about the topics of disaster mental health services, mental health surge capacity and psychiatric first aid. The OCW version of this presentation comprises slides only. A full version, including synchronized audio is available at no charge by visiting the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health Preparedness (registration required). [Johns Hopkins]
24. Mental health practice: Learn how to define and understand mental health and illness, about social work’s role in mental health services and stigma and discrimination in mental health. [Open University]
25. Substance Abuse and the Family: This course focuses on family members of substance abusers, and shows ways in which these families function. You can learn methods and resources available for helping such families. [UMass Boston]

Do you own an iPhone? Do you also have toddlers or kids who are about to enter school? Put the iPhone and the kids together with some of the apps listed below to keep the kids busy as they prepare themselves for school.

The list below is separated by categories, and each app is listed alphabetically under those categories to show that we do not favor one app over another. The links lead to reviews about the apps or to the businesses that created the apps. This way, you can learn more about the apps before you download them. While many of the apps listed below are free, some cost anywhere from $0.99 to under $4.00. Also, the reviews can help you learn whether the app truly is age-appropriate for your child.

Animals

1. ABC Animals: Toddlers to second-graders can enjoy this app, where they learn animal names as well as the alphabet. Flipping the cards reveals examples of how letters are used, which can teach kids how to spell.
2. Animal Memory Match: This is a match game for kids of all ages that can test and improve their memory skills as well as help them learn to identify animals. Imagam also carries other memory games on their site.
3. AnimalSays: Like Simon Says, this app helps kids memorize animal sounds. This app is supported by advertising.
4. Dex ABC Animals: This set of flashcards is similar to ABC Animals listed above. Each letter is paired with a corresponding animals, so your child can learn letters, animal names, first-sight words, upper- and lower-case letters and pronunciation of letters and animal names.
5. Landleben: Take the kids out to the farm, where they can learn various animals and sounds. A tracker is included to keep count of the discovered sounds and animations.
6. Peekaboo Barn: Tap on the barn doors to learn which animal is hiding behind them. Animal names are in English and Spanish, but the sounds are all animal.

Art

7. Softick: Coloring is a great skill for preschoolers to learn, but now you don’t need to lug coloring books and crayons around with you. The coloring ‘books’ come in sets, from Elementary to Creatures and holiday books.
8. Create a Cartoon Face: Generate cartoon sketches by selecting a face type, hair style, eyes, mouth, nose, etc. This app can help kids learn how it feels to accomplish a task as well as learn more about facial expressions and how to draw them.
9. Doodle Kids: Created by a kid (Lim Ding Wen) for kids, this app is a free art application that has been downloaded over 4,000 times since its release this year.
10. Preschool Adventure: Written specifically for pre-school kids, this app allows kids to select colors, shapes, sounds and body parts to see images and learn various image names by sound.
11. Spin Art: Remember the splatter-happy fun of spin art? Now, your kids can enjoy it without the mess with this iPhone app that encourages artistic expression.

Music

12. Midomi: Midomi is an application that will identify any song it hears, whether it is on the radio, being played live, or your own singing or humming. This is a great way to learn pitch, words to songs and more.
13. MiniPiano: This fourteen-note keyboard provides hours of fun and learning for kids. If you want another octave, try FingerPiano. A link to the latter app is located at the MiniPiano link.
14. Ocarina: Smule makes a number of musical apps, but this one is too hot to pass up. Make flutelike music by blowing into the microphone and fingering on-screen “holes.”
15. Wheels on the Bus: This is a wildly popular app that teaches sing-along songs in several languages and an option to record your own version. Different scenes also call for various interactions.

Problem Solving

16. Bejeweled 2: This is a classic computer game, modified to play on the iPhone. Swap jewels to fill a row with identical jewels. This game is suitable for kids of all ages, but don’t expect the toddler to accomplish a line-up immediately.
17. Best of I Spy: Each puzzle consists of a picture with hidden objects. This is an old game, that has been proven to challenge critical skills and that offers fun for kids of all ages.
18. Bob the Builder: With a focus on critical thinking, problem solving and fun, kids can complete fun and educational activities to build the a carnival with the help of Bob and the Can-Do Crew.
19. Bobby Carrot Forever: This app requires the gamer to solve puzzles and find carrots before moving on to the next of 72 levels. Suitable for first graders to play alone.
20. Brain Challenge: Meant to be played in short bursts on a daily basis, this app provides games that challenge kids. Comes with a personal trainer, one female and one male.
21. Shape Builder: Grab this bag full of 120 puzzles that include music instruments, fruits and veggies, animals with sounds and more. These puzzles are geared toward toddlers.
22. touchPhysics: Kids don’t need to know physics to practice the basic laws of physics. Draw shapes on the screen which moves a ball to its target, according to real physics laws.
23. TanZen: Preschoolers can use this game to learn how to fit shapes together. This is the iPhone version of the classic Tangram puzzle game, which has over 400 different ways to fit seven pieces into a larger shape.
24. Trace: Preschoolers can enjoy walking a man to a target in different screens and levels. Draw and erase paths and remove moving obstacles to teach problem-solving skills. Levels become more difficult as the game progresses.
25. Where’s Gumbo: This is a digital ‘lift the flap’ book app that helps your preschooler learn how to gain problem-solving skills. Gumbo (a dog) is lost, and your child must find him under different flaps for each game.

Reading and Writing

26. Dejal Narrator: Play out a story with different voices with changes in pitch, inflection and volume for various story characters. This app also contains an option for silent read-along.
27. iPhoneTypingTest: A simple Web site created to test typing speed on an iPhone.
28. iWriteWords: This app can teach your child how to write while playing. Great for preschoolers.
29. Letter Tracer: Help your preschooler and other prereading children trace and paint letter and number shapes so they’ll be prepared for reading and writing in grade school.
30. Rulla: Create a message that crawls across the iPhone screen like a news ticker. Start with names and work up from there.
31. SpellingBee: Even preschoolers can delight in Benny the Spelling Bee as they engage in the first of three levels of this spelling game.
32. StoryNory: Storynory is an online treasure trove of audio stories published weekly since 2005, including fairy tales, and specially-adapted myths and histories.
33. The Caterpillar’s Dream: iKidsPlay takes preschooler stories and adapts them to the iPhone. This app is easily memorized by non-readers and easily learned by beginning readers. Bonus is the painting tool, a doodle pad and a recording/read-aloud section.
34. TypingWeb TypingTutor: This is a premier typing tutor for iPhone and iPod Touch. Practice, increase your speed and track progress for free.
35. Word Scramble: This game is geared toward older kids. Race against the clock to find as many words (of at least 3 letters) as you can. Longer words score more points.
36. Wurdle: Early and skilled spellers can use this game to make words with this Boggle-like game.

Math

37. Basic Maths: This app provides exercises covering basic mathematical skills like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Targeted for children under twelve, they can experience varying degrees of difficulty as they learn.
38. Basic Maths Deluxe: This is the deluxe version of Basic Maths that provides exercises covering even more fundamental math skills.
39. BrainTuner: BrainTuner tests basic math skills against the clock. Perfect practice for ages five and up.
40. Clock It Lite: Use this app to teach your child, or anyone for that matter, how to read a time shown on a clock. This is not a real clock, so don’t rely on it to be on time for class.
41. Coin Math: What a great way to learn how to count and add U.S. coins. Kids learn both sides of a coin, how to add them and how to pay for something with the correct coins.
42. Cute Math: This is an easy and comfortable math application for kids under age five. Several games teach math basics, such as counting to ten.
43. PopMath: Six pairs of bubbles with numbers float on the screen. Pop the corresponding bubbles. Each level grows more difficult, including levels that use equations.

Study Aids

44. Brain Toot: Exercise the brain with sixteen brain-training games for math, visual and thinking skills. This study aid is suited for older kids who won’t be satisfied with barnyard animals or Toddler Flashcards.
45. Flash 4 Kids: This app allows kids to see the type of questions they want and then allows them to practice them easily.
46. iFlipr 1.11: iFipr Flashcards contains pictures, sounds and a WYSIWYG editor to change font faces and sizes, to add highlighting and more. Plus, users enjoy a large community of users with over a million available cards at the Web site.
47. Mental Case: use these premium flash cards to learn a languague, memorize trivia or study for an exam. Import information or enter it directly. Mental Case can generate lessons and sync time to your iPhone or iPod Touch and can tell you when to study, too.
48. StudyArcade 1.0.2: This flashcard app synchronizes with Anki, ChinesePod, FrenchPod, ItalianPod and SpanishPod as well as import cards. Great way to study foreign languages.
49. StudyCards: Download study cards to learn offline, or type your own (in 650 languages) or import a text file from the Web site.
50. Toddler Flashcards: Teach basic words, letters and more including basic words in English, French or Spanish.