I'm a software engineer and I spend many hours riding a keyboard and mouse.
I use an MS Natural Elite keyboard and the cheapest Logitech trackball.
The trackball I use is ambidexterous (may be used with the right and left hand) and only costs $20. It's NOT the trackball mouse that requires right hand usage and thumb movement of the ball.
When I'm at work, I use my right hand. I switch for my work at home to my left. This way, both hands are equally utilized and the strain is distributed as well. Also, the trackball uses the thumb and ring/pinkie fingers which eliminates the pain I used to get from clicking with my index finger all of the time.
The keyboard is an older MS Natural Elite (without the new fangled media control buttons).
ALL of my computers are interfaced with this keyboard and mouse combination. When I'm travelling, I still take my trackball but I use the notebook keyboard since it's a hassle bringing a keyboard and it's not for an extended period of time.
I'd like to check out some of the more specialized keyboards (like the DataHand [http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,103876 6,00.asp]), but I can't see myself laying out the cash.
For under $60 you can have a similiar, less strained keyboard/mouse combo.
Anyway, that's how I deal with the stress of piloting a computer (programming and otherwise) for up to 16 hrs. / day.
If you want to stay in the medical/bio-sci field, there is no shortage of CS positions in there.
However, if you want to move out from that field and not worry about dealing with the whole outsourcing pressure on the job market, I'd seriously consider DoD or intelligence systems for the U.S. government.
If you have ethical issues with those fields, law enforcement systems are also pretty much shielded from the outsourcing threat. You get to track down bad guys and get paid.
I'd also like to echo the sentiment of more than a few CS guys/gals in that I've been playing with getting out of IT for a while. The tech changes every few months and it gets a bit tiring after a while. Then you have the whole outsourcing threat to deal with.
I have a friend that made alot of money on an IPO a few years back (I, unfortunately, missed the IPO gravy train) and bought a medical supplies business. At one of the meetings with a few doctors, they thought he was crazy for leaving IT and moving in the medical field. He just sighed and said IT wasn't as sexy as some people might think. Something to keep in mind.
I still enjoy CS and as long as you keep on eye on your IT career path and position yourself to work on the systems you want to work on, it's pretty entertaining.
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I'm a software engineer and I spend many hours riding a keyboard and mouse.
6 6,00.asp]), but I can't see myself laying out the cash.
I use an MS Natural Elite keyboard and the cheapest Logitech trackball.
The trackball I use is ambidexterous (may be used with the right and left hand) and only costs $20. It's NOT the trackball mouse that requires right hand usage and thumb movement of the ball.
When I'm at work, I use my right hand. I switch for my work at home to my left. This way, both hands are equally utilized and the strain is distributed as well. Also, the trackball uses the thumb and ring/pinkie fingers which eliminates the pain I used to get from clicking with my index finger all of the time.
The keyboard is an older MS Natural Elite (without the new fangled media control buttons).
ALL of my computers are interfaced with this keyboard and mouse combination. When I'm travelling, I still take my trackball but I use the notebook keyboard since it's a hassle bringing a keyboard and it's not for an extended period of time.
I'd like to check out some of the more specialized keyboards (like the DataHand [http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,10387
For under $60 you can have a similiar, less strained keyboard/mouse combo.
Anyway, that's how I deal with the stress of piloting a computer (programming and otherwise) for up to 16 hrs. / day.
If you want to stay in the medical/bio-sci field, there is no shortage of CS positions in there.
However, if you want to move out from that field and not worry about dealing with the whole outsourcing pressure on the job market, I'd seriously consider DoD or intelligence systems for the U.S. government.
If you have ethical issues with those fields, law enforcement systems are also pretty much shielded from the outsourcing threat. You get to track down bad guys and get paid.
I'd also like to echo the sentiment of more than a few CS guys/gals in that I've been playing with getting out of IT for a while. The tech changes every few months and it gets a bit tiring after a while. Then you have the whole outsourcing threat to deal with.
I have a friend that made alot of money on an IPO a few years back (I, unfortunately, missed the IPO gravy train) and bought a medical supplies business. At one of the meetings with a few doctors, they thought he was crazy for leaving IT and moving in the medical field. He just sighed and said IT wasn't as sexy as some people might think. Something to keep in mind.
I still enjoy CS and as long as you keep on eye on your IT career path and position yourself to work on the systems you want to work on, it's pretty entertaining.
Good luck whichever direction you go.