1. Once I have graduated, I intend to focus my time on mastering these three technologies which are essential to making a successful vlog. I believe that as long as one is willing to focus his or her time and effort into building a business, it has a great chance of becoming successful. I am hoping to make my mark on the world by changing a few of the current perceptions of health and wellness, especially in the area of preventive healthcare; the world can indeed be changed, one idea at a time. Up, up, and away!
2. Having a college degree is giving me the chance to expand on a career that I already built as a songwriter, musician, and performer. I am already technically proficient in several areas, and have been using computers to create and maintain websites, engage in e-commerce, and record music for many years. With a degree in Integrative Health, I would like to start a vlog - a video blog - that focuses on health and wellness. My goal is to use three technologies which I will present here, in order to bring innovative health and wellness ideas to the public and lead them to an improved quality of healthcare.
2.1. My Goal: A Health Vlog
2.1.1. In My Future I Will be Using 3 Technology Tools
2.1.1.1. 1. Digital Video and Sound Equipment. A successful vlog begins with good equipment. This means a good camera, a tripod, lighting, and a microphone. I have all of these, and for sure the most difficult to master is the digital video camera, which for me is a Canon Rebel EOS T3i, as pictured here. I am taking COM 225 this summer, and it is helping me a lot in terms of learning how to effectively present myself using this medium. Having a well-planned, well-lit place to film will make it easy for me to demonstrate things healthy cooking tips, the growing and harvesting of herbs for herbal remedies, and the making of organic balms and salves for natural skin care.
2.1.1.1.1. Health professionals can build a video studio in their practice for less than $700. They can even film testimonials from patients to help market their business (Leahy, 2015).
2.1.1.2. 2. Video Editing Software. I have just purchased Corel VideoStudio 2018. It is a difficult software to master, but it will allow me to not only edit video, but add music, images, and text overlays to my videos and assure smooth transitions throughout. This will help to make the content appealing for people to watch. Patients can be both entertained and educated about their health at the same time.
2.1.1.2.1. Video is a great medium to make you seem more human and less like a business to your patients. It is a great vehicle for explaining procedures and treatments (Leahy, 2015).
2.1.1.3. 3. Creating an Online Vlog. The internet provides us with the technology that makes it simple to set up an online business, although as technology grows, so must ones ability to master it. This will be the easiest of all three technologies for me, as I have had an internet and social media presence for some time now and I am familiar with creating online content for public consumption. For my health and wellness blog I would like to combine readable content with video and partner with YouTube to monetize my videos. It is a skill in and of itself to learn how to utilize social media and websites like Patreon to begin earning income as a vlogger, while churning out content on a weekly basis. Consistent output helps to build an audience and gain followers, and the more followers you have, the more you can help people with healthcare issues. I might try partnering with other more established healthcare vloggers, as well, especially in the area of integrative health and prevenive strategies.
2.1.1.3.1. Vlogs can be a great tool for patient engagement and to help establish patient-centered care (Lee, Frey, Frey, Hollin, & Wu, 2017).
2.1.2. Healthcare professionals must remember to be respectful of a patient's privacy when using social media (Hebda & Czar, 2013, p. 108)).