I'm a teacher, but I'm looking to start a new career. Thinking about the medical field. Any suggestions?

Question

I really enjoy working with children, but teaching is not the right field for me. I want to go back to school, but not necessarily for another 4 year degree. I was looking at respiratory therapy or physical therapist assistant. Any ideas would be appreciated!

Answer 1

Someone else suggested job shadowing and that's a great idea. Try contacting the physical therapy department (or whatever) of a local hospital and ask if you can spend a half day as a visitor, and see what it's really like.

You do need need a Master's Degree to be a Physical Therapist, but you can become a PT Assistant with an Associate's degree; I don't know about respiratory therapy.

You may also want to visit some websites/forums related to the particular areas you are interested in to get a better feel for the realities of the job. You'll hear a lot of griping about being overworked, understaffed, under appreciated, and of course underpaid. In my experience it's all true, but don't let that stop you. I worked for several years as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant . There were many days that I came home angry and frustrated because we were expected to treat more patients than physically possible...I could go on and on. But what I remember most are the people like "Mary" who'd had a heart attack while driving through a remote area. She was in a coma for weeks and the hospital had pretty well written her off. She ended up at our rehab center, eventually came out of her coma and several months later walked out of there holding her husband's hand. And that's the kind of stuff that makes all the crap worth it.

Answer 2

I can't answer about the medical field, but I too used to be a teacher and moved from that to being self-employed, which I love. How about talking to respiratory therapists or physical therapists and ask where they got their training?? From that, you can decide if you want to spend the time for those professions.

And I will bet that since you already have a degree, many of those hours will apply to a second degree...if a second degree ends up being the requirement. But compare colleges--what courses you have taken before that one college won't take--the other might!

Good luck!!

Answer 3

I was in a similar situation. However, I made a move from a Business career to a profession in teaching! I suggest that you do some serious research on the job market for your new field. I completed my masters degree in teaching only to realize that the market for teachers in my region is flooded with new graduates. While I find this new profession very rewarding, the best I could do is land a long term sub job, which falls short of meeting my financial needs. Plus I now have an additional student loan! Make sure to speak to some people in the profession, not a college placement office! They will always oversell career opportunities to attract more students in their programs!

Answer 4

Have you considered looking at other positions needed in your school system? Your special education department would be a good first step: speech therapists, physical therapists, language therapists, counselling, etc..

Don't be surprised if you need to get a Master's degree to continue on into one of these types of fields. Some school systems may even allow you to start practicing (albeit as an assistant) while you get your Masters.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Try first by taking a medical assistant course. They're usually 9 months in length with a 1 month intern you can request in either field. Try it out for a while and just see. I always say go after your dreams and goals.

Answer 6

While you are still teaching, you could volunteer as a 1st Responder. It might give you some indication of how you would like the medical field. Most will offer free training and work around your current schedule.

Answer 7

You could consider something like child psychology or something along those lines. If you really want to make a direct impact and help the children that need it the most though, you might want to look into things like social services, child support hotline, cliniclowns, SOS Children's villages and other organizations that help children in need.

Answer 8

Radiography is a good field, also. See about job shadowing in the areas you are thinking about to get a better idea.

Answer 9

what does your heart tell you? are you a teacher at heart or would you rather take care of people. Do what you like to do and you will be happy and successful.

Answer 10

School nurse.