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I'm confused about what to do for a career...

B

BigToque

Lifer
After graduating with a B.A in Psychology in 2006 and working for a few years, I realized that I needed to go back to school. My goal is to have a career that will provide a steady income and provide job security.

After taking a few courses I've pretty much narrowed what I think might be a good fit.

1. Doctor - I think I would be a great doctor. The problem is my past academic performance. I've found a school that is specifically looking for people in my situation, but it's sort of a trial entry method and they're only accepting three students a year in this new non-traditional route. Before I can even apply, I'd have to move to the province for a year just to become a resident (because they're only accepting residents of that province for that particular entrance pathway). If I don't get in (which is probably very likely the case), I've lost out on 2 years of doing something else (one year to become a resident, then apply for the next year - you need to be a resident before you even apply).

2. Physician Assistant masters program - It's a new program in my province and in all honesty, would probably be the best fit as I could keep my house and finish the program. I'm probably MUCH more likely to get into this program and it really is almost exactly the same work, I'm just required to work under a licensed physician . The biggest drawback in my mind, and as little as I care, I'd feel like I just couldn't cut it and couldn't become a "real" doctor. I don't know where the stigma came from in my mind, but it's definitely there.

3. Chemistry - After taking four courses in chemistry, I'm finding I REALLY enjoy studying it (organic specifically). Something about it just makes sense. I've spent a lot of time talking with a couple of my professors and they've said that as long as I take a particular set of classes and basically bring myself up to the same level as a chem major, they would definitely consider me for a graduate program. The time required to get myself the courses I need is two years (plus the 4 years for a MS/PhD). The problem is, I just don't know if I see myself as a chemist. WTF does a chemist even do? I don't want to work for a pharmaceutical company.

I see trying to become a doctor as probably the most rewarding, but I've probably got no more than a fools hope at getting in. Options 2 and 3 both let me keep my house.

I'm about to turn 29, so I feel like it's basically pick one and go with it. If I sell my house, move away for 2 years and don't get in, I don't know if I see myself having the motivation to go back for another 2 years of undergrad, just to try for a masters in something else.

I feel like my whole life is basically on the line here and I've never felt so stressed out.
 
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There are times I wish I had continued with my original decision for chemical engineering instead of changing my mind for computer science. Since you enjoy chemistry, go for it. The entry level courses in chemistry will help if you change your mind for medicine or physician assistant.
 
Eliminate option 3

Have you thought about pharm school? involves a lot of chem that you'd enjoy, provides good salary + stability without sacrificing too much
 
Psychology + MPH = get a job with a county, city, federal, or provincial/state agency = very stable, very decent wage, excellent benefits and pension (and you might even find it rewarding)

Any interest in becoming a Professional Social Worker?

I would eliminate #1 at present. Either you want to be a doctor or you don't, there isn't much in-between. At this point, if you're not sure, then I would recommend you work in the field in some capacity first. e.g. #2

Later, after you've gotten a taste of it, you can decide firmly one way or another.
 
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BTW, I've known people who graduated from medical school at 35 and 40 years of age. I even worked with a first-year resident/intern who was 46 years of age. She graduated from Michigan State University (M.D.) the same year as her daughter (different field). Its never too late.
 
What type of doctor? Do you want to be a Medical Doctor, or get a doctorate in Psychology?
I agree that I have always viewed doctors as KNOWING they wanted to be a doctor and striving for it since day 1. Being a doctor is very competitive and if you do not have that immense drive, you won't make it through.

Do you hate Psychology? Is that why you need a career change?

Having a degree in a field you don't care about isn't all that bad. At least you have a degree, which puts you above most other non-degree people, no matter what field you get into.
 
PAs can make an excellent living, and in some regions (at least in the U.S.) can practice fairly independently. The physician route is definitely tougher, and if you haven't begun preparing for it yet (e.g., appropriate coursework, plenty of experiencing volunteering and working in hospitals, etc.), you're behind. It's not impossible, but it's not easy. You'll have years for 60-100 hour weeks ahead of you, so it's definitely a labor of love.

As a poster above mentioned, if by "doctor" you meant psychologist rather than physician (I'm assuming not, given that you're considering becoming a PA, but I could be wrong), the path isn't any easier. Unless you go to a diploma mill, acceptance rates to clinical psychology doctoral programs around about 10% nationwide, and require a few years' worth of research experience, good grades, and solid GRE scores to be competitive. There are plenty of 60-80 work weeks in grad school, internship, and post-doc, and the entire process generally takes 6-8 years.

Pharmacy is another way to go, as is nursing. Personally, my career hierarchy (not including physician) would be PA > Nurse > Pharm. This isn't based on pay, mind you, but rather on my interest in the typical job responsibilities of each profession. Newly-minted pharmacists have recently been complaining about a lack of well-paying job opportunities, but I've yet to hear any such gripes from PAs or RNs. Also, if you do go the RN route and later decide you'd like more responsibility, you can either get an MBA and opt for the administrative career route, or get additional training as a nurse practitioner.
 
tcsenter said:
Psychology + MPH = get a job with a county, city, federal, or provincial/state agency = very stable, very decent wage, excellent benefits and pension (and you might even find it rewarding)

Any interest in becoming a Professional Social Worker?

I would eliminate #1 at present. Either you want to be a doctor or you don't, there isn't much in-between. At this point, if you're not sure, then I would recommend you work in the field in some capacity first. e.g. #2

Later, after you've gotten a taste of it, you can decide firmly one way or another.
Click to expand...

The kind of work I do now basically falls under the umbrella of "social services" and I could continue in that direction if I ever just decided to stop going to school.

Part of the reason I wanted to go back was because I wanted to have more influence on the kind of treatment that the guys I work with receive. Considering I work with people with mental disabilities, my options were basically psychologist, or psychiatrist.

I know that I'm good with people. The area of "social services" is something I just know I should be involved in. To me, that means doctor, physician assistant, nurse, paramedic, social worker, etc. Any of these areas sounds completely fine to me in terms of something I'd enjoy.

Another thing to consider is salary. At some point I'm going to have a family, and kids who want to do things like sports and I want to take vacations. I could move into a social worker type position tomorrow and make decent money, but I'm sure it would be tight. Paramedics make next to nothing. The nursing program would take longer to finish than the physician assistant program and pay less (both make fairly good money). Doctors get paid well which is nice because it means that if you don't blow your money away frivolously, you don't really have financial concerns.

Pharmacy isn't something I had considered. I suppose I could look into it.
 
Doctors make great money, but have no time for their family.
Time is the most valuable commodity.
 
I have also considered that since the physician assistant program is available to me now, perhaps it would be in my best interest to apply for that program and if I'm successful, perhaps after a few years I might have an interest in going back again for an MD.
 
edro said:
Doctors make great money, but have no time for their family.
Time is the most valuable commodity.
Click to expand...

I have considered this too and it's definitely a downside.

I currently work weird hours. Days, evenings, overnight, weekends, holidays. The hours wouldn't be anything I haven't already experienced.
 
BigToque said:
After graduating with a B.A in Psychology in 2006 and working for a few years, I realized that I needed to go back to school. My goal is to have a career that will provide a steady income and provide job security.

After taking a few courses I've pretty much narrowed what I think might be a good fit.

1. Doctor - I think I would be a great doctor. The problem is my past academic performance. I've found a school that is specifically looking for people in my situation, but it's sort of a trial entry method and they're only accepting three students a year in this new non-traditional route.
Click to expand...

http://www.sgu.edu/

You can easily get into this school.
 
tcsenter said:
Any interest in becoming a Professional Social Worker?
Click to expand...

The pay is not that good, but the benefits are great. Depending on what your able to do for people, it might even be a very satisfying job.

We have a lady here that works with disabled families whos income is around the poverty line. These are very poor families who can use any help they can get. When the social worker gets them a trip to a specialist, or a new medical bed, trip to the dentist,,,,,, anything to improve their standard of living, there comes a certain satisfaction with that.

Hey OP - there is more to life then just making money. If "money" is your only goal, then I suggest you review a few things in your life.

If you like studying organic stuff, places like Texas A&M study food crops and new types of crops. One of my college instructors, his wife was working with A&M studying new strains of rice. From what I understood, she make a very nice living growing new types of food.
 
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I would avoid #3, unless you work for a bit as a lab tech first. Chemistry in the lab is very different than chemistry in the classroom, and enjoying the latter is surprisingly little indication you will like the former. Also, if you like personal interaction enough to want to do psychology/medicine, you're probably going to feel isolated doing chemistry.

I would strongly consider the PA route, or as someone else said, nursing. Both will get you in on the ground floor doing patient care very quickly, and pay quite well (at least in the states).
 
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