Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Other discussions not related to the Permanent Portfolio

Moderator: Global Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
doodle
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4658
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 2:17 pm

Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by doodle » Tue May 05, 2020 10:37 am

So my significant other is considering transitioning into the healthcare industry. She has a four year degree in sociology/psychology with some science classes but would have to take some pre reqs to qualify for admission to most associate of science 2 year medical tech programs.

Does anyone here that works in medical industry have any insights into what career path in this industry would offer the best bang for time/effort/money invested? Also important is ease of finding job openings as concerned about certain areas being saturated with applicants. Any information or suggestions regarding this would be highly appreciated!
User avatar
Ad Orientem
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 3483
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:47 pm
Location: Florida USA
Contact:

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by Ad Orientem » Tue May 05, 2020 12:03 pm

"To a bloody war or a sickly season." -Traditional toast of the Royal Navy for officers hoping for promotion
WiseOne
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2692
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:08 am

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by WiseOne » Tue May 05, 2020 3:16 pm

Is she crazy?

No one is hiring and layoffs/pay cuts are happening everywhere. The hospitals and outpatient centers & practices of all kinds are going broke. Pugchief gave us a nice inside look into what's happening to his small dental practice.

Plus, in the era of EHRs and oppressive regulation, everyone in medicine is flat out miserable.

It'll all recover at some point (minus the EHRs & regulations which aren't going anywhere), so entering a training program at least 2 years long may not be a terrible idea. PA school sounds fine. Consider physical therapy or nursing also. But, if she likes medicine in general why not consider becoming a vet tech? Same work, less stress, cute fuzzy critters instead of crazed people with their lawyer's phone number in their pockets, and a lot less bureaucracy to deal with.
User avatar
GT
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 270
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:54 pm

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by GT » Tue May 05, 2020 4:22 pm

WiseOne wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 3:16 pm
Is she crazy?

No one is hiring and layoffs/pay cuts are happening everywhere. The hospitals and outpatient centers & practices of all kinds are going broke. Pugchief gave us a nice inside look into what's happening to his small dental practice.

Plus, in the era of EHRs and oppressive regulation, everyone in medicine is flat out miserable.

It'll all recover at some point (minus the EHRs & regulations which aren't going anywhere), so entering a training program at least 2 years long may not be a terrible idea. PA school sounds fine. Consider physical therapy or nursing also. But, if she likes medicine in general why not consider becoming a vet tech? Same work, less stress, cute fuzzy critters instead of crazed people with their lawyer's phone number in their pockets, and a lot less bureaucracy to deal with.
My Daughter was thinking Criminal science or Medical field - Do you know if there as been any forecasting on the medical field needs based on the age of the population - I have no proof but I think we are in a medical field bubble due to the large population of aging Boomers. Gen X is a much smaller group and the next largest group is still very young.
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9423
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by vnatale » Tue May 05, 2020 7:54 pm

WiseOne wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 3:16 pm
Is she crazy?

No one is hiring and layoffs/pay cuts are happening everywhere. The hospitals and outpatient centers & practices of all kinds are going broke. Pugchief gave us a nice inside look into what's happening to his small dental practice.

Plus, in the era of EHRs and oppressive regulation, everyone in medicine is flat out miserable.

It'll all recover at some point (minus the EHRs & regulations which aren't going anywhere), so entering a training program at least 2 years long may not be a terrible idea. PA school sounds fine. Consider physical therapy or nursing also. But, if she likes medicine in general why not consider becoming a vet tech? Same work, less stress, cute fuzzy critters instead of crazed people with their lawyer's phone number in their pockets, and a lot less bureaucracy to deal with.
I never thought that vet tech's were that well paid? Low five figures? While I'm assuming that physican assistant's are minimum six figures?

Vinny
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
Kriegsspiel
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4052
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 5:28 pm

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by Kriegsspiel » Wed May 06, 2020 6:56 am

GT wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 4:22 pm
WiseOne wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 3:16 pm
Is she crazy?

No one is hiring and layoffs/pay cuts are happening everywhere. The hospitals and outpatient centers & practices of all kinds are going broke. Pugchief gave us a nice inside look into what's happening to his small dental practice.

Plus, in the era of EHRs and oppressive regulation, everyone in medicine is flat out miserable.

It'll all recover at some point (minus the EHRs & regulations which aren't going anywhere), so entering a training program at least 2 years long may not be a terrible idea. PA school sounds fine. Consider physical therapy or nursing also. But, if she likes medicine in general why not consider becoming a vet tech? Same work, less stress, cute fuzzy critters instead of crazed people with their lawyer's phone number in their pockets, and a lot less bureaucracy to deal with.
My Daughter was thinking Criminal science or Medical field - Do you know if there as been any forecasting on the medical field needs based on the age of the population - I have no proof but I think we are in a medical field bubble due to the large population of aging Boomers. Gen X is a much smaller group and the next largest group is still very young.
"Mental health" has a very promising future. There are an unprecedented number of crazy people nowadays.
You there, Ephialtes. May you live forever.
User avatar
drumminj
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 319
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:16 pm

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by drumminj » Wed May 06, 2020 9:17 am

vnatale wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 7:54 pm

I never thought that vet tech's were that well paid? Low five figures? While I'm assuming that physican assistant's are minimum six figures?

Vinny
I recall reading that vets have a high suicide rate as well. I suspect vet techs would be exposed to the same causes?
WiseOne
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2692
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:08 am

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by WiseOne » Wed May 06, 2020 9:46 am

drumminj wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 9:17 am
vnatale wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 7:54 pm

I never thought that vet tech's were that well paid? Low five figures? While I'm assuming that physican assistant's are minimum six figures?

Vinny
I recall reading that vets have a high suicide rate as well. I suspect vet techs would be exposed to the same causes?
Better than doctors. Neither applies to lower level positions though.

You might be right that vet techs aren't paid as much as PAs, but consider that pay in medical positions is likely to stagnate/go down. Less money to spread around. The Gen Xers may be less numerous than the boomers, but they're sicker. More obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease etc. And the millennials are even worse.
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9423
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by vnatale » Wed May 06, 2020 10:02 am

drumminj wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 9:17 am
vnatale wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 7:54 pm

I never thought that vet tech's were that well paid? Low five figures? While I'm assuming that physican assistant's are minimum six figures?

Vinny
I recall reading that vets have a high suicide rate as well. I suspect vet techs would be exposed to the same causes?
If true, that is shocking to me and something that would have never crossed my mind.

Vinny
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9423
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by vnatale » Wed May 06, 2020 10:04 am

WiseOne wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 9:46 am
drumminj wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 9:17 am
vnatale wrote:
Tue May 05, 2020 7:54 pm

I never thought that vet tech's were that well paid? Low five figures? While I'm assuming that physican assistant's are minimum six figures?

Vinny
I recall reading that vets have a high suicide rate as well. I suspect vet techs would be exposed to the same causes?
Better than doctors. Neither applies to lower level positions though.

You might be right that vet techs aren't paid as much as PAs, but consider that pay in medical positions is likely to stagnate/go down. Less money to spread around. The Gen Xers may be less numerous than the boomers, but they're sicker. More obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease etc. And the millennials are even worse.
My theory for any profession is no matter what is going on in the overall profession if you are one of the good / upper level ones in your profession then you are always going to have a job and will always be paid well. And, the medical industry is a huge one. Just like every organization needs some form of accounting personnel, every single county in the country needs various medical personnel.

Vinny
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
WiseOne
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2692
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:08 am

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by WiseOne » Wed May 06, 2020 10:07 am

The higher ups in the medical profession are not doctors any longer. It's administrators. And it's definitely not PAs.
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9423
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by vnatale » Wed May 06, 2020 10:18 am

WiseOne wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:07 am
The higher ups in the medical profession are not doctors any longer. It's administrators. And it's definitely not PAs.
By upper level, I was not referring to where you are on the organizational hierarchy but how you compare to your peers at your profession. Therefore, I'd be comparing Physicians Assistants to Physicians Assistants and not to any type of administrator.

Vinny
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
drumminj
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 319
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:16 pm

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by drumminj » Wed May 06, 2020 9:12 pm

vnatale wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:02 am
drumminj wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 9:17 am

I recall reading that vets have a high suicide rate as well. I suspect vet techs would be exposed to the same causes?
If true, that is shocking to me and something that would have never crossed my mind.

Vinny
A quick search yielded this: https://time.com/5485552/veterinarians-suicide/
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9423
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by vnatale » Thu May 07, 2020 8:14 am

drumminj wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 9:12 pm
vnatale wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 10:02 am
drumminj wrote:
Wed May 06, 2020 9:17 am

I recall reading that vets have a high suicide rate as well. I suspect vet techs would be exposed to the same causes?
If true, that is shocking to me and something that would have never crossed my mind.

Vinny
A quick search yielded this: https://time.com/5485552/veterinarians-suicide/
Those are veterinarians. I thought the original reference was to veterinarian technicians? I'd assume they would be subject to much less stress than the veterinarians.

Vinny
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
drumminj
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 319
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:16 pm

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by drumminj » Thu May 07, 2020 8:59 am

vnatale wrote:
Thu May 07, 2020 8:14 am

Those are veterinarians. I thought the original reference was to veterinarian technicians? I'd assume they would be subject to much less stress than the veterinarians.

Vinny
I feel we're way off on a tangent now, but will try to close the loop. Yes, the original discussion was vet techs and the article is about veterinarians, but if you see my quote above in your post, as I say "I suspect vet techs would be exposed to the same causes?".

Perhaps I misunderstood you earlier and you were saying that it never would have crossed your mind that techs are exposed to the same stressors, rather than (as I interpreted it) it never crossed your mind that vets would have a high suicide rate? If so, I apologize for derailing us.
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9423
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by vnatale » Thu May 07, 2020 4:32 pm

drumminj wrote:
Thu May 07, 2020 8:59 am
vnatale wrote:
Thu May 07, 2020 8:14 am

Those are veterinarians. I thought the original reference was to veterinarian technicians? I'd assume they would be subject to much less stress than the veterinarians.

Vinny
I feel we're way off on a tangent now, but will try to close the loop. Yes, the original discussion was vet techs and the article is about veterinarians, but if you see my quote above in your post, as I say "I suspect vet techs would be exposed to the same causes?".

Perhaps I misunderstood you earlier and you were saying that it never would have crossed your mind that techs are exposed to the same stressors, rather than (as I interpreted it) it never crossed your mind that vets would have a high suicide rate? If so, I apologize for derailing us.
I believe that now all your current interpretations are correct!

Vinny
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
Kriegsspiel
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4052
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 5:28 pm

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by Kriegsspiel » Thu May 07, 2020 4:45 pm

I could see mental health techs committing a lot of suicide after dealing with millennials in such large doses. Maybe that wasn't such a good suggestion. I disavow my previous post, and now promote plastic surgery.
You there, Ephialtes. May you live forever.
User avatar
ochotona
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 3353
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:54 am

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by ochotona » Mon May 11, 2020 9:36 am

Kriegsspiel wrote:
Thu May 07, 2020 4:45 pm
I could see mental health techs committing a lot of suicide after dealing with millennials in such large doses. Maybe that wasn't such a good suggestion. I disavow my previous post, and now promote plastic surgery.

I want to commit suicide after hearing Millenial women speak... vocal fry and "thank you" comes out as "THENK-yeeeew", and you still have whatever ugly regional accent mixed in with it... current Kroger commercial
User avatar
Kriegsspiel
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4052
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 5:28 pm

Re: Healthcare jobs, which are best options for career change

Post by Kriegsspiel » Mon May 11, 2020 5:03 pm

ochotona wrote:
Mon May 11, 2020 9:36 am
Kriegsspiel wrote:
Thu May 07, 2020 4:45 pm
I could see mental health techs committing a lot of suicide after dealing with millennials in such large doses. Maybe that wasn't such a good suggestion. I disavow my previous post, and now promote plastic surgery.

I want to commit suicide after hearing Millenial women speak... vocal fry and "thank you" comes out as "THENK-yeeeew", and you still have whatever ugly regional accent mixed in with it... current Kroger commercial
Your daughter had her friends over recently, didn't she?
You there, Ephialtes. May you live forever.
Post Reply