Opinions wanted - but if all you want to do is dump on someone get lost.
I’m considering going back to school for retraining for a different profession. I am considering something like x-ray/imaging tech, or respiratory therapist, or a similar field. The rationale here is that I like medicine, I’ve worked in tangentially related jobs for most of my adult life, but I don’t want to be either a doctor or nurse nor do I want to be the poor sob who mops the blood and body fluids off the floor in the ER. I’d do such a job for survival, but I think I’m capable of something a little more interesting and complex than oogy-removal.
I know we have medical people here. In fact, I’ll be shocked if we don’t have x-ray techs, RT’s, etc. on the Dope (we have everything else, after all). Would be interested in information on such. I’d be interested in knowing where to go for more information.
Obviously, this will require some college level courses/programs. For education I am willing to take out a loan. Given my situation, I am willing to take a short program to get my foot in the door and a steady job, then bootstrap myself up from there. For example, one suggestion was phlebotomist, get a job, then work up to something else.
My funds are limited so I’ll be looking for education in the NW Indiana/South Side of Chicago area. If anyone can point me to a school(s) please let me know.
Also - I’ve been out of school for… oh… 20 years. Any suggestions about how to get back in?
Are there any two-year colleges nearby? They tend to be a lot cheaper than other schools, and getting in is basically a matter of signing up and showing up. You need to look into whether the credits will transfer to whatever program you eventually end up in, but it’s an option worth seriously considering.
Oh, yeah - crapload of schools around here, from major universities to community colleges to for-profit schools. The problem will be choosing which one.
Most community colleges have one- and two-year (depending on state licensing requirements) vocational programs to train lab techs, surgical techs, physicians’ assistants, etc. It is incredibly common to do one year, get a certificate, get a job, then continue training (often with $$ support from your employer) part-time while working full-time.
How to get back in: call those schools, find a program you’re interested in, and go talk to them. They’re set up to deal with “nontraditional” students and will be delighted to help you.
twicks, who doesn’t work in the field but who’s been writing on vocational and other post-secondary ed for a high-circulation publication here in Philly
There may also be money available for that kind of retraining. In making your decision, you should also talk to the financial aid office to see what they can do for you.
ETA: You should also make sure that the program you end up in is accredited with the professional/educational organization that handles credentialing for that field. You don’t want to waste time and money on a program if you can’t earn certification in it.
This is of the utmost importance! I know someone who went to a school that was supposedly going to get accreditation, and it didn’t. Now, she’s out all that money and time, and can’t get certification or a job in her field.
Not just the financial aid office, but the state unemployment office. I know my mom has gotten state money for displaced workers to do a relatively short-term retraining program.