Hmm, where to start? Well, I didn’t get that raise I asked for. Bastards. It’s more than that though. I really don’t enjoy my job. I’m a nuclear medicine tech. That means I inject people with radioactive goo and then take pictures of their guts. Basically. Well, I don’t mind the goo part, I just don’t like the people. I’m really not meant for the health care field.
Here’s the problem: This job, since it is such a specialized field, allows someone like me, with not much edumacashun, to make decent money. Not great, but decent. And, I need to continue making at least close to what I make now due to mortgage, child support, etc… Say, around $30/hr, although I could probably deal with a short term drop to $25 or even $20.
Another problem: Lack of education. I finished my transfer degree for the Berkeley physics program, got accepted, registered, then left because they wanted me to pay non-resident fees. Well, I haven’t been back to school much since then and from what I’ve seen, no one’s looking for someone with an associate’s degree anyway. All my medical training was in the military, so the credits don’t transfer to real schools. I could theoretically “buy” a BS from one of those phoney-baloney correspondence schools, but I think everyone has cought on to that crap anyway.
Ideally, I’d like to do something where I could hide behind a computer all day and not talk to anyone, since I pretty much have disdain for most people. Can you help me out here? I don’t have a lot of experience, but I am reasonably smart, above average, at least and I learn quickly. Any field that I could move up quickly, based on merit and performance? That’s what I’m really interested in. A place where I can move based on how I perform.
The are some “School of Adult Learning” curriculums (see: Cardinal Stritch College) that allow someone with an AA to complete a BS or BA in about 13 months. One night a week, 4 hours a night, for 13 months. I guess it depends on what you’re looking to get your degree in, though.
For general purposes, though, I’d say check the local county, state and Fed government job postings. Is there a Federal Building near you? A main Post Office?
Hey Demo, because of your radiological training, you might want to investigate a couple of different areas.
The fustus and bestus would be radioimmunilogical assay of genetic and bacteriological substances. The use of tracer compounds is one of the most productive avenues for detecting uptake and resistance building in biological media.
Another area is in the semiconductor sector. X-ray imaging of integrated circuitry and metallic packaging interconnections are becoming far more common than ever before.
Last, but not least, there is a new trend in medical X-ray technology. Digital image sensing plaques that replace emulsion film in standard medical X-ray technology will make enormous strides in the next five years. This is a window that has just opened within less than the last 18 months. I would personally focus on this last option. If your are as technically versed as I think you are, then you would be able to train physicians and staff in the installation and use with ease.
In addition, digital transmission of these images will become the norm. You would be in a prime position to enter into systems administration of archiving and transfering these images. Now there’s a way to sit behind a computer!
If you are interested in going techie, post a resume at Dice.com. Even if you have no experience, if you say you are interested in a field like tech support or QA someone will find you and pay you OK bucks while they train you, big bucks a year or so after that. I posted mine and got about 40 calls the first day, and had closed the deal on my current job within a week. Do you live in the city? If you’re willing to drive/Caltrain I know a lot of places (including mine) are still looking for people on the peninsula. You can usually set your own hours so traffic isn’t a pain.
I just went back and checked our site, we do have a couple of entry level openings that would put you behind a computer. Send me an email if you are interested. And I’m not just saying that because I get a bonus if I refer someone who gets hired.
Demo, I think you should reconsider the plot we hatched in chat a few months ago…
We somehow convince the government that we are a pair of scientists, and we need funds to conduct our very important research. Our mission will be to study the effects of beer combined with suntanning. You will drink many beers, and lay out in the sun, for about, oh, let’s say six months. I will drink no beer and lay out in the sun. At the end of six months, we will compare suntans, and see who got the better tan. I think that amount of hard work (at least 8 hours a day, six days a week) is worth at least a million or so.
Think they’ll buy it?
Hmmm, disdain for most people. Possible job in tech support or quality assurance. Theoretically, these are not ideally suited for each other. But you wouldn’t be the first.
Wow, thanks everyone for the great leads. Especially Blu :D.
I just got home from class, and it’s late, but I will be checking into all of them. BTW Zenster, I actually do have some experience in RIA (radio-immuno assay).
Again, thanks all, I see doors opening before me already!
Just curious, Demo, since I don’t know too much about medicine, but why on earth would you inject people with radioactive goo? And who are the people who go through such a procedure?
Thanks for clearing that up Falcon. When I read the OP, I was thinking more along the lines of prisoners volunteering for experimental tests. Guess I was just a little off-base on that one, eh?
Eh, we do research studies as well. As a matter of fact we’re doing one as I speak. This study has about 900 people in it, total. It is to test the efficacy of a new radiopharmaceutical for cardiac imaging. The patients have to come for four days, two of which they’re here ALL day. Those two days they also gets injected four times with “radioactive goo” (my new word. ;)) For this, they get a stipend of a whole, whopping $100! So, in a sense, they are like prisoners…only consenting prisoners.
A lot of non administrative support positions are paying close to that in the valley. If you have a basic knowledge of Windows (or want to spend a few hours reading through NT for Dummies), and a decent recruiter, you can get in the door in many places. Despite the recent .com bloodbath there are still not nearly enough people to fill those positions. Companies are looking for good people that they can train as well as those with experience.
I agree with the above post that having a disdain for people doesn’t exactly mix with tech support or QA, however a few months of making nice can get you the training needed to move out of those positions.
All my medical training was in the military, so the credits don’t transfer to real schools. I could theoretically “buy” a BS from one of those phoney-baloney correspondence schools, but I think everyone has cought on to that crap anyway.