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Fisticuffs posted:I graduated with a humanities degree three years ago, with every intention of going on to law school. I hesitated due to general unrest in the field. Though I think I would enjoy legal work, I'm not looking to roll the dice on that sort of debt load just to have a shot at a super saturated field. Going back for another bachelor's degree can be a good idea like it was in my case, but I think it really depends on what you want to do. I'm sure there are tech jobs you can get that don't require a CS degree, but those jobs may not be what you are after. I think the key for you will be deciding more specifically what you want to do professionally. Having general interest in technology is one thing, but would you be happy with any ol' tech job? I think it would be worthwhile to investigate some specific jobs/careers and see what kinds of qualifications are required for them. Think about what kind of quality of life you want to have, where you want to live, and how much money it will take to do those things. Do you want a flexible work schedule, or a straightforward 9-5? Do you want to be in a salary position, or wage? What kind of employer do you want to work for? Do you want to be in a business, medical, or casual environment? Do you have any aspirations to become a manager? I wouldn't recommend going back to school until you've answered these questions and you're sure it's necessary. It's hard work but if it lets you meet your goals, like it did for me, then it's worth every penny, every second, and every ounce of effort.
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Apr 4, 2013 15:46
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Pollyanna posted:Reposting, since I never got any responses. edit: If you are interested in putting in more time for school/residency, medical physics is an option. You could earn a higher salary, but residency positions are very competitive and are required for board certification, which is vital for finding a job. I considered med physics but went for dosimetry since I had already spent quite a bit of time in school and was ready for my career to begin (I got a degree in anthropology before my degree in physics). Uranium 235 fucked around with this message at 15:50 on Apr 23, 2013 |
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Apr 23, 2013 15:34
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Pollyanna posted:Ooh. I heard something about medical dosimetry, but I was pushed more towards medical physics when I was checking it out. Is schooling for medical dosimetry available in many places, or would I have to move to Wisconsin or something for a school there? I don't know, off the top of my head, which programs are open to non-ARRT accredited applicants. The ones I do know: MD Anderson in Houston, TX (bachelor's program) UAMS in Little Rock, AR (bachelor's program) UW-LaCrosse, LaCrosse, WI (master's program... pretty sure they have a track for people with a bachelor's degree in a science) University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, OK (same as above) There are probably others. Just go here for a list of accredited programs and look into their requirements: http://www.jrcert.org/find-a-program/ If the career sounds interesting to you, give it some serious thought, even if it means relocating. A lot of programs are only 12 months long, though some are 24, and with your background, they should be relatively easy. I didn't have to do any research or write a thesis. Most projects I did were case studies and treatment planning (which is good because that will be your job). Job prospects are very good. I started a job within three months of graduating (graduated 8/10, started 10/22) at a top hospital in NYC. I passed the board exam so I am now certified, and that bumped my salary to six figures. Not bad for a 12 month program. Here's why I personally wouldn't recommend medical physics unless you really, really are committed to the idea of being a medical physicist: you need a master's degree at a minimum, so that's at least two more years of school. Then, to become certified, you need a two year residency. That's another two years, during which you are getting paid a fraction of what a dosimetrist makes. After your residency, you can sit for the board exams (dosimetrists have only one) and start applying for jobs. The master's programs are competitive, and the residencies are extremely competitive. Why? Because there are a lot of physics doctorates and post-docs who have no shot at landing a physics faculty position who are looking for other careers, and a lot of them are jumping into the medical physics residencies. This means a master's degree in medical physics does not guarantee you residency. I'm not saying it can't be done, but entry into the profession is much more difficult than entry into dosimetry. Furthermore, a dosimetrist generally works 40 hours a week during normal business hours. Sometimes we stay late to work on emergency cases, but we never come in on weekends. Physicists, on the other hand, frequently need access to the linear accelerators to do their work, which means they have to work outside of normal business hours while patients are not being treated. That means staying late, sometimes past 10 pm, and coming in on weekends. It is far more likely that a physicist will work >40 hours a week than it is for a dosimetrist. While a physicist earns a higher salary, the effective hourly wage is closer to equal than many people realize. There's also work/life balance issues to consider. I seriously considered medical physics, but the reasons above are why I went with dosimetry. It was easier to get into, the program was easier and faster to complete, finding a job was fairly easy, and the salary is still very high. The time spent in a medical physics program + residency + the increased difficulty + the realities of the job made medical physics much less attractive. Uranium 235 fucked around with this message at 14:49 on Apr 26, 2013 |
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Apr 26, 2013 14:42
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marsisol posted:So I think this is the appropriate thread for this. I need some advice on how to negotiate a raise.
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Jun 13, 2013 16:43
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