Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff)
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For a whole lot of reasons, my wife's thinking of changing careers—perhaps becoming a lab tech, respiratory therapist or stenographer.
She's trying to understand the practical stuff involved in each: what's the weird bullshit you only know after you start working in the field? What kind of demand is there and will that change? That kind of thing.
Figured I'd ask here since this is the closest thing any of us has to a brain trust.
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If she doesn't mind dealing with people and she's relatively healthy, be a nurse. More money and definitely more opportunities. You can get an A.D., go to work and get your B.S. on-line.
Respiratory therapist? Unless you're running the department, snot suckers aren't paid as well as the lab. But like the lab, there are few opportunities for advancement.
The clinical lab? Oh, I might know a thing or two... The lab hierarchy:
- Pathologist (Medical Director)
- Lab Director (CLS, usually with a Master's + experience)
- Assistant Director/Chief Tech
- Department Heads
- Bench techs. MLT or CLS (2 year vs 4yr degree)
- Lab Assistants
- Phlebotomists
- Clerical
More to follow...
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That's already really helpful, thanks a ton. Her advisor—she's already getting started on A.D. classes—was suggesting the nurse route, which she's also considering, but still likes the idea of labs.
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“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill
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@Mik said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/healthcare-jobs-that-pay-well
Mik, a lot of those are highly competitive schools with advanced degrees. For example, all our pharmacists down here are now mostly PharmD's. About the fastest you can do that from a standing start is a rigorous 3+3 (6 years) and retail is brutal.
PT school is highly competitive and hands on. Most of the other require advanced degrees.
Optoms are interesting in that they require a little less pre-reqs and the momey is good. My cousin went to SCO:
https://www.sco.edu/prerequisite-courses -
@Mik said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/healthcare-jobs-that-pay-well
- Pharmacist
National average salary: $126,626 per hour
That’s at least 10% more than @George-K made.
- Pharmacist
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@Mik said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/healthcare-jobs-that-pay-well
- Pharmacist
National average salary: $126,626 per hour
That’s at least 10% more than @George-K made.
@LuFins-Dad said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
That’s at least 10% more than @George-K made...
...in a day!
- Pharmacist
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- Registered nurse anesthetist
That’s what Lucas is debating… That or Certified Anesthetist Assistant. They are actually two very similar roles with two very different paths and options. The CRNA role requires a Bachelor’s in Nursing, 1 year in acute care giving, and a 2 year CRNA Graduate program. The CAA programs require a Bachelor’s in biology or equivalent, then a 2 year graduate degree.
Lucas is on the CAA track (Molecular/Cellular Biology Major), but he’s considering switching over to a CRNA track because 1) there is a very intense political battle and CRNA lobbies have been able to keep CAA’s unable to practice in 29 states (though the CAA’s have made progress in the last 5 years), and 2) CRNA’s are making ~ $10K more per year.
On the other side, he wouldn’t have to switch majors (likely costing him another year for his bachelor’s), he wouldn’t need to spend a year as an acute care giver, and he would have an easier path to go to Medical School in the future if he decided he wanted to (which is somewhat important to him). While the states he can work in is somewhat limited, the options are expanding, and he could also work at a VA facility anywhere in the country.
I’ve advised him not to worry about the pay difference as that would be more than offset by getting into his profession 2 years earlier and having one less year of tuition. But the limited employment options is worth considering. We will see.
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Jolly, do you have any recommendations when it comes to labwork? (Keep in mind my wife's not exactly Lucas' age. Taking classes for 10+ years is absolutely on the table as long as it can be alongside a paid gig. Otherwise, eh, options may be limited.)
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The money won't be what you'd like, but an A.D. degreed MLT can go to work and complete most, if not all, of their B.S online. That's what a lot of guys do.
Do take a look at passage rates on certification exams. The ASCP is the most recognized and the most portable. Some states have licensure boards, but IIRC, all have reciprocity except for California and Florida.
Nurses are in the same boat. I assume all take the NCLEX, and the B.S. can be finished on-line. Don't know about reciprocity between state licenses. If your wife is a good student, some of those guys work as nurse techs in their last year.
Rad Techs can also be job ready in two years with an A.D. degree. Don't know about the salary structure right now. Probably the most money goes to the Dosimetrists.
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The money won't be what you'd like, but an A.D. degreed MLT can go to work and complete most, if not all, of their B.S online. That's what a lot of guys do.
Do take a look at passage rates on certification exams. The ASCP is the most recognized and the most portable. Some states have licensure boards, but IIRC, all have reciprocity except for California and Florida.
Nurses are in the same boat. I assume all take the NCLEX, and the B.S. can be finished on-line. Don't know about reciprocity between state licenses. If your wife is a good student, some of those guys work as nurse techs in their last year.
Rad Techs can also be job ready in two years with an A.D. degree. Don't know about the salary structure right now. Probably the most money goes to the Dosimetrists.
@Jolly said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
Nurses are in the same boat. I assume all take the NCLEX, and the B.S. can be finished on-line.
Our place enacted a policy that all nurses must have a BS (or BSN) degree. No one was grandfathered in, although those without a bachelor's degree were given a time limit in which the BS must be completed.
Gettin a job as a nurse, without a BS might be difficult today.
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@Jolly said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
Nurses are in the same boat. I assume all take the NCLEX, and the B.S. can be finished on-line.
Our place enacted a policy that all nurses must have a BS (or BSN) degree. No one was grandfathered in, although those without a bachelor's degree were given a time limit in which the BS must be completed.
Gettin a job as a nurse, without a BS might be difficult today.
@George-K said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
@Jolly said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
Nurses are in the same boat. I assume all take the NCLEX, and the B.S. can be finished on-line.
Our place enacted a policy that all nurses must have a BS (or BSN) degree. No one was grandfathered in, although those without a bachelor's degree were given a time limit in which the BS must be completed.
Gettin a job as a nurse, without a BS might be difficult today.
With a Bachelor’s in something else, it would be 2 years to get your nursing BS, no?
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@George-K said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
@Jolly said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
Nurses are in the same boat. I assume all take the NCLEX, and the B.S. can be finished on-line.
Our place enacted a policy that all nurses must have a BS (or BSN) degree. No one was grandfathered in, although those without a bachelor's degree were given a time limit in which the BS must be completed.
Gettin a job as a nurse, without a BS might be difficult today.
With a Bachelor’s in something else, it would be 2 years to get your nursing BS, no?
@LuFins-Dad said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
With a Bachelor’s in something else, it would be 2 years to get your nursing BS, no?
Back in the day, an RN was a 3 year program. Mrs. George got her Bachelor's at night and I think it took an additional 2 years.
However, today, a RN/BSN program is 4 years, I believe. Same as any Bachelor's degree.
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@LuFins-Dad said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
With a Bachelor’s in something else, it would be 2 years to get your nursing BS, no?
Back in the day, an RN was a 3 year program. Mrs. George got her Bachelor's at night and I think it took an additional 2 years.
However, today, a RN/BSN program is 4 years, I believe. Same as any Bachelor's degree.
@George-K said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
@LuFins-Dad said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
With a Bachelor’s in something else, it would be 2 years to get your nursing BS, no?
Back in the day, an RN was a 3 year program. Mrs. George got her Bachelor's at night and I think it took an additional 2 years.
However, today, a RN/BSN program is 4 years, I believe. Same as any Bachelor's degree.
Right, but there are/is overlapping course credits/requirements that cut that down.
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George, did you notice a difference in nursing care from a BSN vs. a kindhearted, empathetic and smart nurse with "only" an associate degree? I do wonder if from the patient's perspective and then from the Doctor's perspective, did nursing improve over the years as the requirements for becoming an RN were based upon the bachelor's degree?
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George, did you notice a difference in nursing care from a BSN vs. a kindhearted, empathetic and smart nurse with "only" an associate degree? I do wonder if from the patient's perspective and then from the Doctor's perspective, did nursing improve over the years as the requirements for becoming an RN were based upon the bachelor's degree?
@Rainman said in Hey Jolly (And other folks who know lab stuff):
George, did you notice a difference in nursing care from a BSN vs. a kindhearted, empathetic and smart nurse with "only" an associate degree?
None whatsoever.
"Back in the day," the only ones that wanted a BSN were those who aspired to be clipboard-carriers.
But...care became more fragmented, so that tasks traditionally attributed ("back in the day") to a nurse - bathing, bringing water, turning, etc - were transferred to a Nurses' Aid or LPN. The actual "nurse" was more the person who distributed meds, communicated with the docs, etc.
