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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by dillon on September 23, 2003, at 1:34:04
Hi, I'm new here so if I'm boring or long-winded please accept my apology in advance...
I would love to get some feedback about career changes/challenges and I bet some of you on this board might have some new/useful insights that I don't have.
So here goes...
I'm thinking of going to school to learn something so I can get a full-time job in the medical field. Why the medical field??? because there is such a need that job security MIGHT be good.
My work history is pretty sporadic... I've raised 4 kids, worked occassionally as a part-time legal secretary, started my own online rare book business (that I enjoy but it is A LOT of work.)
So now I find myself at the HALF-CENTURY point I've decided that I need to find out what I'm going to do with the next 50 years; and man it is a tough thing to figure out!!!
So, I went down to the local Community College, and looked around... When I talked with each of the department heads of the Sonography, Respiration Therapy and Surgical Tech Deptments they each told me a similar story.. There was a long list of pre-requisites (many of which had pre-requisites), and out of 100 students with grade averages of 4.0 who apply only about 20 get accepted into each program... well I was totally turned off.
I mean I'm fifty, I need something that MIGHT be a sure thing... or at least a possible thing.
So I took myself down to the local Allied Med Tech. School and am thinking of taking a course of study to become a Unit Coordinator at a hospital (i.e. a secretary for a department on a hospital floor)... But again, I'm not sure. Seems to me that the course might not get me anywhere as it's a little lightweight.
So here it is in a nutshell... Community College courses for Sonography or Surgical Tech are almost impossible for me to get into OR the technical school seems a bit lightweight. I don't know what to do. So I need more information.
ANY SUGGESTIONS???
Posted by NikkiT2 on September 23, 2003, at 7:38:34
In reply to New Career at 50? Yikes!, posted by dillon on September 23, 2003, at 1:34:04
All I can tell you is the story of my mum...
Mum started work as a hospital cleaner when I was a baby.. we moved and she got another job as a cleaner in a hospital.. after a while she got a job as cleaning supervisor.. then manager.. but she was ill and deided the job was making her feel ill (turned out to be breast cancer, but thats another story!!)
So.. she became a glorified secretary at the same hospital.. bored with all this, and wanting more, she did some evening classes doing A Levels (the exams you take at 18 in the UK before going to UNiversity).. passed with flying colours and went on and did a degree in Health Care Management when she was 53! She then became a Assistant Hospital Administrator, moving up to Trust Administrator (a trust is a group of hospitals and clinics)... she is now 63, and partially retired (she does 18 hours a week now) but still doing the same work and loving it for the most!!
So, it CAN be done!! My mother in law trained as an Antiques expert at 50 and opened her own antiques shop..
I think its a great thing you're trying to do.. And I wish you all the luck in finding the area you want to work in. Health care can be a wodnerful area to work in!! (My husband works in a hospital - as a computer progammer - and though he earns only half what he would earn elsewhere, he loves doing what he does and in the long term helping people)
Nikki
Posted by bobby on September 23, 2003, at 10:58:11
In reply to Re: New Career at 50? Yikes! » dillon, posted by NikkiT2 on September 23, 2003, at 7:38:34
I'm 43 and it makes me want to change course!
Posted by Emme on September 25, 2003, at 8:26:34
In reply to New Career at 50? Yikes!, posted by dillon on September 23, 2003, at 1:34:04
Hey guys, thanks for those posts. I'm without job, completely clueless about what to do with my life, enthusiastic about nothing. It helps to read that people have gotten a fresh start in the career department.
Emme
Posted by jinglebts on September 26, 2003, at 5:20:05
In reply to Re: New Career at 50? Yikes! » dillon, posted by NikkiT2 on September 23, 2003, at 7:38:34
hey-ho -- how dos one train as an antiques expert? i mean, what courses does one have to take? i'm 58, live in canada, but surely ...
do i ever admire your mum (and your mum-in-law)!!
jb
Posted by NikkiT2 on September 26, 2003, at 6:47:38
In reply to antiques expert? good-oh! » NikkiT2, posted by jinglebts on September 26, 2003, at 5:20:05
HI,
she took a course in valuing at her local community college.. it was a month course, so not overly long, and she has really enjoyed her time with her antiques shop!! She has some gorgeous items in her house that she has managed to pick up for so much less than market value in local auctions too.. I can't wait until I have a large enough house to be able to start visiting auctions and buying stuff!!
And yeah.. I admire my Mum a HUGE amount. She's had a really tough 10 years, but has come out of it stronger and greater than ever.
Nikki x
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