the 100% directionless thread

[Tommerag]

If anyone is bored come join me and adz in the chat haha

 

[Sassafras]

So, I finally am attempting to accept the fact that med school is financially not in the cards for me. I contacted the local comm college where I started working towards pre reqs and discovered I'm only A/P I and II as well as microbiology short of applying to the RN program. They also said with all the pre med classes I took that transferring after the RN program should be easy. And that I've gotten the max permissable transfers for Penn State (who the CC works with) for their BSN. I should only be a couple math and management classes away when I'm done (maybe a science course or two but none the less easy to accomplish while working).

I guess my plan now is to work towards nurse practitioner. I was considering general pediatrics anyway, and I can do almost everything a gen ped would do as an NP. The local trauma hospital has an excellent children's hospital as well. I haven't quite given up on emergency medicine. It's kind of in the blood now, but at this moment I have to figure out how I will afford college for three kids and retirement. That's not going to happen as an EMT-B and there's a hell of a lot I want to learn beyond what I know now anyway.

Sooo....here we go again.

 

[JPINFV]

So, I finally am attempting to accept the fact that med school is financially not in the cards for me.

Minus loans or scholarship programs like the military Health Professions Scholarship Program (which, in my opinion, is a stupid move in light of entering after residency and picking up what appears to be a sweet enlistment bonus plus specialty pay), everyone uses loans. The only thing I think is difficult is ponying up the money for the application game/gamble.

 

[Sassafras]

Yes but graduating at 40 years old 300K in debt, does not make for paying off school loans before retirement.

 

[JPINFV]

Tis very true. Additionally med school is sort of a trap. Once in, you have to finish simply due to the loans.

 

[Sassafras]

Yup. I'd love to still pursue it. There's so much to learn, but fiscally it's not possible for me to do with 3 kids and a job that pays so little my kids are on medical assistance (actually, we just lost that so yay, I get just barely enough to lose my kids insurance LOL).

 

[Shishkabob]

Yes but graduating at 40 years old 300K in debt, does not make for paying off school loans before retirement.

I never got that thought process that many proclaim.


Even if you "only" make $100,000 a year starting, live as if you were on a $30,000/yr salary. You'll pay $70k to loans, so you can have it paid off in 5ish years.

 

[JPINFV]

I never got that thought process that many proclaim.


Even if you "only" make $100,000 a year starting, live as if you were on a $30,000/yr salary. You'll pay $70k to loans, so you can have it paid off in 5ish years.

Issue 1: ____ happens.

Issue 2: Don't forget about taxes, especially since loans aren't tax deductible at that level of income.

 

[Sassafras]

Taxes, malpractice insurance, living like you are on 30K isn't really possible becaue 30K salary people get not only medical assistance, but cash and food stamps as well as multiple other government hand outs.

Add on a kid that will be college age by the time I finish residency and two more following up the rear and making too much to qualify for grants/scholarships...oh and did I mention living sub poverty level for years has meant I'm in my mid 30's with NOTHING saved for retirement. Yeah, must rectify that one and fast. LOL.

It really becomes overwhelming when you realize all the costs that will no longer be deferred. There are not enough loans to pay for med school anyway. I won't be able to work my way through school with any sort of sustainable job. My life will be studying. It's a long drawn out argument anytime it comes up with the spouse.

I think this option is probably best for my situation, honestly. Is it the end all dream? No. But it's close enough for contentment and will allow me to slow down the studying enough to work to survive and still enjoy my children while they are young enough to be called children.

 

[MrBrown]

Brown would love to go to medical school and get his MBChB (five years undergraduate Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) however Brown and Mrs Brown would like Brownlets so Brown has decided to hang up the idea of getting an orange "DOCTOR" jumpsuit and replaced it with diapers and midnight feedings.

Hmm lets see .... no wires, ambulance at your one oclock low, clear to ground, keep coming down, bring the tail to me if you like

Ambulance, Medivac, descending .....

 

[VFlutter]

I just got a call from my nursing school, a spot opened up in the summer 2011 class so i get to start May 16th instead of waiting until Spring which means i will graduate 2 semesters earlier than before since the summer class is year round and the regular class has summers off. I am excited but it will be a busy few months since my EMT class ends on the 14th and i have to move back home and start school two days later. Also being in nursing school while studying and getting ready for the NREMT will be fun.

 

[TransportJockey]

So, I finally am attempting to accept the fact that med school is financially not in the cards for me. I contacted the local comm college where I started working towards pre reqs and discovered I'm only A/P I and II as well as microbiology short of applying to the RN program. They also said with all the pre med classes I took that transferring after the RN program should be easy. And that I've gotten the max permissable transfers for Penn State (who the CC works with) for their BSN. I should only be a couple math and management classes away when I'm done (maybe a science course or two but none the less easy to accomplish while working).

I guess my plan now is to work towards nurse practitioner. I was considering general pediatrics anyway, and I can do almost everything a gen ped would do as an NP. The local trauma hospital has an excellent children's hospital as well. I haven't quite given up on emergency medicine. It's kind of in the blood now, but at this moment I have to figure out how I will afford college for three kids and retirement. That's not going to happen as an EMT-B and there's a hell of a lot I want to learn beyond what I know now anyway.

Sooo....here we go again.

Sounds very similar to my plans. I wanted to go to med school, but I realized there was no way I can pay for it. So I figure I'll do a similar plan as you, except I wanna work towards NP in EM

 

[medicRob]

Sounds very similar to my plans. I wanted to go to med school, but I realized there was no way I can pay for it. So I figure I'll do a similar plan as you, except I wanna work towards NP in EM

The Nurse Prac school that I am in has a dual ACNP/FNP program for emergency nursing, that is the one I started in, but I realized I didnt want to do family practice, so I went with the ACNP-Intensivist program. I graduate this May and should take my boards soon after.

 

[Shishkabob]

Issue 2: Don't forget about taxes, especially since loans aren't tax deductible at that level of income.

Heck, I was just doing easy math there. The lowest paying physician specialty is family medicine, and it's average income is in the $200,000k range, whilst the lowest I've seen is still $130,000.

Really not hard to live below your means until your debt is paid off... people do it all the time. Much easier when you earn six figures, too.

 

[Adz]

Chat anyone?

 

[Tommerag]

Im in there now, but Tommerag is all alone, maybe i should start talking in 3rd person to

 

[Sassafras]

Actually peds are lower paid still. Friend offered 75k for full partnership near here. She laughed at them of course but where she is now is not much higher.

 

[TransportJockey]

"only your EMT?" never underestimate the value of an experienced EMT

I think most of the time I'd take another new medic or new EMT-I over an experienced basic. Out in rural areas like he and I work, having an extra set of skilled hands is kinda nice.

 

[nakenyon]

Anyone know anything about 1992 Oldsmobile 88 Royale?

 

[Shishkabob]

My agency has a policy to mandate paramedics when needed to cover a station. Not a big deal if I were just to be mandated at my home station, only an hour and a half away.


But nope... I'm being mandated to a station 3 hours away for a 12hr shift...




Not very happy at the moment. And they said I can expect to be mandated for the next 3-4 weeks due to just being released and not having points built up to avoid the mandate.