Thinking of returning to school - what would you suggest?

[sheryl]

Well, I have my B.S. degree from Ohio years and years ago.  Now that DD is older, I can't imagine not doing something for me (sounds selfish?).  IOW, I need to "do" something.  

I could volunteer and we do that.

However, I'm considering going to our c.c.   Should I pursue another 4 year?  Would I have to start all over with all of those credits?

Actually, and ideally, I'd like to get an associates in a field that is hot for women (pays well) and one in which it is flexible.  I'd like to work part-time only.  I would not like to sit at a desk all day.  However, I'd like to have the opportunity to sit if I so desire - a combination of sitting/moving. I like people and solving.  

What on earth would you suggest?  Have I answered enough questions above?

 

[Crimson Wife]

I did a 2nd bachelor's in Communicative Disorders through Utah State online and only had to complete the major requirements. 12 classes and it would've been 3 semesters had I pursued it FT. I went half-time due to family responsibilities.

I considered doing a 3 year "extended" master's in Speech & Language Pathology that had the pre-requisites built into the first year, but the tuition for taking the same courses at the graduate rather than the undergraduate level is a LOT higher.

I haven't yet applied to grad school because life got in the way. First I was dealing with health issues on the part of my special needs child. Then we decided to try for baby #4 and as I was almost 41 at the time it was a "now or never" thing. I do still hope to start sometime in 2019 or 2020.

[Chris in VA]

What is your Bachelor's in?

[sheryl]

Communications (Organizational) - this is a loooong time ago

[dirty ethel rackham]

Well, I'm back in school getting an associates in diagnostic medical imaging sonography.  My BS is in Mathematics.  I'm loving school (but I am her procrastinating on studying for my anatomy quiz tomorrow morning.)  Does your CC have a career counseling center?  Ours does and they were very helpful in guiding me toward something interesting, but also had a good return on investment.  My dream job would be physical therapy, but it doesn't make financial sense for me to spend the money on a PhD when I won't have as many years to get a return on that investment.  

[sheryl]

Thanks, Ellen! Yes, cc does have a career counseling center.  Of course, you have to gain "entrance" before they will see you.  That's what I was told 2 weeks ago.  My plan is to fully consider what I'm doing and if I pursue this then proceed with the paperwork, gain admission and talk to the career counselor this current semester to enroll in the spring semester.  

Anyone with other ideas please!?!???!!!

[G5052]

I'm a community college professor, and basically the quickest paths to earning are mostly in computer or medical fields. Some community colleges have specific programs for local needs that may also be up your alley. As an example, the college I work for has a unique program that combines English and web content developing and editing that local companies are hiring for now. Salaries aren't as high as straight information technology, but it's more than just a plain English-focused associate's.

You may want to do some of the web-based career planning tools to see what comes up. When you make your advising appointment, she if you can get one with a counsellor familiar with middle-aged career planning for folks who already have bachelor's degrees. The community college my offspring go to doesn't have that type of speciality, but the one I work for does, and she primarily does online advising. I consulted with her myself and ended up deciding not to register for classes, but to just go for a professional certification that will cost less in the long run and takes less time.

[sheryl]

1 hour ago, G5052 said:

I'm a community college professor, and basically the quickest paths to earning are mostly in computer or medical fields. Some community colleges have specific programs for local needs that may also be up your alley. As an example, the college I work for has a unique program that combines English and web content developing and editing that local companies are hiring for now. Salaries aren't as high as straight information technology, but it's more than just a plain English-focused associate's.

You may want to do some of the web-based career planning tools to see what comes up. When you make your advising appointment, she if you can get one with a counsellor familiar with middle-aged career planning for folks who already have bachelor's degrees. The community college my offspring go to doesn't have that type of speciality, but the one I work for does, and she primarily does online advising. I consulted with her myself and ended up deciding not to register for classes, but to just go for a professional certification that will cost less in the long run and takes less time.

Man, that was useful! Thanks!  Would you offer a specific on career planning tools?  

[G5052]

6 minutes ago, sheryl said:

Man, that was useful! Thanks!  Would you offer a specific on career planning tools?  

 

This site was recommended to me: https://www.whatsnext.com/self-assessment-tests/

I'm a single parent and have been looking for full-time work for almost a year now. I'm working in retail, teaching four online college classes, and have a business providing editing and course development work. I've been teaching freshman-level IT and web development courses for twenty years, and the reality is that my basic computer literacy is high, but I don't have the skills that really fit my degrees. I still enjoy IT, but I'm not a heavy hitter any more. And age discrimination is a hard reality. 

In academic counselling, I figured out that that college classes would take too long and still cost me in books and gas that would be more than buying an online access code for study materials and paying for two tests. So the college counsellor actually counselled me out of registering. 

I have dreams of actually starting a blog on middle-aged college and career planning for stay-at-home parents.

[Dynamite5]

I think pay and flexibility-wise, you might be happy as a dental hygienist. Does that appeal to you?

[sheryl]

Thanks, G5052.  I have not looked at the site yet but am going to do that now.

Dynamite, thanks for your input but, no, that is not suited for me.  

[Kim in Appalachia]

I'm almost half way through the occupational therapy assistant program at my local cc.  I have a BS in Business Admin and finance from a long, long time ago.  I did have to take a few pre-rec's but everything else transferred. 

So OTAs can work part time, it's not a desk job, and you get to help people.  ?

[sheryl]

2 hours ago, Kim in Appalachia said:

I'm almost half way through the occupational therapy assistant program at my local cc.  I have a BS in Business Admin and finance from a long, long time ago.  I did have to take a few pre-rec's but everything else transferred. 

So OTAs can work part time, it's not a desk job, and you get to help people.  ?

OK, Kim, will add that to my list.  Thanks!
 

 

[DawnM]

Sheryl,

If you have a B.A., I would not bother with a CC course of study.  I would look at graduate degrees.  The world is really open to you in terms of getting an MA.  You may need a prerequisite or two and you may need the GRE, but I would really not bother with going back to beginning college classes.

Occupational Therapy

Speech Pathology

Physical Therapy

Counseling/Therapy

Accounting/Data/Actuary Science

Something in Ministry?  (Gordon Conwell online?)  They have counseling/psychology as well as religious studies

 

[Catwoman]

I agree with Dawn. Sheryl, if I were you, I would be looking at MA programs. You may even be able to do all or part of it online.

[EKS]

I got a master's degree in a completely different field.  And now I'm getting another master's degree in a field completely different from the other two.  My point here is you might be able to get a master's degree even if your bachelor's isn't related.  

[sheryl]

Thanks Dawn, Catw and EKS,  

My bachelor's is from decades ago.  I don't want to age myself here but Dawn you get where I'm coming from right?  Have you noticed the bit of gray?  LOL!

Don't college credits expire after a while?  

[solascriptura]

1 hour ago, sheryl said:

Thanks Dawn, Catw and EKS,  

My bachelor's is from decades ago.  I don't want to age myself here but Dawn you get where I'm coming from right?  Have you noticed the bit of gray?  LOL!

Don't college credits expire after a while?  

Science credits do expire after five years, but I don't believe that other credits do.  If you do go back to school, I suggest figuring a way to do it without taking any debt on.  

[DawnM]

1 hour ago, sheryl said:

Thanks Dawn, Catw and EKS,  

My bachelor's is from decades ago.  I don't want to age myself here but Dawn you get where I'm coming from right?  Have you noticed the bit of gray?  LOL!

Don't college credits expire after a while?  

 

Your BA does not expire.  Once you have a degree,  you have a degree.  You CAN get an MA now, you CAN go to grad school.  I promise.  I will even help you figure it out if you want, once you have a better idea of what you want.

[Frances]

3 hours ago, DawnM said:

Sheryl,

If you have a B.A., I would not bother with a CC course of study.  I would look at graduate degrees.  The world is really open to you in terms of getting an MA.  You may need a prerequisite or two and you may need the GRE, but I would really not bother with going back to beginning college classes.

Occupational Therapy

Speech Pathology

Physical Therapy

Counseling/Therapy

Accounting/Data/Actuary Science

Something in Ministry?  (Gordon Conwell online?)  They have counseling/psychology as well as religious studies

 

At least where I live, the first three are extremely competitive graduate programs to get into with very specific prerequisites. Physical therapy is also a doctorate now, rather than an MA. But all three also have excellent job prospects.

[DawnM]

Just now, Frances said:

At least where I live, the first three are extremely competitive graduate programs to get into with very specific prerequisites. Physical therapy is also a doctorate now, rather than an MA. But all three also have excellent job prospects.

 

Yeah, I know they can be, I was just throwing out ideas based on her comments.  But there are so many other options!

[Liz CA]

I am with Dawn on this one. Not all graduate programs require your BA/BS to be in the field. If it is not, you may have to take a few extra classes but not start over from scratch.

I have not read all replies but wanted to say that I found it a great time to get another degree - after kids are gone - and I can really dive into the work I am passionate about.

Also, here you pay for CC if you already have a BS even though most others who do not have a degree yet and are residents get a tuition waiver. This may not apply in your state. 

[Liz CA]

2 hours ago, sheryl said:

Thanks Dawn, Catw and EKS,  

My bachelor's is from decades ago.  I don't want to age myself here but Dawn you get where I'm coming from right?  Have you noticed the bit of gray?  LOL!

Don't college credits expire after a while?  

 

Mine didn't and they were some 20+ years old. Could differ in certain fields or other states though. You may also be able to CLEP out of some requirements. I have found CLEP to be a handy way to save on tuition and study at my own pace, then take the test.

[EKS]

13 hours ago, sheryl said:

Thanks Dawn, Catw and EKS,  

My bachelor's is from decades ago.  I don't want to age myself here but Dawn you get where I'm coming from right?  Have you noticed the bit of gray?  LOL!

Don't college credits expire after a while?  

Mine is from 1989.  I believe credits expire--meaning that they won't transfer.  But degrees don't.

[Crimson Wife]

7 hours ago, DawnM said:

Sheryl,

If you have a B.A., I would not bother with a CC course of study.  I would look at graduate degrees.  The world is really open to you in terms of getting an MA.  You may need a prerequisite or two and you may need the GRE, but I would really not bother with going back to beginning college classes.

Occupational Therapy

Speech Pathology

Physical Therapy

Counseling/Therapy

Some of these occupations will require several pre-requisite classes that can either be done as a post-bacc/2nd  bachelor's or as part of an "extended" masters/doctorate but with a higher tuition. OT, SLP, and PT graduate programs are very competitive as is getting a PhD. in Clinical Psychology (PsyD. and master's degrees are way less competitive but way more expensive).

[Crimson Wife]

4 hours ago, solascriptura said:

Science credits do expire after five years, but I don't believe that other credits do.  If you do go back to school, I suggest figuring a way to do it without taking any debt on.  

Some grad schools require pre-requisites other than science to be done within 5 years of matriculation. The clock is ticking on me starting grad school in speech & language pathology because 2015 is when I started taking pre-requisites. And as one of those classes completed in 2015 was anatomy & physiology I *REALLY* don't want to have to retake that particular one.

[scrapbookbuzz]

I like this site for sampling various classes that look interesting to me. Many of them are FREE and presented by colleges such as Stanford and other high-end educational institutes.
Some even offer Certificates of Completion when you're done. You may find it helpful to start there.

[sheryl]

 OK, these are all great tips.  scrapbook....  thanks for the link.

I'm REALLY needing ideas on occupations might best suit my above-stated preferences.

There is so much to consider. First, I need to find something I'm good at and one that I'll like!  Then I'll need to determine if a certification or master's is most feasible. 

OK, people, ideas for occupations!!!!! Thanks! 

[dirty ethel rackham]

19 hours ago, DawnM said:

Sheryl,

If you have a B.A., I would not bother with a CC course of study.  I would look at graduate degrees.  The world is really open to you in terms of getting an MA.  You may need a prerequisite or two and you may need the GRE, but I would really not bother with going back to beginning college classes.

Occupational Therapy

Speech Pathology

Physical Therapy

Counseling/Therapy

Accounting/Data/Actuary Science

Something in Ministry?  (Gordon Conwell online?)  They have counseling/psychology as well as religious studies

 

One problem with graduate level programs is COST$$$.  I was interested in PT, OT and Speech Pathology and I looked into those programs. 

For PT, I would have needed about a full year of undergrad classes to meet the prereqs (many were required to have been taken in the past 5 years) which would have been a year's worth of college tuition and some of these were not available at our local community college.  Then there was 3-4 years of school to get a doctorate, which is now the entry level degree for employment/licensure.  The cheapest option for me was $55,000.  And that program gets about 800 applicants for about 40 spots.  

For OT, I would have needed almost as many prereqs and the cheapest OT option near me is about $50,000 for a 2 year masters.  

Speech Pathology would be about $40,000.

Some of you may have that amount of cash lying around, but I don't.  I am not willing to take on that much debt when I am trying to get kids through college and, possibly, be financially responsible for a mentally ill adult who may never live independently.  And I certainly don't want to spend that much for something that I may decide to only work part-time.  That is why I am going back for an associates in a heath related field.  It is cheaper and less time, so there is a greater return on investment for my time and money.  Also, I am 55 years old with some chronic illness issues and caring for a mentally ill adult.  I put a lot of thought into this and I continually get people looking down their noses at me getting an associates when I already have a bachelors.  Whenever I tell people what I am doing, I feel like I have to preface it with the fact that I do have a BS from 30 years ago, but I can't/don't want to work in that field any longer.  

[Kim in Appalachia]

26 minutes ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

One problem with graduate level programs is COST$$$.  I was interested in PT, OT and Speech Pathology and I looked into those programs. 

For PT, I would have needed about a full year of undergrad classes to meet the prereqs (many were required to have been taken in the past 5 years) which would have been a year's worth of college tuition and some of these were not available at our local community college.  Then there was 3-4 years of school to get a doctorate, which is now the entry level degree for employment/licensure.  The cheapest option for me was $55,000.  And that program gets about 800 applicants for about 40 spots.  

For OT, I would have needed almost as many prereqs and the cheapest OT option near me is about $50,000 for a 2 year masters.  

Speech Pathology would be about $40,000.

Some of you may have that amount of cash lying around, but I don't.  I am not willing to take on that much debt when I am trying to get kids through college and, possibly, be financially responsible for a mentally ill adult who may never live independently.  And I certainly don't want to spend that much for something that I may decide to only work part-time.  That is why I am going back for an associates in a heath related field.  It is cheaper and less time, so there is a greater return on investment for my time and money.  Also, I am 55 years old with some chronic illness issues and caring for a mentally ill adult.  I put a lot of thought into this and I continually get people looking down their noses at me getting an associates when I already have a bachelors.  Whenever I tell people what I am doing, I feel like I have to preface it with the fact that I do have a BS from 30 years ago, but I can't/don't want to work in that field any longer.  

 

yes, yes, yes.

 

I have a BS, so yes, I could have done a lot of things.  But a Masters comes with at least a $50,000 price tag . And I am almost 50. My Community college program will cost me $6,000.  If I work full time as an OTA, I will make between $45,000-50,000 a year.  This program has a great ROI (using my finance background there ? ) then any Masters level program does. And then there is the time commitment.  This program is a lot of work.  And I still have kids plus ageing parents.  A Master's level program would be even more work.  

I think if there is a program you really want at a Master's level, and you can do it without going into debt, then go for it.  But there is nothing wrong with going the practical route either. 

[DawnM]

I wasn't suggesting she take out $50K.  Our local 4 year college has some decent grad programs for $7K per year, and for 2 years, that would be $14K.

Gordon Conwell is relatively inexpensive.

Arizona State charges $10K per year even if you are out of state, all online.  

There are options!  

[dirty ethel rackham]

40 minutes ago, DawnM said:

I wasn't suggesting she take out $50K.  Our local 4 year college has some decent grad programs for $7K per year, and for 2 years, that would be $14K.

Gordon Conwell is relatively inexpensive.

Arizona State charges $10K per year even if you are out of state, all online.  

There are options!  

Yes, there are options.  And for some of us, the best ROI for our situations is a community college program. 

You must live in a very inexpensive area.  The cheapest grad school tuition near me is about $13,000 annually.  And very few of the professions you listed would be that inexpensive.  And many of those would not be online programs.  

[DawnM]

2 minutes ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

Yes, there are options.  And for some of us, the best ROI for our situations is a community college program. 

You must live in a very inexpensive area.  The cheapest grad school tuition near me is about $13,000 annually.  And very few of the professions you listed would be that inexpensive.  And many of those would not be online programs.  

 

I will say again, there are MANY OTHER OPTIONS than what I listed!  And I only listed ONE local school, the others are online and you are even free to take them and get those prices!

ARGH!  We seem quite hung up on the top few ideas I had.  Those were just a few I thought of based on what she said she wanted.  

I personally think it is not wise to go to CC after you already have a BA, and I would not do it.  

[sheryl]

Thanks to everyone!  Ellen, please know that I firmly believe no one is looking down their noses at you.  I think it's great you went back to school!  You have some challenges ahead of you and it sounds like you have a plan - good!  

I will just lay all of these options on the table and research more.   I'm just interested to learn what out there in the job market might match up with me. ?

[Liz CA]

1 hour ago, DawnM said:

I wasn't suggesting she take out $50K.  Our local 4 year college has some decent grad programs for $7K per year, and for 2 years, that would be $14K.

Gordon Conwell is relatively inexpensive.

Arizona State charges $10K per year even if you are out of state, all online.  

There are options!  

 

Adding Fort Hays State University to the list of lower tuition universities with online programs - not everything is offered online but a good chunk is.

[sheryl]

I'm reading Strengthfinders right now, but does anyone have any suggestions on field/specialty?  Is anyone here a Paralegal?  I don't know if that is something I'd like or not. 

[SamanthaCarter]

I did some tax returns for real estate appraisers this spring and was surprised at how well they do. That might blend well with your communications degree and offer desk work mixed with physically active work. They are paid by the banks so I don’t think fee collections would be a headache. 

Other than that, I’d say accounting. Financial statement/corporate controls/IT Auditing will give you some social/on your feet time. 

 

Edited September 20, 2018 by SamanthaCarter

[G5052]

17 hours ago, sheryl said:

I'm reading Strengthfinders right now, but does anyone have any suggestions on field/specialty?  Is anyone here a Paralegal?  I don't know if that is something I'd like or not. 

 

Check the market in your area. Among other things, I taught writing to homeschooled kids, so it was something to consider. So I asked our lawyer when I took my youngest to sign documents for her medical power of attorney, etc., and we were waiting for the documents. I live in a semi-rural area.

One if the issues she raised is that most of the lawyers in my immediate area hire legal assistants versus a paralegal. They want someone to answer calls, make appointments, and prepare documents without the full capability of a paralegal. Paralegal jobs are going to require a commute of an hour or more each way. They are generally employed by the larger firms that have a primary focus. This was confirmed shortly after that when I ran into a friend who had been a high-powered paralegal before her kid was born. She had been trying to get into the field, and the only interviews she had at that point required a heavy commute. And not long after that, I asked another lawyer I know practicing family law, and she does the same. She has a legal assistant versus a paralegal. Some legal assistants have been through college paralegal courses, and some have not.

 

[Soror]

I had strongly considered going back for my Master's in Social Work a few years back but even by that point my degree was old enough it knocked me out of advanced standing and required I do significantly more coursework. And on top of that a MSW is one of the lowest paid Masters. My local CC offers a handful of Master's Programs through other colleges and I consdered them all but they were either things that I had no interest in or things that would not have a ROI worth the investment. I mean I'd love to say I have a Masters vs a CC degree but practically the 2 yr PTA program looked like the best ROI to me. The pay was about the same as a Master's in SW, in less time, less money, and a less stressful job. Right now though I'm just holding tight and working online making money.

Edited September 21, 2018 by soror

[displace]

If you’re interested in the medical field, there are quite a few careers that are less intensive and cheaper than a masters/college degree, but are lucrative: surgical assistant, ultrasound tech, respiratory therapist, possibly lactation consultant.

Other fields I’d consider more certification and specific training or specific degree vs general college degree.  Besides wanting flexible and helpful careers, do you have a general path in mind?  That would be my first thought, to take a general career survey to see what may suit you.  There are so many fields, that if you can narrow it down to even a subject, would be helpful.

[G5052]

7 hours ago, displace said:

If you’re interested in the medical field, there are quite a few careers that are less intensive and cheaper than a masters/college degree, but are lucrative: surgical assistant, ultrasound tech, respiratory therapist, possibly lactation consultant.

 

The local CC's have surgical assistant and ultrasound programs, and there is a lot of demand. A friend of mine's son just graduated as a surgical tech and has multiple job offers waiting after he takes his boards. There are also programs to be a physical therapy assistant, occupational therapy assistant, clinical data coder, health information management professional, medical assistant, and some others. I probably could do health information management, but it is more time and courses than I can swing.

In my metro area, the lactation specialists that are paid are all nurses with that as an add-on. A good friend of mine had an MSN plus her lactation certification and her last full-time job was as the head of maternal and child health at a major medical center. She stepped down at 68 and just did part-time lactation for five years before finally retiring. Her lactation certification was going to expire, and she decided not to retest at her age.

[Mom22ns]

On 9/18/2018 at 9:58 PM, DawnM said:

Your BA does not expire.  Once you have a degree,  you have a degree.  You CAN get an MA now, you CAN go to grad school.  I promise.  

As you can see in my sig, this is what I did. My degree was almost 30 years old and in a completely different field. It is true that many grad programs have specific requirements. Some courses may have to be taken within a specific amount of time, some course will just have to have been taken, some require a specific degree. Figure out what you want to do then look at the options!

I considered going for an associates in something applied, I considered a second bachelors, I ended going for a masters. I took 1 semester of undergrad classes to qualify, then one semester of grad classes. Then I applied for a graduate assistantship and now tuition is free and I get paid a stipend each semester (I teach two classes/semester). Grad school doesn't have to be expensive. It doesn't always have a lot of prerequisites. It may or may not be the answer, but don't rule it out without looking into it.

[sheryl]

Thanks to everyone who replied.  I respect those in medical fields but don't "think" that's the route I want to take.  My dd was interested in pt until she learned it's nearly a master's or doctorate and labs are conducted, I guess - it I understood correctly, on people no longer living.  That turned her off and she will now not consider pt and that knocks me out as well.

Accounting, again respectful but that seems like that would be a desk job only.  I'd like sitting and standing, both.  That probably sounds silly but professional jobs I've had over the years involve standing/walking.  Now, I'd like the option to sit some.  

[Kim in Appalachia]

56 minutes ago, sheryl said:

Thanks to everyone who replied.  I respect those in medical fields but don't "think" that's the route I want to take.  My dd was interested in pt until she learned it's nearly a master's or doctorate and labs are conducted, I guess - it I understood correctly, on people no longer living.  That turned her off and she will now not consider pt and that knocks me out as well.

Accounting, again respectful but that seems like that would be a desk job only.  I'd like sitting and standing, both.  That probably sounds silly but professional jobs I've had over the years involve standing/walking.  Now, I'd like the option to sit some.  

 

It's hard to find something that has a combination of sitting and standing.  I will say that a PTA or an OTA program do not have cadaver labs or I would be out of there ?

Good luck finding a new career path!  

[sheryl]

3 minutes ago, Kim in Appalachia said:

 

It's hard to find something that has a combination of sitting and standing.  I will say that a PTA or an OTA program do not have cadaver labs or I would be out of there ?

Good luck finding a new career path!  

See, we were told that is how the labs are done and it freaked my dd out....at least at this 1 college.  Maybe different schools have different approaches?  

[Kim in Appalachia]

1 minute ago, sheryl said:

See, we were told that is how the labs are done and it freaked my dd out....at least at this 1 college.  Maybe different schools have different approaches?  

 

That is how labs are done for Physical Therapists.  It is not how is done for a Physical Therapy Assistant.  Same is true for Occupational therapy.  For OT school, cadaver lab. For OTA, animations from YOUTUBE. ?

[sheryl]

Wow, thanks, Kim!  I think she would have been interested in PT but not now.    

[dirty ethel rackham]

2 hours ago, sheryl said:

Thanks to everyone who replied.  I respect those in medical fields but don't "think" that's the route I want to take.  My dd was interested in pt until she learned it's nearly a master's or doctorate and labs are conducted, I guess - it I understood correctly, on people no longer living.  That turned her off and she will now not consider pt and that knocks me out as well.

Accounting, again respectful but that seems like that would be a desk job only.  I'd like sitting and standing, both.  That probably sounds silly but professional jobs I've had over the years involve standing/walking.  Now, I'd like the option to sit some.  

Yep, PT and OT are graduate level programs and do require gross anatomy with cadaver.  Other programs at an associate level may or may not require it.  The sonography program I am working toward does not require it, though it is an option.  My current Anatomy and Physiology class is with models and slides.  But, that said, models only go so far.  The cadaver option is strongly recommended with some fields like phlebotomy and nursing.  Oh, and at the community college, the cadavers are pre-dissected, so there is no cutting.  Cadavers are too expensive to allow inexperienced people to at them with a scalpel.

1 hour ago, Kim in Appalachia said:

 

That is how labs are done for Physical Therapists.  It is not how is done for a Physical Therapy Assistant.  Same is true for Occupational therapy.  For OT school, cadaver lab. For OTA, animations from YOUTUBE. ?

It would depend on the school.  The A & P class for OTA would be either with models or a cadaver.  There is another school that requires cadaver lab for OTA.  

[sheryl]

OK, Ellen, thanks for that!