A less traditional path, more career focused...

[Innisfree]

Dd16 says she wants the shortest route to independence and financial security.

She is bright and a good student. I had always pictured a typical four-year college path for her, likely at a selective school, maybe followed by grad school. But she saw information about diagnostic medical sonography, and she thinks it might be what she wants to do.

She is thinking of enrolling in a community college medical sonography program a couple of hours from us after high school graduation, getting an apartment there, and getting an associate's degree before going on for a bachelor's degree in sonography.

Job prospects for medical sonography are supposed to be excellent. She likes the idea of having the ability to earn reasonable money after getting the AS, while continuing her studies for the BS. She has been saying for a while that she wants to be in a medical field, but I don't think she'd like the stress and intensity of medical school. This year she has been taking a human anatomy and physiology class at the local community college. She's doing very well and loves it. So-- this idea actually sounds good to me, but I'm wondering if there are drawbacks I'm missing.

For example, I think about the opportunity to make lifelong friends at a traditional college. I think about the weight a degree from a respected college can carry. The schools which offer degrees as specialized and career oriented as medical sonography are not the ones people recognize. And a degree in a specialized career path is perhaps not as flexible later as a more general degree. I don't know. I'm mulling this over, and wondering what others think. Ideas?

[Rosie_0801]

Good for her!

Friends are made where there are friendships worth making.
Prestige is a rather fickle friend. Money in her bank account, however, can be spent on anything.

[Farrar]

She sounds very practical. And this is a path that can change course more easily than some quick to work paths, where college isn't part of the picture. If she decides to, for example, go back later or change gears and do a more "serious" medical field degree, such as something like a nurse practitioner, then I'd be shocked if this didn't look good on her applications and like she was on a general path down the road on a resume.

[Innisfree]

Quote

 

(Trying to quote Rosie here, but it isn't working-)

Yes, I guess it does boil down to that, doesn't it?

I'm not even sure the traditional dorm would be a good fit for this kid at all. She has a very hard time focusing on work in noisy environments. She has always had a hard time fitting in socially when she's been enrolled in public or private schools. But she has wanted to make friends, we've had a hard time connecting with people as homeschoolers, and I had been thinking of college as perhaps a place which would finally let her find a peer group.

I think she's thought through her priorities and aptitudes quite well. This is just an unfamiliar path for me.

Editing to add that of course she would be in a peer group in the sonography course, so that is still a route to friendships.

Edited December 28, 2018 by Innisfree

[Innisfree]

And yes, she is sounding exceedingly practical. More than I ever was at her age. Kind of stuns me. 

[Frances]

I think she sounds very mature and her plan sounds like quite a good one. My only caveat is that I would encourage her to really explore a variety of medical fields before committing to one. Nursing, for example, seems to have an almost infinite number of career paths and several different options for advanced degrees. Does your local hospital have any sort of career exploration program or are there opportunities for her to shadow any medical professionals, especially a medical sonographer?

[8filltheheart]

My Dd made the decision to forgo a 4 yr degree and take the 2 yr path to occupational therapy assistant. It is a solid career choice. She has been making a solid income since she was 20. She'll be 25 next yr. Over the yrs her facility was also been training her toward the responsibilities required for rehab director. She makes a very good income as an OTA, but rehab directors do make more. I had wondered if only pursuing a 2 yr degree would limit her job growth opportunities, but the answer is no.

Ironically, I think her job prospects are probably better than some of her siblings with 4 yr degree goals.

[tampamommy]

Sounds like she has a great plan. I would be supportive! I would make sure she thinks through how to pay for her apartment. 

I had to commute to college because living there was not a financial possibility. It worked out just fine for me. Gently and kindly...don't create a "problem" based on a notion of "living at school." Many students find it is not all that it is cracked up to be.

[2_girls_mommy]

22 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said:

Good for her!

Friends are made where there are friendships worth making.
Prestige is a rather fickle friend. Money in her bank account, however, can be spent on anything.

Totally agree. People in their late teens, early 20s will be bonding wherever they are- work, school, clubs, church, etc. My kids will go to university but live at home unless they can swing the cost of dorms or apartments on their own, which I don't foresee at least not at first.

[katilac]

17 hours ago, Frances said:

 My only caveat is that I would encourage her to really explore a variety of medical fields before committing to one.  

 

Yes, there are so many choices! And some pay more than others and have more career paths while being roughly the same amount of work (both in training and on the job). 

9 hours ago, 8FillTheHeart said:

My Dd made the decision to forgo a 4 yr degree and take the 2 yr path to occupational therapy assistant. It is a solid career choice. She has been making a solid income since she was 20. She'll be 25 next yr. Over the yrs her facility was also been training her toward the responsibilities required for rehab director. She makes a very good income as an OTA, but rehab directors do make more. I had wondered if only pursuing a 2 yr degree would limit her job growth opportunities, but the answer is no.

Ironically, I think her job prospects are probably better than some of her siblings with 4 yr degree goals.

 

And one can always go back to school for either the four-year degree or to add relevant classes if they have a specialized four-year degree. ime, people are more likely to do that than to start or return to school if they have no degree and/or few hours towards a degree. In the medical field, it seems that having a related degree and experience is a big help if you decide to apply to a different or more advanced competitive program later. 

You can think of the specialized degree as less flexible, but you can also think of it as more solid and technical. If she decides to change careers, I don't think it would be a negative for most jobs. If she went toward business, she could always take a relevant class or two and learn the in-demand software as needed. And I can think of several medical-adjacent jobs that pay quite well and have varied career paths. My cousin was a respiratory therapist and then moved to a good job coordinating the process of organ donation and transplant. She is a liaison between family and medical, educates the community, all kinds of things. Medical sales and training is another option that likes to see some background and experience (even if not directly related) and the money can be amazing. Even many non-medical sales jobs like to see that an applicant can handle technical aspects with training. 

For the medical field in particular, I think her plan is solid. If she decides to move on from sonography, she can still work in the field while studying something else. Working after two years instead of a four is also a plus, not just for the money, but because you will likely find out sooner if you want to continue that path or veer toward something else. 

Her plans could certainly change in the next year or two, but I'd be on board with my dd exploring and pursuing something like this. Sadly, we are all far too squeamish for the medical field. 

[freesia]

I think it's a good plan--particularly because it is a solid and thought out plan.  The ability to plan like that will help her succeed.

The only thing I would consider is to try to find some way to see if she has the ability to read sonograms.  Some people (me) do not.  I could never ever see the gender of my child (even when shown) and could barely make out anything else unless specifically shown.  It was so weird.  But one of my sonographers said that it is common and a certain percentage in those programs drop out because they are like me.

[Innisfree]

Thanks, everyone. Lots to think about here. She and I are looking into the details of the various programs. I've also suggested she take advantage of a volunteer program at the local hospital this summer and see if she can get a chance to shadow a sonographer.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Innisfree

[Hilltopmom]

Just popping in to agree with the others about checking out other medical fields too and to look  into OTA programs- lots of flexibility in where you can work as an OTA.. in the medical field or in schools if you want a school schedule once married with kids.