Help me daydream about my future career...

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Am I having a midlife crisis?  Probably not quite.  But looking toward a mid-life change.  I am 38, and would love to be working at 45.  This does not actually get all of my kids through 9th grade (end of Swiss obligatory schooling), but it gets them a fair way down the road and I'm getting comfortable with the idea that it's ok if the life of the last two doesn't look exactly like the life of the first two.  

But here is my real question:

I am willing to go back to school with the goal of learning a trade type job.  By that I mean I don't need another bachelor's degree in a more theoretical topic.  My background is this:

Bachelor's in Physics, 1 year of grad school in Environmental Engineering (did not finish program)

1 year teaching math in private school

SAHM ever since.  Certification as a doula with occasional clients, very short term contracts in the local school system as an exam expert in English and with the Swiss military as a scenario actor for skill training programs.

I have "low vision"- this eliminates some of my top career options, like midwifery, because I can't do IVs or stitches.  I am able to compensate for low vision is almost every aspect of my life, but cannot drive or do very fine work quickly (I can do detailed fine motor, but need to bring in magnification tools)

I DO NOT WANT TO TEACH.  Don't even suggest it! 😂

 

I am drawn to the medical field, and am most drawn towards Physical Therapy.  It is a 3 year degree here.  

I want a job that has both physical and mental aspects- not a desk job.  I also want a job that stays at work, not the kind of thing where I'm going to be bringing a lot of angst and worry home due to unfinished tasks.  

Besides physical therapy, which is my top contender right now, what else could I do that is actually in demand?  I'm not married to medical, I just think I would do well in that domain.  I do not want the additional work of starting or maintaining a business.

 

[itsheresomewhere]

What about occupational therapy?  There is a need for it and I would think with your low vision issues, you could be an asset to someone who has those same issues.  

[prairiewindmomma]

How low vision in just basic functioning—counting fingers? Just motion? Or just print disabled? 

[BeachGal]

What about physical therapy for the elderly to help keep them strong and independent? There are so many new discoveries that just aren't being utilized. With your science background and ability to scrutinize information, I bet you could do well. Also, if I recall, you have an interest in neurology so maybe study ways to optimize that as well?

Edited February 3, 2021 by BeachGal

[prairiewindmomma]

PT, OT, SL-P.....but I think part of my concern is having enough vision to do gait observance, to steady someone who is losing balance, etc. My SIL only has enough vision to see a bit of motion...so not a good match for those skills...hence my asking about the amount of vision you have. She could, however, be an OT in a different setting.

 

Are you sure you don’t want to do data analytics? You have the math for it and there are a ton of people in IT who are fully blind... :) 

[katilac]

11 hours ago, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

 I am drawn to the medical field, and am most drawn towards Physical Therapy.  It is a 3 year degree here.  

That's a competitive program here in the states, so I'd check out that aspect. If it matters, it may turn into a 3 1/2 or 4 year program is you don't have the pre-reqs, or if they need to be updated. Here, that would usually be at least anatomy, physiology, advanced biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, psychology, and statistics. 

It probably fits your criteria of 'work stays at work' but you will have ongoing education every year and the hours can be wonky. You will deal with a lot of stressed and/or difficult people. There is lots of physical labor and you need to be quite strong. It's easy to get a job. 

Again, this is the American perspective, so adapt as needed. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

12 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

How low vision in just basic functioning—counting fingers? Just motion? Or just print disabled? 

My vision is pretty good for being bad.  I have central vision loss, which means I need aids to read typical print size.  I have facial recognition issues because of this.  I can see macro level things quite well, for example gait as you mentioned.  I could not watch someone's eye movements from more than a step away.  

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

@BeachGal I do thing working with the elderly may be a good option, as it's always in demand.  It's not necessarily an option I feel super passionate about, but I know the need is there.  

@katilac The competition here is not nearly as steep, we actually have a huge doctor/nurse shortage.  If my eyes were perfect, I would much rather become a GP, even with the added years of schooling, and I feel pretty certain I'd be very good at it.  PT is actually one of two medical fields that has slightly more applicants than places, but the weed-out test is a logic and general competence test, which I am not worried about scoring high on.  The bigger concern is that I would be applying as a "dossier" candidate, rather than a straight-forward application, so my age will be a possible negative factor.  This whole thread is actually prompted by the concern that I would not get into the program, and that I need to have more than one egg in my future-planning basket.  🤣

 

 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

10 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

 

Are you sure you don’t want to do data analytics? You have the math for it and there are a ton of people in IT who are fully blind... 🙂

 

I won't completely rule out desk jobs, including IT, but I've done So. Much. STEM in my life I'm tired of it.  

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Just to clarify a bit, some other fields I've considered but ruled out due to eyes are:

- electrician

- machinist (like my dad)

I'm looking for that overlap between manual skill and knowledge.  My strongest area of intelligence is probably my ability to research and synthesize information.  

[Laura Corin]

Sonographer?  Would seeing the screen as you work be a problem?

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

2 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

Sonographer?  Would seeing the screen as you work be a problem?

Probably not.  When I use a computer, I use a program to magnify a portion of the screen, probably not possible on a sonography machine.  

[katilac]

4 hours ago, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

Just to clarify a bit, some other fields I've considered but ruled out due to eyes are:

- electrician

- machinist (like my dad)

I'm looking for that overlap between manual skill and knowledge.  My strongest area of intelligence is probably my ability to research and synthesize information.  

Is the manual skill aspect a specific requirement, or is it more about not being a desk job? 

Can you drive? 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

5 minutes ago, katilac said:

Is the manual skill aspect a specific requirement, or is it more about not being a desk job? 

Can you drive? 

More that I don't want a desk job.  

Can't drive.  

[PeterPan]

19 hours ago, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

Physical Therapy.

I think you might want to *shadow* this field before choosing it. I haven't worked it, but having been on the receiving end I think they see a LOT of angst. So if you're sensitive and don't want to go home thinking about the woman who cried through her session because of the pain from her knee replacement, you might not want that, kwim? Pediatric seems like would be the same thing. Those people are coming in with baggage and sad stories, injuries, problems.

What about ultrasound tech? It's shorter and fits with your doula gig. You'd be a shoe in with your physics background, would skip some of the early physics courses. 

Hold it, you have a visual impairment? I think honestly you're going to need to talk to a career counselor. PAY MONEY and go talk to a career counselor.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

3 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

I think you might want to *shadow* this field before choosing it. I haven't worked it, but having been on the receiving end I think they see a LOT of angst. So if you're sensitive and don't want to go home thinking about the woman who cried through her session because of the pain from her knee replacement, you might not want that, kwim? Pediatric seems like would be the same thing. Those people are coming in with baggage and sad stories, injuries, problems.

What about ultrasound tech? It's shorter and fits with your doula gig. You'd be a shoe in with your physics background, would skip some of the early physics courses. 

Hold it, you have a visual impairment? I think honestly you're going to need to talk to a career counselor. PAY MONEY and go talk to a career counselor.

 

I can do emotional angst, what I don't want is actual workload following me home.  But I do have a contact with a PT who I hope to shadow soon.

You're absolutely right I need to talk to a career counselor.  Right now I'm trying to get together a list of options to talk to them about.  Luckily the social network here is such that I can receive free (through disability insurance, essentially) counseling specific to my situation.  

[katilac]

Have you looked into respiratory therapist? If you're not easily disgusted, it might suit the research/synthesize information part, it's in healthcare, and it's not a desk job. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

18 minutes ago, katilac said:

Have you looked into respiratory therapist? If you're not easily disgusted, it might suit the research/synthesize information part, it's in healthcare, and it's not a desk job. 

My cousin is a respiratory therapist.  This is a good one to look into, I will ask him about visual requirements.  Thank you

[SeaConquest]

1 hour ago, katilac said:

Have you looked into respiratory therapist? If you're not easily disgusted, it might suit the research/synthesize information part, it's in healthcare, and it's not a desk job. 

I was thinking RT as well, but RTs have to draw blood (ABGs) in a lot of hospitals. RTs are very in-demand with Covid.

Edited February 4, 2021 by SeaConquest

[City Mouse]

What about a rehabilitation specialist for people who are visually impaired. In the US, this is generally working with adults who are newly blinded/visually impaired and helping them lean how to navigate their world. This could range from independent living skills to job skills and/or using technology for the visually impaired. Since you already have experience in this area, you might have valuable personal experience to share with others. You could become an Orientation and Mobility specialist which envolved teaching travel skills to those with visual impairments. Many O&M professionals work in public schools (kind of like PT or OT in public schools) but many work with only adult clients.

[Amethyst]

Dental hygiene? Generally 2 years full-time. Most schools encourage the use of loupes so depending on how low liw-vision, it might be possible. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

17 hours ago, City Mouse said:

What about a rehabilitation specialist for people who are visually impaired. In the US, this is generally working with adults who are newly blinded/visually impaired and helping them lean how to navigate their world. This could range from independent living skills to job skills and/or using technology for the visually impaired. Since you already have experience in this area, you might have valuable personal experience to share with others. You could become an Orientation and Mobility specialist which envolved teaching travel skills to those with visual impairments. Many O&M professionals work in public schools (kind of like PT or OT in public schools) but many work with only adult clients.

This is a possibility.  There is also a local school for the blind, which I *might* be wiling to violate my no-teaching rule for.  🙂