Which graduate level health care field is worth it?

[DocEodice]

Okay, so I am currently 25 years of age. I hold my bachelors degree in health sciences and I am completely done with all of the prerequisites for graduate school of any health care career (gen chem, orgo, physics, bio, anat/phys, etc.). I'm doing much research, and I'm just not sure which field to go into. My heart is in physical therapy, but I am terribly worried I will not make enough money as a therapist to live comfortably and pay off my debt. This might sound wrong, but I am a very materialistic individual. I know that is not the best way to live, but I can't help myself, that is just the way I am. In the future I want to be able to provide for myself as well as my family, live in a larger than average home and drive a nice sports car. Obviously this will be very difficult to do on a physical therapist's salary, even with years of experience. In addition to shadowing physical therapists, I have also shadowed physicians (PMR) and absolutely loved what they do as well. I understand they make a substantial amount more than PT's make, but also they carry a lot more debt.

My main question to you: Which health care field do you recommend going into (that is a graduate level education) that you feel is worth taking on the debt for?

As it might seem, I have done much shadowing for PT and Physiatry, so I am between those two, but I am looking for your opinions on what graduate level health care field is worth the amount of debt? Please keep in mind when answering this question the work/life balance, salary, and stress.

Thanks!
Best,
Anthony

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[Doudline]

If you're after the monies, dentistry or medicine are your two best options.

That being said, I grew up in a 40 something room house, the whole family went out on vacation abroad almost every year, we attended the theater and the opera regularly, etc, on a household income around the American median. It's all about being being smart with money. Spend on the things you really want/need. Make certain sacrifices. Live in an appropriate geographical area (aka forget NYC or LA!).

People here have a very distorted view of what money can buy. One can live off nicely in any graduate -and even undergraduate- health care field.

 

[Hospitalized]

If you're after the monies, dentistry or medicine are your two best options.

That being said, I grew up in a 40 something room house, the whole family went out on vacation abroad almost every year, we attended the theater and the opera regularly, etc, on a household income around the American median. It's all about being being smart with money. Spend on the things you really want/need. Make certain sacrifices. Live in an appropriate geographical area (aka forget NYC or LA!).

People here have a very distorted view of what money can buy. One can live off nicely in any graduate -and even undergraduate- health care field.

There's definitely more to a "40 something room house" than an "American median income", I can guarantee that.

 

[Gingerbread_Man]

If money/lifestyle is your primary concern, then I guess your best bets are Dentistry, CRNA, and PA. However I should point out that having the prerequisite classes doesn’t necessarily guarantee you a spot in one of these programs (PA have a clinical hour requirement, Dental school is pretty competitive, etc.).


Now that I got that out of the way I’d be remiss in negating to point out that it’s possible to make good money and still be broke. Even a physician in a lucrative specialty can end up living paycheck to paycheck if he/she decides to spend money like crazy. I mention this because you seem to be someone that would do just that. Want to be financially secure in your life? Temperance is the key.


Finally protect your anonymity, using your name and face on a public forum isn’t a good idea.

 

[deleted480308]

If you're after the monies, dentistry or medicine are your two best options.

That being said, I grew up in a 40 something room house, the whole family went out on vacation abroad almost every year, we attended the theater and the opera regularly, etc, on a household income around the American median. It's all about being being smart with money. Spend on the things you really want/need. Make certain sacrifices. Live in an appropriate geographical area (aka forget NYC or LA!).

People here have a very distorted view of what money can buy. One can live off nicely in any graduate -and even undergraduate- health care field.

Haha i want to hear more about this ridiculous 40 room house with international trips and a socialites life on a median salary.....because nope

 

[occams_razor]

If money/lifestyle is your primary concern, then I guess your best bets are Dentistry, CRNA, and PA. However I should point out that having the prerequisite classes doesn’t necessarily guarantee you a spot in one of these programs (PA have a clinical hour requirement, Dental school is pretty competitive, etc.).


Now that I got that out of the way I’d be remiss in negating to point out that it’s possible to make good money and still be broke. Even a physician in a lucrative specialty can end up living paycheck to paycheck if he/she decides to spend money like crazy. I mention this because you seem to be someone that would do just that. Want to be financially secure in your life? Temperance is the key.


Finally protect your anonymity, using your name and face on a public forum isn’t a good idea.

With the kind of lifestyle this guy seems to want, I don't think CRNA or PA salaries are high enough for the kind of lifestyle he is talking about. PA mean salary is about 95-98k

 

[IlDestriero]

Go get an MBA from a top school and study finance.

 

[Screwtape]

Haha i want to hear more about this ridiculous 40 room house with international trips and a socialites life on a median salary.....because nope

He probably counted the closets and lived a couple miles from the Mexican or Canadian border.

 

[TheZaLord]

Well a PA or CRNA likely always make more than a PT. OT and SLP are good options too.

In the Midwest therapists make pretty decent money. I was making close to $70,000 three years out of school.
This was working full time in skilled nursing centered and doing some per diem work on the side. Base rate was $35/hr, making $50/hr at the per diem places a few times per month.

I make a lot less now because I work in a school, but I enjoy working with the kids more.
There are a lot of ethical challenges in SNF I wasn't comfortable with- namely lots of pressure to pick up patients that could not, and would not, make progress ever, ever, ever.
So it depends if you would be ok with that. Too close to Medicare fraud for my comfort.

Now it's just an issue of a very large caseload, but kids are really, truly, little shining lights. The come ready, wanting to be there, they make progress, and you actually get to see just what you did for them to make their lives better.

OTs and PTs at the school's tend to get paid more than SLPs who are usually in a teacher track salary.
Also, depends on your district, you may work in an affluent area, and be paid very well.
I work in one of the lowest income districts in the state, so I am making probably 10,000 less than I would if I worked 15 minutes north.
Again though, you can't put a price on comfort ethically and knowing you're doing something special.

So if you're interested in therapy route, make sure whatever specialty you want to work in, to push for rotations in those areas, even beyond the basic requirements.

Don't be afraid of rural areas (especially if not too far outside a city). You would get a higher rate there, at least for SNF.