free tuition or respiratory therapy?

[Cmaj7th]

so here's my situation. my mother is an internist in an urgent care center of a really nice state school around here, we'll call it school A, so I get free tuition. right now I'm in community college for respiratory therapy but only on my first semester; Ive been working full time in between highschool to save up for tuition.

the respiratory therapy AAS credits transfer to another really nice state school for an allied health care administration degree. my question is should I take out the loans for RRT or take the free tuition?

I plan on completeing pre-med at both schools because I do want to go to medical school. it's just at school A they don't have much in healthcare other than epidemiology and community health. besides I want to be a clinician anyway.

I cant seem to find a degree program at school A that would give me job security and keep my interest. RRT would do both and give me a good background for PA if I should choose that route. Im only on my first semester so I dont know how things will go or if I will be burned out, Im eager for a career in medicine but anything could happen. what do you guys suggest? thanks

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[4X4MD]

so here's my situation. my mother is an internist in an urgent care center of a really nice state school around here, we'll call it school A, so I get free tuition. right now I'm in community college for respiratory therapy but only on my first semester; Ive been working full time in between highschool to save up for tuition.

the respiratory therapy AAS credits transfer to another really nice state school for an allied health care administration degree. my question is should I take out the loans for RRT or take the free tuition?

I plan on completeing pre-med at both schools because I do want to go to medical school. it's just at school A they don't have much in healthcare other than epidemiology and community health. besides I want to be a clinician anyway.

I cant seem to find a degree program at school A that would give me job security and keep my interest. RRT would do both and give me a good background for PA if I should choose that route. Im only on my first semester so I dont know how things will go or if I will be burned out, Im eager for a career in medicine but anything could happen. what do you guys suggest? thanks

i would suggest free tuition and a major in one of the basic sciences...forget all the other bologna

think about how much debt you will accumulate in PA/Med School

try and cut costs now to maximize your gains

 

[Cmaj7th]

this has crossed my mind a thousand times before and it makes sense. however in this economy any random degree just wont do anymore. working in retail with college educated adults with families and mortgages not making much more than me has showed me how important what your major is. I plan on becoming a physician someday but theres a good chance that I wont get into medical school right after UG. I would like to have a game plan if that situation presents itself.

 

[4X4MD]

this has crossed my mind a thousand times before and it makes sense. however in this economy any random degree just wont do anymore. working in retail with college educated adults with families and mortgages not making much more than me has showed me how important what your major is. I plan on becoming a physician someday but theres a good chance that I wont get into medical school right after UG. I would like to have a game plan if that situation presents itself.

although a BS in biology wont put you earning in the top percentile of professions, alot of jobs only require a college degree, no matter what its in...also, there are alot of jobs/programs you can get in after you graduate with a biology degree that would boost your app (many wont be available to non-science majors)

 

[Disinence2]

Why do you think that you won't get in right after undergrad?

You still have PLENTY of time, and with your mom as a physician you should be able to make some connections, get some shadowing/volunteer experience.

 

[Cmaj7th]

I read a statistic saying that the average age of medical school freshman was around 27 so I figured most people didn't go straight through. and with bio majors I figured it'd be harder to keep a competitive gpa with a science degree. and while I do find biology interesting Im not sure I'd want to have that be my major. I figured medical school would teach me all the science I'd need after pre-med.

 

[chman]

I read a statistic saying that the average age of medical school freshman was around 27 so I figured most people didn't go straight through. and with bio majors I figured it'd be harder to keep a competitive gpa with a science degree. and while I do find biology interesting Im not sure I'd want to have that be my major. I figured medical school would teach me all the science I'd need after pre-med.

I think that the reason that some are advising against this route is for the following; If RT is anything like nursing, there is absolutely zero room to take the pre-reqs. Therefore you will most likely end up being in school for 5+ years for undergrad, or doing a post-bac. Next, you will be doing a lot of clinical work for school which will be a main focus, along with your other health school work. This takes a lot of time and would leave you little time for pre-reqs, doc shadowing etc. (although you have an in there with your mom). Lastly, RT and nursing are in need and the adcoms will wonder why you went through the trouble if you wanted to be a doctor, not an RT. They may ask why you took a spot in the program if you didn't want to be an RT when there was probably someone else who would love that spot and be an RT until they retire.

So yes, free tuition FTW!

Anyways, personally I think there are better routes, but to each his own. Good luck.

 

[morning]

FREE TUITION, no doubt. If you don't end up getting into (or choosing) med school, you can always go back and do the respiratory therapy associate's for cheap. It IS at a community college, after all. There are plenty of viable backup plans AFTER college no matter what your degree is in, both at affordable community colleges or expensive grad schools.

Don't worry about the backup...worry about getting in.

I read a statistic saying that the average age of medical school freshman was around 27 so I figured most people didn't go straight through. and with bio majors I figured it'd be harder to keep a competitive gpa with a science degree. and while I do find biology interesting Im not sure I'd want to have that be my major. I figured medical school would teach me all the science I'd need after pre-med.

Really? Where'd you see that? That's how old I'll be assuming I get into med school on my first try, it would be nice to know there's lots of other people in that situation too. However, I doubt that most med school matriculants are non-trads. If a class consists of three 50-year-olds and nine 22-year-olds, the average age of said class would be 29.

Also...you don't have to major in bio. You can major in anything, and the same is true for most graduate degrees.

 

[Cmaj7th]

when my mom tells me to take the tuition I figured it was because of her job. when my girlfriend tells me to I figured its because she goes to that school. but noone on this board knows me and you're all saying the same thing. guess I need to take the free tuition! UMD is a pretty nice school anyway.

 

[Catalystik]

I'll add another vote for the free tuition. And UMD is a very nice school.

 

[Morsetlis]

RT is a two-year program and is about half of what an RN can do. There'll be room in it to take pre-reqs. However, if I've learned anything about allied health grading, it'd be that it is tough and full of bitter old maids without a doctorate trying to teach you the "hard way".

I vote for free tuition.

 

[chman]

RT is a two-year program and is about half of what an RN can do. There'll be room in it to take pre-reqs. However, if I've learned anything about allied health grading, it'd be that it is tough and full of bitter old maids without a doctorate trying to teach you the "hard way".

I vote for free tuition.

Um..Actually the OP would need to fulfill the requirements for a bachelors anyways, so that would not leave much room for pre-reqs. Also, RT's have quite a bit of autonomy compared to others at the associates and bachelors leve (RT is sometimes a bachelors program). They can often times assign treatments etc.

 

[Morsetlis]

I'm not sure what these "requirements for a bachelor's" are but aren't they pre-reqs?

I mean, you have to take your year of English, then your 3 classes each of math, bio, social studies, chem, and physics. This is all just 2 years. The only thing not covered would be Ochem + all the RT stuffs.

 

[chman]

I'm not sure what these "requirements for a bachelor's" are but aren't they pre-reqs?

I mean, you have to take your year of English, then your 3 classes each of math, bio, social studies, chem, and physics. This is all just 2 years. The only thing not covered would be Ochem + all the RT stuffs.

Yea, but the OP would probably need to fulfill the requirements for a major as well..Anyways, doesn't matter because we are suggesting the same thing...

 

[Cmaj7th]

Im not sure I understand what you mean by RRTs being able to do half of what an RN can? my pulmonologist always told me how his RRTs were his right hand.

 

[rxlea]

Free tuition all the way!

 

[Cmaj7th]

after talking to several RRTs the job sounds a lot less interesting than the internet made it sound. business degree here I come

 

[Bacchus]

UMD...great school. Take the free tuition. Get a basic science degree so if for some reason you don't get in (which would be your own fault) you can fall back on a lab job (Mid 30's or more starting) while reapplying.

 

[Hope0913]

i would suggest free tuition and a major in one of the basic sciences...forget all the other bologna

think about how much debt you will accumulate in PA/Med School

try and cut costs now to maximize your gains

 

[Morsetlis]

Basic science degree is the worst advice you can give a pre-med ;p

Apparently 60% of music majors who apply get in :O

As opposed to 25% of science majors.

 

[NerdyAndrea]

DRAT! I should have continued on with the music majoring, darn it.