Help-my head is spinning

[Stetson]

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Okay-38 yr old w/3 children (6,4,2) and hae been RDH for 10 years. Trying to decide on my second career-as hygiene has never really been "It" for me-though great through my pregnancies and good for part time.

Now I really want the fulfilling/challenging/engaging and enjoyable and profitable career. I have been diagnosed w/ mild CTS in both hands-and I want to spend time with my children as they age (I know during school will be challenging for time) but after I still want my family to be #1 (though I do need to work full-time at whatever I choose-due to finances)

Okay so the top two are Dental School-which I will only be able to attend if UNE opens a program (WHCIH THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO IN 2011) or PA which UNE has a current program for-though very competative.

I considered DPT-but since I need this to be the LAST career-I am concerned that PT may get boring/and or to physically challenging.

ANY AND ALL IMPUT IS MUCH APPRECIATED AS THIS DECISION IS DRIVING ME BATTY😳)
thanks

 

[Oracle DMD]

Okay-38 yr old w/3 children (6,4,2) and hae been RDH for 10 years. Trying to decide on my second career-as hygiene has never really been "It" for me-though great through my pregnancies and good for part time.

Now I really want the fulfilling/challenging/engaging and enjoyable and profitable career. I have been diagnosed w/ mild CTS in both hands-and I want to spend time with my children as they age (I know during school will be challenging for time) but after I still want my family to be #1 (though I do need to work full-time at whatever I choose-due to finances)

Okay so the top two are Dental School-which I will only be able to attend if UNE opens a program (WHCIH THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO IN 2011) or PA which UNE has a current program for-though very competative.

I considered DPT-but since I need this to be the LAST career-I am concerned that PT may get boring/and or to physically challenging.

ANY AND ALL IMPUT IS MUCH APPRECIATED AS THIS DECISION IS DRIVING ME BATTY😳)
thanks

it seems like dental school might be a bit too much for you to handle in your situation. for you to become a dentist, a school would have to open in your neighorhood, and you would have to bear the loss of time spent with your kids. idk if you've done your pre-reqs or takin the dat, but dental school will be a huge drain on your time/ finances for years to come. (when i graduate i'll have over 300k in student loans! thats about 4k a month for 10 years)

in your situation, if i were you, i would not be looking at 4 year doctorate level programs. your hands, time, family, and finances seem to dictate that you not devote enough of yourself to becoming a dentist. maybe PA is a better direction.

 

[Stetson]

it seems like dental school might be a bit too much for you to handle in your situation. for you to become a dentist, a school would have to open in your neighorhood, and you would have to bear the loss of time spent with your kids. idk if you've done your pre-reqs or takin the dat, but dental school will be a huge drain on your time/ finances for years to come. (when i graduate i'll have over 300k in student loans! thats about 4k a month for 10 years)

in your situation, if i were you, i would not be looking at 4 year doctorate level programs. your hands, time, family, and finances seem to dictate that you not devote enough of yourself to becoming a dentist. maybe PA is a better direction.

That is what I am thinking as well-I mean I think I will be really drained-$$ and time wise after school-then open my own business (or find an assoc. I can trust-not always easy).

One thing I have noticed-and maybe it's coincidence-but I have not gotten very many friendly responses from PA forums-not unfriendly-just not as friendly as the dental group seems to be.

Thanks for the advice-I know I won't get to many responses because it is not a simple type of answer so I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Also-no I have not taken my pre-req's or the DAT-so it's the time to go in whichever direction.

 

[thethethe]

That is what I am thinking as well-I mean I think I will be really drained-$$ and time wise after school-then open my own business (or find an assoc. I can trust-not always easy).

One thing I have noticed-and maybe it's coincidence-but I have not gotten very many friendly responses from PA forums-not unfriendly-just not as friendly as the dental group seems to be.

Thanks for the advice-I know I won't get to many responses because it is not a simple type of answer so I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Also-no I have not taken my pre-req's or the DAT-so it's the time to go in whichever direction.

what was your gpa during college. how do you know you even enjoy learning science? it seems you just want the nice lifestyle afterwards

 

[Stetson]

what was your gpa during college. how do you know you even enjoy learning science? it seems you just want the nice lifestyle afterwards

Did you read my OP?
"Now I really want the fulfilling/challenging/engaging and enjoyable and profitable career."
I am a dental hygienist (which is a health science) and I want a challenging, fulfilling career that I can help people-I am sure I wrote that in the OP(double checked and yes-that was in there lol!-but if not-that is the main reason for new career. I want to wake up each morning and be excited by my work, and then be challenged when I am at work. I thoroughly enjoyed A&P, all the biology courses and chemistry-though Pharmacology was pretty dry for me (could have been the instructor-but I don't think it's my favorite.

My GPA was 3.25, not great, but I know I can do better. AND YES I would like to make money doing it-but $$ is not the main motivation

 

[doc toothache]

And you believe that if a school opens up in your back yard that it will be less competitive?

 

[Stetson]

And you believe that if a school opens up in your back yard that it will be less competitive?

Actually yes-I think that the PA program is well established at UNE and a dental program would be brand new-so I think that the first year would be less competitive than the PA program

 

[doc toothache]

Actually yes-I think that the PA program is well established at UNE and a dental program would be brand new-so I think that the first year would be less competitive than the PA program

If you say so.

 

[Oracle DMD]

Actually yes-I think that the PA program is well established at UNE and a dental program would be brand new-so I think that the first year would be less competitive than the PA program

i would agree w/ doc on this. i think you're wrong. PA school is competitive, but from what i understand as my little sister is applying to PA school, it is not as tough to get in as dental school.

 

[subdoc]

I think CTS (even if it is mild) would be a deal-breaker. Go the PA route. Dentists rely too much on their hands. It would be a shame to have to end your career early due to a medical condition you knew existed beforehand. Especially if you busted your tail for so long in DS.

 

[Stetson]

If you say so.

Well, I can't find specific stats for any one school for a dental program; however, the UNE PA program has had on average 1400 apps. and has approx 47-50 seats.

I guess I was hoping (when I am thinking about dental school:O) that there might be less applicants for the first year of a new dental program esp. since UNE has told me it would be approx. $50k/yr and it's in Maine lol!

Crazy?? Well, if that's the case and you guys think DS would be more competitive anyway-re. of circumstances-then maybe I am meant to choose PA :O) Not that I don't think either will be easy to do or get into BTW-I just am searching for as much info as possible to help me with my decision.

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[Stetson]

i would agree w/ doc on this. i think you're wrong. PA school is competitive, but from what i understand as my little sister is applying to PA school, it is not as tough to get in as dental school.

Maybe that clinches the decision then? Esp. w/CTS and 3 little ones to care for-now let's just see what I have left in me :O)