I need advice really bad I am desperate (MSW)

[scampbell70]

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I really really need some advice, and thank you for taking the time to read this and hopefully being able to offer some suggestions. I am 42 years old and I am 2 semesters away from graduating with a bachelor's degree in social work and 3 semesters away from graduating with a bachelor's degree in social work AND a bachelor's degree in psychology if I continue on my path as a double major. I have a 4.0 GPA in my social work major, a 3.4 or something in my psychology major and a 3.81 overall GPA.

I am a licensed HIV tester and counselor and volunteer doing testing in the inner city and urban areas. I have also started a club on campus and served as its president 2 years. I served two years as president of the social science club, sat on student government for 2 years, and served as a tutor and mentor to disabled students. I have also been published twice in a journal and have been lecturing at local colleges and hospitals for 3 threes talking to people about disability awareness, and did 2 semesters as a research assistant is a PhD psychology lab.

I am married and my wife is an LPN who has two years left to complete her bachelor's degree in Nursing and she plans to go on and get her nurse practitioner degree. Right now she is also pretty much the sole bread winner in the house because I live in one of the most economically depressed areas and having only a GED I have been out of work almost 3 years.

We have a son finishing high-school this year who plans to go on to college and another son graduating and wanting to go to college the year after that. As if that isn't enough we have a special needs daughter who will probably live at home for most of her life.

Now that I have explained a little about my school and background I will get to the issue. My plan was to TRY and get into a clinical psychology PhD program or a masters in social work. I will be counting on scholarships and other help because I am dirt poor and already $30,000 in debt for my bachelor's. I know how hard it is to get into a clinical PhD program and I think a PsyD is probably not an option since I would have to pay for it in full.

I have been seriously questioning if a masters in social work is a good idea since I will 45 before I graduate, and I will probably only make about $30,000 a year to start and I worry I might be to old before I start to see $50,000+ a year not to mention having to pay off like 60K in loans.

As a result I am wondering if it might not be a better idea to take 2 years of sciences instead of a masters in social work and then apply to medical school. I will be 45 before I could get into med school but I would make a ton more money once I am out of school. I love helping people and fixing problems, but I don't want to die still paying off loans and living paycheck to paycheck.


What do you all think???

 

[mcvcm92]

I would recommend looking at masters programs in clinical social work, since it seems like that you want to mostly practice (and be a consumer of research versus producer of research). After doing the program for like 2 years, then you can go out and make money immediately. It might not start out as high as a doctorate level clinician, but you can work your way up and garner experience... maybe eventually go into private practice as a therapist (which you can do with clinical social work)?

 

[scampbell70]

Thank you for the reply. I did not mention in my first post that I have Asperger's Disorder myself. I am not primarily concerned with money, but I want to know that I will be able to make enough to pay back my student loans and take care of my family. I have spent the past 42 years always worrying about money and I read all these posts on forums from people in social work who spend years in school and make $20-30,000 when they finish. Frankly it scares the hell out of me.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

If you're seriously considering medical school (and I believe your GPA itself is competitive), then you might consider finishing up the pre-reqs while you're still in school. That way, the option is at least available, although you'd likely need to add in some physician shadowing and appropriate volunteer work to round out your application (in addition to doing well on the MCAT).

Of the three paths you've mentioned (i.e., MSW, Ph.D., MD), med school is the surest route to a six-figure income, at least as the system currently stands. Then again, I wouldn't recommend following it unless you actually have an interest in medicine (practicing and studying).

Another set of options could be going the PA or NP route. The latter is already familiar to you owing to your wife's plans, and the former could allow you to do many of the same things (although unlike NP's, I'm not aware of any states in which PA's can practice independently; I could be wrong, though). Both degrees would probably end up costing less than medical school, and should be shorter as well.

 

[futureapppsy2]

The thing about medicine, though, is that you're likely to be in your early 50's at the earliest before you are a practicing physician and are makng good money (assuming 2 years of pre-reqs, a glide year for applying, 4 years of med school and 3 of residency). You'll also have very significant debt from med school alone (probably somewhere between $200k-300k, perhaps slightly less if you get into an in-state med school and your wife can act as the sole breadwinner while you're in med school). Something like PA school might be the more time efficient route, and they make fairly good money. Are you geographically bound to a particular city/state?

Btw, regarding med school, you might want to check out SDN's non-traditional student forum, too: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=110

 

[scampbell70]

I am interested in medicine to a certain point. I am mostly interested in helping people live fuller and better lives and deal with their issues, and I believe in a holistic approach to treatment meaning treating the persons mind, body and spirit.

Is it really as hard as they say to make a good living with a degree in social work? I realize mileage will vary and things like motivation, skills, where you live, etc all play a factor.

 

[BlackSkirtTetra]

It is easy to find a job in social work, but difficult to find a good-paying job. (I have my Bachelors and am currently earning my MSW). I know an MSW who works as a case manager (a BA-level position for which she is overqualified) and earns $12 per hour. That's about $24,000 per year. She is single and lives with her sister, so this works for her but it could never work for me if that was my sole source of income. She absolutely loves her job, though.

I also know an MSW who works as a part-time case manager and part-time administrator to a girls' home (two roles in the same agency), and she earns about $35,000 per year (although I don't know her well enough to ask the exact figure). She is single but lives alone.

Edit: I also know an LCSW who earns around $50,000 per year providing therapy in a children's hospital. She told me that at one point in LA she earned $80,000 a year working on-call on third shift, but she couldn't handle that schedule (or living in LA).

There are a lot of jobs for social workers so long as you don't mind a) doing work you're overqualified for, b) doing more than one job within the same agency, and/or c) earning very little.

 

[scampbell70]

I live in the NW Ohio/SE Mich area which while being home to like 4 of the top 10 worst places to live, does have 3 medical schools within driving distance. I had an appointment with an adviser at a local medical college yesterday and he advised me to maybe look into a PA or DNP program in addition to medical school. I think my next step will be to try and volunteer at one of the local hospitals and see if I can shadow a doctor or two. In the mean time I am still planning to apply to MSW's programs as well.

 

[scampbell70]

I have considered all my options and I think my best bet is getting my MSW and following that where it takes me. I am filling out grad school applications now, thank you all your your help and advice.