Paramedic to PT....or PA

[musicalmedic81]

Hey guys and gals, hoping one of you may be able to give me some advice in an atypical situation.

I've been a paramedic for about 12 years. I love most aspects of being a medic, the critical thinking, problem solving, the one on one (or...six) interaction with pts etc..but the years of doing this job has begun to take it's toll on my body. I'm 33, a fitness enthusiast and in very good shape, but a back injury from my early twenties has begun to reoccur once or twice a year and taking longer and longer to heal each time.

Long story short my PT and ortho both said I was basically a ticking time bomb and advised to me consider a career change.

So that being said, there are two career paths I'm interested in. One is PT and the other PA. My love for exercise phys naturally drives me towards PT, but medical training and experience gives me a leg up towards PA.

Anyhoo, I'm trying to decide on an undergrad degree that would allow me to apply to either program.

I do not currently hold a degree. When I was a young man I took the straightest path to becoming a paramedic which was a 15 month certificate program rather than earning an associates.

I'm considering a BS in exercise science which I know would prep me for most DPT programs, but I was wondering if that degree would also give me enough to apply for a PA program if I do choose to go that direction. I realize there would be some additional prereqs to take for PA, just looking for opinions on whether I should do that or go for a more generic undergrad.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

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[HeatherDPT]

Good morning! First of all, congratulations on your (possible) impending career switch)! PT is such an awesome field and I can completely see why you're drawn to it. I can't offer much advise on the PA front, but I can help with the PT side. Exercise Science would be a great undergraduate degree, mostly because it will encompass most of the prerequisites you'll need. (Definitely check with the schools you're interested in though so you can take the most streamlined and painless path possible). There's nothing more frustrating than just follow the regular degree path only to find out that one of your program requires a slightly different course, and suddenly you've thrown away a few thousand dollars unnecessarily. So in short, do your research If at all possible I'd go through a four year university for your undergrad but complete your prereqs at a community college to keep things affordable. Every penny counts when you're looking at the total sum of your debt!

Also - you'll need to take the GRE, so start studying up. The better you can prep for this, the better off you'll be. Some programs look at all of your scores (initial, retakes, etc), so plan to do your best on the first try if you're considering any of those schools.

I think that's it for now, I'm still recovering for a gym sessions so my brain is a little foggy, but best of luck. You'd make a great PT!

 

[DesertPT]

There isn't really a specific bachelor's that is the best. Make a list of all the pre-reqs you will need for both and see what degrees at the school you will attend for your bachelor's encompass the most of those pre-reqs. Alternatively, pick a boring but practical and highly employable bachelor's like finance (in case grad school doesn't work out) and then fit in the other pre-reqs on top of it. Alternatively, pick a random bachelor's degree that sounds super interesting to you and take the needed pre-reqs as well.

You are definitely the kind of person PA schools are looking for, if you have a good GPA and other stats. But PT schools would love you too, if you have a good GPA and other stats. You should try to shadow members of both professions in a couple of different settings and decide which one you would most enjoy.

If you are making the decision from a 100% pragmatic standpoint, PA has at least 20% better pay, 0.5-1 year less time required in school, and would probably be more straightforward to apply to as you already have tons of healthcare experience (or HCE as the pre-PA's call it) but you don't have PT observation hours (which is a big part of the PT process). And I think as you stand right now, it would be easier to convince a PA school of your interest and commitment than a PT school. But like I said, PT observation hours come into play in accomplishing that goal.

Ultimately you need to make sure you really know which is the better profession for you before you commit the remainder of your 30's and possibly a bit of your 40's to schooling and education. And realize that physical therapy is just that, it's physical therapy. So be sure to talk to PTs and really decide if you injuries/physical issues from your years as a paramedic will affect your ability to be a PT or not. PT is much, much less physically demanding than being a paramedic, but it's still something to think about. Unlike paramedics however, PTs have the option to try to transition into teaching or administration or something like as they become older adults.

Good luck and let us know what other questions you have. SDN is the best place I've found for pre-PT info.

And btw, the pre-PA situation isn't great on SDN in the little bit that I've seen. http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/ is pretty much the standard in that area.

 

[musicalmedic81]

Thanks Heather and knj! I appreciate your responses and advice.

Starting this process now is a bit overwhelming. When I was single and lived alone, you couldn't have convinced me that I wouldn't spend 30 years on an ambulance. I love doing it and I'm good at it but aside from the physical toll it's taken on me, it's a lot different when you're trying to support a family of 4. My wife stays home with our 2 kids and while we've managed to somehow stay afloat, I don't want us to live the rest of our lives this way, scraping by paycheck to paycheck.

The thought of going to college at this age and stage of life is terrifying to me, but I also know it's getting close to now or never time and I don't want to take my chances and end up disabled from carrying a 400 lb pt down a flight of stairs or something.

So....lots to think about, lots to do. Thank you again...

 

[DesertPT]

When I was single and lived alone, you couldn't have convinced me that I wouldn't spend 30 years on an ambulance. I love doing it and I'm good at it but aside from the physical toll it's taken on me, it's a lot different when you're trying to support a family of 4.

I've heard a similar story from others about paramedic work as well. Is this a common story/sentiment among your peers? It seems like everyone would "age out" of the job eventually...

And considering your circumstances I would definitely look into going to a local community college for two years, earning an associate's and then transferring to a university. You could get any PT school pre-reqs that were not included in your degree done at community college too, to keep cost way down like Heather said above.

To do this without ending up hosing yourself in the transfer process and ending up taking more classes than you need to, you need to have a very well-researched, well laid-out plan for your undergraduate education so that you know exactly what classes to take at CC and what not to take, where you are going to be transferring to and what you are going to do at a university. The key in this process is to completely disregard/assume false anything that any academic advisers/counselors tell you. They will tell you garbage that will hose you. You have to research out the details for yourself. Lots of universities have articulation agreements with CC's of various kinds (eg. you do an AAS in X subject, then you can transfer directly to BS or BAS in Y).

It definitely is a long road to think about 6 or 7 years of college to get to where you want to be. The bang for your educational buck, so to speak, is low in PT (eg. debt:salary ratio is poor for DPT). But the job market, work hours and career satisfaction in PT are all above average. You're right, it is a ton to think about...

If I was in your circumstance, PA would make a lot more sense to me, because of the financial aspect and because you have the experience needed to get in (if you grades are good - PT and PA have both gotten ridiculously competitive, so plan on getting straight A's). If PT is the only thing you could see yourself doing that would make you happy then do it, but there are probably more straightforward ways to spend the next 8 years or so getting yourself to a $70,000 job.

 

[ashnicolee43]

I was Pre-PA before I switched to pre-PT. Maybe I can help

I was a Biology major on the medical track (that's how the school I attended phrased Pre-med). With that major I was able to take all pre-reqs for any PA program and also almost all PT programs.

I switched to PT because after shadowing a PA I did not like it. It was just my experience but after a few weeks I realized that there wasn't much of a patient relationship. They would come in, receive their medicine/advice, and leave. You never actually saw improvement. It also wasn't very active at all. PT is much different. Again, this is my experience but for you it could be much different. Observing both careers for a couple weeks may help you decide.

I do have to say though with your experience, if you get good grades in your classes, and a decent GRE score, you will have absolutely no problem getting into a PA program. They LOVE on the job experience and you have tons of it. A lot of programs suggest 1500+ hours of experience. I got my CNA so that I could get that and you won't even have that issue. The school I attended for my undergrad has a PA program and they find experience to be a higher factor than your GRE score.

Most importantly I think you have to decide the environment you want to work in and what will make you the most happy. I would suggest taking pre-reqs that both programs require (there is a decent amount of overlap) and while doing so do more research and observation. You'll need the observation for both programs anyways and it'll also help for you to get some letters.

 

[musicalmedic81]

Yes it is fair to say that is a very common sentiment among EMS professionals, especially those who started young and now have families to provide for. EMS is attractive to young tenacious individuals and can be a very rewarding and enjoyable career. But at my service, I'd say 90% of our full time staff either work a second job or pull tons of overtime just to make ends meet. And most of the time that young tenacious individual doesn't think about that when choosing that career. I know because I was one of them and I'm surrounded by many of them who are now looking for ways out. You just can't pay someone 30-35k to destroy their bodies and expect them to give you 30 years of service. There are very few who actually retire from EMS, and most of those are the ones who got into it back in the 70s and 80s when EMS was a new profession. These days the majority either cross into other fields or go out on injury.

Many try to move up into administrative roles or cross over to nursing, but neither of those options are the least bit appealing to me.

I've been a little tunnel visioned on DPT but the more research I do the more I see I may be better suited going the PA route instead. I'm still going to consider both while planning out my undergrad.

Another issue I'm having is being able to keep my family afloat while I go to school. I'll be able to do some of it locally but eventually I will have to be a full time student and I suppose we will try to live off student loan surpluses and whatever else we can find. Another option is trying an online bachelors degree that I could do while still working full time. I know Concordia University has a BA in exercise science that is fully online, but I don't know if PA/PT schools would frown upon that as oppose to a degree earned at a more reputable institution. Any thoughts on that?

 

[starrsgirl]

My gut for you is saying PA too. 1) your back injury....I think PA would be a little easier on your body. PTs do a lot of active transferring and other treatments that require force and bending. 2) your background is excellent for PA school. I'm a PT student but we take our first year classes with the PAs. There are a few prior EMTs in the PA class and they are EXCELLENT. I know not every EMT is meant to be a PA, but they have such experience, and understanding and strong anatomy skills that it really helps. 3) the pay....enough said on that, especially with supporting a family. I was torn about PA/PT myself. In my case, it would have taken me another year of pre reqs to apply to PA school for various reasons but you are starting with a clean slate! It would take the same amount of time for pre reqs.

As for schooling, I would look in your local area for a school that offers non traditional schooling. Look for a school that offers as mix of evening classes, weekend classes AND pre-med science classes (those are the ones you will need for PA/PT...not every school advisor will know if they have those classes, but they should know if they have pre med classes). I've done online education but I think it's better if you can do online education with a local school. That way, when you do the in person science classes (yes, most of the pre reqs have to be in person), they will transfer and easily count towards your degree = less time in school for you. If you go after a school that is fully online, you will then need to spend an additional 1-2 years doing the pre reqs that you haven't completed. As for the degree, honestly....just get whatever is the fastest for you to get. Depending on the school, you might be able to transfer some of your education and work experience for a few credits....then just ask their advice on the quickest graduation plan. I have a family and I did a lot of weekend classes where I was in school Friday, Sat, Sun and I worked during the week. (I took any gen eds I could online)

 

[DesertPT]

I know Concordia University has a BA in exercise science that is fully online, but I don't know if PA/PT schools would frown upon that as oppose to a degree earned at a more reputable institution. Any thoughts on that?

Pretty much every health professional school is going to require that at a minimum the pre-reqs with labs associated be completed in person (chem, physics, A&P, gen bio). You could probably do things like stats and psyche online and get away with it, but I would check with each school you are applying to as some frown on online classes and some do not.

If you do end up doing a bachelor's degree online it doesn't need to be in ex. sci. by any means because you are gonna have to take PT pre-reqs in person anyway. And if you did online schooling, you could still take PT pre-reqs at CC for pretty cheap.

Also, I would think long and hard before doing an ex. sci. bachelor's. It is strictly a pre-PT degree and if grad school for some reason doesn't work out it is a more or less unemployable bachelor's. You would have done 4 years of college and end up probably not making much more than you are as a paramedic at whatever job you ended up with.

Athletic training is a more employable degree if your university happens to have that program, but working as an athletic trainer is pretty much the same sucky hours and sucky pay as a paramedic.

There are essentially no bachelor's degrees in the biomedical or health sciences realm that will reliably get you a >$50k job though (other than maybe dental hygiene, but you can do that with an associates). That's why I suggested a practical degree such as accounting or finance. That may very well be as boring and tedious as hell to you, but if you had an accounting degree, all the PT/PA pre-reqs done or at least in progress, all the health care experience you have, some PT observation hours and a good GRE score, your options would be wide open. You would be all set to go to the graduate healthcare program of your choice, after which you would be highly employable by any private clinic (especially in PT) due to your accounting knowledge. You would also be 100% able to go out and find >$50k work no problem, or maybe like $65k if you worked a bit and became a CPA. That puts you in a good spot if grad school doesn't pan out or if extenuating life circumstances arise and you just need a job.

I am by no means telling you follow this path, I certainly didn't but looking pack with hindsight that is of course 20/20, if I had undergrad to do over again I certainly would have though about it. I might not have ended up doing it, but I would have seriously considered it.

Although if you have a high GPA and strong GRE score I think getting into PA school is not going to be a problem for you. So maybe there is no need to think about an alternative pathway if you are 100% committed to grad school.

 

[DesertPT]

My gut for you is saying PA too. 1) your back injury....I think PA would be a little easier on your body. PTs do a lot of active transferring and other treatments that require force and bending. 2) your background is excellent for PA school. I'm a PT student but we take our first year classes with the PAs. There are a few prior EMTs in the PA class and they are EXCELLENT. I know not every EMT is meant to be a PA, but they have such experience, and understanding and strong anatomy skills that it really helps. 3) the pay....enough said on that, especially with supporting a family. I was torn about PA/PT myself. In my case, it would have taken me another year of pre reqs to apply to PA school for various reasons but you are starting with a clean slate! It would take the same amount of time for pre reqs.

As for schooling, I would look in your local area for a school that offers non traditional schooling. Look for a school that offers as mix of evening classes, weekend classes AND pre-med science classes (those are the ones you will need for PA/PT...not every school advisor will know if they have those classes, but they should know if they have pre med classes). I've done online education but I think it's better if you can do online education with a local school. That way, when you do the in person science classes (yes, most of the pre reqs have to be in person), they will transfer and easily count towards your degree = less time in school for you. If you go after a school that is fully online, you will then need to spend an additional 1-2 years doing the pre reqs that you haven't completed. As for the degree, honestly....just get whatever is the fastest for you to get. Depending on the school, you might be able to transfer some of your education and work experience for a few credits....then just ask their advice on the quickest graduation plan. I have a family and I did a lot of weekend classes where I was in school Friday, Sat, Sun and I worked during the week. (I took any gen eds I could online)

This is all excellent advice by the way, I totally agree.

 

[musicalmedic81]

I was Pre-PA before I switched to pre-PT. Maybe I can help
.

Thank you for the sound advice, I appreciate it!

 

[musicalmedic81]

Wow, this is all great information. I'm so far out of the college loop...I never went to a 4 year school so this is all new to me at 33 years old. When I was a young man all I wanted to do was be a rock star but I uhhh....never got hired ....so I basically decided to try to get my EMT on a whim and before I knew it I was enrolled in paramedic school and over a decade later here I am. My wife is a school teacher but she's been home since our first child was born in 2011. It was tough even when we were both working (she made about 10k less than I did!), now we're doing it just on my salary plus about 5-7k/yr I earn running a small recording studio out of the bonus room over our garage. So needless to say, things are very tight....but God is good and has kept us afloat thus far.

I am really hesitant to try an undergrad in something like finance or accounting, I am the type of person who accells in subjects I find interest in so I feel my best chance at maintaining a high GPA is going after something Im passionate about. I have considered and researched the possibilities of employment with a bachelors in ex sci and they are scarce, but there are a few options with decent pay such as a clinical exercise physiologist in a cardiac rehab center or a corporate wellness setting. As of now though I am fully set on grad school as the ultimate goal.

Ok, so from what I gather is I need to look at grad schools I plan on applying to and take note of what pre reqs Im going to need for each and try to get those in person at a CC while working towards my undergrad. There are only a few PT and PA schools in my area and as of now I am not willing to leave town to go to school. I know that probably hurts my chances of getting in but I simply cannot leave my family here and go away to school. Our kids are 1 and 3....its just not feasible right now. My feelings may change the closer I get but as of now that is my mindset.

THANKS again for all the great advice. My head hurts!

 

[jblil]

OP - if moving is out of the question for you, then do scrutinize the requirements of the PA/PT schools in your area. Some of them may have unusual rules; for ex., one of the PT schools near me accepts pre-reqs taken at a CC, except for Biology; that class had to be taken at a 4-yr university.

I don't know your individual circumstances in detail - aside from what you posted here - but at first glance I agree with starrsgirl and knj27 that PA is probably a better fit for you. As for $ to go to school, check out your state's assistance programs for medical professionals. In NC where I reside, the state offers a "forgivable loan" of 14K/yr that is erased if you agree to work in the state after graduation, for as many years as you got the loan. Good luck, and please keep us posted.

 

[musicalmedic81]

OP - if moving is out of the question for you, then do scrutinize the requirements of the PA/PT schools in your area. Some of them may have unusual rules; for ex., one of the PT schools near me accepts pre-reqs taken at a CC, except for Biology; that class had to be taken at a 4-yr university.

I don't know your individual circumstances in detail - aside from what you posted here - but at first glance I agree with starrsgirl and knj27 that PA is probably a better fit for you. As for $ to go to school, check out your state's assistance programs for medical professionals. In NC where I reside, the state offers a "forgivable loan" of 14K/yr that is erased if you agree to work in the state after graduation, for as many years as you got the loan. Good luck, and please keep us posted.

Thanks jblil, I too am in NC, Statesville to be exact. WSSU is my only option for DPT and WFU, LR, HPU are the closest options for PA. Thats good to know about the loan forgiveness option, will definitely look into that.

 

[jblil]

Good to meet a fellow Tar Heel! I am in Chapel Hill. The forgivable loan is called "FELS", and is available to folks going for an Associate degree all the way up to doctorate: https://www.cfnc.org/FELS

 

[starrsgirl]

I think you will be fine to target schools in your area! I'm 33 with 2 kids as well....so moving wasn't an option for us. I focused all my efforts on the exact requirements of the schools close to me and was fine. I caution you to understand that IF you do an exercise science degree and then happen to change your mind about grad school, the 2 options you mentioned (clinical exercise physiologist and corporate wellness) and are NOT particularly strong choices. PLEASE don't make that your back up plan. I have an exercise science degree, the job market just isn't there. If you love exercise science and plan to go through with DPT or PA, then great....awesome, go after it with everything you have. But it's risky to say "oh, I can do these other things if I decide not to go to grad school". (You usually need at least a PhD to be a clinical exercise physiologist OR you need to do a true physiology degree....not an exercise science. Corporate wellness is a growing field, but the pay is not good at the moment for entry level. Possibly if you have a masters in wellness/health you can earn a living salary but I haven't seen a bachelors supporting that right now). If you are slightly unsure about if you will end up going to grad school, then maybe look at some other fields that you enjoy that would more reasonably lead to jobs with just a bachelors. I hope that makes sense....I'm not trying to discourage you from exercise science, but just want you to be realistic about the availability and pay scale for these positions.

 

[starrsgirl]

Another option for you.....have you considered nursing? Male nurses are in high demand right now. Many of the nursing programs can be done in a flexible manner....there are non traditional schooling schedules and even some distance options. Also, I love that with nursing, you can get your BSN (and make a good living salary) fairly quickly and then continue to go after a masters or doctorate a few classes at a time while you work.

 

[DesertPT]

Also a slightly related thought...take the Human anatomy and physiology sequence from the Biology department, not the kinesiology or ex. sci. dept. if at all possible. Some schools will accept A&P taken outside of the biology department, but all will accept it taken in the biology department so it's better to keep your options open.

And like others have said, since you are lucky enough to know this far ahead what professional programs you are likely to apply to (if you do indeed only apply locally), then you can spend your whole undergrad doing whatever is needed to tailor you application very specifically to what those schools want.

 

[DesertPT]

I am really hesitant to try an undergrad in something like finance or accounting, I am the type of person who accells in subjects I find interest in so I feel my best chance at maintaining a high GPA is going after something Im passionate about.

Meh, it was just a thought....

And it was an example to illustrate the utility of doing a highly employable bachelor's degree (of which there are very few remaining these days, unfortunately).

 

[musicalmedic81]

I think you will be fine to target schools in your area! I'm 33 with 2 kids as well....so moving wasn't an option for us. I focused all my efforts on the exact requirements of the schools close to me and was fine. I caution you to understand that IF you do an exercise science degree and then happen to change your mind about grad school, the 2 options you mentioned (clinical exercise physiologist and corporate wellness) and are NOT particularly strong choices. PLEASE don't make that your back up plan. I have an exercise science degree, the job market just isn't there. If you love exercise science and plan to go through with DPT or PA, then great....awesome, go after it with everything you have. But it's risky to say "oh, I can do these other things if I decide not to go to grad school". (You usually need at least a PhD to be a clinical exercise physiologist OR you need to do a true physiology degree....not an exercise science. Corporate wellness is a growing field, but the pay is not good at the moment for entry level. Possibly if you have a masters in wellness/health you can earn a living salary but I haven't seen a bachelors supporting that right now). If you are slightly unsure about if you will end up going to grad school, then maybe look at some other fields that you enjoy that would more reasonably lead to jobs with just a bachelors. I hope that makes sense....I'm not trying to discourage you from exercise science, but just want you to be realistic about the availability and pay scale for these positions.

I hear ya, there are two guys I work out with that have ex sci degrees, one them went into the military, the other is a crossfit coach (which his degree did absolutely nothing for) so I do understand the scarcity of jobs with that degree. I guess you could say I've got all my eggs in the grad school basket. I will always maintain my paramedic certification to fall back on and basically any college degree would give me a chance to move up into administration if for some reason grad school fell through.

Since we are the same age and with 2 kids I thought I would ask you how you did it financially. At what point did you become a full time student? Does your husband/significant other work? I am sole provider for my family so the thought of going full time student and living off loans and grants is quite frightening. At the same time it seems like it would take way longer to pluck away at prereqs and a transfer degree while still working full time. Time wise I'd be better off just committing to it full time and getting it done as quickly as possible. I just don't know where to start.

I have considered nursing but just can't find the desire to do it. I work around tons of nurses in all different settings and it just isn't for me. Many of my colleagues have bridged into nursing, some of them love it, some hate it but love the money.

 

[starrsgirl]

Since we are the same age and with 2 kids I thought I would ask you how you did it financially. At what point did you become a full time student? Does your husband/significant other work? I am sole provider for my family so the thought of going full time student and living off loans and grants is quite frightening. At the same time it seems like it would take way longer to pluck away at prereqs and a transfer degree while still working full time. Time wise I'd be better off just committing to it full time and getting it done as quickly as possible. I just don't know where to start.

.

My story is a little different in that I got a traditional 4 year degree right after high school. But, because I had such a TERRIBLE undergrad GPA, it didn't help me at all....so I really had to re do it all anyway. It took me 4 years from the moment I said I wanted to be a PT to get in.....so it's a long road. I'm guessing it would be the same for you....you don't have a degree now, but in a lot of ways it better because you have a clean slate and you WILL get great grades because you aren't a partying 18 year old.

Initially (after I decided I wanted to be a PT), I continued to work full time and I did online schooling. It kinda sucks because you can't do any of the classes you really want to be doing online (you will be taking english, math, psychology, but you can definitely get a lot done. I did 1-2 classes at a time and I studied at nights after the kids (well, kid at that point) were in bed and a bit at work. I went to a school on the quarter system so I could get classes done a little faster. I switched to part time work when I was ready to tackle the science pre reqs. Yes, my husband works. He worked during the day, I worked as a tutor and personal trainer at night. We traded off childcare between us to save on that while maximizing our income. When we were doing the child care split, I started a weekend A&P class....which kinda sucked but it was doable at the same time. In the last year before applying, I continued to work evenings and I started taking classes in the mornings. At that point, we had to hire daycare for about 3-4 hours per day....so that was tighter financially BUT I was able to at least cover my cheap tuition (community college) and daycare by the hours I still worked. My husband covered basic living. I can't say enough about sitting down with your spouse and laying out the whole plan. It's not just your journey anymore....its the family's. Everyone has to sacrifice to get to the end goal.

I continued to work up until the month I started school. I'm now a full time student and not working. I'm lucky in that I'm using my GI Bill.....but initially when I was going to a private school, we were definitely going to live on some loans (private school was a lot out of pocket). Although I've seen people do it (support a family on loans), it's definitely easier to have some income coming in. Also, consider that your kids may be in kindergarten by the time you need to go full time PT/PA school....so that's a huge childcare savings and allows your spouse to work.

***Here's my best advice for you. You need to shop schools like you shop a car. You should be able to cut some corners here for sure (on the bachelor's degree). Don't accept the first offer! See what, if anything, can be transferred to college credit (work experience and EMT classes). See what your online options are. It's very doable to get a bachelors in 3 years time....and you could even reasonably be applying to PT school that last year too. I encourage you to go as cheap as possibly for your bachelors. Try to stay working....the courses are completely manageable....if you make the commitment, it won't take that much longer to do it this way. You will appreciate this later (not having debt) when you have to stop working and go to school full time for DPT program. I think you can absolutely knock out that bachelors while working what you are working now and staying debt free. Then, sure, live on loans for the grad school part (still at a cheap school).

 

[DesertPT]

Initially (after I decided I wanted to be a PT), I continued to work full time and I did online schooling. It kinda sucks because you can't do any of the classes you really want to be doing online (you will be taking english, math, psychology, but you can definitely get a lot done. I did 1-2 classes at a time and I studied at nights after the kids (well, kid at that point) were in bed and a bit at work. I went to a school on the quarter system so I could get classes done a little faster. I switched to part time work when I was ready to tackle the science pre reqs. Yes, my husband works. He worked during the day, I worked as a tutor and personal trainer at night. We traded off childcare between us to save on that while maximizing our income. When we were doing the child care split, I started a weekend A&P class....which kinda sucked but it was doable at the same time. In the last year before applying, I continued to work evenings and I started taking classes in the mornings. At that point, we had to hire daycare for about 3-4 hours per day....so that was tighter financially BUT I was able to at least cover my cheap tuition (community college) and daycare by the hours I still worked. My husband covered basic living.

That sounds truly brutal. Hats off to you for making it through that and into PT school.