working as an aide while taking prereqs

[vinganca]

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Those of you who have done it, what was your class schedule like at the time? How many hours a week/what shifts did you generally work? How much flexibility did you have wrt: your schedule at work?

Inquiring minds want to know, if you don't mind answering. 🙂 I suspect my class schedule is too spread out this semester to make it work, but I would like to work as an aide starting next semester. A bit puzzled how the scheduling thing would work out, since up till now I've always held night-shift jobs while in school.

 

[artizzle]

I was still able to work the minimum for full time (36 hrs/week) because I had the early shift (6:50-3:50). I only had two classes missing for prereqs and one I took online, so I only had to take one half day for the on campus class.

It all depends on letting your boss know AHEAD of time. As long as I gave my boss early notice, he always made the schedule work.

 

[callmecrazy]

If you need to work and want the experience, I think it is definitely doable; it will just require you to plan ahead. In fact, I think that every PT aide/tech I've ever come across was also in school or taking classes. I would venture to say that it is maybe even expected. When looking for jobs, just be up front about the hours you will be available for the upcoming semester.

 

[DolFAN]

How did you guys get the PT aide job? Did you have prior PT observation hours when you applied?

 

[IGotsTheFever]

It's definitely manageable. It's all about discipline and sacrifice. I took a tech job to see if PT is really something I can see myself doing for a long time. Also, to see if I am more interested in PT than Nursing or PA.

I'm currently working 32 (min for full time) - 40 hours/week and taking 3 classes for a total of 11 hours (2 labs). My schedule is work from 7:30 - 4. I have class M-Th (7-10) and Saturday 9-12.

As for work flexibility, it's all about letting your manager know ahead of time. I plan on taking about 15-19 hours next semester🙂(...social suicide...) and my manager is more than willing to gonna work with me and other techs to develop a schedule for next semester to where I'm not popping sudafed daily. I'm hoping to bring my hours down to 20 for next semester.

Best of luck!

 

[vinganca]

Well I'm going to go applying and see what happens...it's just that the times for my classes suck. 😡 If only physics was offered at night (well, tehnically it is, but it's on the same nights as chem...🙁)

 

[DancerFutureDPT]

I've worked at two different outpatient locations as an aide (albeit for the same company), and they are super flexible for scheduling, especially if you're going into physical therapy. Currently I work 10 hours a week, 2 days from 7am-noon, and in January for spring semester it will drastically change. Last year there were weeks I worked only once a week for a longer shift, or several days a week for just a few. You just have to find a clinic that will be willing to work with your schedule, and if the clinic has several aides (so they aren't just relying on you), then that will help with the scheduling issues. If the clinic is open on weekends and you're willing to work them, that helps a lot too. My cilnic is open until 8pm at night and on Saturdays, so that works well for my schedule. My suggestion would be try to find a place like that with long work hours and weekends, so that there's more options for you to try to schedule yourself in a shift. In my experience it's the corporate-owned facilities with more PTs on staff that have that as an option, as opposed to an independently owned place with only one or two PTs.

 

[physicaltherapy]

I don't know how you guys work so many hours! Please tell me the secret! I'm taking two science classes with labs plus psych. and working 3 hours per week (same shift each week) as an aide at a small rehab facility. To me, that's a full schedule. I have a 4.0 GPA. If I worked any more, my GPA might slip. Next semester I'll only be taking one science class and psych. so I'll increase my work hours to 6.