u/SpendZestyclose9683

age 26 originally went to school got a bachelors in kinesiology and after undergrad worked in a physical therapy outpatient setting and pretty much hated it. I was stuck with 15 to 20 patients a day which led me not to go to physical therapy school so now my options locally HVAC or a free PTA program which I’d wait a couple months to apply for or do something. I’m more interested in right now, which is medical equipment repair or engineering technician degree, which would open more doors and is more tailored to my personality.

my concern right now is finances. I’ve 20 K so moving right now away from my parents to pay rent in LA for those two progams mentioned would drain that completely.

any introverted PT/PTAs have advice on this ?

deciding not to go to physical therapy school because of the $200,000 of debt and not really liking the constant small talk all day the physical therapy I’ve done some reflection myself and I’m left with two options now , option one would be go to biomedical equipment technology school, 2 years which is basically maintaining and installing medical equipment, they a really good wage and have room for potential and can move into field service engineering and for that it’s usually but I would pay for housing because there’s no local programs option two would be pursue a second bachelors in the subject of engineering (3 years )most likely civil which would run me around 20 to 30 K but the Upward ceiling for this career is a little bit higher, but would probably be a bit more academically challenging. I’d consider myself pretty bright but not the smartest of all time so probably that’s why I’m not going aerospace or chemical.

TLDR.

Biomedical Equipment Technican ~75k salary

Civil/M Engineer ~3 years (General Ed’s transfer ) ~90k salary

Would I be better off doing a 1 year commute one year live over there straight to a Biomedical Equipment Technology program (AS) , 1.5 hour drive . near LA .

Complete a local HVAC program at my CC and then try to get hired as a BMET 1 later down the road 2-4 years experienced HVAC to minimize debt and not have to rent in LA for so long .

rather be a nurse or in healthcare or an engineer?

only nearby college offers it HVAC, PTA, firefighting. is there any introverted PTAs or PTS THAT started off this career and have since transitioned? what are you doing now? if i move my bank account is screwed short term but at least I could do something where I'm not talking all day? thoughts?

I graduated with a kinesiology/exercise science degree last year but have not yet to find a job within the athletic training world so I’m thinking of pivoting to safety and I know I’d have to start at the bottom. What certifications can you recommend or companies to apply to in California? Also, if anybody’s willing to reference me, it’d be a great appreciation I know about the OSHA 30 I have my CPR and first aid certifications. Is there any other certification?

I Have a bachelors of Kinesiology But after working as a pt aide for about a year i was left drained and socially fatigued because the aides take on the most work so i didnt see myself going down the DPT path any further so since then ive been researching diffrent fields, Biomedical Equipment Tech, HVAC, Engineering/ Tech, and now this field it really sparked my interest and curious if i could get any advice. It’s really been weighing on me that I haven’t picked something different to move towards in two years but i have been saving. Also there is a pta program near me but idk i kind of got traumatized from being a PT aide and working with 20 patients a day/ just small talk all day.

Graduated Bachelors in Kinesiology(Human Movement)/ Allied Health last year .

down to two options now, Indio California, only local Programs are HVAC, Fire,PTA . would it be best to stay local , keep stacking my savings and do the local HVAC program. later transition to BMET with lots of HVAC experience. I could possibly pair this with AF reverses since I’d be local still and just doing HVAC /working two days a week after HVAC school

Move either hours away or out of state, drain savings on rent and try to get into a BMET/ Engineering Technology program.
don’t know if I can pair this with reserves realistically. Will have to work more to pay the rent .

Long story short I went to school for exercise science hopes to go to the DPT school , for context I live in California so the physical therapy schools are from $150,000-$200,000 and after being an aid I found that I would come home, socially drained every single day so I would hide in my room. I talked to a lot of different people in this profession which have expressed similar concerns . and I would do well at work, but when I came home, I feel like I couldn’t talk so social battery I guess is a “ real thing “ so now I’m left with pivoting we’re going to my local PTA program. There’s also a HVAC program or Firefighting near me. PTA program is really tempting because it would be just one year here, but that’s even more socially demanding unless I do home health. would I be able to push past my introversion or am I better off? Just pivoting careers now. I’m an INTJ for reference and always been reserved but did not expect social battery to be a major issue after work.

every career has its downsides but wonder if anyone committed to the field with the same personality type. How did it end up working out for you? I do find exercise very interesting but feel like this field sometimes should have a different name like Injury Specialist

TLDR : how is PT profession long-term for introverted people? only other options near me are HVAC, nursing , firefighting, PTA . Or I could move to pursue a medical related technical field like Radiology Technologist, Biomedical Equipment Tech, Sterile Processing , Etx.

i’m looking to get into be BMET but maybe a less traditional approach. I’m 25 I live with my parents have 25k saved the past year by pretty much not going out question is could I do my local HVAC program as well PTA program because I have an undergrad in kinesiology and use those two incomes and maybe later be able to get a BMET job

or would I be better off going traditional biomedical equipment technology Two year associate program and draining my 25K in savings . for rent .

I guess my last and smartest option would probably be in the military, but that would require to grow a pair and then maybe stay local and do either the HVAC or the PTA program but the problem is I stepped my foot in the door for the PTA program before and I hated I’m just considering that one for the money to be honest.

so I’m thinking of going back to school to become an aircraft mechanic, but I’ve heard conflicting things about them so they’re some people are trying to push me into healthcare to become a medical equipment repair and then some people are trying to push me towards engineering because those are the three paths that I have interest towards. Is this a path you guys would recommend because I’ve heard mostly good things about it. I’ve watched YouTube videos but they’ve also recommended me to ask people inside the field.

been two years since i graduated and haven’t found a job in the field just wanted to say that. 350+ applications 4 interviews and rejected from 2 and accepted to retail and working with little kids . The american dream , lol. anyone else?

will preface that I’m 25 and grinded this past year to save 18k to make a transition/ find a stable career path and be able to provide for my future family . I want to succeed very badly and willing to work and go to school like I did in the past. used to getting no support from FAFSA I had to pay out of pocket for my current bachelors .

the “engineer“ route I would probably do civil and it would be considered a accelerated second bachelors route at CSULB OR CSULA . I contacted the advisors and it would be one year of prerequisites plus two years of core coursework at the actual school

career options

Biomedical Technician 2 years

Engineering Technology 2 years

Engineer 3.5 years since it’s a second bachelors degree

hvac or firefighting and stay local and use my savings to house hack

a brutal long year of career researching, personality assessment and asking people. I’ve decided to either go for these routes but having teouble picking . I got a bachelors in exercise science last year and no longer wanted to go for DPT because of the debt to income, +4 more years of school

choice 1: Gatherbup my savings of 16k and go to a associate program for Mechanical Engineering technology, which would wualify me for technician jobs, later pivot to medical device repair. Pro: more potential down the road Con: May drain all my savings

choice two: Go to Local HVAC or EMT school where I could contact stacking savings because I live with parent, Also join the Air Force reserves, then use the capital and VA loan to start ”house hacking”

TLDR: move to pursue mechanical engineering techician or stay local and do hvac and income properties ?

fyi I currently work retail as I hated my physical therapy aide job minimum wage

25 M, After a brutal long year of career researching, personality assessment and asking people. I’ve decided to either go for these routes but having difficulty picking . I got a bachelors in exercise science last year and no longer wanted to go for DPT because of the debt to income, +4 more years of school

choice 1: Use my savings of 18K and go to a Associate program for Mechanical Engineering Technology, which would qualify me for technician jobs, later pivot to medical device repair aka BMET. Pro: more potential down the road Con: May drain all my savings

choice 2: Go to Local HVAC school where I could contact stacking savings because I live with parent, Also join the Air Force reserves, then use the capital and VA loan to start ”house hacking”

TLDR: move to pursue mechanical engineering technician or stay local and do HVAC/R and income properties ?

Hello All First time poster in here. Bit of an unusual dilemma here. I graduated From a California university June 2024 BS in Exercise Science/ Kin, Since then I worked in a Physical therapy Clinic as an Aide which allowed me to gather hours for DPT school but I found myself dreading going in everyday way more than my previous jobs which led me to quit, which has been the only job ive ever quit willingly.On top of that continuing down that path would be another 4 years of prerequisites and phy therapy school. I Then started career researching and saving money to make a leap, I will now list some careers I came across after researching for about a year, Biomedical Equipment Technician, Mech/ Civil Engineer, Engineering Technician, HVAC/R, Aircraft Mechanic,Radiologic Tech(X-ray). These are all about 2 years besides Engineering would be 3 Since some of my GE classes would transfer over. Im at the point where I can decide because of pros and cons of each. today I want to decide as I find myself in a loop of watching videos on each and just scrolling reddit for more ideas and talked to some career counselors which told me im just in analysis paralysis.

TL;DR Medical Equipment Repair, Engineering or Engineering Technician?

there is a PTA program near me that’s two years but would allow me to pursue that whilst staying with my parents so I could save money . downsides is I worked as an aide and dreaded going

Hello All First time poster in here. Bit of an unusual dilemma here. I graduated From a California university June 2024 BS in Exercise Science/ Kin, Since then I worked in a Physical therapy Clinic as an Aide which allowed me to gather hours for DPT school but I found myself dreading going in everyday way more than my previous jobs which led me to quit, which has been the only job ive ever quit willingly.On top of that continuing down that path would be another 4 years of prerequisites and phy therapy school. I Then started career researching and saving money to make a leap, I will now list some careers I came across after researching for about a year, Biomedical Equipment Technician, Mech/ Civil Engineer, Engineering Technician, HVAC/R, Aircraft Mechanic,Radiologic Tech(X-ray). These are all about 2 years besides Engineering would be 3 Since some of my GE classes would transfer over. Im at the point where I can decide because of pros and cons of each. today I want to decide as I find myself in a loop of watching videos on each and just scrolling reddit for more ideas and talked to some career counselors which told me im just in analysis paralysis.

TL;DR Medical Equipment Repair, Engineering or Engineering Technician?

OK guys so I come from a lower to middle class family I originally went to school to pursue a physical therapy degree but after my undergrad, I did not want to go 200 K in debt to pursue the DPT degree so completed five years of schooling in my undergrad (exercise/kinesiology) I have the route to go PTA, which makes around 60 to 70 K per year or I could do something more suited towards like equipment, technician, aviaction mechanic ,health and safety specialist something more technical so I’m considering joining the military reserves also because I am stuck in a I cannot find a job with my degree. My second option would be just to go to school for be me. I’ve saved around $15-$16,000 so the two years of schooling there would kind of drain my savings or maybe I can get a part-time job while doing the biomedical technician training. thoughts?