u/rachlbee

TLDR: Looking for insight from allied health professionals(rad techs, respiratory therapists, etc.) who pivoted into Health IT.

Hello all, I'm currently working as a technologist in a very niche section of allied health(sleep medicine) in the US. I'm one of the crazy people who actually enjoys patient care, but my current role is essentially a dead end. There isn't really anywhere for me to go from here unless I switch to either teaching or managing a sleep lab. I'm currently making 75k in a VHCOL area(SoCal). Techs CAN make 100k after decades in the field, but it's very rare. Money is definitely a concern in the long run.

I understand that the market is very tough and difficult to predict right now. But in your collective opinion, is this a worthwhile field to get into long term? I just turned 28, and I feel like I need to start laying groundwork to pivot sooner rather than later.

I currently have an associates degree directly related to my field. I've worked with Cerner for most of my career, but I am in the process of moving to a new job where Epic is used instead. The hospital system will pay 5k a year for education as long as it is healthcare related. Tuition at public state schools out here runs about 8k a year, so I could get a bachelor's for 6k plus additional fees.

My question specifically for the folks who've made a similar transition: how'd you do it? Did you get a BS in Computer Science, or focus on getting certifications/self study? Which programming languages are you primarily working with? Python? SQL? Java? How difficult was the transition for you? Do you ever regret switching careers?

Thanks for reading, and any responses are appreciated.

I(F28) currently work in healthcare doing nightshift in the US. I enjoy the work and it suits me, but working at night and not having a lot of interaction with other people can make things very lonely at times. The best part of my day is chatting with patients and getting to hear about their lives. My job is at higher risk of being automated in comparison to other subsets of healthcare, so pivoting to something different has been on my mind a lot lately.

I've thought about working in behavioral since I was young, but was always hesitant due to the high financial and opportunity cost. I've looked at the therapist sub, and a lot of people seem so discouraged about the profession. But I know that some subs can easily turn into echo chambers. I'm just looking for a reality check from any AuDHD practitioners who've been in the field for a bit.

Is the day to day work sustainable for you? Are you able to support yourselves financially? Do you work in community mental health or private practice? Would you go back and do it all over again, or choose another path instead? Any other additional insights would also be welcome and appreciated.

Additional context: Dxed with ADHD and ASD level 1 as a child. I've already got an associates degree and could realistically knock out a BA in psych or social work in 2-3 years either online or hybrid while working. I might be able to have my job pay for the majority of it. Grad school, internships, licensure hours and the aftermath are what's giving me pause at the moment.