Assist Me with My Future Career.

[Leigh 87]

While I think it's great that you are considering employment prospects and demand as part of your analysis, you will not be guaranteed a job in any field, no matter how good the employment prospects appear to be. It will also be dependent on your grades, contacts, how well you interview, and the competition. While clearly a field with more openings gives you more options, it's still no guarantee.

 

To that end (and given that you are focused on science related degrees), I think you should focus first on what you want to do, second on how well you think you can do in that field (grades), and third on the employment prospects. Obviously if there are no job prospects at all, you should avoid those fields.

 

 

 

Nothing is a given. Any degree could turn out to have no prospects by the end of your studies.

 

Unfortunately, we have an unsustainable situation in Australia when it comes to students doing useless degrees that yield no chance of employmemt unless they major in something in demand and get great grades and network. Anyway, tax payers find out universities loan system. We pay later and the taxpayer footsore bill now. Too many people go willy nilly and study for the sake of it with no real intent of getting a job. So in a way I do think it's more sustainable to study degrees that at least have OKAY rates of landing employment in area that at least isn't in DECLINE.

 

To begin with, I have picked degrees that lie within my area of interest ( medical science and similar) and with courses contained throughout the degree which I have some knowledge on already and feel so challenging yet interesting material that will actually feel worth while to learn.

 

Clia, I agree that degrees with VERY dire job prospects should be avoided. In the case of nuclear medicine, while I would have really been able to sink my teeth into that degree as I found the courses to be academically brilliant areas of study in which I would have felt just... FANTASTIC about......

 

If the official body of nuclear medicine is writing letters that openly say that they don't have enough placements for third years to actually do the practical element of their actual DEGREE, then you should probably take note and try to find another area of interest and just read about nuclear medicine in your spare time (which I currently do and will continue to do).

 

Most degrees are over saturated with more graduates than jobs available. We all take a risk with tertiary studies due to the huge debt we will have to repay in spite of not necessarily getting well paid jobs. While nothing is set in stone ( making personal satisfaction important whilst studying and entering into the workforce), you can still do some good research enough to find out if you at least have a fair shot at getting a decent enough paying job that will pay off the large debt.

 

I have done some great research on many degrees..I have joined an education forum. I have joined a podiatry forum. I have researched government job predictions. I have looked at every single course on offer for podiatry.

 

Ultimately I need to study something I really enjoy studying; it should contain challenging and enjoyable content with which I derive some personal fulfilment and development from....... secondary but just as important when picking a degree is to do some extensive research and ensure you at least have a reasonable chance at gaining employment.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Leigh 87

[Leigh 87]

Diagnostic and nuclear medicine were the degrees that I would have most liked to have studied based on researching their courses and career opportunities.

 

However, diagnostic has the most jobs and it is still hard to get work. It is overly saturated whereas podiatry is only moderately saturated with still decent job prospects.

 

And then nuclear medicine while it sounds fantastic to me, has no job prospects whatsoever...

 

 

 

Poditary sounded interesting and I liked the day to day job because I like repetition and predictably. Also the one on one patient care appealed. I wasn't sure if the courses were that interesting as nuclear medicine and turns out, they weren't. But podiatry has a lot of the same first year courses as the medical imaging style of degrees.

 

 

Podiatry focuses on more limited areas but goes into insane detail...their biomechanics is just as full on as in a medical degree I heard..... Where as nuclear medicine covers areas I consider to be ground breaking because disease and disease treatment is a HUGE area of interest for me.... Nuclear medicine being one of the areas I am just plain fascinated with.

 

 

I am going for the secure option ( podiatry) because ultimately, it has many areas I think I will enjoy studying, I love the day to day sound of the job even though most people say it's goring and repetitive..... And it is local and my university has a great reputation for podiatrist. There is a high rate of graduates there getting jobs before or soon after graduating.

 

 

 

For a second there I thought I should go for gold and do nuclear medicine or diagnostic medical imaging work but with very few job prospects due to the universitied churning out way too many students, I actually need a hope of paying off my uni debt.....

[Glinda.Good]

OK, so you have made up your mind.

 

How are you planning to spend your time up until you start this course? I think you posted earlier that your aged carer certificate will take 3-4 months to complete?

 

My advice to you is to get in regular tutoring sessions. I can't stress enough how difficult it is going to be for you to get into full student mode for the first time in your life.

 

THAT IS NOT A JAB.

 

My daughter was in a similar situation so I understand it well.

 

Not having "done" high school, and now having over a decade out of any kind of school system, puts you in a special situation.

 

You can get ready to be successful if you use your time right.

 

If you just jump in depending on your natural intelligence and test scores from years ago, I think you are going to find the structure and demands difficult - no matter how smart you are.

 

And I believe in your intelligence, so don't get defensive about that.

 

So … what are your short term plans, right now?

[pink_sugar]

I was looking hard core for any job: waitress, food server, retail, looking after kids, cleaning. I could not secure a job easily at all, I became very depressed.

 

My family and friends noticed I was just not happy with that way of life. Irrespective of how HARD I try, these type of jobs are not for me at all, I am ill suited to them, and I did genuinely give it my BEST shot. I applied aggressively every day looking for 100 plus jobs per day, from when I woke up to when I fell asleep. The rare chances I DID get I never got past the trial because even my best efforts are not really up to speed with natural hospitality orientated people.

 

Trust me I was not happy doing these jobs, nor could I easily find them.

 

I have therefore undertaken a certificate that is at your own pace and you can finish in mere 2 - 3 months.... And it has a lot of job openings and it is one on one care with elderly. I am currently volunteering in the field and love it. I work best one on one rather than trying to just get a waitress job.

 

Trying to just get a job you need no experience for has not worked for me. And trust me, I have genuinely given it my best effort. I would also be highly embarrassed if I were to serve an ex classmate who all have masters or PHD'S, their meals. I do not want to be in the public arena for all to see. I am an introvert but get alone best in either small teams or one on one.

 

I can say first hand that trying to get "any job" has not been the best way for me. I am far better off getting this quiet certificate then working full time or part time until college starts next year.

 

I have talked to my therapist and parents and partner about this all and they all said it was soul destroying for a person like me to try so hard to get bar or waitress work, and to be constantly turned down for these jobs which I hate anyway.

 

Everyone including myself thinks at least working in an area I have a certificate for and isn't hospitality driven is my best option.

 

 

 

 

 

I volunteer in the field currently and am due to get a job in 3 - 4 months.

 

I have occasional event work which is the only hospitality work I have EVER enjoyed.

 

 

 

 

I do not need to work for a living so I refuse to aimlessly look for waitress, bar or retail work to no avail; to either get no offers or to do trial after trial after trial and be deemed " not a good fit" for the jobs. Which is true, my best efforts are still not good enough when compared to those who have a natural inclination towards hospitality.

 

My husband and I worked jobs we didn't like for several years before completing our degrees...though it wasn't our degrees that helped us get professional jobs. We were fortunate to have companies give us a chance with limited experience after we got our AA degrees. We're making a few bucks more than we did after before getting our BS degrees. My husband was lucky to have his grandmother pay 90% of his student loan debt. But I still have to pay about $200 a month...I still think my degree is worth it in the long run as it's necessary in my field to be competitive. But my husband, like you, was older when receiving his degree. However, by 24 or so, he choose to major in Business and stuck with it. He's 30 now. I think he sometimes thinks maybe he should have gone to trade school instead...as you're guaranteed much better pay in fields that require you to learn a skill. Even some jobs only require certification or just a 2 year degree. If you want to start working a professional job more quickly, my advice would be to do something that doesn't involve another 5-7 years of school.

Edited July 25, 2014 by pink_sugar

[tuxedo cat]

Leigh: some advice from my own experience.

 

1) FOCUS. Like me you seem to be a bit scatter-brained. Figure out what you want to do and fully commit yourself to that goal even when you face hiccups along the way. If you focus and put in the time, you will eventually succeed.

 

2) You will face obstacles in the form of other people and yourself. There are a lot of vultures in the world who prey on the insecurities of others because they are miserable. You should EXPECT that you will be discouraged along the way. Use these people to your advantage by framing them as obstacles to overcome in the development of your inner strength.

 

Learn to discriminate between constructive and destructive feedback. Constantly work on yourself and take in criticism but only when it's delivered in good faith. Do not give consideration to anyone who challenges your essential worth.

 

These are hard lessons I've learned. Good luck!

[ufo8mycat]

For a second there I thought I should go for gold and do nuclear medicine or diagnostic medical imaging work but with very few job prospects due to the universitied churning out way too many students, I actually need a hope of paying off my uni debt.....

 

How do you know that universities are not planning to increase their intake of podiatry students dramatically resulting in an over saturation of the market?

 

I just had a look at seek and there are a bunch of advertised nuke med tech jobs out there. There are also jobs in PET/SPECT which are expanding.

 

If it is what you are really interested in it then do it. In my graduating year (38 radiation therapists, 60 diagnostic radiographers and 30 nuclear medicine technicians) many of the NMT's have left the liquid ray to do other things anyway.

 

one is a writer with a pharmaceutical company

two work in sales in radiopharmaceuticals

one is a fashion designer

Another one is a lecturer in chemistry.

 

So a degree enables you to do other things and are you are more likely to be successful in it if you are passionate and interested in the area.

[Leigh 87]

Between now and next year, I am going to get this physics professor to introduce me to physics, and once I learn the fundamentals, I am going to ask him to teach me the physics 101 course he lecturers at university. Furthermore, even though podiatry doesn't contain math as an actual course, I want to be taught basic adult math. Just for my own self esteem. And you never know, I may go on and do masters or a graduate certificate one day where the math will come in handy.

 

Frankly, our stupid conservative government believes that affordable education is us being " too entitled " and the cost of college is set to DOUBLE. This is why podiatry appeals, as it is a stand alone degree that has a great track record of getting new grads work if they want it, without the need for a masters.

 

The actual podiatry degree is interesting to me and I know I would enjoy applying difficult college level course work into diagnosing and treating real conditions of the feet. All students say podiatry is actually very challenging. I am more interested in studying nuclear medicine but I don't feel comfortable doing a degree where there are already well over a 50% rates of students never getting work in their field.

 

 

 

From when I was young, I either wanted to..diagnose people in a medical capacity or I was obsessed with wanting to work on diseases. Anything to do with disease and it's treatment.

 

 

Can you see why I chose these degrees? u like repetition, I like doing the same thing in jobs, so I don't mind that jobs that stem from degrees are largely low challenge and boring. I prefer that but with the added element of patient care with podiatry and radiation therapy has but not so much nuclear medicine or diagnostic.... Since you meet you patients only once mostly.

 

I have picked the degree selections based on my lifelong pattern of interests and knowing full well the jobs are boring and repetitive. I am still super excited about any of the degrees even though I know the actual jobs are likely not that fun. It's more the achieving a degree through in depth study and then being able to apple it as a professional that goes me excited, as it sure beats an equally boring and monotonous job where you don't get to apply hard sciences such as biomechanics and advanced anatomy and physiology , on a day to day basis.

 

 

 

 

So this year will be spent learning basic math and physics once a week, while I finish my aged care certificate and strategies working full time.

 

 

 

Podiatry and aged care seemed to be closely tied.....they recommend students work in areas such as aged care during their degree. In fact, some jobs on offer ask for a poditarist and aged care worker in one hit. So it is cool that I thought to do aged care on my own accord independent of poditary.....

 

 

 

I look forward to tutoring, finally learning the basic math and physics this has been a huge chip on my shoulder, and working towards a certificate that is very employable and will provide good job security.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wish nuclear medicine had prospects of employmemt. It is a darn shame:(

[Leigh 87]

How do you know that universities are not planning to increase their intake of podiatry students dramatically resulting in an over saturation of the market?

 

I just had a look at seek and there are a bunch of advertised nuke med tech jobs out there. There are also jobs in PET/SPECT which are expanding.

 

If it is what you are really interested in it then do it. In my graduating year (38 radiation therapists, 60 diagnostic radiographers and 30 nuclear medicine technicians) many of the NMT's have left the liquid ray to do other things anyway.

 

one is a writer with a pharmaceutical company

two work in sales in radiopharmaceuticals

one is a fashion designer

Another one is a lecturer in chemistry.

 

So a degree enables you to do other things and are you are more likely to be successful in it if you are passionate and interested in the area.

 

 

Of course I am more interested in nuclear medicine. It is fantastic. It is literally ground breaking.

 

It just looks so dire.

 

Should I ask my university if I can talk to the course coordinator of nuclear medicine?

 

Podiatry seems a lot more promising job wise and it is still a very challenging and interesting degree with one on one patient care for the actual job.

[Glinda.Good]

How long do these courses take?

 

Things can and will change in the job market during the time you're in school. Bottom line is that there is always a need for these services. You should go for what you WANT to do with your life. And then work hard, focus and STICK WITH IT.

[Leigh 87]

How long do these courses take?

 

Things can and will change in the job market during the time you're in school. Bottom line is that there is always a need for these services. You should go for what you WANT to do with your life. And then work hard, focus and STICK WITH IT.

 

 

Nuclear medicine = 10/10 intrigue and utter fascination in the subjects to be studied.

Job prospects = over 50% of students not even being able to find PLACEMENT for their final year. So, half of the students do not even GRADUATE on time because there are NOT enough places for them to fulfil their professional clinical components of the degree.

 

Podiatry = 8/10, as I LOVE the idea of applying advanced biomechanics, anatomy and physiology into an actual job diagnosing and treating patients.

Job prospects = very positive. I have never heard of a recent podiatrist who couldn't find a job eventually. The MAJORITY of Newcastle University graduates get podiatry jobs BEFORE or IMMEDIATIALY upon graduation!

 

Come on now, Australia already churns through WAY TOO MANY University graduates than there are jobs available in courses! It is ridiculous. I don't want to contribute to massive job shortages. Further, NM is a VERYYYY specific and smalllllll area of study!

 

Here is a thought.....

 

I AM doing a cert in aged care which is VERY employable and pays a full time wage that at least pays the bills while not brilliant.

 

Here is an action plan that could possible enable me to study the degree I am "utterly" enthused by, on an academic level.

 

 

- I study VERY VERY hard and get decent grades in Nuclear Medicice

 

- I take the time to go to hospitals and network. I dress nicely, walk to reception. I politely ask if I can make an appointment with the department head or whoever. I could tell them I am a student, tell them what my speciality areas of interest is in, and ask them for a tour of the nuclear medicine department?

 

- I could focus on being friendly and making good friends with peers in my degree, and participate or even suggest specialised and effective results driven study sessions to help everyone get ahead.

 

- I could become friendly with my lecturers so they like me; I could always talk about the newest research that fascinates me and show them how passionate I am about the actual courses and area of medicine.

 

- Then, if I STILL do not get employment, I can still fall back on working in aged care to support myself WHILE I further more employability.

 

 

 

I cant get work in nuclear medicine? Well maybe I could start attending conferences, seminars, keep up to speed with latest breakthroughs in the field, and even do a graduate certificate in the health sciences to make me more employable, or even a masters in a slightly different health scope that could make me more widely employable throughout more industries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would doing all of that make me as likely to get a job as a podiatrist when podiatry at my university literally walk out of the degree with 1000 horus clinical placement and jobs?

[TigerLilly78]

 

Would doing all of that make me as likely to get a job as a podiatrist when podiatry at my university literally walk out of the degree with 1000 horus clinical placement and jobs?

 

Prob not but if its the job YOU would rather have then its the one you should go for! cause like others said unless your fully happy your not going to want to stick with it or worse you end up regretting it for the rest of your life. No job is ever guaranteed Leigh no matter what degree you have...

[ufo8mycat]

You do realise that you will probably have around 1000 hours of clinical practice with nuclear medicine? Most grads get a job while on clinical. So dressing nicely won't work but doing well in your clinical practice will.

[Leigh 87]

You do realise that you will probably have around 1000 hours of clinical practice with nuclear medicine? Most grads get a job while on clinical. So dressing nicely won't work but doing well in your clinical practice will.

 

 

 

I really like how Newcastle gives students work ready skills. However, a body of nuclear medicine, I forgot their name exactly, but they have official warned Universities that there DO NOT have enough placements.

 

Are you SERIOUS about the NM students walking into jobs after their placements?

 

Podiatry students start on 50K minimum and MOST of them walk into jobs, or get a job upon graduating.

 

I still really like the area of study of podiatry and I can see myself enjoying applying the study to the future job, I am just not AS fascinated about podiatry as I am about nuclear medicine.

[Leigh 87]

Prob not but if its the job YOU would rather have then its the one you should go for! cause like others said unless your fully happy your not going to want to stick with it or worse you end up regretting it for the rest of your life. No job is ever guaranteed Leigh no matter what degree you have...

 

 

 

I am still fairly confident that I would really enjoy podiatry, both the degree and resulting career.

 

Nuclear medicine is just more interesting but a bit.

[ufo8mycat]

Are you SERIOUS about the NM students walking into jobs after their placements?

 

 

of course some do. They fit well into a department so they snaffled up in their third year but this is true of any graduate - the good ones are highly sought after.

 

That isn't to say everyone will get a job but you spend a lot of time different hospitals so you get a sense of where you might like to work.

 

The other difference is that podiatrist can work as sole traders - many go into their own private practices so ANY podiatrist can practice on their own. The medical radiation scientists don't have this option.

 

What is it that you find so interesting about nuclear medicine? What are the cutting edge things you have found in your research?

[Leigh 87]

of course some do. They fit well into a department so they snaffled up in their third year but this is true of any graduate - the good ones are highly sought after.

 

That isn't to say everyone will get a job but you spend a lot of time different hospitals so you get a sense of where you might like to work.

 

The other difference is that podiatrist can work as sole traders - many go into their own private practices so ANY podiatrist can practice on their own. The medical radiation scientists don't have this option.

 

What is it that you find so interesting about nuclear medicine? What are the cutting edge things you have found in your research?

 

 

 

I am still unsure about my decision honestly. There are more positions available in diagnostic but nuclear medicine is more interesting to me. I will brief you with my own areas of interest soon as it will take a while to narrow down my favourite/latest new research treatments I have read about.

 

I am 28 though and I need to focus on a financially viable, high return degree. Podiatry, while nothing is set in stone, is a growing industry and my University has a high rate of churning out recent grads that have jobs.

 

I have a lot to think about still.

 

What were the starting salaries like for the new medical imaging students you know of? I need a career that will pay the bills and I can save for a mortgage on, that is within an area of interest.

[Leigh 87]

I want to take some time to present the things that truly intrigue me about nuclear medicine.

 

I have always been interested in the latest breakthroughs in treating disease, for starters. In all fields not just nuclear medicine strains of cures/treatment.

 

When I first learnt that you could treat disease by using radioactive substances, I became very enthralled in reading about the latest breakthroughs, but you know, from the view of a lay person who is not herself a scientists. Obviously I do not understand anything beyond the BASE description, I use key words and basic concepts rather than trying to understand science beyond my grasp.

 

I will write out the favourite things I have more recently read about when I come back from my walk. Perhaps you could then tell me if all the medical imaging degrees sort of have elements in common after I talk more about my specific interests.

[ufo8mycat]

Radiography -$56,817 (35 hour week)

Nuclear Medicine - $56,817 (38 hour week)

Radiation Therapy - $56,817 (35 hour week)

 

This is NSW award wage

 

Some of your other interest areas

 

Dietician $56,805

Occupational Therapist $56,805

Podiatrist $56,805

Social Worker $56,805

Welfare Officer $56,805

Dental Assistant $50,723

Oral Health Assistant $56,805

 

There is a shortage of medical physicists so they start on a higher salary $62,386

[Leigh 87]

Radiography -$56,817 (35 hour week)

Nuclear Medicine - $56,817 (38 hour week)

Radiation Therapy - $56,817 (35 hour week)

 

This is NSW award wage

 

Some of your other interest areas

 

Dietician $56,805

Occupational Therapist $56,805

Podiatrist $56,805

Social Worker $56,805

Welfare Officer $56,805

Dental Assistant $50,723

Oral Health Assistant $56,805

 

There is a shortage of medical physicists so they start on a higher salary $62,386

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks. I found that really helpful. I have also researched the wages and none are really bellow 50K.

 

With nuclear medicine, I like how it pertains to an area of interest of mine: disease diagnoses. Since I was little, I always asked my mother "oh what sort of cancer do they have? Stage 4? oh wow that is terrible, how did they discover they were ill, did they have X rays or did the doctor look at their bodies?" I would then go and research cancer rigorously and talk about it non stop.

 

I found with NM, it is directly related to a long held interest of mine. Better still, it can diagnose tumours, aneurisms (like my partner had when he was 19), blood blow to certain tissues, blood cell disorders and the list goes on and on and ON. It really appeals to me how it can help detect a wide range of disease. Also, in high school science, tomography was literally the only assignment I ever did, because I was so interested in it. I mean, just the sheer fact they use RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES to conduct tests, tests that are carried out by images that you need to learn how to operate such amazing machinery to GET the images......

 

Most of all, I just cannot get past how part of what is injected into the body is tagged with a radioactive substance......

 

I heard of thisTexas woman with Hodgkins disease who failed 13 rounds of chemo and whole body radiation and was given 6 months to live. She switched to cell targeted therapy and was injected with a radioactive substance (yttriium-90, I had to google that as I cannot remember that stuff at he top of my head:o)

 

It was cheaper than other methods and she lived a lot longer and got to watch her kids grow up.

 

I believe there lies a very challenging but rewarding career in terms of the advancement! There is just SO MUCH the brightest minds churn out... I may never be one of the PHD'S scientists but I would LOVE..... absolutely be thrilled to gain the intelligence and know how, to actually work in a field that is so, so progressive and amazing in terms of what these brilliant scientists come up with on a yearly basis.

[Leigh 87]

To put it simply..... I am never going to be a science genius. I doubt I would even be able to get o PHD level besides in perhaps chemistry and then branch out.....

 

I am 28 and I just don't think I will ever be one of those brilliant minds who figure out new theories that experts than decide is comprehensive enough to run medical trials on...... with the objective of treating or even curing a disease.

 

I am never going to be one of those genius's, so working in a field where I regularly hear/read about what the leaders in MY field are doing, would, knowing me, spur me on to enjoy my job more. I feel like there are NEW technologies that will soon be unveiled in not only nuclear medicine, but in the whole diagnostic imaging field......

 

Podiatry is all about becoming a professional about how body mechanics and a million other complex factors can trigger lower extremity disorders and disease.

 

 

 

 

Both jobs pay the same ish.

[Leigh 87]

I ended up picking podiatry, as it combines my interests in anatomy/physiology as well as pharmacology and the usual human and cell biology stuff.

 

Also, once you graduate most grads walk into 50 plus K jobs. It looks to be the most stable job in the health science field. All you need is a credit average (dead easy to get), and you get honours.

 

Best of all, if you are a high achiever, you can study a further 3 years post grad and become a podiatric surgeon. Podiatric surgeons in Australia are generally millionaires. It takes 6 years minimum though from the start of your bachelor. You just graduate, work for one year, then sit an exam to get into the post grad surgery degree.

 

I will just be thrilled to finish the degree finally and have a normal full time job that pays the bills. Anything else is a huge bonus.

 

 

 

 

 

It is nice to know that if you want to work really hard and aim high, there are avenues you can take to progress your career.

[Leigh 87]

I am not going to be the top 1% my of class so I am going to rule the podiatric surgery path out! Only 3 OR LESS students per year out of Aus and New Zealand get into the podiatric surgery degree.

 

I have thought about back up plans if I end up hating podiatry. I started off in personal training and I have always been that way inclined, initially growing up wanting to be a dietician or food science lab tech. Which I have since gone off but am still well into the health sciences and want a profession in the arena of allied health science.

 

- exercise physiology (as a masters at some uni's)

-kinesiology

- physiotherapy

- the masters of audiology is also interesting sounding and a friend of mine did it. Good money, only two years and not oversaturated.

 

 

 

Given my back ground in personal training I think I am def best suited to an allied health science profession.

 

I feel very comfortable in the other options I have, I do not feel I have a high chance of being screwed over unless the job market totally tanks for all health science related degrees.