Anybody ever been completely lost on what to do with their life? Advice needed. (1 Viewer)

[FBG26]

Patent law.  Huge demand.  Good pay.  

Go to law school.  Go to law school at an evening program if you can, while you work at day time.  It's 3-4 years, but you'll have plenty of options when you get out.  Note -- important to try and go to a good law school, and work hard to get good grades.

ETA: If you don't want to become a patent lawyer, become a patent agent.  Take the Patent Bar exam, and get a job with a good intellectual property law firm or group.  If you play your cards right, many of those types of firms have programs for their patent agents in which they will pay your law school tuition, in addition to a great salary, if you go to law school in the evening and work days with them.  But even if not, huge demand for patent agents, with some experience under your belt, you could basically pick the city you want to live in.

Don't listen to this guy. Drafting patents pays well, but totally blows. Best move I ever made was going in house so I don't have to stay patents any more. 

 

[El Floppo]

So the friend gave the same advice everybody in here gave, but wasn't listened to or acknowledged.

Cool.

 

[Lion to myself]

Nursing sounds like a great choice for you.  Good luck with that endeavor.

You also said that you work out a lot and we know you love medicine.  Personal trainer came to mind.  

 

[flapgreen]

Should have been a physical therapist. I had a great career before having to leave the private sector and jump to the federal during Covid.  Private sector of Healthcare is a disaster now. 

 

[Terminalxylem]

Should have been a physical therapist. I had a great career before having to leave the private sector and jump to the federal during Covid.  Private sector of Healthcare is a disaster now. 

For some reason, I thought you were PT. What is your current position?

While I have my own ideas, what do you consider disastrous about private healthcare (vs. government-based employment)?

 

[flapgreen]

For some reason, I thought you were PT. What is your current position?

While I have my own ideas, what do you consider disastrous about private healthcare (vs. government-based employment)?

I am a PT.   I worked in the private sector for 14 years. Hospital, skilled care, home health, and outpatient.  It's always been about money, but CMS really hammered the therapy field, followed by Covid about 6 months after that.  I had a great career up until that point. Since then, everything came unraveled.  I don't know anyone who is happy at this point. No therapists. No nurses or other hospital workers.  Sounds like you're happy but that would be the exception in my experience. All overworked and always short staffed. Increased responsibility with no increase in pay. Documentation requirements always being increased. The big corporations make all the decisions now. If you don't like it, they'll find a new grad in tons of debt that will enter charges just the same and fill your spot. Patient care has suffered immensely. I can't even remember how many patients I've seen die that didn't need to, but the quality of care was so poor that they didn't get what they needed. And no one knew any different. Families just thought it was their time to go, but I I knew otherwise.  The good clinicians are becoming fewer and fewer. High burnout rate. I could write a book on what makes it a disaster now, but that's probably enough. 

So I moved to the government sector and work as a PT for the DOD now and absolutely love it. Equivalent pay. Lower stress. Union job with a pension and tons of time off. Just see the injuries soldiers on my schedule and go home. The only thing i miss is geriatrics. That's always been my favorite group of patients, but I couldn't do it anymore after all I had to see and put up with. 

What do you do? 

 

[Nugget]

That's not how I want to come across, it's just I think I'd be a really terrible salesperson. I don't think I have the personality for it. 

Can you be nice to people and answer their questions?  

 

[Zow]

This. I posted a fantastic job opportunity making real dollars in a field that is extremely difficult to get into and he poo poo’d it.  That door is closed now. I want someone who wants to work  OP doesn’t seem to want that, just lament about not getting into medical school. Sigh 

Yeah I had the same thought process after reading the first page. Sounds like the OP wants some easy 40 hr/week menial job. He's refuting all suggestions. 

OP, maybe try just managing a gym? Sounds like that's your interest and you aren't looking to make actual money. 

 

[Judge Smails]

Can you be nice to people and answer their questions?  

That's not what Sales is really about....

 

[Gachi]

I am a PT.   I worked in the private sector for 14 years. Hospital, skilled care, home health, and outpatient.  It's always been about money, but CMS really hammered the therapy field, followed by Covid about 6 months after that.  I had a great career up until that point. Since then, everything came unraveled.  I don't know anyone who is happy at this point. No therapists. No nurses or other hospital workers.  Sounds like you're happy but that would be the exception in my experience. All overworked and always short staffed. Increased responsibility with no increase in pay. Documentation requirements always being increased. The big corporations make all the decisions now. If you don't like it, they'll find a new grad in tons of debt that will enter charges just the same and fill your spot. Patient care has suffered immensely. I can't even remember how many patients I've seen die that didn't need to, but the quality of care was so poor that they didn't get what they needed. And no one knew any different. Families just thought it was their time to go, but I I knew otherwise.  The good clinicians are becoming fewer and fewer. High burnout rate. I could write a book on what makes it a disaster now, but that's probably enough. 

So I moved to the government sector and work as a PT for the DOD now and absolutely love it. Equivalent pay. Lower stress. Union job with a pension and tons of time off. Just see the injuries soldiers on my schedule and go home. The only thing i miss is geriatrics. That's always been my favorite group of patients, but I couldn't do it anymore after all I had to see and put up with. 

What do you do? 

I remember reading about how therapists got shafted in the 80s and 90s really bad. 

The cost of PT school is crazy high. It’s the same as medical school honestly. Only difference is PT school is a year shorter and there’s no residency. 

New grads make around 65k. That’s not enough for the debt burden. IMO. 

 

[Terminalxylem]

I remember reading about how therapists got shafted in the 80s and 90s really bad. 

The cost of PT school is crazy high. It’s the same as medical school honestly. Only difference is PT school is a year shorter and there’s no residency. 

New grads make around 65k. That’s not enough for the debt burden. IMO. 

Wow, I didn’t realize PT school was so expensive. But the median salary is 85K, so it probably wouldn’t be too onerous to repay loans quickly.

What are you looking to earn relative to the debt you incur?

 

[eoMMan]

I think too that in the span of a career (let's say 20 to 50 years), starting at 65k versus 85k or something a little higher won't mean a whole lot in the long run. Regardless, you'll need to grind it out in the first few years and go from there. Maybe move up in that company or jump ship to another. I wouldn't sweat the starting salary too too much. It'll go up before you know it.

 

[flapgreen]

I remember reading about how therapists got shafted in the 80s and 90s really bad. 

The cost of PT school is crazy high. It’s the same as medical school honestly. Only difference is PT school is a year shorter and there’s no residency. 

New grads make around 65k. That’s not enough for the debt burden. IMO. 

You can start out around 80 or so as a new grad PT, but yes, the cost of education has gotten ridiculous. It's not on the level of med school, but it's quickly becoming a poor financial decision. Glad I got out 15 years ago. 

If you can get on with the VA or DOD out of school, they'll repay your loans. 

Eta: Looks like PT school in my home state is 75 for tuition and books. Ridiculous, if you factor in the previous 4 years of undergrad it requires. 

 

[Tom Skerritt]

I wanted to do the med school thing too. I was still in college when I realized that wasn’t for me. Tried to get into PA school for awhile. That never worked out either, super competitive.

Worked in veterinary medicine for several years, but the pay sucks. Considered vet school for a fleeting moment.

By my late-twenties, after several jobs waiting tables, I ended up getting an entry-level lab-assistant position in a cardiac research lab at the local medical school. Later parlayed that into pathology.

Currently run a pathology lab, and I also consult start-up pathology laboratories from time to time. Love it!

 

[AAABatteries]

i kind of feel this, i plan to retire in 2 years from the military after 25 years and every day i change my mind on what to do next. at least twice a month i have trouble going to sleep stressing on it

You ever figure this out?

 

[CGRdrJoe]

i kind of feel this, i plan to retire in 2 years from the military after 25 years and every day i change my mind on what to do next. at least twice a month i have trouble going to sleep stressing on it

You ever figure this out?

funny you ask this now because over the last week i’ve been contemplating whether to retire 10/2023 or 10/2024. i’ve hit the point where i don’t enjoy the job anymore and i’m faking my passion for the job so that i don’t have any effect on those junior to me. I’m torn between doing something like working for the county of san diego in their emergency response office or checking ID’s at costco

 

[PIK95]

I'm totally lost now, lol.

 

[AAABatteries]

i kind of feel this, i plan to retire in 2 years from the military after 25 years and every day i change my mind on what to do next. at least twice a month i have trouble going to sleep stressing on it

You ever figure this out?

funny you ask this now because over the last week i’ve been contemplating whether to retire 10/2023 or 10/2024. i’ve hit the point where i don’t enjoy the job anymore and i’m faking my passion for the job so that i don’t have any effect on those junior to me. I’m torn between doing something like working for the county of san diego in their emergency response office or checking ID’s at costco

I’m still several years (about 6) from being at this point but I think about it on occasion. Hard to say how I would feel once I’m there but I imagine a lot of my decision will be based on that and how we are financially. My first shot at early retirement will coincide almost exactly with my youngest turning 20 - but with 4 kids off the payroll it will allow me to really stock some money away so will be tough to walk away unless I’m miserable.

 

[CGRdrJoe]

i kind of feel this, i plan to retire in 2 years from the military after 25 years and every day i change my mind on what to do next. at least twice a month i have trouble going to sleep stressing on it

You ever figure this out?

funny you ask this now because over the last week i’ve been contemplating whether to retire 10/2023 or 10/2024. i’ve hit the point where i don’t enjoy the job anymore and i’m faking my passion for the job so that i don’t have any effect on those junior to me. I’m torn between doing something like working for the county of san diego in their emergency response office or checking ID’s at costco

I’m still several years (about 6) from being at this point but I think about it on occasion. Hard to say how I would feel once I’m there but I imagine a lot of my decision will be based on that and how we are financially. My first shot at early retirement will coincide almost exactly with my youngest turning 20 - but with 4 kids off the payroll it will allow me to really stock some money away so will be tough to walk away unless I’m miserable.

that's sort of my reasoning to stay in right now, my youngest is in college and under the gi bill (I've paid the last 2 years) so I don't mind 2 more years to try and put away some more money for when I get out. 2 years of saving how I was before he went to college would put an extra 33k away so it's nothing to sneeze at but I've fallen out of love the job and it's starting to mess with my personal mental wellness and so I have to weigh financial stability vs mental health.