careers

[can it be luck?]

Dano, I started takeing courses in radiography, I ended up with 26 credits before I realized there isn't a big market and the pay is minimal. Fortunatly the credits were in classes that would apply to any degree in the medical field.
A 2 year degree to become a RN or dental hygienist is quick, and the pay is MUCH better. Check into those fields, you'll see a fairly large demand for employment. Flexibility is another fringe benefit.

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http://groups.msn.com/canitbeluck

[marknamy]

I would deffinitely say pursue a degree in nursing. RN's in the Fargo area should be making anywhere from 31000-37000/year to start. Dont' quote me on thes figures but my wife is an RN and I think that is what she made when she started 6 years ago. There will always be a need for nurses anywhere you go. Right now every hospital/nursing home/Home Health Agency is looking for nurses. The other nice thing about medicine is that the number of sick people has very little to do with the economy, unlike tech and industry.
Good luck with your education.

[fishing addict]

check out ultrasound technician. the demand is great, and the pay is good.

[Ole1855]

I'm not positive, but I think to become an RN is now a 4 year degree, years ago it was a 2 year. In the Twin Cities RN's make a pretty good living, it wasn't long ago they were paying a bonus to anyone they hired, although I don't know if they are still doing that.

Ole

[marine_man]

Actually... I believe in ND the legislature just passed a law requiring only 2 years of schooling for a RN...

marine_man

[Eric Wettschreck]

My daughter is a CNA now and is going to school to become an RN. From the looks of things that I've seen, nursing is the way to go if you want to get into medicine.

[Guest]

If you are going into medical, I would recommend the manufacturing side of it.

An engineer in the Medical field starts out at $50k and will work up to $80k in a few years.

[EBass]

I work for a software company that makes, um software for Long Term Care nursing homes. I went to school for MCSE and ended up here and not using any well very little schooling. Any ways, we have actual RN's on our support team because we need to know what goes on out there. (Nurses call us with issues or whatever about our software)

So there are other options out there to think about to. But who ever said that there is a need for RN's is right. There will always be a need for them.

[fishface5]

I'm in EMS. The pay is terrible, even for most medics, But, the satisfaction is unbeatable. I was previously in the machine shop buis. making much better money. I have no regrets changing to this. Eventualy I hope to get my RN, But I'll have a hard time leaving the street job. Most hospitals will let you do a "clinical" shift or two. We do ride-alongs for people who have an interst. So you can get a little taste of what it's like. One of my partners is from Fargo, and it has some great hospitals, but You may want to come down to the cities and try a shift or two at HCMC, or St. Paul Regions. You'll probably experiance a bit more in the time you put in there. You could even start working in a hosp. with as little as 6 mths. Ed. Good luck!

[Dano2]

Hi.
Off fishing topic for a moment.
I am trying to pursue a new carrier, and want to get involved in the medical field.

I'm just trying to find out what some of you folks do, and if aNY of you are involved in the mediacl field and like your work and make a decent wage.

I am going to NDSU right now and just taking a couple general courses (algebra stinks, heh), but kind of need to figure out what direction I'll be taking by this fall.

There seems to be numerous jobs in the medical field now days.
If I had the brains, I would go for pharmacy, and I actually thought I was going to, but hell, I'm bairley making it by with a B average in Algebra, heh, heh, so I reckon, I'm not smart enough for the schooling.
I know its not all just about money, but I'm the only income earner in my family of 4, plus I'm 37 years old, so the next thing I go to school for, will probably be the last , thats why I'm just checking with you folks to see what other options that are out there, I may not have checked into.
The only other field besides medical I have thought about is something in the computer area, but I'm not smart enough to be a computer scientist, so that ones out.

I figure If I go to college for 2-4 years, I had better get a job that starts between 35 or more a year, or it probably isn't worth it.
I have seriously thought about radiological sciences,(cat scans, MRIs, etc.,) but its such a shame that they only start you at about $30,000 in the fargo area.
Anyone know why they dont pay these guys worth a crap.

I'm not knocking anyone for making that amount of money because thats about what I make now, its just that the schooling for this, isn't exactly easy, and I imagine you have alot of responsibility , not to screw up.

thanks

[Dano2]

Thats funny you mention you were in the machine shop bus. thats one filed I was thinking about , only if I drive myself nuts trying to find something else.
I've been welding for about 13 years, and I'm dead sick of it and want to get out before I AM dead.
If I chose the machining field I would go to Whapeton science, then I could be a programmer as well, I believe you can make a bit more if you are a programmer, quote me if I'm wrong.
We have 1 programmer were we work now, and I know he makes btter than the other machinists.
But then again, I have had back breaking jobs all my life, too many pains now from it, so I wouldn't mind getting out of that kind of work all together.

EBass, are you a computer scientist?
Seems to be a pretty big demand for it, and I wouldn't mind getting into that field either, but from what I gather is, being an anilist(spelling?) or something along those lines are were the monies at, and the computer scince course is one out of my league probably,calculus, yuk. heh.

thanks for the inputs

[BLACKJACK]

Dano, I'd also second the ultrasound field, I work at a small hospital in central MN and a ultrasound tech with 10 years of experience gets $29 and hour. With the aging baby boomer population, anything in the medical field will be good, RN's in particular, demand is high. You should be able to find a job anywhere as an RN. While you're in school, make sure you take some computer classes, most jobs nowadays involve computers, you better know how to use one, how to use wordprocessing, spellcheck, etc. If you decide to go into computers, look at being a network specialist, high demand, everybody needs at least one, and you may be able to get by without a four year degree. Of course the four year degree will make you more money. Whatever you do, make sure you like it enough to do it for the next 25 years.

Good luck!

[This message has been edited by BLACKJACK (edited 03-23-2004).]

[bigswede]

man,
If your at NDSU check out their construction management degree. I graduated from there in '99. If I made it I'm sure you could.

[Dano2]

I've been telling my wife that Male RNs are pretty popular now days, and she knows it, but still laughs at me.
It kind of rminds her of that movie meet the Parents, great movie, heh, heh.

I've actually even thought about it too, but if I did that, I would like to be a RNAnesethist, I think its called, were you work with an anesthesiologist. heck I looked at the merit care website and meritcare needs 6 of them right now. but they dont offer that training around here.
There also an anesthesiogists assistant, but now traing around Fargo-Moorhead.

I'm going to have to check into the ultra sound thing. It sounds interesting, I never even thought about that one,when thinking along the lines of xrays MRI's etc. ect.

Probably dont offer the traing for that around here either, unless there are some college courses you need, and the hospital?clinic has there own traing program, wishful thinking anyway.

than ks again

[Doc Madison]

Dano -

My wife is a RN and I'm a Nephrologist (Kidney Doctor). Anything in the medical field has tremendous job security. My wife was offered a $10,000 signing bonus when we moved to the Twin Cities + $28-32/hr. They do offer RN degrees in 2 years but you need a Masters in Nursing to eventually move into management $75K/yr+. Lots of flexibility in schedule as well. Respiratory therapists also make a reasonable living as well with only 2 years required training, I believe. I had 2 people in my medical school freshman class who were in their mid-late 40's so it's never too late. Most importantly you need to find something you're interested and passionate about(in addition to fishing that is!) in order to keep things interesting. Good Luck.

[SuddenlySummer]

Dano,

You're 37. It seems that you have your hands full with your family let alone your studies. I wll say this to anyone at any time. "If you don't finish school, learn how to sell".

I went to college for 6 years and I'm in a completely different field than what I went to school for. Opportunities present themselves everyday! If you look at every aspect of what you are going to school for you'll see that the salesmen are the ones making all the money and have the least responsibility/liability.

That's my two cents.

[Norsky]

Dano,

I'm an RN myself, hopefully on track towards an anesthetist in the near future. There is obviously a high demand for nurses right now and you're pretty much guaranteed a job right out of school. I work in the Twin Cities and do 12 hr shifts 3 days per week in the ICU, with many of my 12 hr shifts turning into 16 with double pay for the last four hours. I would highly recommend this field, although it isn't for everyone. I do enjoy it and also only working 3 days out of 7 every week is nice. It leaves a lot of time to fish and hunt, and still make a pretty good living.

[simcox282]

To heck with it all and play foosball on tour. Like someone else said start with a plan and the powers that be ahve a great joke... Seriously though-nursing is the way to go unless you want an adventure. My wife is an OT--struggled around for years and finally found a job that she will retire from. I am a counselor (CD) and have a masters in psychology. I right now am a CFO for a company and yes play foosball. Like someone else stated - we do not plan the results we work our plan. good luck

[Dano2]

Thanks folks for your inputs.
Norskey, thats what I wouldn't mind getting into either (RN anesthetist). But it looks like there is no traing around here for it.
I believe UND is the closest place, and thats a bit of a drive from Moorhead everyday.
The way I understand it, is you have to become an RN first and then have atleast 1 years experience before you ar qualified to go for the Anesthesiology part.
I think it would be a very interesting job, being in a surgery room.
I checked into Ultrasound tech, but no education for that around here either.
I tried to find out about an anesthesiologist assistant, how one goes about getting into that field, but I cant seem to get any replies from the hospitals/clinics, and I tryed e-mailing UND to see if they knew anything but no replies.

It seems like they need plenty of RN's and even some Respiratory therapists.
If I got into that, I would want to work in Peds., becasue I like kids and feel I am good with them, but not sure if I would have that choice. Plus seeing how some of these haggy nurses treat kids, I would probably be a good assett, heh!

[This message has been edited by Dano2 (edited 03-27-2004).]

[Crawlerman]

I went to school for IT four years ago, and was one of the biggest mistakes in my life. I am backpaying studentloans for the next 5 years for an industry that is getting outsourced more and more forigenly and which school recruiters still promote the heck out of in spite of how bad the market is.

But I am hoping to get back into Retail, and perhaps at some point in the future start a small business. At this point it sounds much more promising than anything I have come up with yet.... We'll see....

[Finfinder]

I'm a Radiology Tech., I work for a mobile medical company out of Minneapolis, we specialize in treating kidney stones. We travel to hospitals all over the midwest providing this service. The pay is pretty good, but then we are a private company. But even metro hospitals pay well, just not as well as RN's. I really enjoy this field because there are many options; surgery,CT,MRI,ultrasound,nuclear medicine,PET scan. However, the toughest part is getting into a school. Most schools only take 12-20 students a year, and there are usually a couple hundred applicants.

I like where I'm at now, but if I had to do it again, I would probably try for an RN degree, the pay is quite a bit more. The nursing schools are also hard to get into, at least in St. Cloud where we live. There are just so many people looking for job security as well as good pay.
One option would be to get your LPN and then go for RN, thats what my wife is trying to do. Hope this helps, good luck!