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I've recently been thinking about becoming a veterinarian... which means 4 more years of school. I'll be close to 40 by the time I get out. Am I crazy to be thinking about such an intense career change? When I was really young I wanted to be a vet. I passed it off at the time as sort of a passing fancy, but now, many years later, I'm coming back to the idea.
Going to school would mean getting a school loan while still paying the mortgage. Actually, I have to refinance since my house needs about 50,000 in repairs! Meanwhile, I would also probably have kids during that time. My husband and I are childless right now, but times a ticking!
Any one have any career change stories they could share?
posted
You have to weigh your priorities before you make the decision. For me, I couldn't go back to school and have kids and have to refinance my house. The financial stress would be too much for me. Also, I can't think of anything I'd do that I would like more than I do now. Not saying that I like what I do now, but to me, work is work. Even the most fun interesting thing you have to do becomes work when you HAVE to do it 8hrs a day 5 days a week.
that being said, I don't think it's crazy at all. 40 is the new 27. you still have 30 years to pratice once you graduate if you want.
I knew someone your age that was in a dead end job and decided to go to school to be a brain surgen, no joshing. Don't really know how that worked out for him, but it seemed to work out while I knew him.
For me, a job's a job and its only point is to fuel the finances of my life. If im getting a decent wage and am happy with my lifestyle and future possibilities in my field, I'm happy enough with what I'm doing; I'll put my extra energy into my life at home.
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Are you in the U.S.? The reason I ask is that I heard on the news there's a shortage for college grants right now due to the economy among others things. I've heard many high school grads are being turned down because of it. Might be something to check out before jumping into more schooling.
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Crystal, yes, I am in the U.S., and you are right, it's a terrible time to do just about anything right now. Everyone is short money! It is a serious consideration.
Devnal, I appreciate your insight. Part of it is I feel stuck in a dead end field that even in the best times doesn't pay well (journalism).
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I am in the middle of a career change. I am in school to be a pharmacist. You didn't mention if you will be working while going to school. That makes a difference. I am working full time, going to school 3/4 time and a father of 2. I am busy, which is why I don't have as much time to write as I would like. I will say, having kids while in school will be tough, since you will have to no to go school during the semesters when you will be giving birth. Unless you can time it to have all your kids during breaks My advice to anyone is to hold off having kids until after you are done with school, because kids will complicate things in ways you can't even imagine. Otherwise, I say go for it. You're never too old to start a career. You won't see your spouse as much while you are in school, but being happy in your profession when you get out makes a big difference.
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I don't know what is right for your situation. But in my opinion, the only crazy thing is to persist in something when there's something else you genuinely love more.
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If you want to do it, do it. You have to be practical about such things of course, but if you plan well, you can do anything. I'm not trying to sound like a motivational speaker or anything. I believe it. It's up to you to set the course of your life. I encourage you to try. I myself am 33, and will be going back to school this next winter semester. I'm also exercising heavily, and I'm writing a freakin' novel! Why am I doing these things? Because I want to. That's the life I want. Go get yours.
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I'd recommend it if it's what you really-really want to do. You have to make sure it is that, as well as balancing that against your life and obligations (financial and otherwise).
I'd change my career in a second if a viable alternative fell into my lap---there's got to be something more interesting than what I do (and there's got to be better people to work for). But, unless writing pays off in a big way, there's nothing that I'm willing to dump my career for. Practically any other job that'll pay at least as much requires more formal education than I have, and I don't have the spare time to get it and continue in my job. The things I do to live an indulgent lifestyle!
(Your profile lists your occupation as "freelance writer." Do you do anything else to keep body-and-soul together?)
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Talk this out with your husband. Your schooling will detract from your resources: money, time, and patience (assuming you're like most of us). If your marriage and house are priorities, then you'll need his support.
A career change at your age isn't insane, as long as you consider your real potential (especially for happiness) and limits.
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I have made a few major career changes in my life...
The one that was closest to what you are proposing was when I set out to become a teacher. This is a long story, but the short of it was I ended up working a 40 hour a week job, working a second job as a substitute teacher to get experience (8-16 hours a week) and attending school on the weekends. I did this for a year, and I had a 3 year-old at the time, which made this even more challenging.
Unfortunately, when I did get a full-time teaching position it was not what I was expecting. The politics was the worse part of it, but there was also the challenge of having to change classrooms, not getting my own desk, paperwork out the yin-yang, etc. I lasted for two years after being bounced between 3 different schools and grade levels.
My point is: know what you're getting into. Will you have to relocate? Will you have to work a schedule you are unaccustomed to? Are you prepared to deal with euthanasia? What about animal abuse? What about people blaming you if their animal dies? I am not trying to be negative, but if you are going to make such a big change, you need to be prepared to take the bad with the good. I would suggest you talk with your veterinarian.
I do not regret becoming a teacher; I always would have said to myself "What if..." if I hadn't tried. However, I would not go back to doing it, at least not in public schools. It only cost me a year of school and two years of being in the wrong profession. Weigh your costs with the possible benefits and disappointments.
...and I've learned to never jump out of a plane without a parachute.
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I missed a key phrase about paying the mortgage in your original post. I'd recommend you pay that off, completely, as soon as possible---usually it's the single biggest financial drain on any individual or couple---and then change careers.
Refinancing to float money for repairs would only extend your bondage to the loan holders. Given the dollar amount you quote, you might consider unloading the house and returning to a rental rather than doing it.
quote:Unfortunately, when I did get a full-time teaching position it was not what I was expecting. The politics was the worse part of it, but there was also the challenge of having to change classrooms, not getting my own desk, paperwork out the yin-yang, etc. I lasted for two years after being bounced between 3 different schools and grade levels.
My point is: know what you're getting into. Will you have to relocate? Will you have to work a schedule you are unaccustomed to? Are you prepared to deal with euthanasia?
Haha I thought you were still on the teacher topic when euthenasia appeared. I'm sure every teacher's been tempted ... just a bit. To um "help" their students die.
So philo, after the teaching thing didn't pan out what did you do? Also, what subject did you used to teach? I've found that can make a difference.
Not to thread hijack, I'm just curious.
Back to annepin,
I think philo brought up two very important points. 1. Can you take the bad along with the good? 2. You'll always wonder "what if" or "if only" if you dont, but is that enough of a motivating force to want to overcome the obstacles in the way?
Whenever we make any choice of any kind, including choosing to do nothing, we're always giving something up. Which is what we would have done had we not made our choice. In other words to go after your first choice is always at the expense of your second choice. If you go after a job in LA you can't take the job in NY. If you go to University of Memphis this year you can't go to University of Wisconsin. If you get the steak you're giving up getting the lobster. (Unless you really like to eat.)
Imagine you do go after this new idea. Ask yourself what you'd be giving up.
Next imagine you don't chase after this, imagine where you'll be, and ask yourself what you'd be giving up.
After doing that things should, hopefully, become clear one way or the other.
[This message has been edited by Zero (edited August 25, 2009).]
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What does your husband think? If he's onboard then I don't see anything really stopping you if you can handle the financial aspect of making the career change.
And have you talked to a local vet? Ask him or her what school was like, and, probably more importantly, what to do after you get the diploma. Do you start your own business? Go into it with someone else? Become specialized, i.e. dealing only with cats or dogs or cows or whatever?
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Children make a huge impact. I went back to school with the idea of becoming the primary wage earner, and my husband staying home when we had a child. Well, it all worked out as planned--got the degree, got the job, had the child--and now I wish I could ditch the job and stay home with our son. Not every day, but if I knew then what I know now, I'm not sure if we would have made the same decisions. I had no clue how much I would love hanging with that kid.
For a few years I loved the fulfillment of working in a field that made use of my brain. But I wound up in a job where I don't feel like I'm making a difference in the world. In that respect, I suspect you have a better choice before you. Funny that you feel stuck in a dead-end job, because so do I, and I have what I thought was my dream job! I've always been glass-half-empty (no matter where you go, there you are).
Eh, I'd probably make the same choices. My husband likes the arrangement just fine. He has more patience with our son. And I was fortunate enough to be able to return to school for free, without working at the same time. If I'd had to work and go to school at the same time, there's no way I could have done it (or at least enjoyed it and done well). If our son had been born during that time, I would have quit school. A baby is way too demanding and needy to be compatible with school, IMO. But people do it!
One other thought: It is tougher to have a child when you're older. I was 38 when he was born, and the pregnancy was rough. (And the older you are, the higher the risk of birth defects.) I don't have the energy to keep up with him like the younger moms. My parents were older when I was born, and I often felt that they couldn't understand me even more than other families, because of the age gap. Now they're both dead before I reached 45; I feel sad when I think of him having the same experience. (Not to mention how often someone assumes I'm his grandmother!) If there's one thing I wish I had done differently, it'd be to have my son earlier. I wish he could have a sibling, but its just not gonna happen.
No easy answers here; I can pray for you to find guidance, if you like.
[This message has been edited by MrsBrown (edited August 25, 2009).]
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My husband finished a career change recently and we are both glad that he did. He was a little hesitant since we had just had our first child when he was considering it. We were wondering if it would be better to wait until the baby was older and another mom said it would be easier to go back to school while our baby was young because as she gets older she will only want more time.
My husband was an accountant and hated it. He came home from work everyday in a bad mood and complained about work. We were both thinking that maybe he just didn't like to work. I told him to try it and he got his programming degree from a college that offers lots of online classes. He worked full time for most of the schooling and just as he finished he got a job in computer programming. I made a huge difference. He no longer hated going to work and actually liked what he did. So for us it was a really good thing, but it didn't add too much financial stress, some school loans and I had to work full time for a year.
quote:So philo, after the teaching thing didn't pan out what did you do?
- I went back to selling cars for a year (which I had done before and hated doing, but it's good money and I can get a job doing it whenever I want) - see: The Most Jobs Challenge
quote:Also, what subject did you used to teach? I've found that can make a difference.
- I started off teaching English (which I never actually got a degree in, but I had enough credits to be considered "highly qualified" and I had taken the Praxis II and scored in the top 10%). However, I had not sat in an English class in almost 20 years, which was part of my downfall. I had no materials, except for my textbook, and no one was willing to help me with lesson ideas. With some difficulty, I switched to special ed, which I had considerable experience in, but the "highly qualified" in English thing came back to haunt me; I ended up teaching special ed. English the 2nd year to 8th graders. I got a little more help that year, but two of the administrators had heard about my first year troubles and basically ran me out of the school even though 60% of my students ended up passing the standardized tests - which is very high for kids in self-contained classes.
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posted
Anne, I could talk your ears off about children, work, life choices, parenting, blending career and family. Fundamentally, though, it's really tough to do the parent thing + the full-time demanding job thing. Most (intact) families I know have one of two situations: 1. At home or almost at-home mom (mom with less demanding job/work from home job/job that permits her to call in sick to tend to sick child, etc.) 2. Two parents with flexible work schedules, where dad does the daycare dropoffs some of the time, takes the sick day some of the time, etc.
In my experience, people with #1 often have spouses (I know plenty of at-home dads, but more at-home moms, so forgive the gender bias) with the demanding jobs or jobs that have variable and unpredictable and unflexible schedules (e.g., my DH who is gone from home 6A-7:30P and travels completely unpredictably about an average of 1.5 nights/wk - the .5 is when he's home to sleep but unable to help with childcare/household because he's home after the kids are in bed.)
But darn, that's not how I meant to start this message. I meant to start this message by saying my good friend (via fb - I can intro you) just got her vet degree THIS YEAR (I think she just turned 39)! After leaving a career in tech consulting about 6 years ago (1-2 years prereqs, she didn't have the basics she needed for vet school and wanted to get into a certain program, it's very competitive as I'm sure you know, and so did a year or two of prereqs elsewhere first.) I know she's happy in her work, but I imagine the soul-searching was intense.
I also had a friend who left tech consulting at a younger age to go to med school. I have lost touch with him but I know he was really slammed with work for those first years of med school, however he had a good work ethic from a tech job so that I think he had a leg up on the recent college grads he was working with.
Another friend went back to school for her law degree after having her third baby. She just took the bar this summer.
I'd say it's worth considering a career change, however I find the idea of family + vet (or med for that matter) school to be daunting to the point of making me cower. People do it all the time, though, I think it's just me trying to imagine my life in that situation and finding it impossible.
Are there other...perhaps slightly less dramatic career changes you might be able to swing? Or ways to indulge your love of animals via volunteering while pursuing a change in direction (say from journalism to advertising/PR, ghostwriting, technical writing, etc.) My sister fostered dogs for a while. It's a good way to get to be the owner of five dogs, LOL, but she really loved it.
Anyway - I'd be happy to talk your ear off about my own experiences in combining work + family. Even now with school-age kids it's nearly impossible, though I'm trying to put all the pieces together (it's like a gigantic calculus equation!)
Best of luck to you as you start down the road toward reconsidering career options.
You are not crazy. It is never too late to change careers. Wanting a baby soon does complicate things.
Journalism seems like a job that is pretty flexible which would work well with having a baby. It might be worth considering having the baby now, and in two or three years if you still want to be a vet, then go back to school. Two or three years doesn't really make a big difference careerwise, but being in school while caring for a preschooler vs. an infant does.
I am a stay at home mom, but I occasionally teach college just to pad my resume. I taught one semester when my first child was six months, and it was really tough. I could never find time to prepare my lessons while she was awake, so I ended up staying up all night. I taught again when she was 1 and 1/2 and it was so much easier. I could give her a little notebook and pen, and we would scribble notes together. She just had a better attention span and could entertain herself at that age.
But I do want to stress that it is never too late to change careers, and it is worth it if it is something you really love.
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I'm so touched by how compassionate and thoughtful all of you are! Thanks for chiming in. I think some sort of career change is necessary for me. I suppose, as many of you have pointed out, the question is when and what. In some ways yes, it would make most sense to have kids now, except that my husband's job right now is incredibly stressful and he can't get any time off. If I do make the career change I would probably make enough money that he could be the stay at home dad and get a more flexible job, if less paying, job.
I would try to work while in school as much as possible, but the programs are pretty rigorous and inflexible because there is no option to go part time. You have to complete certain course material within the 4 years.
Mrs. Brown, my father was about 20 years older than all my friends' fathers, and I remember it was awkward, too. I worry about birth defects; that's why I think it's unreasonable to think I can have kids _after_ schooling.
Argh! I just don't know.... I don't have to decide today, though, thank goodness. The next step for me is to investigate veterinary practice. It's a required step to applying to schools anyway.
Kayti, I'll try pinging you on FB, maybe this weekend.
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