September 25, 2025 • 19 mins
Feeling stuck in your 30s and wondering if a career in healthcare could be your second chance? You're not alone, and I've been there too! I share my personal journey of starting over after closing a business and leaving a radiology program due to illness. Trust me, moving back home and driving FedEx trucks wasn’t my dream scenario, but it led me to rediscover my passion for healthcare and become a radiology technologist. In this episode, I dive into the nitty-gritty of evaluating healthcare careers through the lens of time, money, lifestyle, and longevity. So, if you're looking for a fresh start, let’s explore how healthcare could be your golden ticket to a fulfilling future!
Starting fresh in your 30s (or even 40s) can feel like you’re diving into the deep end without a life jacket, right? Well, grab your floaties, because I've got a personal story that just might inspire you to take that plunge. Picture this: I was in my 20s, freshly out of a business venture that didn't quite go as planned, feeling like a deflated balloon. I had to pack up my life, leave a radiology program due to illness, and sell almost everything I owned. Yep, I went from independent adult to moving back into my childhood bedroom. Cue the dramatic music! But here's the kicker: driving FedEx trucks became my gig while I rebuilt my life. Crazy, right? This journey led me to rediscover my passion for healthcare, and I eventually became a radiology technologist. So, if you're a woman in your 30s feeling stuck or burned out, this episode is your personal lifeline. We break down the essentials of evaluating a career in healthcare, so you don’t just dive in blind. I dive into the framework of time, money, lifestyle, and longevity—no need to waste precious resources! We’ll navigate the waters together, exploring how a career in healthcare can be your second chance. Forget the fear; let’s talk about how you can pivot your career and make meaningful changes that align with who you are today!
Takeaways:
- Starting over in your 20s can be terrifying, but it often leads to growth and new opportunities.
- Healthcare careers are generally recession-proof, making them a smart choice for job security.
- When considering a career change, evaluate time, money, lifestyle, and longevity to make informed choices.
- It's never too late to pivot your career; your 30s can be the perfect time for a fresh start in healthcare.
- Medical imaging offers various pathways, allowing for flexibility and future growth in your career.
- Choosing a healthcare career involves understanding the balance of stress, rewards, and your personal well-being.
radiologic technology, healthcare career change, midlife career pivot, starting over in healthcare, medical imaging careers, radiologic technologist salary, healthcare job stability, career options in radiology, radiology program duration, flexibility in healthcare careers, tuition for medical imaging, pursuing a career in healthcare, benefits of medical imaging, burnout in healthcare jobs, career growth in healthcare, adult education in healthcare, mid-30s career transition, lifestyle in healthcare professions, stress in healthcare jobs, longevity in medical careers
© 2025 A Couple of Rad Techs Podcast
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome back to a couple ofRad Techs podcast.
This podcast is going to godown in this season's history because
a lot of you have DMed me andsaid things like, I need to go back
to school for radiologictechnology, but I'm in my 30s.
So this podcast is going to beabout you all and how you can pivot
(00:22):
in your healthcare career inyour mid-30s.
So if you're in your mid-30s,maybe even in your 40s, and, like
me, in your mid-20s, andyou're thinking about starting fresh
in healthcare, you guys, thisepisode is for you.
Maybe your degree no longerfeels aligned with your goals.
Maybe you're burned out inyour current job, or maybe you're
(00:45):
just looking for a career thatpays well, feels stable, and lets
you make a difference everysingle day.
What if you could have all of that?
And I bring this up because Igot a DM for this very topic that
we're talking about today.
And then I had a patient theother day, a school teacher.
And this is not a first.
This happens to me a lot.
(01:06):
She recognized me from YouTubeand said, I recognized you by the
red glasses.
And she was a teacher.
She's a teacher.
Applaud to our teachers.
Congratulations.
Thank you guys for what you do.
It is a hard job.
And she was really interestedin the videos that I did and was
appreciative for the videosthat I was making.
So this is not just for peoplein medical imaging.
(01:28):
There are people out therethat want to pivot and they're looking
at health care.
So be sure to spread the wordthat there's a podcast out there
for everyone that really getsdown to how you can pivot in your
career, mid-30s, and do it in healthcare.
So some of the challenges.
Oh, and let me tell you, therewas a gentleman patient of mine that
pulled me to the side after Ifinished his scan and said I was.
(01:51):
I'm out of a job after workingin the movie industry making six
figures, and AI took my job.
I need to take care of my family.
What do you think?
I could become a radiologictechnologist and still make a good
living.
I'm like, of course we wentover everything.
I directed him to the rightresources and of course, directed
him back to this podcast and.
(02:12):
And my YouTube and socialmedia channels.
So you guys do the same.
But let's get into this episode.
Here's.
Here's a challenge.
You don't have unlimited timeand unlimited money.
I know.
I didn't.
You want your next move to beyour best move.
So today I'm going to breakdown what you should be considering
before you leap into ahealthcare career.
(02:32):
The real cost, the return oninvestment, and which paths make
the most sense for someonepivoting later in life.
So why is healthcare a smart pivot?
First, let's talk about whyhealthcare careers make sense.
For the most part, healthcarecareers are recession proof.
Yeah, we get flexed out whenthe economy goes down, but not often
(02:55):
do you see us get laid off.
Or if we do, we can move toanother hospital.
People always need care.
You always get.
You also get flexibility.
Part time, full time PRNtravel contracts.
The list goes on and on.
The demand is even rising.
The outlook for jobs,depending on what radiology modality
(03:18):
you be thinking about, is atleast like 6% for some.
And there's a shortage in manymodalities within medical imaging.
So the demand is rising.
Not only imaging, nursing, allof allied health.
Right?
But here's the kicker.
Not every healthcare path iscreated equal.
Some require up to eight to 10years or more of schooling.
(03:40):
Others can require 18 to 24 months.
Some can cost hundreds ofthousands of dollars in tuition.
While others can be closer to10, $15,000 for a two year degree.
And let me pause here for apersonal story.
In my early 20s I had tocompletely start over.
I'm talking to you from thispodcast from personal experience.
(04:02):
I had already closed down a business.
I removed myself from aradiology program because I got ill.
Talk about struggle.
Talk about starting over.
Pivoting.
I had to move back home, youguys, to my old bedroom.
I had to sell everything.
I had a two bedroom apartmentliving on my own in another state.
(06:05):
I had to sell everything Iowned except my bedroom set and my
car and moved back into my oldbedroom at mom's house.
Yep, thank goodness for themother that I have.
I then had to wait a year toapply to a radiology program because
of out of state tuition.
It would have just been toomuch and too much of a rush.
(06:25):
I was just getting overgetting over illness.
I had a cd.
I drove trucks to make money,kind of rebuild things, get a savings
going because I knew I wouldnot need to work that first year
in school.
It would have been way too hard.
It was a very scary time.
I had to make sure I wasmaking the right decision in going
back to school for radiologyin my mid-20s.
(06:46):
Right.
Scary time in my life.
But it also showed me thatsometimes starting over is the only
way forward.
And HealthC Care gave me thatsecond chance.
So the big question isn't Justshould I go into healthcare or medical
imaging?
It's which healthcare careergives me the best balance of time,
money and long term growth.
(07:07):
I'm going to suggest that youevaluate your options before you
make a decision.
Of course I'm going to leanheavily towards medical imaging,
but you make your own choice.
But here's the framework whenyou're trying to decide what healthcare
career if in your 30s, whatshould you do?
What should you choose?
I think about time, money,lifestyle and longevity.
(07:28):
And let me break that down for you.
When it comes to time, howlong does the program program take?
Everyone wants something quick.
I just got a DM today and acomment in my comments.
What's a quick way to get into mri?
What's a quick way to become aradiology technologist?
There are a lot of quickthings out there.
So how long does a program take?
Well, when it comes toradiologic technology and programs
(07:50):
in medical imaging, no matterwhat pathway you take, whether you
take radiology technologyfirst, mri, nuclear medicine, radiation
therapy, it's going to beusually two years.
And other healthcare programsare about the same.
Surgical tech, respiratorytherapy, nursing, two years to enter
those programs.
So as far as time wise ofprogram, you're across the board
(08:10):
the same thing.
Now when you start gettinginto physician assistant, things
like that, of course that'sgoing to increase your time in school,
but we're going to stick onthe ones that are very similar to
medical imaging.
It's about two years foreverything to enter.
Everything including nursing,respiratory, surgical tech, all of
those things, radiology,everything is about it.
It's a two year to enter.
Now let's talk about whatreally is the clincher.
(08:32):
Money.
Tuition.
Right?
What's the tuition and what'sgoing to be your salary when you
graduate?
I think that is an even moreimportant question.
I don't know about you guys.
Let me know in the discussionboards, the comment section of this
podcast or on this video,would you think about not only the
tuition but also the salarywhen you graduate?
(08:53):
I think that's important.
Let me know what you all think.
For example, if you're goingto a radiologic technology program,
you're probably going to comeout as a diagnostic technologist.
Making roughly 55 to 75kstarting out depends on where you
live.
Big gap in number, but usuallydepends on where you live, cost of
living, all of those things.
Connecticut technologistsoften are cross trained from radiologic
(09:16):
technologists, but some gostraight into MRI make about 80k
to 100k a year.
And it depends on experienceand Then you start getting into travel,
but that's a few years afteryou graduate.
So money, how much does this cost?
Some schools again can rangefrom 10 to 15,000, up to $80,000
for a medical imaging program.
(09:36):
You start to get into privateschools, it costs a little more.
For some, that works.
For others, it does not work.
I have some resources for youif you do choose a school with a
very high tuition where youcan be able to get those things paid
back.
But those are the options.
Lifestyle is the third thing.
Here's the thing abouthealthcare that most people don't
realize.
When you choose a healthcarecareer, it gives you choices when
(09:59):
it comes to your lifestyle.
And this is what I mean by lifestyle.
You probably think it'ssomething else.
You can build the kind oflifestyle that actually works for
you.
And I say that because if youwant to work eight hours, five days
a week, you can, you want toonly work weekends.
Done.
There's a schedule for you,weekends only.
You prefer to work three daysa week, 12 hour shifts, there's an
(10:21):
option for that too.
Even four days a week, 10 hourshifts, those are the options.
You have flexibility in yourlifestyle as far as with your schedule.
When you get into healthcarecareers, especially medical imaging,
you can even do PRN work asneeded work, you could travel, contract
work.
Honestly, there aren't manycareers out there that give you this
(10:44):
kind of freedom to design your lifestyle.
I think a lot of people arethinking maybe lifestyle like soft
life, living pampered.
No, I'm not talking about that.
That depends on how you useyour money.
I have no control on how youuse your money.
But these are how you pivot inyour 30s, making choices based on
the time it's going to takeyou, the money it's going to cost
you and the lifestyle thatit's going to afford you.
(11:05):
When it comes to yourschedule, most people work a Monday
through Friday.
You live for the weekend.
Not when you have a healthcarecareer you can choose.
Now, here's the truth.
Every healthcare professiondoes come with stress.
That's another lifestyle thingyou should think about, period.
You're going to have stress.
Some people say I'm going toget into radiology because it's less
stressful than nursing.
That's wrong.
(11:26):
That is not true.
So you have to define your stress.
You pick your stress.
What stress do you want?
Because there is stress in any healthcare.
It is not for everybody.
That's where you have to behonest with yourself.
Some careers are going to testyou emotionally, others are going
to test you physically.
So the real question isn't, doI want a job with no stress?
It's what kind of stress am Ibuilt to handle?
(11:49):
And is the reward worth it?
Because I'm going to tell you,medical imaging radiology school
is not easy.
I've seen very few people comeon social media and say, oh, it's
a breeze.
Now, some people it's a breezecompared to certain other things,
but we're not.
We don't have much to compareit to.
There's no other thing likeradiology school, just like there's
no other thing like school forrespiratory therapy or school for
(12:10):
radiation therapy or schoolfor nursing.
They're not easy and they havetheir own stress.
So that's the decision onlyyou can make.
And the other one, the fourththing, is longevity.
Longevity, this is where youreally need to think ahead.
And when people ask me, what'squick, I need a quick school.
I need something quick.
That does not breed longevitywhen it comes to your career, and
(12:31):
it usually doesn't breeddecisions that serve you in the future.
Most of us think here and now.
Right now, I need this, rightnow, I need that.
When you're deciding on ahealthcare career and what to go
to school for, I ask you guys,please think of long term.
Many people say, well, I onlywant to do mri.
I don't want to do anything else.
You don't know that becauseyou've never been an MRI tech.
(12:55):
I work with people that areonly MRI technologists, and most
of them wish they had going toschool for radiologic technology.
I'm being honest with you, andI'm not saying that because I encourage
you to go to school for radioand radiologic technology first.
But that is why, Because Iknow people I work with who are great
MRI techs, but they wish theyhad gone to school for radiology
(13:19):
technology.
They were just so.
I got to get something.
I got to get something.
I got to get in.
Think of longevity when you'retrying to make a decision, especially
when you're in your 30s, whenyou're in your mid-20s, when you're
in your 40s and you'restarting over is so important.
Because, y', all, when I wasgoing back to school in my mid-20s,
I didn't have another opportunity.
It was.
It was right now, right thenand there.
(13:41):
Whatever decision I made, Ihad to stick with it.
And.
And I had to figure it out.
And you don't want to beinvested like that and not like what
you're doing.
I love what I'm doing.
I'M glad I chose.
I did my research and I, Ichose along a path that would give
me longevity.
So some healthcare careerstake a toll on your body physically,
others weigh heavily on your emotions.
(14:02):
And some rows just don't offerroom for much growth.
So you can only go so farbefore you hit a ceiling.
And when you don't think aboutlongevity of your career, you choose
things that pigeonhole you, right?
But in medical imaging, whenyou start out as a radiologic technologist
and have your degree and yourrtr, then you've got a dozen directions
(14:27):
that you can pivot in.
And I really mean a dozen with inpatient.
And that's just within patient care.
I'm not even talking about theadministrative roles, the education
roles, the sales roles, thecorporate roles.
I'm not talking about those.
Talking about just the patientcare side of it.
You have MRI, CT mammography,nuclear medicine, interventional
radiology, bone density.
I mean, the list can go onradiologist assistant.
(14:49):
And to be a radiologistassistant, you do have to go to radiology
technology school first.
So beyond direct patient care,you can move into education, informatics,
or data analyst, pacs, pacs,administrators, you can go into sales,
even clinical applications.
And the list goes on and onfrom there as well.
There's so many avenues thatallow you to extend your career,
reinvent yourself, and keep progressing.
(15:12):
That's why longevity inmedical imaging isn't just about
surviving the day to day.
It's about building a careerthat grows with you.
And this framework forces youto think long term instead of just
chasing what looks shiny rightnow or what's trending on social
media.
So, real talk making the best moves.
Let me give you an example.
If you're in your mid-30s andyou want to pivot without debt piling,
(15:36):
a two year associate's degreein radiologic technology could be
your fastest entry point andone for longevity.
Remember those four points?
From there, you just stack thecertifications like MRI, CT mammography,
ultrasound informatics, PACS.
Each one increases the incomepotential without requiring a bachelor's
(15:57):
degree or master's right away.
And I say right away becauseif you do it this way, then you can
have your employer, as you'regetting these certifications, pay
for your education along the way.
Here's the truth.
You don't need to have it allfigured out right now.
What you do need is a clearfirst step.
And that sets you up forgrowth without putting you in a financial
(16:17):
hole.
So this was a lot.
Glad you guys stuck with methrough this podcast.
If you're sitting there inyour current career, no longer fitting
who you are.
Know this.
It's not too late.
Your mid-30s, your 20s, your40s plus is not the end end.
It's the beginning of achapter that you're ready for.
(16:38):
I know because I've lived it.
I've had to sell everything,move back to my childhood bedroom
and start over from the bottomdriving trucks to save money to go
back to school for radiologic technology.
That season was one of thescariest of my life, but it was also
the one that opened the doorto a career that has lasted me decades,
and I've been able to inspiremany others to join Medical Imaging.
(17:02):
Think about time, money,lifestyle and longevity.
Choose a health care careerpath that works for your life, not
against it.
And remember, starting over isn't.
Failure is strategy.
If you want me to break downspecific careers like mri, sonography,
radiology technology,interventional, and any others, let
(17:23):
me know DM me or leave me acomment here on this podcast page.
I love to include yourquestions, so thanks for hanging
out with me today.
If this podcast helped youshare with a friend who's thinking
about making a career change.
And don't forget to subscribeto a couple of Rad Tech's podcasts
every Thursday.
We drop new episodes untilnext time.
Welcome back to a couple ofRad Techs podcast.
This podcast is going to godown in this season's history because
a lot of you have DMed me andsaid things like, I need to go back
to school for radiologictechnology, but I'm in my 30s.
So this podcast is going to beabout you all and how you can pivot
(00:22):
in your healthcare career inyour mid-30s.
So if you're in your mid-30s,maybe even in your 40s, and, like
me, in your mid-20s, andyou're thinking about starting fresh
in healthcare, you guys, thisepisode is for you.
Maybe your degree no longerfeels aligned with your goals.
Maybe you're burned out inyour current job, or maybe you're
(00:45):
just looking for a career thatpays well, feels stable, and lets
you make a difference everysingle day.
What if you could have all of that?
And I bring this up because Igot a DM for this very topic that
we're talking about today.
And then I had a patient theother day, a school teacher.
And this is not a first.
This happens to me a lot.
(01:06):
She recognized me from YouTubeand said, I recognized you by the
red glasses.
And she was a teacher.
She's a teacher.
Applaud to our teachers.
Congratulations.
Thank you guys for what you do.
It is a hard job.
And she was really interestedin the videos that I did and was
appreciative for the videosthat I was making.
So this is not just for peoplein medical imaging.
(01:28):
There are people out therethat want to pivot and they're looking
at health care.
So be sure to spread the wordthat there's a podcast out there
for everyone that really getsdown to how you can pivot in your
career, mid-30s, and do it in healthcare.
So some of the challenges.
Oh, and let me tell you, therewas a gentleman patient of mine that
pulled me to the side after Ifinished his scan and said I was.
(01:51):
I'm out of a job after workingin the movie industry making six
figures, and AI took my job.
I need to take care of my family.
What do you think?
I could become a radiologictechnologist and still make a good
living.
I'm like, of course we wentover everything.
I directed him to the rightresources and of course, directed
him back to this podcast and.
(02:12):
And my YouTube and socialmedia channels.
So you guys do the same.
But let's get into this episode.
Here's.
Here's a challenge.
You don't have unlimited timeand unlimited money.
I know.
I didn't.
You want your next move to beyour best move.
So today I'm going to breakdown what you should be considering
before you leap into ahealthcare career.
(02:32):
The real cost, the return oninvestment, and which paths make
the most sense for someonepivoting later in life.
So why is healthcare a smart pivot?
First, let's talk about whyhealthcare careers make sense.
For the most part, healthcarecareers are recession proof.
Yeah, we get flexed out whenthe economy goes down, but not often
(02:55):
do you see us get laid off.
Or if we do, we can move toanother hospital.
People always need care.
You always get.
You also get flexibility.
Part time, full time PRNtravel contracts.
The list goes on and on.
The demand is even rising.
The outlook for jobs,depending on what radiology modality
(03:18):
you be thinking about, is atleast like 6% for some.
And there's a shortage in manymodalities within medical imaging.
So the demand is rising.
Not only imaging, nursing, allof allied health.
Right?
But here's the kicker.
Not every healthcare path iscreated equal.
Some require up to eight to 10years or more of schooling.
(03:40):
Others can require 18 to 24 months.
Some can cost hundreds ofthousands of dollars in tuition.
While others can be closer to10, $15,000 for a two year degree.
And let me pause here for apersonal story.
In my early 20s I had tocompletely start over.
I'm talking to you from thispodcast from personal experience.
(04:02):
I had already closed down a business.
I removed myself from aradiology program because I got ill.
Talk about struggle.
Talk about starting over.
Pivoting.
I had to move back home, youguys, to my old bedroom.
I had to sell everything.
I had a two bedroom apartmentliving on my own in another state.
(06:05):
I had to sell everything Iowned except my bedroom set and my
car and moved back into my oldbedroom at mom's house.
Yep, thank goodness for themother that I have.
I then had to wait a year toapply to a radiology program because
of out of state tuition.
It would have just been toomuch and too much of a rush.
(06:25):
I was just getting overgetting over illness.
I had a cd.
I drove trucks to make money,kind of rebuild things, get a savings
going because I knew I wouldnot need to work that first year
in school.
It would have been way too hard.
It was a very scary time.
I had to make sure I wasmaking the right decision in going
back to school for radiologyin my mid-20s.
(06:46):
Right.
Scary time in my life.
But it also showed me thatsometimes starting over is the only
way forward.
And HealthC Care gave me thatsecond chance.
So the big question isn't Justshould I go into healthcare or medical
imaging?
It's which healthcare careergives me the best balance of time,
money and long term growth.
(07:07):
I'm going to suggest that youevaluate your options before you
make a decision.
Of course I'm going to leanheavily towards medical imaging,
but you make your own choice.
But here's the framework whenyou're trying to decide what healthcare
career if in your 30s, whatshould you do?
What should you choose?
I think about time, money,lifestyle and longevity.
(07:28):
And let me break that down for you.
When it comes to time, howlong does the program program take?
Everyone wants something quick.
I just got a DM today and acomment in my comments.
What's a quick way to get into mri?
What's a quick way to become aradiology technologist?
There are a lot of quickthings out there.
So how long does a program take?
Well, when it comes toradiologic technology and programs
(07:50):
in medical imaging, no matterwhat pathway you take, whether you
take radiology technologyfirst, mri, nuclear medicine, radiation
therapy, it's going to beusually two years.
And other healthcare programsare about the same.
Surgical tech, respiratorytherapy, nursing, two years to enter
those programs.
So as far as time wise ofprogram, you're across the board
(08:10):
the same thing.
Now when you start gettinginto physician assistant, things
like that, of course that'sgoing to increase your time in school,
but we're going to stick onthe ones that are very similar to
medical imaging.
It's about two years foreverything to enter.
Everything including nursing,respiratory, surgical tech, all of
those things, radiology,everything is about it.
It's a two year to enter.
Now let's talk about whatreally is the clincher.
(08:32):
Money.
Tuition.
Right?
What's the tuition and what'sgoing to be your salary when you
graduate?
I think that is an even moreimportant question.
I don't know about you guys.
Let me know in the discussionboards, the comment section of this
podcast or on this video,would you think about not only the
tuition but also the salarywhen you graduate?
(08:53):
I think that's important.
Let me know what you all think.
For example, if you're goingto a radiologic technology program,
you're probably going to comeout as a diagnostic technologist.
Making roughly 55 to 75kstarting out depends on where you
live.
Big gap in number, but usuallydepends on where you live, cost of
living, all of those things.
Connecticut technologistsoften are cross trained from radiologic
(09:16):
technologists, but some gostraight into MRI make about 80k
to 100k a year.
And it depends on experienceand Then you start getting into travel,
but that's a few years afteryou graduate.
So money, how much does this cost?
Some schools again can rangefrom 10 to 15,000, up to $80,000
for a medical imaging program.
(09:36):
You start to get into privateschools, it costs a little more.
For some, that works.
For others, it does not work.
I have some resources for youif you do choose a school with a
very high tuition where youcan be able to get those things paid
back.
But those are the options.
Lifestyle is the third thing.
Here's the thing abouthealthcare that most people don't
realize.
When you choose a healthcarecareer, it gives you choices when
(09:59):
it comes to your lifestyle.
And this is what I mean by lifestyle.
You probably think it'ssomething else.
You can build the kind oflifestyle that actually works for
you.
And I say that because if youwant to work eight hours, five days
a week, you can, you want toonly work weekends.
Done.
There's a schedule for you,weekends only.
You prefer to work three daysa week, 12 hour shifts, there's an
(10:21):
option for that too.
Even four days a week, 10 hourshifts, those are the options.
You have flexibility in yourlifestyle as far as with your schedule.
When you get into healthcarecareers, especially medical imaging,
you can even do PRN work asneeded work, you could travel, contract
work.
Honestly, there aren't manycareers out there that give you this
(10:44):
kind of freedom to design your lifestyle.
I think a lot of people arethinking maybe lifestyle like soft
life, living pampered.
No, I'm not talking about that.
That depends on how you useyour money.
I have no control on how youuse your money.
But these are how you pivot inyour 30s, making choices based on
the time it's going to takeyou, the money it's going to cost
you and the lifestyle thatit's going to afford you.
(11:05):
When it comes to yourschedule, most people work a Monday
through Friday.
You live for the weekend.
Not when you have a healthcarecareer you can choose.
Now, here's the truth.
Every healthcare professiondoes come with stress.
That's another lifestyle thingyou should think about, period.
You're going to have stress.
Some people say I'm going toget into radiology because it's less
stressful than nursing.
That's wrong.
(11:26):
That is not true.
So you have to define your stress.
You pick your stress.
What stress do you want?
Because there is stress in any healthcare.
It is not for everybody.
That's where you have to behonest with yourself.
Some careers are going to testyou emotionally, others are going
to test you physically.
So the real question isn't, doI want a job with no stress?
It's what kind of stress am Ibuilt to handle?
(11:49):
And is the reward worth it?
Because I'm going to tell you,medical imaging radiology school
is not easy.
I've seen very few people comeon social media and say, oh, it's
a breeze.
Now, some people it's a breezecompared to certain other things,
but we're not.
We don't have much to compareit to.
There's no other thing likeradiology school, just like there's
no other thing like school forrespiratory therapy or school for
(12:10):
radiation therapy or schoolfor nursing.
They're not easy and they havetheir own stress.
So that's the decision onlyyou can make.
And the other one, the fourththing, is longevity.
Longevity, this is where youreally need to think ahead.
And when people ask me, what'squick, I need a quick school.
I need something quick.
That does not breed longevitywhen it comes to your career, and
(12:31):
it usually doesn't breeddecisions that serve you in the future.
Most of us think here and now.
Right now, I need this, rightnow, I need that.
When you're deciding on ahealthcare career and what to go
to school for, I ask you guys,please think of long term.
Many people say, well, I onlywant to do mri.
I don't want to do anything else.
You don't know that becauseyou've never been an MRI tech.
(12:55):
I work with people that areonly MRI technologists, and most
of them wish they had going toschool for radiologic technology.
I'm being honest with you, andI'm not saying that because I encourage
you to go to school for radioand radiologic technology first.
But that is why, Because Iknow people I work with who are great
MRI techs, but they wish theyhad gone to school for radiology
(13:19):
technology.
They were just so.
I got to get something.
I got to get something.
I got to get in.
Think of longevity when you'retrying to make a decision, especially
when you're in your 30s, whenyou're in your mid-20s, when you're
in your 40s and you'restarting over is so important.
Because, y', all, when I wasgoing back to school in my mid-20s,
I didn't have another opportunity.
It was.
It was right now, right thenand there.
(13:41):
Whatever decision I made, Ihad to stick with it.
And.
And I had to figure it out.
And you don't want to beinvested like that and not like what
you're doing.
I love what I'm doing.
I'M glad I chose.
I did my research and I, Ichose along a path that would give
me longevity.
So some healthcare careerstake a toll on your body physically,
others weigh heavily on your emotions.
(14:02):
And some rows just don't offerroom for much growth.
So you can only go so farbefore you hit a ceiling.
And when you don't think aboutlongevity of your career, you choose
things that pigeonhole you, right?
But in medical imaging, whenyou start out as a radiologic technologist
and have your degree and yourrtr, then you've got a dozen directions
(14:27):
that you can pivot in.
And I really mean a dozen with inpatient.
And that's just within patient care.
I'm not even talking about theadministrative roles, the education
roles, the sales roles, thecorporate roles.
I'm not talking about those.
Talking about just the patientcare side of it.
You have MRI, CT mammography,nuclear medicine, interventional
radiology, bone density.
I mean, the list can go onradiologist assistant.
(14:49):
And to be a radiologistassistant, you do have to go to radiology
technology school first.
So beyond direct patient care,you can move into education, informatics,
or data analyst, pacs, pacs,administrators, you can go into sales,
even clinical applications.
And the list goes on and onfrom there as well.
There's so many avenues thatallow you to extend your career,
reinvent yourself, and keep progressing.
(15:12):
That's why longevity inmedical imaging isn't just about
surviving the day to day.
It's about building a careerthat grows with you.
And this framework forces youto think long term instead of just
chasing what looks shiny rightnow or what's trending on social
media.
So, real talk making the best moves.
Let me give you an example.
If you're in your mid-30s andyou want to pivot without debt piling,
(15:36):
a two year associate's degreein radiologic technology could be
your fastest entry point andone for longevity.
Remember those four points?
From there, you just stack thecertifications like MRI, CT mammography,
ultrasound informatics, PACS.
Each one increases the incomepotential without requiring a bachelor's
(15:57):
degree or master's right away.
And I say right away becauseif you do it this way, then you can
have your employer, as you'regetting these certifications, pay
for your education along the way.
Here's the truth.
You don't need to have it allfigured out right now.
What you do need is a clearfirst step.
And that sets you up forgrowth without putting you in a financial
(16:17):
hole.
So this was a lot.
Glad you guys stuck with methrough this podcast.
If you're sitting there inyour current career, no longer fitting
who you are.
Know this.
It's not too late.
Your mid-30s, your 20s, your40s plus is not the end end.
It's the beginning of achapter that you're ready for.
(16:38):
I know because I've lived it.
I've had to sell everything,move back to my childhood bedroom
and start over from the bottomdriving trucks to save money to go
back to school for radiologic technology.
That season was one of thescariest of my life, but it was also
the one that opened the doorto a career that has lasted me decades,
and I've been able to inspiremany others to join Medical Imaging.
(17:02):
Think about time, money,lifestyle and longevity.
Choose a health care careerpath that works for your life, not
against it.
And remember, starting over isn't.
Failure is strategy.
If you want me to break downspecific careers like mri, sonography,
radiology technology,interventional, and any others, let
(17:23):
me know DM me or leave me acomment here on this podcast page.
I love to include yourquestions, so thanks for hanging
out with me today.
If this podcast helped youshare with a friend who's thinking
about making a career change.
And don't forget to subscribeto a couple of Rad Tech's podcasts
every Thursday.
We drop new episodes untilnext time.
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