???I need help deciding between the health field or education?? What are your

[hi people]

thoughts and experiences????? I am between going to school for radiological technician or to become a teacher? I like the idea or working in the evenings or 3 long shifts in rad tech. and also moving around, not being trapped at a desk. As far as being a teacher i am drawn to the time off and i do like kids. Can anyone tell me of their experiences and pay rate for just starting out? Also which they think would be a better rout, why/why not?

[K C]

Well, I know this is different from what you're planning, but I thought I would tell you a little bit about Speech-Language Pathology. SLPs work in the health field AND the education field. We diagnose and treat speech and language disorders. So with your SLP license you can work in a public school doing sort of special ed type stuff, mostly work with kids with articulation issues (ex. says "wabbit" instead of "rabbit") and language delays. Or, you could work in a hosptial or nursing home doing more medical work, particularly with swallowing disorders. Also, you can work with people with neurogenic disorders like Alzheimer's or stroke patients with problems like aphasia. Lol, the list goes on and on. The point of my babbling is just that this field gives you the flexibility to work in health or education or both, so I think it could be really good for you.

[hmmmm]

You might want to become a school nurse.

[The "GG"]

I love being a teacher! I have a different experience everyday because the students are in different mindsets everyday, and a changing student mindset is more obvious than that of an adult. I would never choose anything else. It isn't a career to take if you are thinking about the paycheck though. With my bachelor's I started at 29K. I was at a smaller school though, so if you teach somewhere bigger, you may have a pay raise.

[C on the L]

Simple answer: if you are considering teaching because of the "time off," be a radiological technician. If you like kids, volunteer at the Y. As far as the pay, they probably pay similarly at the start, but RT likely will increase faster. If you are considering teaching for the pay, be a rad. tech. If you become a teacher, you are not likely to enjoy it (based on your initial question), your students will not enjoy it, and you will likely reget the decision. If you become the rad. tech., you can always go back to school in the free time (that you will not have as a teacher) and redirect your career choices if the RT choice does not pan out.

[C on the L]

Simple answer: if you are considering teaching because of the "time off," be a radiological technician. If you like kids, volunteer at the Y. As far as the pay, they probably pay similarly at the start, but RT likely will increase faster. If you are considering teaching for the pay, be a rad. tech. If you become a teacher, you are not likely to enjoy it (based on your initial question), your students will not enjoy it, and you will likely reget the decision. If you become the rad. tech., you can always go back to school in the free time (that you will not have as a teacher) and redirect your career choices if the RT choice does not pan out.

[Carl W]

Go into the health field. there are a lot more options and opportunities.