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What career should I go into that could help someone physically or mentally but is also high paying?
I'm in 9th grade (14)
I enjoy helping people in any way I can.
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5 answers
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Sallie’s Answer
If you are good at math and sciences, any type of medical based work is a great way to help someone while also receiving a decent salary. Its also a career field that will never go out of demand as we will always need doctors, nurses, dentists, etc.
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Trudi’s Answer
I work as a disability claims analyst. I help people navigate the long term disability insurance system. I not only help them to obtain and keep their benefits, but to return to work if they are able. It is not a career I ever thought about doing, but something I learned about through a temp job and have now been doing it for 16 years. You talk to people on the phone who are at a low point in their lives and provide them with encouragement and opportunities. Sometimes when people become disabled, they think of it as the end of something when they can actually transition into a new type of work and it is the start of something new.
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Dr. Colette Forde’s Answer
The area in which you will find the greatest number of opportunities, good salaries, guaranteed work, and opportunities to grow while helping people is in the healthcare field. There are a large number of job titles here that align with what you are looking for but at this stage in your career planning, you should ask yourself more general questions in order to narrow the field - here are some examples
(a) Will your grades be high enough to allow you to apply to almost any job title in healthcare ? Remember many professional roles require that you complete abut 50% of your credits in liberal arts, but to move into a specific program, you will need to have a specific GPA.
(b) How will you support yourself financially if you attend college ? Will you need to work part-time or full-time to pay for books, food, rent, etc., ? I have left out school loans on purpose as the criteria here may change many time before you are read to apply.
(c) Will you attend a community college or a four-year program ?
(d) Would you pick a degree that allows you to change jobs in the future, without the need for additional education ?
(e) Would you consider a step-wise progression to get to your goal ? If you cannot afford to go straight into a four-year degree program, consider these suggestions as a means to achieving your degree:
1. Physical therapy assistant to physical therapist
2. Occupational therapy assistant to occupational therapist
3. LPN (licensed practical nurse) to Associate Degree Nurse to Registered Nurse to Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner, etc.,
These "first level" positions are unionized in some states (check your state) and in general, union positions offer generous tuition reimbursement programs. You will become eligible either upon employment, or after completing one year of work. Hospitals also offer their own reimbursement programs but may not be as generous as those offered in a union position.
One more important point to consider when opting for a step-wise progression is whether you will have the GPA to move to the next level. As an example, if your chose physical therapy assistant as your first job and you cannot get into a physical therapy program, you will have to go back to college and begin another program to switch careers. Some of your credits will be transferable (but not all), so this will cost you more time and money in the long run.
My suggestion would be to pick a career that allows you the most flexibility when attempting to get into the program and then opportunities to grow and diversify in the future. Your options are endless in healthcare and you will help patient's and their families no matter which option you choose. In addition to your paycheck, you will get a lot of personal fulfillment and joy in helping others. This is what keeps healthcare professionals in healthcare and what drives us to go to work everyday. Good luck in your journey.
Make a list of questions similar to my questions in this answer, make the list appropriate for you and your circumstances.
Start researching job titles in healthcare and how people become qualified to work in these areas
Once you narrow down the job titles that really appeal to you, take your research one step further and look at the jobs you would be able to apply for with your qualifications
Finally, look at opportunities to get promoted, will additional education be needed to move up, etc.,
(a) Will your grades be high enough to allow you to apply to almost any job title in healthcare ? Remember many professional roles require that you complete abut 50% of your credits in liberal arts, but to move into a specific program, you will need to have a specific GPA.
(b) How will you support yourself financially if you attend college ? Will you need to work part-time or full-time to pay for books, food, rent, etc., ? I have left out school loans on purpose as the criteria here may change many time before you are read to apply.
(c) Will you attend a community college or a four-year program ?
(d) Would you pick a degree that allows you to change jobs in the future, without the need for additional education ?
(e) Would you consider a step-wise progression to get to your goal ? If you cannot afford to go straight into a four-year degree program, consider these suggestions as a means to achieving your degree:
1. Physical therapy assistant to physical therapist
2. Occupational therapy assistant to occupational therapist
3. LPN (licensed practical nurse) to Associate Degree Nurse to Registered Nurse to Nurse Educator, Nurse Practitioner, etc.,
These "first level" positions are unionized in some states (check your state) and in general, union positions offer generous tuition reimbursement programs. You will become eligible either upon employment, or after completing one year of work. Hospitals also offer their own reimbursement programs but may not be as generous as those offered in a union position.
One more important point to consider when opting for a step-wise progression is whether you will have the GPA to move to the next level. As an example, if your chose physical therapy assistant as your first job and you cannot get into a physical therapy program, you will have to go back to college and begin another program to switch careers. Some of your credits will be transferable (but not all), so this will cost you more time and money in the long run.
My suggestion would be to pick a career that allows you the most flexibility when attempting to get into the program and then opportunities to grow and diversify in the future. Your options are endless in healthcare and you will help patient's and their families no matter which option you choose. In addition to your paycheck, you will get a lot of personal fulfillment and joy in helping others. This is what keeps healthcare professionals in healthcare and what drives us to go to work everyday. Good luck in your journey.
Dr. Colette Forde recommends the following next steps:
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EZINNA EDGE’s Answer
You can go into psychiatry, psychology, social work, they are all high paying jobs.
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Willette’s Answer
Hi Kecia
It is good to see you looking into a career path!
Since you like helping people physically and mentally I would suggest a field in Occupational Therapy. You can get an Associate of degree in two years and become an Certified Occupational Therapy assistant -COTA ( 50,000-60,000) a year or get a Masters
or Doctored degree and become and Registered Occupational Therapist(70,000+) a year.
I would suggest you look up the job description in the Occupational Outlook handbook.
I am a COTA and I love the field.
Happy Thanksgiving
It is good to see you looking into a career path!
Since you like helping people physically and mentally I would suggest a field in Occupational Therapy. You can get an Associate of degree in two years and become an Certified Occupational Therapy assistant -COTA ( 50,000-60,000) a year or get a Masters
or Doctored degree and become and Registered Occupational Therapist(70,000+) a year.
I would suggest you look up the job description in the Occupational Outlook handbook.
I am a COTA and I love the field.
Happy Thanksgiving