At age 59, I've been questioning my career choice. Granted, I've been questioning my role as a dietitian for about 20 years. I gave it up for 7 months back in 2005 to pursue a stay-at-home role as an eBay seller, but the lack of a steady paycheck plus the lack of health insurance brought me back to my senses. I had also gotten friendly with another eBay seller whom I chatted with often on the post office line. I remember telling him that I had been a dietitian before the eBay thing and he told me to stop reinventing myself and go back to the field that I was trained. I think I did that the following day because he made so much sense at the time.
But, here I am again, trying to decide if becoming a dietitian was right for me. When I applied to college back in 1970, I wasn't a free spirit or an out-of-the-box thinker. Women, for the most part in those days, went to school to be a teacher or a nurse. No blame on anyone but myself, but I didn't have any guidance when it came to considering career choices, so I applied for a major in elementary education. Ah, if I had truly pursued that career in education, I could have been retired by now, with a pension and health benefits to boot. Instead, after working in healthcare on and off for the past 32 years, I won't retire with those great benefits. Of course, I'll have my 401K but I will need to pay for my own medical coverage. (A little ironic for working in a hospital all these years). Maybe that's what has gotten me to think about this profession.
And when I reflect about my career in this field (which admittedly, is not a smart thing to do in the first place), I get a little sour about the benefits I am receiving right now. Back in 1981, when I got my first job in the field (yes, if you do the math, it shows that I took an extraordinary amount of time to get my credentials), I received 20 days vacation, 12 sick days, 2 personal days and 9 holidays. Admittedly, I earned $6.01/hour and had to work alternate weekends, but the hospital sweetened the pot by giving us full medical coverage for our family with no out-of-pocket cost to us. And we were allowed to utilize the hospital pharmacy to fill prescriptions for no cost as well. Boy, have times changed. I know that times are tough, and yes, yes, yes, I've been reminded that I should be grateful to have a job, BUT today I am earning exactly what I earned in 2008. No increases. And I have much less paid time off. Bummer. So I've gone backward. Now you understand why I've been reflective. Oh, and the days are gone when there would be money toward continuing education and conferences. It's zero now. At one time, many moons ago, the hospital paid for the entire nutrition staff to go to the dietetics convention in New Orleans!
I made sure my children didn't become dietitians. And I now tell people who are considering that career to hop onto a different train. The best (non-doctor) careers in healthcare nowadays are speech pathology, physical therapy or occupational therapy. Those positions pay good money and have some clout. Granted, getting into a PT program is not easy, but once you're qualified, you can get third-party reimbursement for your services and you can even write physical therapy orders. Many hospital dietitians can't even write an order for Ensure, and that's an over-the-counter supplement intended for weight gain. And to be a speech therapist or occupational therapist requires a Masters degree, so be prepared to put in your time. But you'll get a payback.
I do want to make it clear that the job I have now is a good one. I enjoy working in the outpatient setting and especially enjoy working with cancer patients. I find them to be pleasant and hopeful, which creates a nice atmosphere. Plus, I have a beautiful office and work with a fine, compassionate group of people. It's just the money thing. I sometimes just feel like I should have done something else. But hey, it's too late to make any changes.
My kids have good jobs and I'm thankful. One has a degree in theater management and one has a degree in education. One of them makes more money than I do. The other is pretty close. So I guess I should stop the bitchin' and remember that my assorted jobs as a dietitian has helped pay for our children to go to college. And working as a dietitian "afforded" me the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom for a while (insert my kids groaning right here). So, I'm feeling better now and want to thank you for letting me write down my thoughts and then let me come back to my senses. I'll go to work a better dietitian tomorrow!!
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