[Scanner]

What do you do?

I hope you don't mind me being a little verbose here. I am a chiropractor and a radiology technologist. I hold both licenses and split my work between both fields right now. I am in a state of transition and come Monday morning, a radiology group is voting on bringing me in to function as a makeshift, hybridized, bastardized radiology practiticioner assistant as I go for even more long distance education. I may be doing some minor procedures and may (<------ operative word) have an opportunity to read and sign interpretative statements in the future.

I would be combining all my education and experiences from diffferent fields to this newly emergent profession/field.


Where did you graduate?

University of Delaware - BA in Biological Sciences
Logan College of Chiropractic
Cumberland County College - AS in Radiology Technology


GPA?

God, you are set on embarrassing me, huh?

2.7 at Delaware
3.0 at chiro. school
3.3 at rad. tech school

My academic career is less than stellar.


What degree did you earn?

See above.


starting salary and current salary?

My salary over the years has been ups and downs. As DisneySteve laments, insurance/managed care have all posted 20% profits every years and practiticioners across the board have taken hits as the years progress.

My starting salary was 0 to give you a fair answer, maybe even a loss the first year (actually, I think I made 11K). My current salary is around $60,000/year, no bennies but I only work about 28 hours/week, with maybe one overnight and two weekend days per month.

If the career transition comes of light, I will make 80-100K/year plus benefits as a RPA. I also plan to lecture post-grad. and use my chiro. credential to lecture to other RPA's on orthopedic x-ray. This is a 5 year goal though. I eventually expect to make $100-120K/year with my position within the group and my part time business of "seminars."


And the most inportant, Do you enjoy your job?

I bore easily and need a creative outlet. I would say I have been bored with chiropactic now for quite some time. So, on a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 5. Although it's rewarding to help people get out of pain immediately, straighten up immediatly upon exiting hte office, develop long term, trusted relationships but it's pretty much the same thing - low back pain, neck pain and headaches. And things don't change much in the field. Scientifically and technologically, it's a stagnant field. I just need more intellectual stimulation. And when you become bored in practice, it starts to suffer, I'll admit. Chiropractic is a kind of field where you need to be constantly schmoozing to drive more business into your office. While that was fine for 2 or 3 years, I don't want my entire career to be about it.

Still, it IS satisfying to work with your hands, make independent decisions. . .I should be thankful for that (as I type this out). I just think I will do better in a group setting than a pure solo setting like I have been in for 10 years.

I enjoy collaboration.

I expect the new RPA/DC job to be a 9.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. I am very excited. The opportunity to create and synthesize a unique career is exhilerating.


If you are uncomfortable discussing any of these it is perfectly fine. I am currently in college and am still looking to what field I want to go in. I know what degrees it takes to make a very desirable salary; but why work somewhere you hate and takes away from family. Any information you can give would be much appreciated. God bless and have a wonderfull day.

Not, not at all uncomfortable (well, than other than asking about my average GPA, LOL)

I like your attitude on looking at degrees from a "business perspective" - a return on investment. I think with the cost of education, you need to be "business-like" in your decisions. I don't want to pick on anybody's field, but I know "social work" used be kind of picked on - you spend 80K on a degree that lands you a 20K/year job or something.

That's not fair. But I am sure some people enjoy the rewards that come with that job. But from a business standpoint, it doesn't make much sense.

I would say if you want to make a "desirable salary" and that's #1 (and nothing wrong with that), I would point you towards the business degrees. America is a country that values big business, both economically and politically favored in that regard.

Since we have all posted here, what's your definition of a desirable salary? Just curious.

WIth the chiro. degree vs. the rad. tech degree, just from the monetary standpoint, the rad. tech. degree makes better sense from a return on investment standpoint.

Good luck with your research.