Which Healthcare Profession is Right for Me?

Main ideas / lessons

• The video compares 10 healthcare careers to help viewers decide what profession to enter.
• The creator’s central framing is: physical therapy (PT) involves significant debt for salary that may feel low, so it’s worth considering other options.
• For each profession, the video highlights:
  • Typical education level (associate/bachelor/master/doctorate)
  • Average U.S. salary (sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; actual pay varies by state/location)
  • What the job involves (patient population focus and broad daily duties)
• The video includes decision questions viewers should ask themselves about fit, including:
  • environment, hands-on vs hands-off work, autonomy, communication style
  • schooling length, debt, family/financial situation, and long-term interest
• It emphasizes researching real professionals (e.g., interviews/coffee chats) before committing.
• It argues that healthcare generally has job stability and growth, even during COVID/pandemic conditions.

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Methodology / decision framework (checklist)

A. Compare careers by “inputs vs returns”

For each healthcare profession, evaluate:

• Years of schooling
• Expected salary
• Type of work and patient interactions
• Potential debt burden and your personal financial situation

B. Self-assessment questions to ask

Work environment / setting / location

• Where do you want to work?

Hands-on vs hands-off work

• Do you want hands-on patient treatment (e.g., respiratory therapist style)?
• Or more hands-off work (e.g., radiation therapist style)?

Level of independence / authority

• Do you want to work under someone’s care and take orders?
• Or do you want to make calls and decisions (a “head honcho” role)?

Communication style

• Do you want frequent conversation and relationship-building?
• Or do you prefer minimal talk and more solitary workflow?

Education timeline

• How much schooling are you willing to go through for your target pay?

  • 2 years for associate’s
  • 4 years for bachelor’s
  • 6 years for master’s
  • Doctorate (described as about 7 more years beyond master’s in the video’s framing)

Debt and finances

• How much debt can you take on?
• What are the tuition costs and total financial obligations?
• What are your life circumstances (e.g., married, kids, living at home, existing bills)?

Sustainability

• Can you see yourself doing the job for 10+ years?

C. Validate fit through direct conversations

• Identify a professional in the field you’re considering.
• Sit down / DM / meet for coffee.
• Ask questions like:
  • “What is a day in the life like?”
  • Work-life balance
  • Whether the salary is worth the debt
  • Whether the career is actually a good fit

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The “Top 10 medical fields” breakdown (education + salary + focus)

Note: The creator says salary averages come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; actual pay varies by location.

1. Respiratory Therapist

   • Education: Associate’s degree
   • Average salary: ~$61,000/year
   • Work focus: Treat respiratory conditions affecting lungs and throat (asthma, COPD, emphysema); breathing-related therapies.

2. Radiation Therapist

   • Education: Associate’s degree
   • Average salary: ~$85,000/year
   • Work focus: Patients with cancer receiving radiation treatments; works under protocols/regulations from a supervisor/physician.

3. Oral Hygienist

   • Education: Associate’s degree
   • Average salary: ~$76,000/year
   • Work focus: Examine mouths; detect issues like gingivitis; provide oral care/hygiene tips.

4. Registered Nurse (RN)

   • Education: Bachelor’s degree
   • Average salary: ~$73,000/year
   • Work focus: High-demand, versatile roles; nurses spend significant time with patients, building rapport/relationships. (The creator emphasizes job security and pandemic-era need.)

5. Physician Assistant (PA)

   • Education: Master’s degree
   • Average salary: ~$112,000/year
   • Work focus: Works as an assistant to a physician; follows the physician and may perform hands-on work depending on clinic/hospital. (Assistant role tied to physician direction.)

6. Speech-Language Pathologist

   • Education: Master’s degree
   • Average salary: ~close to $79,000/year
   • Work focus: Assess/diagnose/treat throat-related communication and swallowing issues.
   • Related concept: Part of the “rehab triangle” with physical therapy and occupational therapy, centered on conservative rehab approaches.

7. Physical Therapist (PT)

   • Education: Doctorate (DPT)
   • Average salary: ~close to $89,000/year
   • Work focus: Rehab-based (video creator links to another video for details).

8. Occupational Therapist (OT)

   • Education: Master’s now, with a claim that by 2027 the field will require a doctorate
   • Average salary (as stated): ~$84,000/year (as of the video)
   • Work focus: Rehab for everyday activities (dressing, washing face, brushing teeth, etc.).
   • Conceptual note: Creator plans another video comparing OT vs PT.

9. Optometrist

   • Education: Doctorate (subtitles unclear, but doctorate is stated)
   • Average salary: Subtitles show “a salary of thousand dollars” (missing a number)
   • Work focus: Diagnosing and treating eye diseases.

10. Pharmacist

    • Education: Doctorate (stated in video)
    • Average salary: close to $128,000/year
    • Work focus: More than dispensing pills—assessing drug interactions with each other and with a patient’s medical conditions; safety and appropriate use.

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Additional notes / recommendations included

• The creator addresses a “missing-adjacent” career:
  • Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA): says they will make a separate video comparing DPT vs PTA with pros/cons.
• The creator personally recommends:
  • Talk with someone already in the profession you’re considering (they describe doing this for physical therapy during undergrad).
• Closing message:
  • Healthcare careers generally offer job security and growth (citing 2018–2028 growth and emphasizing resilience during COVID).

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Speakers / sources

Speakers

• Dr. Justin Lee (host/creator; mentions “dr liv for change” / “justin lee”)

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (used for average salary figures)