Feeling stuck in your 30s and wondering if a career in healthcare could be your second chance? You're not alone, and I've been there too! I share my personal journey of starting over after closing a business and leaving a radiology program due to illness. Trust me, moving back home and driving FedEx trucks wasn’t my dream scenario, but it led me to rediscover my passion for healthcare and become a radiology technologist. In this episode, I dive into the nitty-gritty of evaluating healthcare careers through the lens of time, money, lifestyle, and longevity. So, if you're looking for a fresh start, let’s explore how healthcare could be your golden ticket to a fulfilling future!

Starting fresh in your 30s (or even 40s) can feel like you’re diving into the deep end without a life jacket, right? Well, grab your floaties, because I've got a personal story that just might inspire you to take that plunge. Picture this: I was in my 20s, freshly out of a business venture that didn't quite go as planned, feeling like a deflated balloon. I had to pack up my life, leave a radiology program due to illness, and sell almost everything I owned. Yep, I went from independent adult to moving back into my childhood bedroom. Cue the dramatic music! But here's the kicker: driving FedEx trucks became my gig while I rebuilt my life. Crazy, right? This journey led me to rediscover my passion for healthcare, and I eventually became a radiology technologist. So, if you're a woman in your 30s feeling stuck or burned out, this episode is your personal lifeline. We break down the essentials of evaluating a career in healthcare, so you don’t just dive in blind. I dive into the framework of time, money, lifestyle, and longevity—no need to waste precious resources! We’ll navigate the waters together, exploring how a career in healthcare can be your second chance. Forget the fear; let’s talk about how you can pivot your career and make meaningful changes that align with who you are today!

Takeaways:

• Starting over in your 20s can be terrifying, but it often leads to growth and new opportunities.
• Healthcare careers are generally recession-proof, making them a smart choice for job security.
• When considering a career change, evaluate time, money, lifestyle, and longevity to make informed choices.
• It's never too late to pivot your career; your 30s can be the perfect time for a fresh start in healthcare.
• Medical imaging offers various pathways, allowing for flexibility and future growth in your career.
• Choosing a healthcare career involves understanding the balance of stress, rewards, and your personal well-being.

radiologic technology, healthcare career change, midlife career pivot, starting over in healthcare, medical imaging careers, radiologic technologist salary, healthcare job stability, career options in radiology, radiology program duration, flexibility in healthcare careers, tuition for medical imaging, pursuing a career in healthcare, benefits of medical imaging, burnout in healthcare jobs, career growth in healthcare, adult education in healthcare, mid-30s career transition, lifestyle in healthcare professions, stress in healthcare jobs, longevity in medical careers

© 2025 A Couple of Rad Techs Podcast

Welcome back to a couple of Rad Techs podcast.

This podcast is going to go down in this season's history because a lot of you have DMed me and said things like, I need to go back to school for radiologic technology, but I'm in my 30s.

So this podcast is going to be about you all and how you can pivot in your healthcare career in your mid-30s.

So if you're in your mid-30s, maybe even in your 40s, and, like me, in your mid-20s, and you're thinking about starting fresh in healthcare, you guys, this episode is for you.

Maybe your degree no longer feels aligned with your goals.

Maybe you're burned out in your current job, or maybe you're just looking for a career that pays well, feels stable, and lets you make a difference every single day.

What if you could have all of that?

And I bring this up because I got a DM for this very topic that we're talking about today.

And then I had a patient the other day, a school teacher.

And this is not a first.

This happens to me a lot.

She recognized me from YouTube and said, I recognized you by the red glasses.

And she was a teacher.

She's a teacher.

Applaud to our teachers.

Congratulations.

Thank you guys for what you do.

It is a hard job.

And she was really interested in the videos that I did and was appreciative for the videos that I was making.

So this is not just for people in medical imaging.

There are people out there that want to pivot and they're looking at health care.

So be sure to spread the word that there's a podcast out there for everyone that really gets down to how you can pivot in your career, mid-30s, and do it in healthcare.

So some of the challenges.

Oh, and let me tell you, there was a gentleman patient of mine that pulled me to the side after I finished his scan and said I was.

I'm out of a job after working in the movie industry making six figures, and AI took my job.

I need to take care of my family.

What do you think?

I could become a radiologic technologist and still make a good living.

I'm like, of course we went over everything.

I directed him to the right resources and of course, directed him back to this podcast and.

And my YouTube and social media channels.

So you guys do the same.

But let's get into this episode.

Here's.

Here's a challenge.

You don't have unlimited time and unlimited money.

I know.

I didn't.

You want your next move to be your best move.

So today I'm going to break down what you should be considering before you leap into a healthcare career.

The real cost, the return on investment, and which paths make the most sense for someone pivoting later in life.

So why is healthcare a smart pivot?

First, let's talk about why healthcare careers make sense.

For the most part, healthcare careers are recession proof.

Yeah, we get flexed out when the economy goes down, but not often do you see us get laid off.

Or if we do, we can move to another hospital.

People always need care.

You always get.

You also get flexibility.

Part time, full time PRN travel contracts.

The list goes on and on.

The demand is even rising.

The outlook for jobs, depending on what radiology modality you be thinking about, is at least like 6% for some.

And there's a shortage in many modalities within medical imaging.

So the demand is rising.

Not only imaging, nursing, all of allied health.

Right?

But here's the kicker.

Not every healthcare path is created equal.

Some require up to eight to 10 years or more of schooling.

Others can require 18 to 24 months.

Some can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition.

While others can be closer to 10, $15,000 for a two year degree.

And let me pause here for a personal story.

In my early 20s I had to completely start over.

I'm talking to you from this podcast from personal experience.

I had already closed down a business.

I removed myself from a radiology program because I got ill. Talk about struggle.

Talk about starting over.

Pivoting.

I had to move back home, you guys, to my old bedroom.

I had to sell everything.

I had a two bedroom apartment living on my own in another state.

I had to sell everything I owned except my bedroom set and my car and moved back into my old bedroom at mom's house.

Yep, thank goodness for the mother that I have.

I then had to wait a year to apply to a radiology program because of out of state tuition.

It would have just been too much and too much of a rush.

I was just getting over getting over illness.

I had a cd.

I drove trucks to make money, kind of rebuild things, get a savings going because I knew I would not need to work that first year in school.

It would have been way too hard.

It was a very scary time.

I had to make sure I was making the right decision in going back to school for radiology in my mid-20s.

Right.

Scary time in my life.

But it also showed me that sometimes starting over is the only way forward.

And HealthC Care gave me that second chance.

So the big question isn't Just should I go into healthcare or medical imaging?

It's which healthcare career gives me the best balance of time, money and long term growth.

I'm going to suggest that you evaluate your options before you make a decision.

Of course I'm going to lean heavily towards medical imaging, but you make your own choice.

But here's the framework when you're trying to decide what healthcare career if in your 30s, what should you do?

What should you choose?

I think about time, money, lifestyle and longevity.

And let me break that down for you.

When it comes to time, how long does the program program take?

Everyone wants something quick.

I just got a DM today and a comment in my comments.

What's a quick way to get into mri?

What's a quick way to become a radiology technologist?

There are a lot of quick things out there.

So how long does a program take?

Well, when it comes to radiologic technology and programs in medical imaging, no matter what pathway you take, whether you take radiology technology first, mri, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, it's going to be usually two years.

And other healthcare programs are about the same.

Surgical tech, respiratory therapy, nursing, two years to enter those programs.

So as far as time wise of program, you're across the board the same thing.

Now when you start getting into physician assistant, things like that, of course that's going to increase your time in school, but we're going to stick on the ones that are very similar to medical imaging.

It's about two years for everything to enter.

Everything including nursing, respiratory, surgical tech, all of those things, radiology, everything is about it.

It's a two year to enter.

Now let's talk about what really is the clincher.

Money.

Tuition.

Right?

What's the tuition and what's going to be your salary when you graduate?

I think that is an even more important question.

I don't know about you guys.

Let me know in the discussion boards, the comment section of this podcast or on this video, would you think about not only the tuition but also the salary when you graduate?

I think that's important.

Let me know what you all think.

For example, if you're going to a radiologic technology program, you're probably going to come out as a diagnostic technologist.

Making roughly 55 to 75k starting out depends on where you live.

Big gap in number, but usually depends on where you live, cost of living, all of those things.

Connecticut technologists often are cross trained from radiologic technologists, but some go straight into MRI make about 80k to 100k a year.

And it depends on experience and Then you start getting into travel, but that's a few years after you graduate.

So money, how much does this cost?

Some schools again can range from 10 to 15,000, up to $80,000 for a medical imaging program.

You start to get into private schools, it costs a little more.

For some, that works.

For others, it does not work.

I have some resources for you if you do choose a school with a very high tuition where you can be able to get those things paid back.

But those are the options.

Lifestyle is the third thing.

Here's the thing about healthcare that most people don't realize.

When you choose a healthcare career, it gives you choices when it comes to your lifestyle.

And this is what I mean by lifestyle.

You probably think it's something else.

You can build the kind of lifestyle that actually works for you.

And I say that because if you want to work eight hours, five days a week, you can, you want to only work weekends.

Done.

There's a schedule for you, weekends only.

You prefer to work three days a week, 12 hour shifts, there's an option for that too.

Even four days a week, 10 hour shifts, those are the options.

You have flexibility in your lifestyle as far as with your schedule.

When you get into healthcare careers, especially medical imaging, you can even do PRN work as needed work, you could travel, contract work.

Honestly, there aren't many careers out there that give you this kind of freedom to design your lifestyle.

I think a lot of people are thinking maybe lifestyle like soft life, living pampered.

No, I'm not talking about that.

That depends on how you use your money.

I have no control on how you use your money.

But these are how you pivot in your 30s, making choices based on the time it's going to take you, the money it's going to cost you and the lifestyle that it's going to afford you.

When it comes to your schedule, most people work a Monday through Friday.

You live for the weekend.

Not when you have a healthcare career you can choose.

Now, here's the truth.

Every healthcare profession does come with stress.

That's another lifestyle thing you should think about, period.

You're going to have stress.

Some people say I'm going to get into radiology because it's less stressful than nursing.

That's wrong.

That is not true.

So you have to define your stress.

You pick your stress.

What stress do you want?

Because there is stress in any healthcare.

It is not for everybody.

That's where you have to be honest with yourself.

Some careers are going to test you emotionally, others are going to test you physically.

So the real question isn't, do I want a job with no stress?

It's what kind of stress am I built to handle?

And is the reward worth it?

Because I'm going to tell you, medical imaging radiology school is not easy.

I've seen very few people come on social media and say, oh, it's a breeze.

Now, some people it's a breeze compared to certain other things, but we're not.

We don't have much to compare it to.

There's no other thing like radiology school, just like there's no other thing like school for respiratory therapy or school for radiation therapy or school for nursing.

They're not easy and they have their own stress.

So that's the decision only you can make.

And the other one, the fourth thing, is longevity.

Longevity, this is where you really need to think ahead.

And when people ask me, what's quick, I need a quick school.

I need something quick.

That does not breed longevity when it comes to your career, and it usually doesn't breed decisions that serve you in the future.

Most of us think here and now.

Right now, I need this, right now, I need that.

When you're deciding on a healthcare career and what to go to school for, I ask you guys, please think of long term.

Many people say, well, I only want to do mri.

I don't want to do anything else.

You don't know that because you've never been an MRI tech.

I work with people that are only MRI technologists, and most of them wish they had going to school for radiologic technology.

I'm being honest with you, and I'm not saying that because I encourage you to go to school for radio and radiologic technology first.

But that is why, Because I know people I work with who are great MRI techs, but they wish they had gone to school for radiology technology.

They were just so.

I got to get something.

I got to get something.

I got to get in.

Think of longevity when you're trying to make a decision, especially when you're in your 30s, when you're in your mid-20s, when you're in your 40s and you're starting over is so important.

Because, y', all, when I was going back to school in my mid-20s, I didn't have another opportunity.

It was.

It was right now, right then and there.

Whatever decision I made, I had to stick with it.

And.

And I had to figure it out.

And you don't want to be invested like that and not like what you're doing.

I love what I'm doing.

I'M glad I chose.

I did my research and I, I chose along a path that would give me longevity.

So some healthcare careers take a toll on your body physically, others weigh heavily on your emotions.

And some rows just don't offer room for much growth.

So you can only go so far before you hit a ceiling.

And when you don't think about longevity of your career, you choose things that pigeonhole you, right?

But in medical imaging, when you start out as a radiologic technologist and have your degree and your rtr, then you've got a dozen directions that you can pivot in.

And I really mean a dozen with inpatient.

And that's just within patient care.

I'm not even talking about the administrative roles, the education roles, the sales roles, the corporate roles.

I'm not talking about those.

Talking about just the patient care side of it.

You have MRI, CT mammography, nuclear medicine, interventional radiology, bone density.

I mean, the list can go on radiologist assistant.

And to be a radiologist assistant, you do have to go to radiology technology school first.

So beyond direct patient care, you can move into education, informatics, or data analyst, pacs, pacs, administrators, you can go into sales, even clinical applications.

And the list goes on and on from there as well.

There's so many avenues that allow you to extend your career, reinvent yourself, and keep progressing.

That's why longevity in medical imaging isn't just about surviving the day to day.

It's about building a career that grows with you.

And this framework forces you to think long term instead of just chasing what looks shiny right now or what's trending on social media.

So, real talk making the best moves.

Let me give you an example.

If you're in your mid-30s and you want to pivot without debt piling, a two year associate's degree in radiologic technology could be your fastest entry point and one for longevity.

Remember those four points?

From there, you just stack the certifications like MRI, CT mammography, ultrasound informatics, PACS.

Each one increases the income potential without requiring a bachelor's degree or master's right away.

And I say right away because if you do it this way, then you can have your employer, as you're getting these certifications, pay for your education along the way.

Here's the truth.

You don't need to have it all figured out right now.

What you do need is a clear first step.

And that sets you up for growth without putting you in a financial hole.

So this was a lot.

Glad you guys stuck with me through this podcast.

If you're sitting there in your current career, no longer fitting who you are.

Know this.

It's not too late.

Your mid-30s, your 20s, your 40s plus is not the end end.

It's the beginning of a chapter that you're ready for.

I know because I've lived it.

I've had to sell everything, move back to my childhood bedroom and start over from the bottom driving trucks to save money to go back to school for radiologic technology.

That season was one of the scariest of my life, but it was also the one that opened the door to a career that has lasted me decades, and I've been able to inspire many others to join Medical Imaging.

Think about time, money, lifestyle and longevity.

Choose a health care career path that works for your life, not against it.

And remember, starting over isn't.

Failure is strategy.

If you want me to break down specific careers like mri, sonography, radiology technology, interventional, and any others, let me know DM me or leave me a comment here on this podcast page.

I love to include your questions, so thanks for hanging out with me today.

If this podcast helped you share with a friend who's thinking about making a career change.

And don't forget to subscribe to a couple of Rad Tech's podcasts every Thursday.

We drop new episodes until next time.