Sunday, July 19, 2009

School's out for summer

School was out last time I wrote, but school is about to become a lot more important in my life again. I am going back to school. Finally, I have decided what I want to do with my life. I want to be a teacher. Deep down, I think I have always wanted this. I don't necessarily regret becoming a nuclear medicine technologist, but I have always had this desire to share what I had learned. In my first nuclear medicine job, I felt very ignorant. I had a B.S. degree, and sometimes I wondered if the "other" BS wasn't appropriate. I knew so much less than the "kids" coming out of the A.S. program in radiography, for which my employer was a clinical facility. In my second job, I DID get to train nuclear medicine students, and I did my best to ensure that they didn't feel as stupid as I felt when I got into the real world. I left that job because I had two small children who needed a mom who could volunteer with their elementary school classes and Girl Scouts and Mission Friends and Children in Action. I worked part-time and then full-time again for another teaching facility. There, the supervisor assigned me to work with the x-ray students who needed to observe nuclear medicine. From there I went to an office job, where I learned that not every office is a perfect job, like the techs I worked with at Skyline had moved into. So I went back to work for another teaching hospital, where I had hoped someday to work with students again. But, that job went away as quickly as it came. So now I am at another doctor's office, wondering when the other shoe is going to drop. And it will drop. It's just a matter of time.

So, knowing that, I had to think about what I might be able to do when I need another job. Two nuc techs I know went into teaching vocational health occupations courses. I would love to do this, but I was told in my home county that they have an opening, but only RN's could teach this class. Another county near here has an opening and the ad specifically says an RN is not necessary, just preferred. I just don't know if I want to teach THERE. I don't know. I am thinking about it, but one thing I know for certain: I want to teach. Another thing I know for certain: I start classes in August for my MA. I met with the Graduate Coordinator yesterday. I am going to be a teacher. Maybe not this year (doesn't look good anyway) but probably next year. Keep looking in this spot for more updates...just don't expect them very often!!!

1 comment:

Genevieve Netz said...

Good luck, Risa. I admire your initiative.