Nursing vs Radiation Therapy. Opinions needed.
 

I'm going to paste part of an email I sent to someone on my situation. I had recently been accepted for an interview for Radiation Therapy, a competitive program. However, I'm having second thoughts and I need some opinions.

"Prior to my interview and on the day that I got notified of my interview, I've been having second thoughts about this career choice. I start stressing and I begin to worry about the job outlook. My friend who recently got accepted into BCIT nursing asks me why I don't become a nurse. Nursing also provides a great level of patient care and I will be interacting and helping them in a same way a Radiation Therapist would. Even though nurses don't deal with cancer patients everyday, the job is still exceptionally rewarding. I am now in a dilemma on whether I should continue pursuing Radiation Therapy or not. Nursing job openings are always on demand, whereas Radiation Therapists constantly have graduate students every year and currently there is an overload of graduates. Baby boomers will arrive in about 5-10 years and the job outlook will definitely rise, but I don't have that much time to wait. Currently Radiation Therapists are in a cycle of low employment."

So, I will have to go through the whole process of applying to a program again. Nursing has huge advancement opportunities and if I'm ambitious enough, I might pursue in becoming a Nurse practitioner, who may work independently of physicians.

Most of my friends are telling me to stick to RT because I'm always being indecisive, but in terms of job outlook, nursing is great and still rewarding.

Don't bash because I know this is ultimately my own decision and it will be. I'm just wondering if there are any words of wisdom out there.

Long read. Thanks!!

You will not have any problems finding work as a nurse...
but you may have problems finding work as a radiation therapist

Not sure how much radiation therapists make, but Nurses make pretty good money...

that being said, the hours are long and odd sometimes, and the job is not necessarily the nicest... it's pretty thankless, but you are definitely making a difference

i believe nurses have the shift work..but the better pay and more potential for professional growth

whereas i believe radiation therapist has little professional growth..and possibly less demand

Either program sounds like solid programs at BCIT though

My sister did the radiation therapy program at BCIT before it became a degree or extended, and she couldn't find permanent work in BC. She was working VCC for a while as part time and filling in, but then went to Toronto to work at Princess Margret for full time work. They pay is decent, but like others say, no room for growth.

In terms of Job outlook Nursing definitely has the best outlook of all the other allied health professions out there. Job growth for nurses is also very good right now, you can be a nurse manager, nurse practitioner, duty administrator for the hospital (?maybe?) etc.

http://works.workopolis.com/customers/vcha/search

This is a good place to check out local salaries of the health professions

Both jobs are great but if I had to choose for stability, I'd choose nursing. Thanks for everyone's input. I'm not too worried about the salaries. A radiation therapist would start with $32-33 an hr, but as everyone says, the opportunities and advancement in that field is just not too appealing. Maybe later down the road I'll reconsider. Is anyone at BCIT nursing?

http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/3152.shtml

couldn't find RT on there...
no Radiation therapist or Respiratory therapist

I'm in BCIT Nursing. I'm not familiar with RT, but it depends on what you're looking for. If you want stability, and high level of patient care, then choose Nursing for sure. What's cool about Nursing is that there are so many options...you can specialize, you can work in a variety of work environments, you can nurse abroad.

Pursing being a Nurse practitioner would be cool, but at the moment they are not being that well utilized in BC.

hey OP, sent you a PM

thank you :)

Nurse.

Just because you will, never ever be out of work for the rst of your life.