Nursing or SLT?

[Jdunkz_]

Nursing or SLT, or both?

Hi everyone,

So this is my story, apologies if it's long-winded. I am 24. I graduated in 2017 in English language and literature. I took this degree purely because it was my highest grade and enjoyed it a bit, I was young and wanted to party. In my final year I had a desire to go into SLT next but wanted to travel for a year first and be absolutely sure. At the end of the first year I had the travel bug and still wasn't sure so deferred another year. I came home ready to begin and, alas, deferred again! So for the past year I've been teaching English in Sri Lanka. I know now that I am ready to return home and start my career. I've also done an online SLT course and found the content and theory highly interesting and it made me want to research further, especially the anatomy. I have my SLT masters lined up for September but since the curfew has been on I've had so much time to think about everything and now I have some doubts in the way of the Masters in September again.

1) I am really interested in nursing. Especially since coming to Sri Lanka, my school works in partnership with an eye hospital and I've met many inspirational nurses. I want a career based solely on the satisfaction of helping others. I'm OK with blood and messy things. I enjoy making people feel better. I like to travel and want a career that is flexible in allowing me to do so. Nursing covers these bases. As well as SLT. Now I'm confused. I don't know which one to choose. Do you think it would be reasonable to take a nursing BA and then either love it and continue as a nurse for my career or then go on to do a master's in SLT after? I guess the BA would add to the Masters anyway, and I don't actually have a whole lot of experience outside of teaching right now, aka in the medical field. Or, is that stupid to consider doing 2 more highly intense degrees and I should just settle for SLT?

If I choose the nursing path, I have thought about staying here in Sri Lanka and working for a few more months at a local orphanage for disabled children, which I really would like to do. I would then go home and try and find employment in a medical setting for 6 months before beginning my nursing BA in September 2021. I was then thinking of travelling as a nurse in the future and then if SLT still calls to me, pursuing it further down the line. Obviously I need to think about finances and I'll be in way more debt than I already am but I think it would be worth it.

2) I have TMJ. My right condyle is dislocated. I fear that it will get worse and eventually cause problems for my own speech and that maybe even the other side might become dislocated. I worry that if I have speech impediments myself then I can't be an SLT and help others with their speech. I have this fear for my performance in any job, actually.

This is my last chance to take the slt masters in September as I've already delayed it and been out of education for so long. If I took a nursing BA then hopefully I could do the SLT masters after that bearing in mind by that point I would have way more experience. It's a bit of a gamble incase it turns out I don't like nursing and drop out and I end up wishing I had done SLT but I guess when there's a will there's a way and I can't see myself disliking it!

The corona crisis hasn't put me off at all, in fact it's inspired me.

Sorry that was a bit of a ramble. I hope it all makes sense. Thanks in advance for any advice!