When leaving work last night, after a long 16 hour shift, a thought crossed my mind. Even if somehow I don’t succeed at PA school (not something I’m actually too worried about, and not really the point of this post), the last 3 years have been worth it. Almost exactly three years ago I was busy getting the paperwork done to start taking classes at the local community college. The first three classes I signed up for were Biology 1, Intro to Psychology, and Anatomy and Physiology I. I was nervous and excited. It wasn’t easy balancing my work and school schedule, but fortunately my consulting job gave me flexibility. Within the first week I realized how much I enjoyed being back in the classroom. I was in my element. I love learning. And I loved specifically learning these topics, especially Anatomy and Physiology. In fact, besides A&P, I really enjoyed Organic Chemistry (a sentence I never thought I’d write or say) and Biochemistry and Genetics. I’m actually thrilled most schools required these in order to apply, since by the time I had finished them, I had a much fuller understanding of how things happen inside our bodies. It’s been a thrill learning these topics.

As I’ve mentioned in the past however, taking classes was the easy part. I simply had to sign up. Getting the required hands on experience took some effort. But I quickly realized I was where I needed and wanted to be. This is evidenced in part by the fact that in 2023 I worked over 2200 hours in the Emergency Department (on top of my consulting work and taking classes) and in 2024, over 2400 hours. I’ve commented before that my IT consulting pays a lot better, and honestly has better hours. But I love what I do in the ED.

The stories I tell (some say bore) others are often the more interesting ones, but even the nights where nothing interesting happens and it’s mostly handing out blankets, performing ECGs and the like are fulfilling. For every shift I do CPR on a patient (and this week for some reason was a busy one, 4 out of 5 shifts I performed CPR compressions on a patient) there’s probably 10 where I’m only going ECGs and finding nothing noteworthy. And I’m OK with that. It’s still patient contact. It’s still making connections with another human being.

Despite biking and hiking less in the last 3 years than I’d have liked, I honestly have been busier and more fulfilled than I have been in years.

I know if I had done nothing but IT for the past 3 years, I would have been richer financially, but been less rich in terms of fulfillment.

The past 3 years have reinvigorated me and made me feel younger. It’s been worth it.

I can’t wait to see what the coming years bring!

So my advice to folks in the new year, especially those later in life like me, branch out. Be brave. Do something different. You don’t have to be drastic like me and change careers, but take a class, start a new hobby or something. It’ll be worth it.

Happy New Year!