Feeling hopeless after graduation. Change of plan?

Hello,

I will soon graduate with my degree (Physiotherapy) next month. However, I seem to have caught that post-uni hopeless feeling bug that makes you feel like you just spent all that time doing a degree and still don't know what you want to do with your life.

My background is that I was in a situation in my early 20s where I felt I needed to suss out what I was going to do with my life before I reached the big three zero. As a ‘mature’ student I found an access course which got me into the physio degree through the back door, so I went for it.

But here's my problem. It's that I didn't enjoy any part of my degree and no longer want to be a Physiotherapist or be in healthcare. Due to it being a healthcare degree, I got to experience and basically do the job with the placements.
Doing these made it certain in my head that it was not the profession I want to pursue and in the end, I kind of regretted doing the degree in general. Having plenty of time to reflect now uni has finished, I have been considering if I should wait for a physio job to pop up in my city or pursue something else. So far the only ones available to me are a minimum 1-hour drive to get there (over a 2-hour commute each day) which would mean I would need a second car as my partner uses our car for her work currently. A financial commitment I'm very cautious about making right now.

At this stage, 29 now, I've really started to contemplate over the past year or so what I want to do with my life. Most people I speak to push me towards doing physio which I totally understand after getting the degree. I know degrees aren’t meant to be enjoyable and it would seem a waste not to pursue it right? Decent money, a good pension and you get to help people, why on earth would you think so negatively about a profession like that? I’m not sure I want my mental and physical health to be affected in order to gain a certain amount of money and an occupational title to impress others.

I know there are many areas of physio to dive into and physio sounds like a fantastic career option to many, but there is so much about it that worries me, I just get that feeling or itch. Dealing with people and their problems in a hospital environment every single day just does not appeal to me as it did 5 years ago. I’ve lost all the interest, motivation and drive to succeed in it. Being out on placements I always felt so out of place. Maybe it is a confidence issue of mine but I still think after a few years I would want out. I have seen a lot of nurses say the same thing about wanting out of their profession and healthcare in general, and I feel a bit alone in my thinking from a physio standpoint. Most physios or students seem to love what they do and I'm pretty envious as I wish I felt the same. They also seem very confident to which I am not. Nobody seems to have a bad word to say about it.

So, after leaving school nearly 12 years ago and gaining my degree a little later than the norm, I have been thinking about what it is I could do. This is where I’ve found a trade to be an option. I’ve always wanted to be able to travel and work in a different country, which is part of the reason for doing physio. I've always been somebody that's pushed myself even though I am a massive introvert. Previously, I never thought I would get a degree, but managed it. I want a job where I can use my hands, go out and just do my job without having the exhausting feeling of dealing with people as my job. Yes, I know I still need to work with people, but I do not want the people to be my work.

I have been in customer service part-time during my studies which I also find exhausting and desperately want out. Being 29 now, it seems very unlikely that a 4-year apprenticeship is an option. This has led me to browse to which I have found some fast-track courses specifically for adults that would qualify me as a gas engineer. It is an option if all else fails, a bit pricey too, although I could see myself doing this as a job every day, I hope.

To the audience reading this, is there anyone out there reading my rant and situation and in the same or a similar boat?
Anyone that left something to do a trade later in life? Anyone with other options I could look into? (Masters is not possible due to finances)
Anyone that would want to slap me for being so silly not wanting to pursue physio even with the feelings I have?
Any physios that would be able to offer advice?
Advice from anyone is appreciated (Please don't advise a career advisor!)

Apologies for the length of this. It felt good to get it off my chest. I just want to be happy at the end of the day 😊

Thanks for reading! Have a great day.

Reply 1

chatz123

For a massive introvert, I can understand why a full day at the hospital, meeting patients and team members all day will totally wear you out. You could perhaps try a small physiotherapy clinic where you could work mostly alone. My advice is not to rush to making a career change. Give physio a chance for a year or two. Give yourself time also to fully consider your potential new career.