Education (furthering with PhD) or start working

[magesh anand]

Hi Guys,

This is my first post and hopefully I am putting a meaningful one. I am a physiotherapist (masters degree)with more than 5 years of experience and my wife is a physiotherapist (bachelors degree) as well. We have a four month old baby boy. We would be immigrating to Canada in the month of May or June 2012.

I am a little confused on making up my mind on what to do in Canada ? Should I get my credentials done and prepare for my licensing exams or should I look at furthering my degree with a doctorate and also register my wife for her Masters. What are the pros and cons of both these plans.

Are there any couples right now in Canada who are doing their higher studies???? I would be very grateful to you if you could give a glimpse on how you are going ahead with your life....

Please advice !!!

 

[abelkwh]

It all depends on yr own goals and what u want to get out of getting a PHD or working.

If u plan to pursue a PHD just to get a job later then u would have bear the time and also not reap any potential earnings during this time. If u want to work then yr credentials will need to be recognized by Canadian employers. First, where are yr qualifications from and do u have Canadian work experience? If yr qualifications are not from Canada or USA then u will need to get those that are recognized by Canadian employers.

There are plenty of people who have immigrated who are getting their Canadian qualifications or getting retrained in a new career. In Canada, it does not mean the higher the qualification the better, it is a matter of suitability and also relevance to the industry that u are trying to enter.

 

[RN]

Hello,

These are really two good options. I am not sure if both you and your wife would or should be going back to school. You may want to try to have one going first and if it works, the other can start the next year. I am currently also doing my PhD. If you are doing your PhD or your masters, most universities will fund you 15,000 plus the cost of tuition. With this you can at the same time work 10 hours a week as a physiotherapist assistant, teaching assistant or research assistant. The pay for teaching assistant is usually really good 30 to 40 per hour. Its a reallly really good pay. But of course, they wont allow you to do this for more than 10 hours at most schools.

Doing a PhD is a lot of work, dont do it if you are not committed to finishing it. Also, it will take you between 4 and 8 years to finish. At the same time, you can be preparing to become a physiotherapist in Canada.

There is a course offered by health force ontario on orientation to canadian healthcare system. You should think of taking that course with your wife. It is offered online. Cost around 200. My husband took it and there was a lot of physiotherapist in the course. It seems some of them are refered to take the course by the regulatory body for physiotherapist in order to get registered. You can get this out of the way before you arrive but you may want to write to the regulatory body to confirm.

Remain blessed and hope this helps.

 

[australiatocanada]

Hi RN,

Just wondering what happen, if a person is indulged in Phd studies for 4 - 8 years as you told....and by chance after 6 years or later....just an idea....can't able to complete his / her Phd due to any reason....and by that time (6 years) you got the fundings from University.....so you have to pay back what ever amount you have taken or not? or is their any other rules applies.....please guide..

Thanks,

Tina

 

[RN]

I honestly dont know any university that will fund you for 6 years for a PhD (I dont think this is possible as you are supposed to finish in 4 years). You may be lucky to find university to fund you for 5 years (especially if you transfer from a masters program to a PhD program at the same university, without finishing the masters, or you are a direct entry Bachelors into a PhD program). For the universities that I am familiar with their policies, no, you dont have to pay it back. However, I would strongly advice that you dont do this for a whole lot of reasons. One among them is: The universities (or government) invest in you a whole lot of money. You will also be investing in yourself during those 6 years with the work that you put in. Trust me, you definately DO NOT want to stop it after 3, 4 or 6 years. If you stop, what you have invested in yourself is gone. Please note that if they give you a scholarship for one year and you spend only some months and withdraw, you will most likely have to pay it back

Hope this answers your question

 

[bezgina]

Hi Magesh, where will you go for your PhD? I need info on those too. Eager to apply for PhD as soon as possible. Any infos fellows?

 

[nouradin]

Hi Guys,

This is my first post and hopefully I am putting a meaningful one. I am a physiotherapist (masters degree)with more than 5 years of experience and my wife is a physiotherapist (bachelors degree) as well. We have a four month old baby boy. We would be immigrating to Canada in the month of May or June 2012.

I am a little confused on making up my mind on what to do in Canada ? Should I get my credentials done and prepare for my licensing exams or should I look at furthering my degree with a doctorate and also register my wife for her Masters. What are the pros and cons of both these plans.

Are there any couples right now in Canada who are doing their higher studies???? I would be very grateful to you if you could give a glimpse on how you are going ahead with your life....

Please advice !!!

 

[balpreet kaur]

hello
i am masters students.
planning phd in cell biology.
can anyone help?
how to start?
thanks..