The diagnosis didn't hit me as hard as one would think since I have basically been dealing with the illness for 7 years with several mis-diagnosis.. now there's just another title to it.
My questions
Once I graduate and hopfully pass my July boards. Is there any scenerio where I can work as a part time PT and still live comfortably? (ie. making small payments on my 150k debt, having a leased suv and living in a rental apartment). My biggest worry is how do I obtain health insurance on a part-time salary.
I just require a lot of time spent walking and exercising to keep myself stable and off of medications. So basically I need to exercise 10-12 times a week 4 times with weights the rest just long walks or cardio sessions preferably outdoors. There are also many days where I need to sleep for 16 hours straight before I can step off of bed.
You need to see a psychiatrist, specifically a psychiatrist rather than a psychologist for this since its biological in nature rather than environmental and behavior induced only.
I highly recommend a health system one at an outpatient network part of a physicians group or one tied to an AMC as they will be the most current with research and are the most interdisciplinary in utilizing psychotherapy in treatment as well.
This isn't like HTN, obesity, or depression that are completely manageable with lifestyle unless it's MDD or genetic based HTN. There are psych drugs that work very well for this management and control mood swings.
Also, I highly recommend not to view psych meds as a weakness or something you should avoid and I know that within the PT community medication avoidance is sort of a cultural thing since were generally very healthy and see patients on heavy meds for pain or from lifestyle choices that are perfectly manageable with lifestyle changes.
As for work, can you work FTE? It's the average for an American. If on the correct medication regimen and you vary your exercise based in a FITT model on how you feel in conjunction with physician management then I'd think you'd be okay.
At 150k approximately 6% interest I would try and secure a job that will give you a ten year payoff plan but I would enroll in a federal program that has a 20 to 25 year plan for when life gets in the way and you can only make the minimum payment.
If you take the lowest 5th percentile for salary worst case scenario and dump heavy amounts on loans then you'll be able to make a living still on a teachers salary and they aren't homeless at all.
Renting is perfectly fine. It's the house payment and new car upgrade people do that screws them over. I'm not positive on the benefits question. I am aware that if you're married, you can have a joint health insurance plan while one spouse works part time. I would still dump half of my salary on loans for three years so compound interest isn't an issue.
You may also try looking into disability?
Hope everything goes well.
Edit: I know people with their own medical issues working in healthcare and they are doing just fine with correct management.
Give yourself 8 weeks for boards preparation. O Sullivan, score builders, therapyed, PEAT
If you got through school, you can get through work.
You need to meet with a financial analyst for budgeting planning if you can