Can You Work Nights and Go to Healthcare School? Pros, Cons, and Tips

Key Insights:

• It is possible to work nights and go to healthcare school. Understanding both the pros and cons of this approach can help you make an informed decision.
• If you decide to work and go to school, you can take several actions to make this process more manageable (and even more enjoyable). They include visualizing your academic success, scheduling your work and study time, and prioritizing sleep. Listening to others who’ve earned a degree while working can also serve as a motivator to do the same.
• Enrolling in an online healthcare program can give you some flexibility with your schoolwork. As long as you meet course deadlines, these programs may offer flexibility in how you schedule your study time.

Pursuing a degree in the healthcare field can help prepare you to pursue entry-level positions in the healthcare field, which is projected to see roughly 1.9 million job openings each year, on average, from 2024 to 2034.¹ But what if you can’t stop working to focus solely on your education? Can you work nights and still go to healthcare school? Yes, and here’s one compelling reason why: others are doing it.

A survey of undergraduate students found that about two-thirds worked for pay while enrolled in school.² At the same time, being a working student isn’t for everyone. To help you decide whether this could be a good decision for you, it’s helpful to understand both the pros and cons of this approach.

Pros and Cons of Being a Working Student

In the study mentioned, 43% of the students surveyed said they worked full-time, and 25% reported having multiple jobs while in school.³ Here are some of the potential advantages and disadvantages of being a worker who goes to school.

Pros	Cons
You earn an income while going to school, which can help you pay your bills while still working toward your degree.	It requires consistent effort and discipline to work and go to school, especially if you are also caring for a family.
You can develop skills that may be transferable to future healthcare roles, such as those related to communication and customer service.	If you don’t have a lot of support at home, you may find it difficult to manage all your obligations and work toward a degree in the healthcare field.
You learn how to manage your time, which can be helpful in multiple areas of life.	You may have days when you feel exhausted, and your social life can feel nonexistent.
You can still work on building a solid relationship with your current employer, which may lead to a positive work reference or job referral.	If your job is full-time or requires you to work overtime, it can be challenging to find the time to complete your schoolwork, too.
You may become a source of inspiration for family and friends to pursue their own career dreams and goals, even if it’s hard.	Your work schedule may conflict with your school schedule, putting you in a position where you must choose between the two.

8 Tips for Working Nights While Going to School

If you decide to pursue your degree while working at night, there are several actions you can take to help you navigate and maybe even enjoy the educational process.

1. Focus on what you can gain. When faced with a major decision, it can be easy to look more heavily at the cons than the pros. That’s because our brain tends to prioritize negative thoughts.⁴ But you don’t have to let your fears stop you from pursuing your career goals. Instead of focusing on all the challenges of going back to school, think about what you could gain. Consider how your family’s life may change if you earn a degree, or how fulfilled you may feel to work in a field that you’re passionate about. You can use this to motivate you to take the next step.
2. Visualize your academic success. Mentally visualizing positive outcomes at school can help improve focus, enhance memory, and reduce stress and anxiety.⁵ It’s such a powerful tool that Olympic champions use it to help them train for their sport between physical training sessions.⁶ To do it, find a quiet place, close your eyes, and visualize yourself succeeding as a student. Imagine yourself studying for and then acing a test, for instance. Play different scenarios in your mind that end with you succeeding each time.
3. Schedule your time. If you’re juggling work and school, time can slip away from you and deadlines can be missed. To help you stay on track, create a schedule that includes your work obligations, study sessions, and school assignment due dates. This allows you to see what you need to get done each week, which can reduce the odds that something important will slip through the cracks. (Add home obligations to your schedule to keep track of those, too.)
4. Pencil in some downtime. When you’re excited about pursuing a new career path, it can be tempting to fill every extra minute with schoolwork. However, if you don’t regularly give yourself some downtime, you may burn out. Make room in your schedule for hobbies, time with family and friends, and anything else you enjoy. This can help give your brain and body time to relax, in addition to giving you something to look forward to.
5. Prioritize sleep. One challenge of working nights and going to healthcare school is that you may find it difficult to get enough sleep.However, getting sufficient sleep is a healthy lifestyle habit that can both enhance academic performance and help alleviate academic stress.⁷ When working nights, the Cleveland Clinic recommends that you keep your bedroom dark and cool to help you get quality sleep, and use “Do Not Disturb” mode on your phone so your sleep isn’t interrupted by notifications or calls.⁸
6. Set academic goals. If you worry about staying on track with school while working, setting academic goals can help. Goals can inspire action because they give you something to work toward. They can also be good motivators when you don’t feel like putting in the work (which can happen to any of us). Academic goals can be action-based, such as committing to studying an hour every day, or outcome-based, like setting a goal to earn a B or higher in each of your individual courses.
7. Take classes online. Work and class schedules don’t always align. One option is to work at night and go to school during the day. Another is to earn your degree online. Taking online courses can enable you to do your schoolwork during the time of day you want: before work, during your lunch break, or at night, when the kids are in bed. As long as you meet coursework deadlines, you can decide what time of day to do your studies.
8. Surround yourself with support. An American Psychological Association study found that people who feel supported by others tend to experience positive educational outcomes (along with having better mental and physical health and improved work performance).⁹ Reach out to people you trust and tell them what type of support you’d like as a working learner. The school you attend may offer support as well. For instance, Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) offers numerous student services to support learners academically, in addition to providing career services once it’s time to start the job search.

Success Stories to Help Keep You Motivated

If you’re still concerned about your ability to work while going to school, it may help to hear from others who’ve earned their degrees while holding down a job (or two).

Online Allied Healthcare Degree Programs With Student Support

Ultimate Medical Academy understands the working learner and the challenges they face. In addition to offering online associate degree programs in healthcare, we also provide academic and career support. If you have questions about the financial aid process, need help with assignments, or want assistance preparing a resume or getting ready for a job interview, our caring and compassionate team members are here to assist.

Contact us and let’s talk about how we can support you throughout your educational journey. You don’t have to pursue your healthcare career alone. We’re here to walk with you.

FAQs

• Can I balance night shift work with attending healthcare school? Everyone is different, but some people work nights while pursuing a degree in the healthcare field. Creating a schedule, prioritizing sleep, taking online classes, and surrounding yourself with support can help you manage life as an adult learner who works nights.
• What are some online healthcare programs for people working nights? Ultimate Medical Academy offers several online programs in the healthcare field that can prepare you to pursue entry-level positions in fields such as health and human services, healthcare management, healthcare accounting, and more. If you’re not sure which program could be a good fit, let us know. We can talk about your interests, options, and goals to help you decide the career path you want to follow.
• Why should I earn my degree in the healthcare field at UMA? Ultimate Medical Academy prioritizes academic and career support. Many of our learners face challenges when working toward their degree. If you do too, we want to help you be a successful student. Our Student Services and Career Services team members are dedicated to your academic success and job search.