Lane Changer - Michelle Simmons, straddling two lanes in her mid-40s

Michelle Simmons' Career Evolution

• 💡 Michelle Simmons transitioned from a classical singing career to a Master's in Speech Language Pathology (SLP) in her mid-40s.
• 📌 Her interest in swallowing issues was sparked by her grandfather's esophageal cancer and later reinforced by a personal loss.
• 🎤 While singers often switch to SLP for voice issues, Simmons' focus was on compromised swallowing.

Early Musical Foundations

• 🎶 Simmons began her musical journey in Newfoundland, studying piano and classical voice at Memorial University.
• 🎓 She pursued a Master's in Music at the University of Toronto, launching a career as a freelance singer.
• 💼 To support her music, she secured a "bread and butter" administrative job at a non-profit music school for 15 years, which accommodated her performance schedule.

Pivoting to a New Lane

• 🚀 Facing financial sustainability concerns in her mid-30s, Simmons decided to explore a new career path.
• 🩺 She initially considered medical school, even taking the MCAT and interviewing for a program, but was not accepted.
• 📚 Simmons then pursued a two-year SLP Master's program at the University of Toronto, feeling like an "old fart" among younger health science students.

Navigating Pandemic and New Opportunities

• 🦠 The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her SLP degree, delaying mandatory practicums.
• 🔬 This led her to a final practicum in clinical research, which subsequently opened a part-time, then full-time, job opportunity.
• ✅ Her current role is in clinical research, utilizing her SLP designation, which she finds fulfilling.

Balancing Passions and Future Outlook

• 🎤 Despite the pandemic impacting her singing career, Simmons returned to church choir singing and recently performed her first recital in years.
• ✨ She is grateful to straddle two lanes, enjoying both her clinical research and her musical performances.
• 🧠 Simmons expresses no regrets about her career changes, valuing the financial stability and different set of worries her SLP career provides.