By 30, Chabely Rodriguez had combined smart career choices with wise debt management to earn a six-figure income—without an MD.
The CAA pathway
Chabely Rodriguez graduated from Brooklyn College with a chemistry degree, drawn to pharmacology and clinical research. While she appreciated advancing science, she wanted something where she saw an immediate, direct impact on patients. Upon shadowing a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA), she concluded this specialty afforded the “perfect blend of real-time decision-making, procedural skills, and patient advocacy” without the burden of years and financial investments required for medical school.
Training and certification
Instead of enrolling in an MD or DO program, Rodriguez completed the necessary science prerequisites and enrolled in a master’s-level CAA program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). After graduation, she passed the certification exam to become a CAA.
The CAA practice involves working under anesthesiologist supervision and performing tasks related to patient assessments, induction of anesthesia, airway management, drug administration, and post-anesthesia care—their work mirrors the responsibility of physician anesthesiologists but on a focused cooperative team-based model.
Transition into high-earning contract roles
Initially salary-based on a nine-hour-a-day basis, Rodriguez earned approximately $200,000 per annum on additional hours and 24-hour shifts. In 2024, she shifted to traveling CAA contracts—those short-term assignments across states which suffer staffing shortages. Contracts offer better hourly rates and tax-advantaged contracting status, enabling her to reach more than $300,000 in annual income, while enjoying the flexibility to take extended weeks off between contracts.
Earnings breakdown
Chabely’s six-figure income involves multiple elements:
- Base pay from contract assignments
- Overtime premiums and Shift differentials on nights, weekends, and holidays
- Performance bonuses according to department needs and case volume
By maintaining overtime at bay and sticking to less than 40 contracted hours per week, she mechanized a work-life balance nevertheless maintaining the $300,000 threshold.
Strategic debt repayment and financial planning
Rodriguez aimed from the start to keep education costs low, attending a less expensive undergraduate institution and a CAA program at a reasonable cost. Upon finishing school, she proceeded with a complex repayment strategy for all her debts:
- Go aggressive: Applied all her financial energy to rapid student-loan repayment, clearing almost $124,000 in loans within the first year after graduation.
- Refinancing and auto-pay discounts: Refinanced private loans to lower interest rates and set them up for automatic withdrawal to minimize interest burden and monthly payment.
- Redistribution into investments: When debt-free, redirect 40 percent of gross income into brokerage and retirement accounts, increasing her portfolio to $500,000 by January 2025.
Balancing income and well-being
Contracting and overtime may pay well, but they also raise the stakes for burnout. To protect her mental health, Rodriguez:
- Sets her maximum hours each week once she meets her financial goals
- Has quarterly mental-health days scheduled
- Explores travel and outdoor interests between contracts
This intentional plan makes it possible for her to “earn more without killing herself,” leveraging long-term sustainability.
Advice for potential candidates in healthcare
The life of Chabely Rodriguez offers insights into alternate routes of earning big money in health care:
- Investigate Specialized Allied roles: Positions like that of a CAA typically command almost physician salaries through expedited graduate programs.
- Use contracts for flexibility: Travel contracts enhance income while offering variation in location.
- Make early debt payoff an objective: Paying off loans early clears the decks for early investments and amassing wealth.
Pursuing the CAA route, getting into contract work, and doing a great job of managing her debt has been the journey by which Chabely Rodriguez has seen her earnings rise to above $300,000 by age 30-without spending an enormous fortune on medical school tuition or her time in residency training. Her story demonstrates that with good choices and a plan for achieving them, there are lucrative and satisfying careers beyond the conventional route for physicians.
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