I shouldn't take you that long MOST collages offer a 2+2 program/s the prerequisite classes are something of a bother but about a year should cover it (full time of course). My suggestion is skip the middleman and go to werk for yourself it pays so much more...
I'm working while I take the prereqs. I wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise (i'm working at a university to get tuition discounts). So, at most I can only take one class per semester (I tried two at first, and had to drop one, I was just waaay too tired all the time).
Then Imma take out a massive loan when I enroll in the actual program.
Seeing as how I wasn't thinking "health care" my first run through college, I didn't take anything useful to me now. So I'm having to take all the basic science classes required. So it's probably going to take me about 2+ years to get prereqs finished. I'm already two courses in, but this semester, and next, have been put on hold due to other life priorities. Come spring I'll be back on track, though.
As far as working for myself, I hear that's the way to go (with any job, really). But I don't know that I have much of an entrepreneurial spirit. I really don't know how I would even get started. I think I would need to be part of someone else's gig, that already has a game plan. Maybe after I have experience in the field, I would be able to start something up.