Hi everyone, I am after some advice. I have read back on this topic so have read many similar posts however am hoping you lovely lot can offer me some advice specific to my situation. I work as a HCP and am currently a third of the way through a related MSc. I don't really know what I want to progress to but I know I don't want to stay in clinical work forever. I think initially I would like to move to a specialist post and then to some kind of think tank type position, perhaps involved in policy making within my field. Maybe interested in lecturing, not sure yet.
Anyway, I saw a funded PhD offered (studentship) in a topic that I am very passionate about. I got very excited and applied and have an interview coming up. I feel sick at the thoughts of this now and am wondering what I have done! I am concerned that actually this will slow down my career progression as it probably isn't necessary for me and means I will have to cut back on clinical work (would hope to still do a shift a week but understand this relies on permission from the funding source).
Would I be crazy to do it, given I don't have my heart set on an academic career? I understand the huge challenges in completing a PhD and I haven't even finished my MSc and would be having to abandon it. I would have preferred to finish it. But it seems unlikely I would ever have an opportunity like this again. Preparing for the interview will be a lot of work and I don't want to waste the interviewers time if I am not fully committed.
However on the other hand I am wondering if I should go for it and in the unlikely event of an offer, decide then what to do?
Such a difficult decision. I would love to hear from others who have been in a similar position. I guess I didn't really expect to even get an interview.