AIBU to do a Masters degree, and if so, what?

[AwkwardPaws27]

I've just finished my degree (1st class BSc Hons in Biomedicine from a not-so-good uni), completed over 4 years around full-time work.

I have a place on a graduate scheme, but deferred for a year as I was pregnant but unfortunately have miscarried. I can't rejoin the scheme this year, and I'm wobbling a bit over whether it is the right path (accountancy).

I also feel a bit lost; after four busy years, I now have this year of nothing. I'm considering doing an MSc via distance learning around work - maybe something like epidemiology, microbiology or public health?

I preferred the research, analysis and data in my degree, less keen on practical lab work. I have no idea where I'm going career-wise, I have mainly worked in admin roles. My mental health is a bit shit at the moment but I think having something to focus on will be better.

I was going for accountancy as I'm good with figures, can draw meaning from data, and it's a stable, well paid career but although I know my way round/quite like a good spreadsheet, I'm not passionate about accounting.

However, if I do an MSc it needs to be something that makes me more employable. As much as I'd love to study diseases of the Victorian era, I doubt it'll pay my mortgage. Any suggestions? Is studying epidemiology madness?

wHEN YOU SAY GRADUATE SCHEME IN ACCOUNTANCY WHAT DO YOU MEAN? (sorry caps)

I did my chartered accountancy qualification (ACCA-sponsored through my work) and now have moved from management accounts to analytics which is far more enjoyable for me and well paid. ACCA is really interesting as it looks at so many aspects of high level business such as law, ethics, peperformance management etc. It is very very hard though (equivalent to a masters and it took me 5 years)

Do you mind me asking what might either a stupid or obvious question - why did you do a degree in Biomedicine then decide accountancy was a path forward. Surely you should have done a numbers based degree?

Public Health, but I would say that because thats what I hope to do my masters in (still on BSc). It does pay well in that field.

why did you do a degree in Biomedicine then decide accountancy was a path forward. Surely you should have done a numbers based degree

You don't even need A level maths to be an accountant. My husband started training as an accountant with a history degree although he changed career early on.

OP I would look for a MSc in your field because even if you are going into accountancy you don't know if you will want to stay in it longterm and another string to our bow could be very helpful. Can you still get onto a Masters at this point in the year?

I suspect you might be leaping around because of recent sad events? Is now the right time to be making big decisions? The Open University offers lots of short courses, most free via OpenLearn. Perhaps give yourself the rest of the year to regroup and do a selection of courses that interest you to keep your mind busy. Then you can make a more informed decision about what route you want to go in the future.

I start an online MSc in September in clinical microbiology at the university of Nottingham xx

Sorry I should have said it's part time over three years, my work are paying for it as I've no micro experience but was only microbiology course (other than Edinburgh that cost ,£££) that was distance learning

whothedaddy a scheme open to graduates - you are employed for 4 years and work for the employer, they pay for either ACA/ACCA/CIMA which you do as day/block release.

IAskTooManyQuestions I did a CertHE as I was considering becoming a vet but had no A Levels - I did a load of work experience as well and ended up declining my veterinary medicine interviews as it wasn't a good fit (high suicide rate/burnout being a key factor).

probstimeforanewname not taught degrees, but distance learning is still open to applications.

WeirdCatLady the OU short courses don't lead to an actual qualification though, so I'm not sure they will make me feel that I haven't wasted a year.

IAskTooManyQuestions sorry didn't fully answer that!! Because I got high marks in the CertHE the university offered me direct access into the second year of their BioMed degree. I didn't have a degree, really enjoyed the CertHE, and so continued it alongside work.

kshaw what's your job, if you don't mind saying? That sounds like an interesting course.

I'd second the PP recommending public health if you like analytics etc.

I have a friend who read history and became a partner in an accountancy firm - she specialised in tax as she liked the nitty gritty of reading legislation but is probably the least numerate person I know.

It does make me smile when people talk about accountancy being all about numbers. It isn't- Of course there are spreadsheets and stupidly complicated formulae...it is mostly about process and an eye for detail, being able to audit and pick apart what is given to you to give a better view of what is really meant. you are an ACCOUNTant not a COUNTant

I’d always say to get work experience in an area you’re interested in before committing to a masters. Especially if you’re wobbly. (Work in Careers in HE)

What about applying for the NHS Scientist Training Programme in which you study for a masters at the same time? Probably closed for 2019 but worth a go for 2020?

If you can get onto a masters course that starts this September then go for it in whatever you enjoy. I would still do the grad scheme as it will get you the qualifications and can lead to other careers later on. You can always do another masters after.

Medicine? You could always go into public health after that, and the pay is much better for medics in public health than for others.

Accountancy isn't really about numbers, or at least it doesn't have to be. The numbers are just the language to express or the tool to achieve more interesting things. As soon as you start progressing it becomes less about numbers. If you went into the profession hoping for a lifetime of number crunching you'd probably be disappointed.

ACA or ACCA would both be gateways to all kinds of specialisms - a pp mentioned tax which is a good example of one where the numbers are almost incidental. You could be working with businesses to build, corporate finance, financial planning, tax (and there are a multitude of specialisms within tax), charity sector, R&D, patents, insolvency/restructuring... People also go off into training, consultancy, launching their own business...

Charity sector is an example of an area that can be really fulfilling as you feel like you're making a difference supporting a charitable organisation to achieve its aims. The kinds of people you'd work with, esp in smaller charities, often don't have the same skills and experience as in businesses so really benefit from working alongside you and value the input you can have.

Are you aware if you took the ACCA route you can do a Master's alongside your qualification?

All of that said, a year spent taking care of yourself and finding value in your day to day life, being happy about a beautiful moment today rather than deferring your happiness into the future with a focus on "when I complete this course I'll feel happy...", building yourself up to start your graduate scheme, feeling confident in your next steps, having time and space to explore different interests without the pressure of exams and deadlines and pass marks... is not a year wasted. Even if you don't get a certificate out of it. Your life is about more than the qualifications you accumulate and the rungs on a ladder you climb.

You'll spend 3 to 4 years doing exams and studying around work if you take up your training spot. Having a year before you start as a total break from all of that could be so precious.

I did ACA as part of a grad scheme with one of the big4. I'm also not at all passionate about accounting (and don't really know many who are...)

I used it to secure a solid role in finance at a big international firm and then to move into strategy. So no actual accounting in my role, but it helped me massively with the route I took. There are lots of routes you can take that ACA is a great foundation for. I've definitely found it to be better respected than ACCA and CIMA in moving out of pure accounting/finance roles too.

It was hard work but you pretty much know what salary you're guaranteed each year post qualification which was the main appeal to me.

Thanks all, so useful insights here. I am very aware accounting is not just numbers sorry for not making that clear in my first post.

Logistria I'd be training in the public sector and would really like to work for a charity in future (whether as an accountant or something else). I take you point about a year of self-care, I guess I'm a bit scared that it'll take a lot more than a year to sort out my anxiety.

TequilaMockingbird0 it interesting that you moved into strategy - in my current role I do a lot of KPI collating & reportiy that informs strategic planning, and find it quite interesting.

I am a lab manager within teaching labs at a university (not uni of Nottingham) I don't have a micro background and we do a lot of micro work so I want to bring my knowledge up in line with the rest of my team

If you're interested in the research/analytics/informatics side of things and want to continue working with numbers and data look at Data Science/bioimformatics Masters. There are a number that are distance learning. I work as an analyst and it's a growth area - combines numbers, problem solving and research!

I have to say working with charities has probably been one of the highlights of my career for me. Having an internal finance related role opened doors I hadn't known were there. If you were looking at dipping into charity sector roles alongside your employed role when you get further along the road, lots of charities are keen for trustees and other volunteers with finance skills.

As for the anxiety, try to just focus on right now rather than getting sucked into worrying how things will look a year from now. An awful lot can change in a year and you don't know how things will be, but I'm sure you'll be able to respond to it when the time arrives. Worrying now won't change it (except to make you more anxious which undermines the self care!).

I appreciate it's easy for me to say that though!

Logistria that's really helpful. Finishing my degree was a huge achievement and I feel a bit lost without it.
I need to learn to have guilt free self-care, and not be so hung up on what my life will look like in a year. I thought I'd be a year into an accounting qualification, then I thought I'd have a newborn, and now there's just this big empty space.

Look at Clinical Scientist positions

www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-training/graduate-training-opportunities/nhs-scientist-training-programme

Bioinformatics could be right up your street. Or go into NHS as a biomedical scientist as there are many opportunities to get further study paid while working

You say you can "draw meaning from data" - if you enjoy doing this, can you find a MSc in medical statistics for people without a first degree in maths? Eg the one at Strathclyde?

MereDintofPandiculation that course looks really interesting, buy you need an A Level in Maths and I don't have A Levels unfortunately.

Thanks for the suggestions by multiple posters about bioinformatics / data science / NHS scientist programme. I am going to look into this in more detail.