Stephanie
Any ideas on grad school?
I have a BS Degree in health care administration. Always considered being a pharmacist, however, after working in a pharmacy - I decided it was not for me. I want to advance in my education and get a Master's Degree, but do not know what to major in. I feel like I am wasting my time. I thought about dentistry, physician assistant, or even going to get my MBA. I am leaning more towards my MBA, #college #health #healthcare #college-major
but I do not know how to incorporate science into it.
2 answers
Gretchen Kinder
Gretchen’s Answer
Are you looking for advice on which grad school to go for your chosen field, or whether you should go to graduate school at all?
I earned two degrees - Community Organizing and Public Health - from Boston University. While I use the skills and values I learned every day in my job, I wouldn't say I'm working as a Public Health Social Worker today. In fact, I got burned out pretty quickly after spending four years in grad school. This is particularly important if you are paying for it yourself or with the help of loans.
If you are trying to decide if you should go to graduate school at all, my recommendation is that you seek some job experience before to figure out (a) what you really want to do/achieve through your work, and (b) what skills you need to get there. From there, it might be easier to decide if graduate school is the answer. If it is, you might have some direction now.
Building on Gretchen's comment... I think if you are questioning it, you should really consider waiting until you decide what you want to do with it. If you do the work/experience route before grad school, you may find an employer that offers tuition assistance/reimbursement. If you start with grad school, you may not like the major that you chose and have wasted time and money unnecessarily. Decide what you want to do and then figure out what it requires. Best wishes!
Linda Francis, CTAL-TM, CTFL-AT
Gretchen Kinder
Gretchen’s Answer
Sounds like you are asking all the right questions of yourself. I would humbly suggest you not pursue a degree in a technical career (e.g., dentistry or PA) unless you are 100% committed to that as your career path. You could end up feeling like the degree was a waste of your time if you realize that isn't where your passion lies.
In my experience, an MBA is a strong, all-around graduate degree. And there are certainly programs where you can integrate science and healthcare.
I still think it makes sense to ask yourself why you want a graduate degree at all. I've known successful CEOs who had only a high school diploma! I earned my degrees to give me a credential that would open doors - and it definitely worked. I also gained valuable skills that I still use 22 years after finishing my graduate studies. I also have lifelong friends from my graduate programs.