"What now?" at the end of your undergraduate degree. Maybe Health Psychology holds the answer...
Hi everyone
Welcome to our next edition of the Pathways to Psychology blog. Today we hear from Lauren Moore, who is just about to complete her Master's degree in Health Psychology. Lauren spoke about that confounding question many people face at the end of their undergraduate studies- what next? which path shall I follow? We hope you will find Lauren's blog entry helpful and inspiring when you make similar difficult decisions.
My journey into the field of Health Psychology
‘What are your plans next?’ – a question most final year students will have been asked.
Just over a year ago I was in this position, coming towards the end of my undergraduate Psychology degree at the University of Manchester and wondering to myself ‘What now?’. As exciting as it was, I felt overwhelmed with the endless possibilities and routes I could take.
I spent time reflecting about what fuelled my excitement for Psychology and where I wanted to explore further. In the first couple of years of my degree I had always aspired for a future career in the field of Forensic Psychology. However, in the final year of my degree, my eyes had been opened to the field of Health Psychology.
Health Psychology was not really known to me until then, however, my love for it grew quickly. In my final year, I chose to study two Health Psychology modules related to health behaviour change and communication in healthcare and I absolutely loved them! I was also passionate about working with people living with physical health conditions as I had experienced close family members living with chronic health conditions and witnessed the impacts this had had on their day-to-day life. Therefore, Health Psychology was a field which particularly appealed to me.
But, what now? I was torn between two career paths. Do I try something new and explore the field of Health Psychology? Or do I stick to my original plan in the field of Forensic Psychology?
After much thought, I went with my heart and applied for a Master’s degree in Health Psychology.
Roll onto now, I am in the final few months of my Master’s degree in Health Psychology and I can happily say I made the right choice for me. Throughout this experience I have learned so much. I have developed skills in research, systematic reviews, and academic writing, as well as expanded my knowledge on various aspects of Health Psychology. I have found particular interest in areas including genomics and screening, healthcare communication, type 1 diabetes and health behaviour change. Additionally, alongside my degree I was fortunate to complete a placement at the Manchester Centre for Health Psychology (MCHP) supporting the dissemination of health psychology research. This was a truly valuable experience and further enhanced my love for the field.
In terms of my career, the degree opened my eyes to the possibility of a future career in research. Before starting my Master’s I had little experience in qualitative research and was not considering a career related to research. However, throughout the course I developed a passion for qualitative research and practiced various forms of thematic analysis. As a result I am now looking into applying for qualitative research assistant jobs with hopes to further develop my skills in this area.
Coming towards the end of my Master’s leaves me with the same question of ‘What now?’ but this time I feel much more excited about my future career. I may not be 100% sure what I am doing next, but I am secure in knowing I am in the right field for me, and I am looking forward to exploring opportunities which come my way!
- Lauren Moore
Thank you Lauren for sharing your thoughts. It is lovely to hear you had found your home with Health Psychology, and we wish you all the very best in the next step of your career!
Maybe you have your own Psychology pathway to share? Get in touch- whether you were a trainee or qualified colleague, we would love to hear from you!
The Pathways team.
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