A lot of people think that everyone in Ivey comes from a business background and is an expert in all things business. I can say from firsthand experience that this is completely untrue. I did my undergrad in Biology, but I somehow still ended up here at Ivey. I knew I still enjoyed aspects of both healthcare and business, but I was looking for a career path to help me combine the two. My first 60 days at Ivey did just that, I was able to join the Ivey Healthcare Connections and learn about the world of healthcare consulting and other business-related careers in healthcare.
I’ll admit, coming from a science background, it was definitely a challenge adjusting to this new way of learning. Despite this, I don’t think I’ve enjoyed my classes more than I have in these past 2 months. I was used to only theory and lecture-based learning so when I started my first day of classes I was surprised to see that majority of the time in class, the students are the ones speaking. I went from only taking notes to now having full discussions in class. It took me a couple of weeks to get adjusted but I look forward to each class and stay engaged, even through the 3-hour classes.
I think my biggest challenge during these first 60 days was reminding myself that I got into this program for a reason and that I am capable of seeing it through and being successful within the program. Since I had very limited business knowledge prior to starting the MSc program I struggled a lot during my first 2 weeks learning all these new terms and concepts being thrown at me. I felt as though I was the only person in the class that was struggling and questioned whether I would be able to even make it through these first couple of months. When classes started up in person and I finally got to talk to my classmates I realized we’re all in the same boat and each of us feels the exact same way. This really helped me refocus and make the most of my time here. I even joined two MSc clubs and had the amazing opportunity to become a student ambassador and share my story with others!
Overall, if I had to sum up my first 60 days in the Ivey MSc program, I would say it’s been it’s been tough, but I’ve never been this sure of my career path and I’m excited for what’s to come!