Master’s degree – 3 reasons I’m glad I didn’t do it

There are several factors that contributed to why I didn’t do my Master’s degree. However, a big reason was my lack of interest (and probably a lack of understanding as well). Both in high school and university. I think it’s because I didn’t have enough exposure to fully appreciate it.

Then in 4th year, I had the opportunity to work on a year-long, wet lab research project. This experience made me realize that research wasn’t for me. At least back then. And I’m so grateful because it saved me from doing a Master’s degree, which I considered many times – but for the wrong reasons. Here are 3 reasons I’m glad I didn’t do my Master’s degree.

1. I wanted to do a Master’s degree to “keep up” with peers

One of the reasons I considered doing a Master’s degree was to “keep up” with my peers. I didn’t want to seem like I had “fallen behind”. When I graduated from university, I felt insecure about the trajectory of my life, and I wasn’t sure about the next steps. So I’d look at what my peers were doing in hopes of finding inspiration.

Some classmates got into medical school right away, some got jobs in Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies, and others were doing master’s degrees. So I considered doing the same. Fortunately (or unfortunately), the memories of my lacklustre performance during my research project were etched into my mind. So, although I didn’t know what to do after graduating, those memories reminded me that I definitely didn’t want to do research.

If I didn’t have the research experience during 4th year, I might have pursued a postgrad degree just for the sake of keeping up with my peers. Which was the wrong reason.

2. I was too burnt out to do a Master’s degree

Another reason I’m glad I didn’t pursue a second degree is that I was exhausted from undergrad. But I didn’t know it then. I lacked the insight to even recognize the signs of burnout and to understand why. This was a certain recipe for disaster.

Whenever I considered doing a Master’s degree, it was in the hopes of getting into medical school. I thought it might help my grades and bolster my application. But given the circumstances, I know now that I would have been unable to put in the effort needed to do well in a Master’s program and have a meaningful experience. So those 2 years wouldn’t have helped my GPA (or me) become more competitive for Canadian medical schools. And since I didn’t enjoy research at that time, these factors would have further fuelled my frustrations, feelings of inadequacy, and exhaustion.

Surprisingly, by not doing a Master’s degree and stepping away from school, I was able to become a better student. I was forced to reflect on what didn’t go well and why, which helped me identify areas that I could really work on. In that process, I eventually started to learn how to learn and prioritized habits that can help with learning. Like exercise, Which ended up helping with other things, like managing stress and having more energy. And I really think exercise is a big reason why I was able to avoid burnout in my first term of medical school.

3. I gained other meaningful experiences

Finally, by not doing a Master’s, I gained “real-world” experiences and insights in the corporate world that I would not have gained in academia. For example, I learned about taxes, some of the ways that people use their money to make more money, and the challenges of running a business. This knowledge and exposure will be helpful in the future since I’ve started to consider a business-integrated career in medicine. Which, honestly, I never would or even could have considered prior to my work experience.

I also learned to work with a wide range of personalities and in different team settings. I thought I knew what this looked like because of my volunteer and extracurricular involvement throughout high school and undergrad. But, I learned through that job that it’s a whole new ball game in a work setting where what you do, or don’t do, affects someone’s bottom line (their money).

Although these experiences aren’t directly related to medicine, they were important to my personal growth. These lessons made me more well-rounded. And I know they’ll be helpful in navigating the complex healthcare landscape during my clinical rotations and residency.

More importantly, this time away from school helped me realize that I enjoy learning and being in an academic environment. This is what pushed me back to medicine. I know for sure that I would not have gained this appreciation had I continuously been in school.

Any regrets?

There were many times I questioned my decision to not pursue postgrad studies, especially whenever I compared myself to peers. However, as vague as this may sound, it never felt like the right decision for me. Even when I did consider it, the timing never seemed to work out. And since I gained so much during my time away from school, I don’t regret my decision.

Especially now having completed my first term of medical school, I know a Master’s degree wouldn’t have been particularly helpful. Perhaps I would have had more knowledge about a certain topic. But that knowledge alone isn’t enough to do well in medical school.

In fact, some classmates who did Master’s degrees or had extensive clinical experience sort of came in with this expectation that they would do really well. But they ending up struggling because they overlooked the importance of other things. Like knowing how to study effectively and being consistent. And those factors are key to doing well in medical school.

Takeaways

Ultimately, I’ve realized that everyone has their own path and timeline in life. Now, I really try to avoid comparing myself to others because it only leads to frustration and disappointment. It can also lead to making decisions that aren’t right for me. Instead, I’ve learned that it’s more valuable to compare myself to me from a year ago, or 2 years ago. To see what I’ve learned and how I’ve grown in that time. That’s the only meaningful comparison.

Is there anything you’ve chosen not to do that ended up helping your academics or other life decisions?

-M

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