The advice zone

Is it advisable to study for a clinical master of science degree between finishing a preregistration house officer year and starting a senior house officer year?

Taking time out to complete a masters may be beneficial later when it comes to applying for a national training number in your chosen specialty. The bottleneck in career progression nowadays is at that level so extra qualifications are important in ensuring that you manage to get onto the shortlists for national training numbers.

If you have the opportunity to do this after completing registration it will not harm your career to do a masters, since you will not damage your chances of getting a good senior house officer post and it may well improve them.

It is important that the subject of the masters degree that you plan to do compliments any firm ideas that you may have at this stage about the field that you ultimately wish to specialise in. If you are not set at this …