Out of the frying pan, into the fire?

On the last page of the Student BMJ earlier this year was an advert for a seminar held by a recruitment agency: “Alternative careers in management consulting, investment banking, and the pharmaceutical industry.” It struck a nerve. These are areas I had considered a few years back, when I was contemplating what to do after my first degree.

I took a masters degree in medicinal chemistry, and after my penultimate year I knew that I did not wish to continue to a doctorate. Uncertain as to what I wanted to do, I decided to try my hand at something completely different, away from the world of science. I attended a course that exposed me to different careers in finance—management consulting, investment banking, and the like. I loved the buzz of the City, London's financial hub, and so applied to a handful of banks and secured an internship with Goldman Sachs, a big US firm, which subsequently offered me a full time position after graduation, which I accepted.

Working for a blue chip company as an analyst had its advantages—travelling the world, meeting top management, and making a handsome wage for a graduate. The amount of money made in the City is extraordinary. It is a very different job from those in medicine, but both worlds are as esoteric.

Working as a junior analyst in equities also meant long hours, on average 12-14 hours a day. This was the norm, but we worked more if we were in reporting season, when companies deliver their financial results to eagerly anticipating investors. And I studied for professional exams …