Monique Lucas
Hi everyone! My name is Monique and I am a current second year medical student and a Biomedical Science graduate.
I remember when I started KCL and had little idea of what to expect but was also excited at the prospects of studying at a top university. The Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine has an expansive range of courses each with their own unique teaching facilities and structure. Whilst starting your degree, you may or may not know what your future career plans are and I believe it’s important that universities invest in their students and their career prospects beyond just studies. You don’t need to have a solid career path paved now but use university as a time to also explore career opportunities. At KCL there are a vast amount of career support services available for students and I’ll discuss a few below.
| General tips: |
| Be proactive: take advantage of the services available. Interested in research? Contact your tutors, supervisors or even lecturers who may be conducting research. (KCL has a podcast called Careers in Your Ears aimed at PhD students and research staff from all faculties but it’s highly motivating to listen to students and staff discuss their success and progress in their careers). Check out the NHS Jobs site for temporary bank jobs-this is an easy way to have more clinical exposure for those in clinical degrees. Talk to senior students and staff on their experiences/tips career wise and what advice they wished they knew. |
Where do I start my career search?
I would definitely check out the King’s Careers & Employability service which has a subset of different services such as the King’s CareerConnect where you can be contacted about suitable jobs, internships and courses available. Even if you are beginning university and have little clue about what you want to do in your career, you can use this service to chat with advisors as well as experience CV reviewing and practice interviews with the service team. Even if a job is guaranteed post-graduation, boosting your employability prospects during your time at KCL can distinguish you from other candidates.
Working for the NHS?
Some of us may be planning on working in the NHS in the future and gaining experiences during university can only help but benefit you in your future endeavours.
From being on placements, I’ve experienced the fast-paced busyness of the NHS and being anxious as I was very unexperienced compared to other staff members. However, it’s important to be proactive and gain skills on-the-go to aid you through your training. Some healthcare students opt to work as healthcare assistants to gain more clinical exposure and recently medical students including myself have applied to provide vaccinations against COVID. Being a healthcare student has made me eligible to apply for such jobs alongside gaining more clinical experience.
Lastly, there’s no rush to have a set career plan but it’s useful to have some thoughts on your future plans and potentially make some steps to help strengthen your employability.