Prescribing Change: A Pharmacist’s journey into the world of Business Analysis.
Having graduated with a First Class Honours in Pharmacy, I never thought I would see myself pursuing a career in IT consultancy. However, sometimes life leads you down an unexpected path!
Like many other healthcare workers, having worked through the Covid pandemic in community pharmacies, a vaccine centre, and a hospital I found myself looking for a career with a better work life balance. When researching alternative careers, I was particularly drawn to the IT industry due to the variety of roles available.
I joined Version 1 as an associate consultant in April 2022, having completed a ten week Digital Skills Academy run by Belfast Metropolitan College. The Digital Futures course provided me with the opportunity to gain industry recognised qualifications with an emphasis on Cloud Technologies. Through Version 1’s partnership with Belfast Metropolitan College, I was given the exciting opportunity to join the growing Version 1 team. Given my previous work experience has predominantly been in healthcare settings, I was unsure what to expect from the corporate world of working. However, if you are in a similar situation and are considering a career change to IT, my advice is to go for it!
I spent the first few months getting up to speed with my new project with the support of my Version 1 colleagues. I found the Business Analyst (BA) role particularly appealing as I knew I would have transferable skills from my career in Pharmacy that would be invaluable as a BA. As a pharmacist attention to detail is vital and I find the same is true in the BA role. It is vitally important the requirements are thoroughly understood and clearly documented. My experience of communicating with different stakeholders did not begin with my BA career but in fact as a pharmacist it is imperative that complex medical terms from prescribers are clearly communicated in a language that patients understand. This includes both written and oral communication. My strong communication skills help me to convey technical information to non-technical stakeholders and to facilitate effective collaboration. Other transferable skills included time management/task prioritisation, problem solving skills and analytical skills, which are common skills required for many different professions.
However, like with all change there were challenges that I had to overcome. For example, when I first joined my project, I found the technical language difficult to understand. This made it challenging when trying to understand what the technical solutions were for requested changes. To overcome this, I found keeping a glossary of common terms and their meanings particularly useful and like with most things you quickly pick up the language when it is used on a daily basis. It is also important to not be afraid to ask questions and embrace your mistakes as learning opportunities.
Version 1 has provided a supportive and welcoming environment which has allowed me to learn and develop. I am almost two years into my career change to a BA and I have learnt many new skills during this time. I look forwards to discovering what the next two years have instore for me as I continue to progress my career with Version 1.
My five top tips when looking to change careers are:
1. Do your research — find out what role suits you and your skills. This will make the transition easier for you.
2. Be open to learning new skills — this will allow you to explore a wider range of opportunities and job roles.
3. Do not be afraid to ask for support when needed.
4. Network — it is a wonderful way to meet new people and seek out new opportunities.
5. Believe in yourself and your abilities.
If this post resonates with you, have a look, and see what opportunities are available with Version 1 today. It could be the best decision you make! More details on available roles can be found via this link : https://www.version1.com/Careers/ .
About the Author:
Lucy Geddis is an Associate Consultant at Version 1.
