Good evening Jarus,
I’m terribly sorry to barge uninvited into your DM, but all other efforts at contacting you, including trying to send you mails from your JarusHub mail link, have failed. I got your contact from a WhatsApp webinar you were invited to by Unilorin. I’ll be brief. I’m XXX, a final year student of Microbiology, XXX University I’ve written my final exams, and I would likely be graduating with a 2:1.
I have completed the ICAN ATS program and I’m currently preparing for the Skills stage. I started ICAN because of your advice on Nairaland and JarusHub about Accounting and Finance being viable career paths for people from diverse academic backgrounds.
To be honest Sir, I’m a bit confused, and in dire need of your experienced guidance. I’ve found ICAN amazing so far, but my parents are more inclined towards me going back for medicine and surgery. I clocked 20 years old recently. I found the medical-related aspects of my undergraduate degree quite challenging, but not completely horrible. I believe I could do either Finance or Medicine, but I just need your expert advice.
The prospect of going on to a big 4 firm after ICAN and my NYSC seems very appealing, but I don’t know if that path would be better than going back to school for another 6 years to do Medicine. I hope you’d see this and advice a struggling young man.
Thank you for being such a huge inspiration to thousands of Nigerian youths who look up to you.
Thanks in anticipation.
Joe
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Dear Joe
I ran this through my trusted fellow professionals and here are the top advice:
This guy seems more inclined towards finance but pressure from his parents will not permit. He may not find fulfilment in medicine and may not probably not do well in medical profession.He should go ahead with career in finance.
He should try as much as possible to convince his parents why he chooses this path, I pray his parents will reasoning with the gentleman. Parent often make mistake in choosing career for their children by forcing it on them and in most cases it ends in bad result.
Everything about him and even the story show that he has undiluted PASSION for Finance. His natural skills strengths also point to this fact. Analysing his presentation posted above has shown that he prefers Finance to Medicine. Obviously, he is going to be a better Accountant than a Medical Doctor. But considering his age and opportunities on his side, I would have advised Medicine. At least he can be an accountant via professional exams at anytime. But his attitude towards being an Accountant far outweighs his interest in Medicine.
Give medicine a shot, complete your ICAN later, God willing.
If I were him, I will do finance.
Reasons: The passion for finance is already clear from the message. The very fact that he has an option in a finance career is already a distraction because he will likely not give his best in medical school and even that in itself is a problem.
If medicine is not his decision and being forced by parents, he will not enjoy medical school and the practice of medicine. And if he does not enjoy the studying and practice, he might end up having problems in medical school.
Those problems like resit and repeat or even withdrawal from medical school are not good for mental health and self-confidence that may even affect him in other endeavours in the future.
With problems in medical school, he might spend more than six years. That six years is a good time to have progressed in his finance career.
Also, medicine is not as rewarding financially compared to finance. You give in so much to medicine (more than your time and brain, you also give emotions and sometimes your life as many recent outbreaks have proven) but the society (even outside Nigeria) does not reward you enough.
The consolation is that you have helped someone recover from sick bed and maybe the prestige. Again, if I were him, I will pursue a career in finance.
The last contribution is from a medical doctor.
My personal advice to you is that you should convince your parents that they should allow you go the path of Finance. You are enjoying accounting. I think that is the best route for you.
All the best.
Jarus
