Sarah Leask always had an interest in STEM subjects, particularly mathematics. This interest pushed her to complete a double Bachelor in Math and Science (Chemistry) after finishing high school. After 17 years in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry, Sarah decided it was time for a change.

“I decided to return to university to do a Master of Medical Statistics with the aim of making a career change,” she said.

Realising she didn’t want to stay in the same job for another 30 years, Sarah took the leap of faith to change her career.

“I decided I wanted to take on a new challenge and learn new skills that complemented the skill set I already had and my career to date. I had always wanted to use my math background, so biostatistics seemed like a natural choice,” she said.

The flexibility of an online program allowed Sarah to still be present as a mum and working.

“A friend recommended I take the Master of Medical Statistics. When I looked further into it, the flexibility of online, part-time study meant I could feasibly undertake this while working and being a mum,” she said.

Since taking on this new study, Sarah has secured a role within the industry. Believing this was supported by her study, Sarah hopes to solidify her knowledge and continue to work within the field.

“The program has very much supported me in pursuing a new career path. My goal is to solidify my knowledge through the master's and gain more confidence working in medical statistics,” she said.

Reflecting on the crossover between her coursework and career, Sarah regularly refers to her course work throughout her daily life. This connection has further highlighted the importance of her study and the real-life skills this is providing.

“I refer to the course notes for guidance on how best to approach analyses. The course being entirely online means it’s all there for me to refer to,” she said.

A highlight for Sarah throughout her program has been the relatability of her teachers and the way in which they were able to incorporate their own experiences into courses, making content seem more relatable.

“Lecturers provided information from multiple sources as well as adding insights from their own learnings providing a more practical view to the theoretical work. A lot of the learning was through worked exercises which really helped to get my head around new ideas,” she said.

Recalling the structure of the program, Sarah enjoyed the progression of learning and how this was incorporated into her career.

“Each semester built on the knowledge gained from the previous, often with subjects taken at the same time-sharing similar characteristics, meaning that what was learnt in one subject reinforced the subject matter in the other,” she said.

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Sarah Leask

After working in the veterinary pharamaceutical industry, Sarah Leask decided it was time for a change. Discovering the Master of Medical Statistics was just what she was looking for.

A friend recommended I take the Master of Medical Statistics. When I looked further into it, the flexibility of online, part-time study meant I could feasibly undertake this while working and being a mum.

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