Reflections of a medical student’s introduction to life as a health economist

by Josh Szymanis

As a fourth-year medical student, health economics is a topic that has been mentioned numerous times, but I would not consider myself to have been particularly well exposed to it. I understood the importance of it and how it is used, but nothing about how the information and data is generated.

The first half of my fourth year consisted of lecture-based teaching, and the second of Student Selected Components (SSCs) – six-week placements in fields largely of my choosing. After two clinical placements, I decided I wanted to branch out and experience something wholly different to my peers. However, I had no idea in mind of what that might look like. This led me to an SSC described as “health services research” which I thought sounded both suitably diverse compared to previous SSCs and non-necessitating of ward rounds.

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