Dear Career Advisor:

My life seems a little complicated, but I hope you can help. I graduated from high school a few years ago with four subjects. Since then, I have been assisting my mother in our small family-run pre-school and day care. As a result of the long work hours and not having an income of my own, since my assistance was to keep the doors of the facility open, I did not get the opportunity to acquire the additional subject that would qualify me to go into my desired programme at university. I have now decided that it is time for me to move on to get myself qualified and I am hoping to get a part-time job to help with my tuition.

My parents are getting up in age and so I have applied to do a course in phlebotomy, beginning September of this year. This will allow me to provide them with professional assistance in the event of illness. I also plan to study on my own to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) science subjects that I need, and also some Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) subjects next year as well.

I have interest in law and in forensic science; however, I do not yet have the requisite science subjects. I love law very much, but I don’t know how easy it will be to get into law school. I also love the sciences and someone told me that forensic science would be a good combination of both law and sciences. My question to you is, after completing the phlebotomy course, should I do law or forensic science?

Yours truly,

DH

Dear DH:

You do have a number of options under consideration. It is good that you have decided to move forward academically and get yourself qualified in an area for which you have interest and abilities.

Phlebotomy is a useful profession; however, the reason you have given for wanting to pursue it seems misplaced. Should you become certified as a health professional directly in the health field or in any area supplementary to medicine, it will be unethical to practice on your parents or family members.

I have also noted that you are planning to take on, in one year, the mammoth task of the phlebotomy course, while studying on your own to do the CSEC science subjects as well as units in CAPE. I will venture to say that although this is not an impossible task, you might be setting up yourself for disappointment. Without a strong background in the sciences, doing those CSEC subjects along with CAPE will be a very challenging task to which you will have to devote a significant number of hours. It appears that you are very anxious to move quickly with advancing your career; however, a more manageable approach might be to spread the qualifying examinations over a two-year period. After completing the phlebotomy certification, you could work part-time or full-time and then utilise a private tutor or evening class for assistance with CAPE preparation.

In response to your last questions, I am strongly recommending that you meet with a career counsellor who will guide you with the selection between the programmes in which you have interest. Please visit the nearest parish or regional office of the HEART Trust/NTA to make an appointment to see a counsellor. There is no charge for the service.

All the best.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Marie Smith is assistant vice-president, Student Services, Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville, Manchester. Submit your questions to her at careeradvisor@ncu.edu.jm.