Them: “So what do you do for a living?”

Me: “I’m a stay-at-home mom.”

Them: “Oh, interesting….”

Me: “Yes, a stay-at-home mom who does regulatory writing for the medical device industry.”

Them: “Gotcha, that’s cool…well, congratulations on the new baby.”

Happy Women’s History Month! This is a conversation that took place between me and an acquaintance in STEM during my last few weeks of maternity leave.

Stay-at-home mom……Whoa! why would I lead with that?

Well, because it’s true. I juggle the joys and responsibilities of caring for an infant while working remotely in the regulatory medical writing field.

It’s 2024, the post-COVID-19 era, and gone are the days when being a stay-at-home mom was synonymous with putting career aspirations on hold... (continued)

The attrition rate for many PhD programs hovers around 50%. What a praiseworthy feat indeed! To produce original, quality research and be welcomed into the ranks of scientists who are making daily strides for the betterment of humanity.

But what about the other 50% of us? Those who never set a defense date or get hooded by our advisors. What happens to the proportion who fall into taboo of “mastering out”?

Do we just fade into obscurity?

Hang up our lab coats in shame and leave research dreams behind?

Go on to have less than optimal careers and life outcomes in general?

The answer may or may not surprise you, depending on your limiting beliefs and how far you believe grit can take you.

And that’s why I started this series.

Mastering Out: Exit of Shame or Entrance to Success?

Our stories haven’t been told, either because we are afraid to tell them or because we don’t think there’s an audience who cares. But I believe there’s someone out there right now with this very question of his/her mind.

So, I’ll start with my story.

With the inception of ChatGPT earlier this year, I was not the happiest camper.

Like many of us, I wondered just how long I had before my job in science writing was no longer relevant.

The epiphany came quickly though, when I remembered this quote by John Maxwell:

“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”

And then, I decided to grow. :)

Medical writing in the regulatory field is a rewarding career, and if you really want it, it’s in your grasp. Let me show you how to make it happen.

Does hearing the term work-life balance make you roll your eyes? Me too. I agree, this is one concept that has gotten to be so abstract that the casualness of it all feels stifling in some ways. Find out what researchers are doing to stop the madness.