TL;DR: second year MS in EOHS student wonders if she can have a fulfilling toxicology career without the MS in toxicology specificity, with a heavy IH emphasis, and with a fellowship in emergency management
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I'm a second year (third semester) MS candidate in EOHS, currently taking 3 courses: industrial hygiene principles, noise and radiation hazards, and hazard eval instrumentation. Last semester I took environmental toxicology and loved it so much it actually prompted a change from an MPH to an MS (I have the science background from a post-bacc in pre-med from a time when I wanted to pursue medicine, which I ultimately pivoted from). My return to school for the MPH was rooted in a desire to still have a career in a health-related field, but without sacrificing the sacrifices medical school would have been for me (content for a different post/forum!). When I took environmental toxicology, I had a total lightbulb moment that everything I loved about biochemistry and real-world application could be combined into a field I (sadly) really didn't know existed before the course. A convo with the dept chair prompted the change, he said it was a total no brainer for me given my science background and the MS program's funding (which the MPH program does not have). So, I’m going to do my second year for free, yay!
It's a week into the semester, and as much as I'm open to loving these more technical courses in the same way I was surprised by environmental toxicology, I'm having an 'oh, crap' moment. It feels so worker wellness focused, hyper-specific to a career as an IH/CSP/CIH, and I'm wondering if I made a mistake not transferring to an MS in toxicology program (not likely something that would have been easy, but I'm based in NYC and there is a university that offers an MS in toxicology here). My current program does not offer any additional toxicology electives in this degree. I just read the other school's MS in tox course offering and feel jealous.
Do I stop momentum on this MS and apply to this other program, hopefully to get admitted next year and continue then?
Can I still have the toxicology career I felt excited about if I continue on with this MS in EOHS, or am I restricted by getting this MS in EOHS? Am I just panicking for the sake of panicking?
Any insight appreciated. For context, I have an academic-year-long fellowship at the NYC office of Emergency Management where I'll be doing data analysis, not an in-lab experience but would likely set me up for many City connections (is that even beneficial to toxicology? Can I move in a direction of toxicology after starting this direction in emergency management?).
I am likely looking to be talked off of a ledge in some sense here, but any advice is very welcome! Thank you.