I analyse the cost-effectiveness of new drugs, to see if they are viable to be accepted within the NHS, or other countries' health care systems

A profile image of Rachael Batteson smiling in front of a yellow background
Rachael Batteson
Health Economist, BresMed
BSc Mathematics
Rachael works in health economics, using the analysis and problem solving skills she got from her maths degree to assess the viability of new drugs.

I'm currently a health economist at a consultancy which involves data analysis and model building. I analyse the cost-effectiveness of new drugs to see if they are viable to be accepted within the NHS or other countries health care systems.

I had not heard of health economics and luckily came across this in a chance meeting on a train! However, the skills I had learnt previously in a data analyst role, and skills from the maths degree, have really helped me excel in my career as a health economist.


The specific skills you learn on a maths degree... have been a huge help towards the technical skills I use in my everyday job

Rachael Batteson

Health Economist, BresMed


Having a maths degree opens a lot of doors, which was a huge help as I was someone who didn’t really know what I wanted to do after university. It allows you to have a role in any sector and can open doors to technical roles and many others that are non-maths related.

Having a maths degree doesn’t just show that you are good with numbers but also shows an employer that you’re a good problem solver and a logical thinker, which is applicable to many roles.

The specific skills you learn on a maths degree, such as statistical language, modelling and problem solving, have been a huge help towards the technical skills I use in my everyday job. Mathematical software has also played a big role in my career so learning this at university has helped massively.

Additionally, the other skills you use at university such as time management, working to deadlines, writing in a specific way have all contributed to my career path.


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