Working Life: Your career path doesn’t have to be traditional to lead to success

Sharon Scanlan, advisory partner, head of Healthcare and Life Sciences, Grant Thornton

Sharon Scanlon, advisory partner, head of Healthcare and Life Sciences, Grant Thornton.

“I began my career in Cork, studying nursing at UCC and training at Cork University Hospital. I later moved to London to pursue a master’s degree in physiotherapy at King’s College. I subsequently worked at the Royal Free Hospital, in clinical and leadership roles.

“My journey into consulting was far from conventional. Having trained as both a nurse and a physiotherapist, I worked in clinical roles before moving into senior management positions in the NHS where I led service redesign and transformation initiatives — essentially acting as an internal consultant.