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My path was not "designed" in advance!

Interview with nancy michaud, a committed and professional teacher

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CPA Nancy Michaud, Ph.D., recipient of a doctoral scholarship from the CPA Foundation in 2017-2018, successfully descended her doctoral thesis recently. Her research focuses specifically on the overt role of professional judgment in Canadian audit standards.

A committed and professional teacher, she plans to use her research to help practicing professionals, but also to enhance her teaching and pass on her knowledge to students, who are tomorrow's leaders.

What drew you to the CPA profession?

That is an excellent question, because I did not "plot out" my path in advance! When I graduated from high school, I had no idea which program to enrol in at CEGEP. I liked the sciences, especially chemistry and human biology. Plus, I really loved math and definitely had an aptitude for it. However, I was also a voracious reader and interested in learning languages. After reading about the programs offered at the CEGEP de Rimouski, my home town, I ended up choosing the DCS in Business Management, Finance option. I never regretted my choice! In my last year, a teacher talked to me about the benefits of getting an accounting designation. That dedicated teacher, Mr. Marc Parent, whom I thank for his great advice, was able to convince me that this wonderful profession was right for me. I then applied to UQAR to study in its bachelor of accounting program!

You successfully defended your doctoral thesis recently. Congratulations! Why did you want to do a Ph.D. and research professional judgment in the audit process?

Above all else, I am a curious person and have always liked learning. I enjoy learning about the world and considering different points of view from mine. In my opinion, we grow as human beings when are open to others.

As a university professor, I am fortunate to have research as part of my job. So I decided to start a research project focused on practitioners, auditors in this specific case. The question I wanted to answer came from a series of discussions with my students who asked me, every year, how accounting professionals specifically exercised their judgment. My readings on the subject were very theoretical and vague, which meant that I was unable to really answer this important question. Then, I had the idea of studying real-life cases where audit professionals had to exercise judgment in their practice.

Did you ever think that you would go so far in your academic and professional career while you were making your way toward the CPA designation?

Not at all! My main goal was to get the professional designation! That was already a huge goal for me, considering that I initially chose a technical DCS program so that I could enter the job market quickly!

But after a few years of working at a firm, I decided to go for a master's in business administration. That was when I began to consider a career as a professor and a master's degree would be important if I wanted to apply for a job as an accounting professor.

You received a large doctoral scholarship from the Foundation during your studies. What has this scholarship helped you achieve?

I decided to do my doctorate at a French university where I found a receptive thesis supervisor who gave me a great deal of freedom. Since I enjoy learning about the world, I wanted to discover new places and people. My goal was also to make connections in France where there is no language barrier. Thanks to this scholarship, I did not have to worry about the financial aspect of my travel. It really helped me cover the costs of getting to France, but also participate in the various academic conferences that advanced my work and thinking. Ultimately, the scholarship helped me set up my development leave authorized by my employer (UQAR). This leave gave me the opportunity to focus on my doctoral thesis for two (2) consecutive years.

But this doctoral scholarship meant much more to me than the amount of money I received! It was recognition from my peers that they considered my work important to our profession. It was a clear show of confidence and I am deeply moved by it.

What kind of impact can donors have on students' careers when they contribute to the CPA Foundation's mission?

The scholarships offered by your Foundation can make ALL the difference! Not only do they provide significant financial support that allows students to continue their studies, but these scholarships are also a form of encouragement for the students who receive them. The mental boost you get from receiving these scholarships is undeniable. In fact, students feel a sense of pride which then increases their self-confidence. These are positive factors that contribute to their academic success!

Since you are training the next generation of CPAs as an educator, what is your best advice for them? What would you like them to take away from your research?

I would like them to take away from my research that there is still no “right answer” to all the problems encountered in practice. Uncertain and ambiguous situations are a core part of the accounting profession and the standards will never be able to cover all the cases that crop up in practice. So, the best advice that I can give them is to think, because that’s what sets them apart from “machines!” To do this, they need to be open to other points of view and take some time to "further” their thinking so that they can make a more informed decision.

What are your future challenges or plans?

There are several fundamental challenges in the research part of my job as a professor! Right now, I am working on academic articles related to my doctoral thesis. My doctorate allowed me to collect a rich set of data and learn about a data collection process that has yet to be used by the academic community in management. In addition, some of my findings should be analyzed from a new perspective, using different theoretical frameworks that I will first need to study.

Another short-term project, my doctoral training in qualitative research and my governance knowledge earned me an appointment as a "guest researcher" at the Université de Moncton's Health Services Organization Research and Innovation Group. Finally, I just finished an important application for a grant that will enable me to study practices in welcoming and retaining francophone immigrants who settle in rural regions. There is a lot of interest in this topic right now, because it may provide potential solutions for the labour shortage that is increasingly impacting Canadian businesses.