When to apply

[Dr. Dukes]

Hey Everyone,
I have a question about the timing of an application to B school. I am currently a first year medical student, and for a lot of reasons I have started thinking about applying to business school. My questions is this: when should I apply to programs (my school doesn't have MD-MBA so I'd have to go elsewhere). I realize I'd have to take the GMAT, which probably means I need to study for it this summer. How long does it take to study for? Should I apply to start after my second year, get my MBA, then come back and finish school, should I apply after my 3rd year, should I apply when I'm done?
I also worked for two years in a research lab between college and medical school, if that matters for some sort of "work experience".
Thanks in advance.

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[Dr. Dukes]

Seriously, if I want to go to Business school at some point (I am a first year medical student at a school that doesn't have an MD-MBA program) when I should I apply?

 

[periodic]

People apply and go at all of the time points you mentioned. Most joint MD/MBA programs have you take 1-2 years off after 3rd year of med school to do the MBA, given that you will have a much better understanding of the clinical realm after a year of rotations. For that reason, I wouldn't recommend going right after 2nd year of medical school, unless you just need the break or there are other considerations.

The split I have seen is that people either do an MBA during med school, taking 1-2 years off or doing a joint degree, or they go during/after residency and largely intend to leave clinical practice. Of the people with medical backgrounds in my MBA class right now, I'd say roughly half are coming after 3rd year of med school, more than 1/4 are coming during or after residency, and less than 1/4 are coming at odd time-points (after 2nd year of med school, after completing med school, etc).

Doing it right after med school seems like the worst of all worlds to me - you are creating a gap between med school and residency that would be difficult to explain if you did want to do residency, and you don't have the clinical training that might help you decide whether you really want to practice or not.

In addition, good MBA programs provide extensive networks and job opportunities that are most easily accessed in the near-term. That is, almost all the people you meet are looking to hire you after graduation from the MBA. So, it is beneficial to enter an MBA with a fair idea of whether you want to A) continue in the clinical world, or B) exit to the business world. Being stuck in the middle is a pretty troubling place to be. One benefit of doing a full 2 year MBA for you would be doing a summer business internship, and checking out a non-medical option that way.

 

[Dr. Dukes]

People apply and go at all of the time points you mentioned. Most joint MD/MBA programs have you take 1-2 years off after 3rd year of med school to do the MBA, given that you will have a much better understanding of the clinical realm after a year of rotations. For that reason, I wouldn't recommend going right after 2nd year of medical school, unless you just need the break or there are other considerations.

The split I have seen is that people either do an MBA during med school, taking 1-2 years off or doing a joint degree, or they go during/after residency and largely intend to leave clinical practice. Of the people with medical backgrounds in my MBA class right now, I'd say roughly half are coming after 3rd year of med school, more than 1/4 are coming during or after residency, and less than 1/4 are coming at odd time-points (after 2nd year of med school, after completing med school, etc).

Doing it right after med school seems like the worst of all worlds to me - you are creating a gap between med school and residency that would be difficult to explain if you did want to do residency, and you don't have the clinical training that might help you decide whether you really want to practice or not.

In addition, good MBA programs provide extensive networks and job opportunities that are most easily accessed in the near-term. That is, almost all the people you meet are looking to hire you after graduation from the MBA. So, it is beneficial to enter an MBA with a fair idea of whether you want to A) continue in the clinical world, or B) exit to the business world. Being stuck in the middle is a pretty troubling place to be. One benefit of doing a full 2 year MBA for you would be doing a summer business internship, and checking out a non-medical option that way.

Thanks a lot! I'm surprised people (who wanted to end up in clinical medicine) would take time off between 3rd and 4th year, I feel like you would show up on your audition rotations and look like an idiot, having not done anything clinical in two years.