Since joining ISB I have received a lot of queries from other doctors and healthcare professionals about healthcare management, the opportunities for doctors after an MBA and getting into a b-school like ISB. The following is an attempt to write about all that I know on each of the above points. I’ll keep adding stuff here in bits and pieces so its not going to be really organised. Leave me a comment if you want more info and I’ll try and write about it.
Disclaimer: This info is not officially from ISB and is what I understand of the admission procedure here. If after reading this, you don’t get in, don’t blame me!!
Q. What are the opportunities available to doctors after an MBA?
A. After an MBA a doctor could get into one of the following industries:
- Healthcare services delivery (hospitals, hospital chains)
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Biotech companies
- Healthcare consulting
- NGOs
The functional areas where you could get in are (by industry):
- Healthcare services delivery (hospitals, hospital chains)
- Marketing and customer relations
- Sales
- Operations – This is where I’ve got a job now with Apollo Hyderabad
- Business development
- Pharmaceutical and biotech companies
- Marketing and customer relations
- Sales
- Operations
- Business development
- Licensing
- Discovery project management and evaluation
- Medico-marketing
Q. How should I prepare to get into a B-school?
A. I’ll concentrate on how to apply for ISB. These points would generally apply to most US & European B-schools. IIMs is a different ball-game and I suggest talking to a current student or alum from an IIM. Send an email to one of the IIM’s alumni association. I had a pleasant experience there and got a lot of responses.
ISB will look at the following parts of your application to decide whether you fit in or not:
- Essays
- Work Experience
- Recommendations
- GMAT
- Interview
Your application will most probably be compared with people from similar backgrounds, for e.g. techies will be compared with other techies and doctors with other doctors.
At the outset let me clarify that GMAT is not the only criteria for admission. Each of the above points will be weighted more or less equally, so concentrate on all of them!
Essays
ISB will ask you to write 4-5 essays as part of your application. The topics vary from year to year so take a look at the application and write. Ensure that there are no spelling or grammatical mistakes and above all be honest. An interviewer can usually find out if you are dishonest! I guess it might be OK to discuss the essay with family and friends, but its definitely not OK to get a professional to write it for you. ISB will definitely find out if its written by a pro.
Work Experience
Here you tell ISB about what you’ve done in your career till now. On the basis of this ISB assesses what skills you possess or have acquired. Tell them all that you have done, don’t be shy, but don’t write anything you have not actually done!
Recommendations
ISB requires you to send 2 recos with your application. According to me the best recos would be from your supervisors/bosses at work. It’s a pretty comprehensive document. Make sure the person who writes the reco knows you well. Don’t try and fudge the reco or fill it up for the recommender! Ask the recommender to fill it up, sign it and give it to you in a sealed envelope, with their signature across the seal.
GMAT
Last, but not the least, the GMAT. ISB’s average GMAT score has been rising and our batch (2007 batch) has an average of 706! If you get anything below 650, then you might wanna retake the exam, unless you have something exceptional in your profile, essay or work experience.
While I was preparing for my MBA admission, I was also taking coaching for CAT. This helped me a lot with the Maths. Then, I took a short course at Kaplan for the GMAT, did some questions and full-length tests, and went and gave the exam. Got decent marks and that was the end of it.
You should also read this excellent article – 10 secrets for getting into a top B-school
I agree with all the points in this article, except point 4. I agree with the part about not rushing your application but not with the part about round 1. I think you should apply for round 1 only, but ensure you start your preparation and application process well in time so that you do not rush the application. This will especially be true for MBBS grads since they might take more time preparing for the maths parts of the exams.
Q. Does ISB consider my MBBS internship as work experience?
A. Yes! (IIMs don’t) Not anymore.
Q. Does ISB consider my 3 years of MD/MS as work experience?
A. Gray area-ISB did not consider it till now, but that seems to be changing. Call or write to the admissions office for clarifications.
February 13, 2008 at 10:37 PM
Hi sir,
i m in mbbs 2nd year
and m thinking over preparing for cat,
sir is it necessary to get a work experience after internship, to get admission into IIMs or ISB or XLRI.
cant a doctor get a job in any private banking firm after doing hi mba.
thanks
February 14, 2008 at 8:42 PM
Ankit: As I said to others, you need more experience before you think of an MBA. What exactly have u been doing during the one year that you were preparing for PG?
Bharat: It is for the individual b-school to decide whether or not they will accept your degree or not. Please check with them. Work experience will matter more in a b-school but yes, your degree and academic performance also holds weight.
Dr. Nitin: Each b-school will have different criteria of deciding whether your diploma is work experience or not. Please check with them. I’m not sure how many apply, but about 1-2% of the batch is doctors in ISB. We don’t know the exact grading system, but there definitely must be weights for each part of the application. Exceptional academics/GMAT can over-ride work experience and vice versa in some cases also.
Sarang: I am really sorry that I could not reply to you earlier. I hope that your interview went well.
Tom “Rohit” Cruise: Thanks for the great comparison between MBBS and MBA… and the joke about the software professionals! Also thanks for the other options after MBBS. I am sure a lot of the readers here will find it useful.
Amol: I’m not sure about the future prospects of such a job, but after you become an underwriter or senior underwriter then what is the career progression? You need to figure that out from others in your company. My estimation is that there will be no further growth with only an MBBS degree. Keeping this job for 2 to 3 years will definitely help you with your entry into an MBA programme and your job prospects after that.
Amber: It is always better to have work experience before MBA. ISB requires at least 2 years while IIMs and XLRI have no such requirement, but will value it. You can get any kind of role after an MBA, but will need to justify your shift to that role.
February 15, 2008 at 5:01 PM
Hi Rahul,
Great job on the advices. There are plenty of us out there who are in dire need of some advice.I am doing my MBA 1st yr (MMS as we call it here) at Welingkar Institute of Management,Mumbai. Did my MBBS at KEM Hospital, Mumbai. Managed a 99.23%le in CAT 05 but didnt make it through GDPI. Having trouble on deciding on the specialisation for MBA.Doing MBA for the same reasons as you.Dont wanna go into sales/Mrktin or HR. Am thinking of Operations as the best option. Also, having trouble finding a summer intership. Please advice..
February 24, 2008 at 10:35 AM
hi
my internship getting over next month ,i found it difficult to decide my carrier line i think pre.pg brings great deal of insecurity, i m very much intrested in MBA, i m good in maths but poor in english( poor gujju. student)…i m facinated by high salery pays offered to MBA PASSOUT,
to be honest thats d only thing i think i know about MBA
if u can brief me about mba preparation time required for it and how to plan for d future in same
February 24, 2008 at 8:13 PM
hi i want to know, for gmat self sdudy is ok, or we should join some institute
February 27, 2008 at 12:58 AM
Dear Rahul,
Its gr8 that i hav been able to locate u online after a lotta trials to find medicos doin mba.
I m a dentist,finished my internship in sept’07 frm Govt dental college,mumbai..Academically hav always been much above average,hav highest aggregate in 4 years in my college.though i hav a lot of interest in clinical dentistry,my personality needs variation.I hav a gr8 flair to communicate,can very easily convince ppl.
Finally figured out that Mba is wat i shd go for ahead.took CAT 07,but wasnt prepared at all,so ended up faring badly.got 92percentile in xat.but no calls frm xlri.Cleared the exam for TISS and am selected for gd/pi.
Hav also taken the mah state CET for jamnalal bajaj.Awaiting results.I knw if i get into ne of these institutes i wil do a gr8 job coz i hav always had an urge to learn.
But i hav a very basic doubt….wen i m asked why am i shifting fields..wat shd be my reply.Infact TISS also has hosp administration,but i hav applied for an HR course.So this would b another Q at the PI.
Kindly advise me.Currently working with a dentist.Also doin a parttime sales job.
I wil wait eagerly for ur reply.
And once again,thank u so much for starting this blog.
Regards,
ramya
February 27, 2008 at 1:53 PM
Hello Dr.rahul
I m indeed happy to find this blog as it has answered many of my queries.I am a dentist,finished my intyernship in sept’07.took CAT but dint get thru(was hardly prepared)
Currently hav got a call frm TISS for HR and awaitng for state CET results for applying to Jamnalala bajaj in mumbai.hav been working wwith a dentist since internship completion.
u hav said in the above replies that we hav to find a good reason to take up mba.My good reason is that thought i m a good clinician,i dnt see myself doin it all my life.I need variation at work,more creative.Marketing is wat i knw my strength.Can easily convince and communicate with ppl.
ACADs SSC 86.4,HSC86,BDS 69
if i hv to take gmat,how do i go about it,wen shd i take the date if i start preparing?
kindly reply.
Thanx,ramya
February 29, 2008 at 1:05 AM
Dear Dr. Rahul,
First of all i would like to congratulate u for this wonderful site, immensely informative and brings a lot of confidence for all doctors who are willing to take up MBA….
I would like to tell about myself, I have 6+ years of experience post MBBS which includes 2+ years in corporate sector. My CV is as follows:
¨ Currently working as a General Practitioner at Chandana PolyClinic, Bangalore since Feb 2007.
¨ Worked in the capacity of Clinical Research Physician at Apotex Research Private Limited, Bangalore from Apr 2006 to Jan 2007.
** Conducted more than 10 Bioequivalence (BA/BE) studies
*** Roles and Responsibilities included:
Ø Responsible for performing all study related duties according to Bioequivalence Centre’s Standard Operating Procedures, Study Protocol and in a manner consistent with the appropriate regulatory guidelines, ICH-GCP requirements and Safe Work Procedure
Ø Responsible for the screening and in-study assessment and medical care of all potential clinical volunteers/subjects
Ø Review study information prior to the start of screening and conduct screening of potential study volunteers
Ø Review screening results and assess volunteer suitability for entrance into the study and provide medical counseling to volunteers with abnormal screening results
Ø Review clinical protocol and Informed Consent Form prior to the commencement of the study
Ø Review subject eligibility to verify protocol requirements
Ø Confirm subject’s comprehension of study activities and ensure Informed Consent is given prior to entry into the study
Ø Oversee and assist in administration of test articles by the test article custodian/pharmacist
Ø Assess subject’s adverse events and provide appropriate medical follow up and withdraw the subject if necessary to protect subject safety
Ø Review subject monitoring and safety data during the conduct of the study
Ø Perform end of confinement assessments and discharge subjects from the study site
Ø Work and/or liaise with external medical services as required for appropriate adverse event follow up
Ø Review applicable clinical reports as required following the study
Ø Supervise the management of clinical emergencies and approve the use of on-site necessary emergency medical equipment
Ø Assist with training of SOPs and protocols to medical personnel including nurses, phlebotomists, custodians and pharmacists
Ø Assist in creation, development and revision of Bioequivalence Centre’s Clinical Operations Department’s Standard Operating Procedures
Ø Supervise the activities of the nurses, phlebotomists and duty medical officers for rendering appropriate medical services to the subject at the Clinical Facility and assigning the duties to them
¨ As a Senior Medical Transcriptionist at Spheris India Pvt. Ltd.(Formerly Healthscribe India Pvt. Ltd.) from Dec 2004 to Apr 2006.
** Roles and Responsibilities included:
Ø Listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and transcribe them into medical reports, correspondence, and other administrative material. The documents produced include discharge summaries, history and physical examination reports, operative reports, consultation reports, autopsy reports, diagnostic imaging studies, progress notes, referral letters etc.
Ø Returning of transcribed documents to the physicians or other health care professionals by uploading the file online for review and signature or correction. These documents eventually become part of patients’ permanent files
Ø Translating the medical jargon and abbreviations into their expanded forms by referring to standard medical reference materials – both printed and electronic, in-house electronic material as well as over the Internet
Ø Comply with specific standards that apply to the style of medical records as well as to the legal and ethical requirements involved with keeping patient information confidential i.e., complying with HIPAA requirements (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
¨ Undergone Transcription training at NEXT from Sep 2004 to Nov 2004 which involved training on:
Ø Language of Medicine
Ø Typing
Ø Americanism
Ø Basic computer skills and MS-Office
Ø Phonetics
Ø English Grammar
¨ Resident Medical Officer at Amala Hospital, Kannur Dist., Kerala from Jan 2003 to Aug 2004.
** Roles and Responsibilities included:
Ø Managing Medical and Surgical Emergencies
Ø Outpatient department in Medicine
Ø Resident Physician at the ICU, managing all kinds of cardiac emergencies with good exposure to treating cardiac emergencies
¨ Compulsory Rotatory Resident Internship as an Internee at K R Hospital, Mysore from Dec 2001 to Nov 2002 with rotational postings for 1 year in the following departments viz., Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Community Medicine and minor postings in various other departments as well as rural postings.
Computer Skills
-Working knowledge of MS Office
-Good Competency in Windows Applications
-Good Keyboarding/Typing skills
____________________
As for my academics, i had 64% in MBBS, 92% in +2 and 86% in SSLC. I am good at mathematics, good team player and a good leader too as I found myself in the corporate environment. Right now i am planning to go about this MBA option. What do u feel about my academics and my CV/work experience and if i start now, how should i go about my preparations if i target ISB for the next batch… Sorry for the comment being too long, please bear with me…
Kindly reply,
Thanks and Regards,
George
February 29, 2008 at 11:44 PM
Its definitely not as easy as narrated by dr.tom cruise.The on-field scenario is completely different.Establishing private practice by a medical entrepreneur has become extremely difficult nowadays.Especially due to increasing presence of BAMS and BHMS docs.Settling before the age of 35-40yrs is extremely difficult.That too it is uncertain.Luxury after attaining MD degree was a story of the past.Today even big hospitals like Wockhardt,etc. hire docs with PG for a meagre Rs.25-30,000 for a 12-hour 6-day week duty.MBA is definitely a good option provided u have the liking for such field.But what I want to stress is that dont remain in dreamy state as picturised by dr.tom cruise.
March 1, 2008 at 4:18 PM
thanks drrahul…
Its very useful blog
I just wanted to make a suggestion.
It is very difficult to find your site on google..
Please do something to make it visible. As youare a webmaster already you know better how to do that..
one more thing you can dois put your blog link in websites regularly visited by med grads..
like RXPGonline etc.
March 4, 2008 at 11:52 PM
hi Dr, Rahul, i m dr. vinal, i passed my mbbs in 2000 & i completed my internship in 2001and i have >4 yrs clinical as well as teaching exp. & i m thinking for prep. for gmat but i have one que? in my mind whether i will b eligible to appear in the gmat exam OR NOT ? .b’coz my mbbs % 55, XII 40% , X 55% , PLEASE REPLY ME SOON
March 5, 2008 at 2:18 AM
Dear Sir,
I would like to enquire, as a doctor, post MBA, what sort of wages can one expect?
Thank You.
Dr.Yogaratnam
March 5, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Vikrant: Operations is a good specialisation to take up. However, make sure your institute teaches service operations as well, since most operations courses are aimed at manufacturing and logistics. Have you tried all the hospitals for summer internships – Apollo, Max, Wockhardt, Fortis?
Hardik: If you want to go in for an MBA right after MBBS, without work experience, then you need to concentrate on CAT, etc. Join some good coaching institute like Career Launcher, etc. They will guide you well. If you want to go to a place like ISB, you need atleast a couple of years of work-ex before evening thinking about preparation.
Dr. Nitin: Self-study can also be OK. However, getting some coaching always helps.
Dr. Ramya: I think you need to be honest about why you want to change fields. Just let them know that you don’t find dentistry that interesting and your interests lie elsewhere. Also, let them know why you feel that the HR course will be good for you and how it will help you reach you career goal. For GMAT, I suggest you start preparing and then take a date that makes you feel confident. You should ideally give the GMAT about a month before the application deadline for whatever b-school you are applying to.
Dr. George: Your CV looks good. You can give a good shot at getting into ISB. I suggest you start preparing for GMAT immediately and give it atleast a month before ISB’s application deadline. In the meantime, start making your CV crisp. It should ideally not be more than one page long and should also include extra-curricular activities, which are missing from your CV. ISB likes well rounded people. Concentrate on a good GMAT score and we can chat more after you have that in hand.
Rahul: I agree with your thoughts. However, I am sure there are many people who love being doctors so much that they don’t mind long hours and initial meagre pay. Do remember that even doctors can mint money after 40-45 years of age. But yes, the percentage of doctors doing that is decreasing today.
Dr. Balkrishn: Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll look into it.
Dr. Vinal: GMAT itself does not place any restrictions on who can give the exam. However, you will have to check with the b-school that you want to apply to whether they have any cut-offs.
Dr. J. Yogaratnam: Depending on your prior work-experience and the b-school you graduate from you can expect to earn between Rs. 4 lakhs to Rs. 40 lakhs or more.
March 5, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Thanks Dr.Rahul. You odd to be congratulated for your blog site and the advise you give. Well done and keep it up!!
March 5, 2008 at 5:05 PM
By the way, Dr.Rahul, I’m assuming that those post MBA wages for are per annum………right?
March 5, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Address: 11-1-1189NewMallepally, Hyderabad -500001Phone : 9440982502E-mail drsabi200@yahoo.co.in
Dr Sabiha Tabassum
Educational Qualifications.Passed M.B.B.S. from DECCAN COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES,HYDERABAD in Dec’2005 and( secured 65%Passed INTERMEDIATE from VIKAS RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE,GUNTUR in 1999 and secured 90.6% ie 906/1000.Passed S.S.C from ST.JOHNS ENGLISH MEDIUM HIGH SCHOOL , KARIMNAGAR in 1997 and secured 90%.
Professional experience Jan 2007 – Till Date Consultant Medical Officer at GEMONEY SERVICINGGlobal Hospitals, Hyderabad, APDec 2005 – Dec 2006 Medical InternOwaisi Hospitals& Princess Esra Hospital, Hyderabad, AP
Additional professional activities Medical Tutor , Global College of Nursing Participated in PULSE POLIO IMMUNISATION every year during the period of medical studentship.
Languages English, Hindi, Telugu, Urdu
Personal Attributes Subject Matter ExpertiseAccountableCredibility among peers and LeadershipCuriousity to learn beyond required skill setsCreativeOpen and adaptable to change.Ability to communicate for different level of understanding
AccreditationsVolunteer experienceAwards received Secure State 2nd Rank in A.P.R.J.C entrance exam in 1997Secure 1100 rank in EAMCET in 2000 & Secured Govt. Seat in Medical College.Participated in PULSE POLIO IMMUNISATION every year during the period of medical studentship.Received Madina Gold Medal in 1999 for excellent aggregate in Intermediate examination
Interests and activities Reading, Cookery and Music
PLZ ADVICE ME REGARDING GETTING ADMISSION INTO ISB.PLZ GUIDE ME.CAN I HAVE YOUR MOBILE NUMBER DR.RAHUL?
March 5, 2008 at 7:28 PM
Dr. J. Yogaratnam: Yes the salaries are annual. Thanks for the compliments!
Dr. Sabiha: All my advice regarding admission to ISB is given on this page. If you have any specific question I will be happy to answer that. Going through your resume I see that you have 2 years of experience (including internship). You might want to consider waiting for one more year.
March 5, 2008 at 11:06 PM
Hi Rahul,THANX to reply me,
i would like to ask u one thing more, suppose,if i score around 700 in gmat whether i can get the call from isb like reputed b-school or not?
March 5, 2008 at 11:16 PM
or can u suggest me the name of colleges,where i can get the addmission. i shall b highly obligde.
March 6, 2008 at 12:16 AM
dr rahul,
i found ur site 2 be vry useful.im realy confused bout my future aftr bds.im currently an intern.altough i love my profession bt im concerned bout th meagre pay.please guide me bout th openings i hav.also some institutes are offering mhsptl mngmnt in correspondence.would they do any good.pls guide me in ths regard.
thankyou.
March 7, 2008 at 8:19 AM
Hello Rahul,
I am a therapist working in USA for past 2 years.How are the chances for me if i want to pursue MBA.Is it same like the doctors?
thanks,
ani
March 7, 2008 at 8:24 AM
Hi Dr. Rahul,
Thanks for your reply and your suggestions and guidance. I have started preparations for GMAT as you have told and I will try my best to get a good GMAT score and then catch up with you as you have suggested….
March 7, 2008 at 5:39 PM
hello sir,
wanted to know your opinion about hospital administration course in the united states. does it have good scope too
March 8, 2008 at 2:30 PM
Hi rahul
Thanx a lot for ur reply.Its very kind of u.
Also i wanted to knw if u can help me regarding universities abroad where in i can apply wid a 2 ye work ex…i.e including internship.
if u could suggest me a few i wil evaluate further.rite now i m a novice at this.
March 11, 2008 at 5:57 PM
Hi Dr. Rahul,
I’v got a lot of topics to discuss with u if possible, regarding a MBA after MBBS. What is the best way to go about it?. Through this Blog or through Mail?
March 13, 2008 at 9:54 PM
hi dr rahul
thanx a lot for making a forum where confused soles such as me can seek some guidance
i am doing my internship and have just finished mbbs from mamc,nd.
i am very confused at this juncture as i do not have any liking for a particular subject.i have realised that clinical subjects are not my cup of tea.i am tired of working in an overstressed thankless environment.
i believe that it would be a better option to do an mba rather than settle for a non clinical course.
now i wanted to know about some things
1.how stressful is life post mba as compared to the life of a doctor(say md medicine)
2.can you compare a md pharmacology with mba as i have heard many pgs from our college have been placed in good companies after their pg
my priority is not lots and lots of money but a better quality of life.so please suggest whether i should go for a pg degree in pharma or opt for mba
waiting for your reply.thanks
March 14, 2008 at 10:53 PM
hii Dr. rahul…..i kept a close watch on your site for the last 2 months or so. I was in a dillema about my carrer plans ..now finally after reading all the posts in your blog i finally decided that i would like to give the MBA option a try . so finally i have started preparing for the CAT from this month….lets see wht lies in the future….
March 17, 2008 at 2:40 PM
Dr. Vinal: Only a GMAT score will not get you through. Its the whole application package (GMAT, work experience, essays, interview) that will be considered. You should apply to a good mix of b-schools – some top tier and some second tier – to maximise your chances of getting through.
Jitaly: I personally think that a contact programme is much better than correspondence. I have given a list of opportunities post-MBA in my post above.
Ani: Your chances will be as good as any one else, doctor or engineer. You just need to be able to convince them of the reason you want to shift to management and that you have an aptitude for it.
Dr. George: Best of luck!
Misbha: I don’t have much knowledge about this particular course. But remember, there is a need for hospital administrators and if you do your course from a good college you should land a good job.
Ramya: I have not researched foreign universities too much. I suggest you look at sites like Business Week and Financial Times to research the universities and then take a call.
Archana: The blog is the best way.
Dr. Pranay: 1. An MBAs life can be equally (or even more) stressful than a doctor! I don’t think there are many jobs that are not stressful. However, any job that you enjoy will never be stressful.
2. If you want to be in research or the clinical side of pharmaceuticals, then an MD is a good option. If you want to be in management/marketing/sales, etc. then you need an MBA. Both can get you good jobs and salaries, but you also need to consider the growth opportunities. I am not sure of the growth opportunities for MDs in pharma companies. You should speak to someone and find out.
Dr. Deb: Best of luck!
March 17, 2008 at 3:02 PM
Here’s an article about MBBS after MBA from the Times of India – MBBS grads pursue MBA to rise quickly
March 17, 2008 at 7:59 PM
dear rahul ,
Quite informatic this blog is , its impressive but still
I have a doubt,
Which field in MBA is better after MBBS and what is the process of getting into it ?
Which institutes in Delhi are good for persuing the MBA course ?
Or Outside delhi if corrospondance courses available.
March 19, 2008 at 12:50 AM
hiiil Dr. rahul
can u tell me one thing? wht is the difference of preparation between CAT and GMAT.and is internship counted as a experience or not
March 19, 2008 at 10:20 AM
hi,
Nice to know there is a sensible and impartial discussion on careers after mbbs on this forum.Am planning a career change.This discussion made me aware of the various possibilities and the views of my peers.keep it going.congrats to the moderator.
March 20, 2008 at 12:18 AM
Thanks for the advice, Rahul. My MMS course does just the basics of the operations side of the service industry, but I plan to stick to Operations. However, alls not going well on my summer internship plans. Wockhardt has no summer projects nor does Asian Heart Institute.Got a contact in Ruby hospital Pune, but landed with the same response. If you have any ideas on that front, please let me know. Thanx.
March 21, 2008 at 12:05 AM
hi sir,,
i have just finished my final yr.
i dont like to practice
can u give me information about other options available ( i.e like mba not involvin treatin patients) ..
waitin for ur reply
thanks
March 21, 2008 at 8:37 AM
hi,
am a 2nd year mbbs student…i just wanna know wat all can i do (apart from internship) after my mbbs to get the work-ex required to do MBA…
i would appreciate if u could just brief me bout the advantages and disadvantages of doing MBA from abroad compared to doing it from india…
thanks…
March 21, 2008 at 5:33 PM
hey man,
very inspirational site for all of use confused medicos.
i got 3 questions:
1:: An MBA from a good reputed B-School, whos a medical graduate, would be offered a place only in the healthcare sector? wat if i want to be in a slightly creative market. Away from hospitals, maybe work for an MNC in IT etc… etc….
2:: Abt the PayScale .. could u please state average pay scale of docs coming out of ISB –PER MONTH? i hear its 4 lack rupees, but is that annually or permonth..
forgive my lame question, but im tryin to figure out the difference abroad and here.
3: this is personal slightly: wat prompted you to quit Medicine, and join business
and yea, im a freelance webdesigner, im coming up with a student website for my college- complete in PHP, AJAX, SQL custom made.. and im looking forward to putting up an interview with you on da site.
— Raheel -MediCiti Institute Of medical sciences- HYD
March 22, 2008 at 1:12 AM
Hi, Im in a very similar dilemma to most of the guys around here and Im glad I found this forum.
Im an MBBS grad with a Masters in ENT to boot and have 5 years work ex after that. I graduated from JIPMER and having finished my masters from there as well, I worked in the UK for 2 years and in PGI, Chandigarh for 3.
I have a decent (not sky high) acad record but no significant extra-curricular achievements, atleast not certifiable.
My interest in the ISB stems from a growing interest in the emerging healthcare industry in which I want to play a part as an operations manager. I guess I would eventually like to be near the top of the tree in a major chain of hospitals in the future.
Having said that, doubts do creep in. Is the environment in B schools in India conducive for doctors. Are they misfits? Are the concepts too alien to grasp easily? Are there any good job opps after?
Also, is there a possibililty of combining clinical practice with a management job or would that perhaps lead to confict of interest situations?
I apologize for the length of this post but thought I would pen all my thoughts down in 1 place!!!
Advice much appreciated
March 23, 2008 at 8:45 PM
Dr. Suman: Any field is good as long as it is to your liking and fits your career aspirations. Getting into any MBA course is pretty much the same process.
Dr. Deb: The basics for both are the same. For CAT you would need to stress more on maths and for GMAT more on english. Remember GMAT does not have a DI section. You also have to write two essays in GMAT. It depends upon the institute whether your internship will be counted as experience or not.
gj: Thanks. You are welcome to contribute to the discussion.
Dr. Vikrant: I’ve been getting a lot of such queries. Unfortunately, no openings at our place either. You might want to try other Apollo hospitals, Max, Fortis, etc.
Sabarish: All MBAs do not involve seeing patients. Just read through the post above and all the comments and you should have a good idea what to do.
Chaitanya: You can take up jobs with insurance companies, pharma companies and hospitals to gain work ex. Even working as a doctor is considered work ex. I feel it does not matter whether the college is in India or abroad. You need to select a good college, rather than a country.
Raheel: 1. You can get a job in any field. You just need to able to convince the company that you can fit in there.
2. The average pay per year is around 13 lakhs. That would be about 1.1 lakh/month.
3. There were various reasons. I felt I could do better here + I really did not like private practice.
Nishikanta: That’s an interesting comment after a long time! ISB was a great environment for people from all fields. The diversity really does not make you feel like a misfit, although some people (even from IT backgrounds) sometimes feel odd. I guess it boils down to your aptitude for the course.
The concepts that you learn are easy to grasp if you have work experience and have faced real life business issues. Considering your work ex I am sure you would have faced some atleast.
There are tons of good jobs available, especially in the healthcare sector. From ISB’s class of 08, there were doctors who have been placed in quite senior positions in hospitals.
I’ve heard that a lot of doctors in the US practice medicine while holding administrative posts, but am not sure if such opportunities are there in India yet. I’m sure you would be able to discuss such a job with a potential employer though. There are hospitals that are now looking for people to handle a whole department (e.g. cardio, neuro, ortho, etc.) from a business point of view. You should be able to practice your speciality and run the concerned department too. However, once you become a CEO or have some other top management role, I doubt you would have enough time to practice.
Let me know if there’s anything I missed.
March 24, 2008 at 4:03 PM
Thanx dude. Will let you know if something comes up.
March 25, 2008 at 9:56 PM
hi rahul,i am a mbbs 2nd year student from china…and i want to apply for m.b.a in hospital management or some other medical related field…..and i want to do it from australia or japan or some other country….but not from india.i am an average student..can u plz guide me how can i apply for the college?Which website will provide me the best info. regarding colleges?which tests i have to take to get admission in a gud b school??can i get to settle in some other country after i complete the degree?i know my capabilities and if i want i know i can do well…its just that i dont see my future as a doc….and i dont want to practice…..also i dont want to spend my time and money inmd or ms…. i will b very obliged if u guide me and tell me….waiting for ur reply…….
March 27, 2008 at 11:10 AM
hai sir,
tis is Delfin. . . . . i finished my BDS 2years before and was trying for MDS,bt i mised in a narrow gap.nw i wud like to do MBA in a god institution.kindly guide me
March 27, 2008 at 4:05 PM
Gagan: Since you are asking about Japan and Australia I can’t give you much info since I never looked at these two countries. Your best bet for finding out about these countries (or any other country) is to get in touch with their educational missions (like British Council for UK and USEFI for USA). They will be able to give you a lot of information about courses, future prospects, settling down in that country, etc. There are third party agencies also that provide this information but I suggest you research these agencies carfully before approaching them, since they can be fraudulent also.
Delfin: I hope you have gone through the post and all the comments above. All my advise about doing an MBA is given here. If you have any further specific questions please leave a comment.
March 27, 2008 at 5:30 PM
thanx sir, fr giving such valuable infrmtn 2 all the aspirants. i m one of them. i want 2 knw that work exp in hosp mngmnt will b more weighed or as resident doctors. can u give me infrmtion abt best inst gvng coaching for cat n gmat
March 27, 2008 at 5:49 PM
rahul, ur blogs amazing..its very informative….im an mbbs doctor with 15 mths work experience…and am keen on settling down in singapore…what r the prospects in singapore after an mba from the above mentioned institutes
March 27, 2008 at 7:32 PM
Amol: It is not the type of experience you have but what you achieve during your work. If you do much better work as a resident doctor, it will have more weightage than working as a hospital administrator. However, working as a hospital administrator will expose you to the kind of work you can expect to do after an MBA. That can help you decide whether that is what you really want to do or not! I still suggest you should what you think you are better at. I took coaching for CAT from Career Launcher and for GMAT from Kaplan.
Hemona: Singapore is a hot destination. I know that a Singapore hospital came to ISB this year to recruit. Apart from healthcare, there are lots of other companies that come too.
March 29, 2008 at 12:19 AM
sir,
i m in mbbs II year,
is it too early for me to have decided to do mba after mbbs,
i hv also decided not to pay much attention on mbbs academics,
is this right???
March 29, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Amber: I think it is slightly too early to decide. Anyways, even if you have decided to an MBA you need to concentrate on MBBS academics, since a good score will be important in getting you admission to an MBA school.
March 29, 2008 at 10:42 AM
Here’s a recent article from the Economic Times on the need for MBBS MBA people in the industry. It has quotes from an ISB grad and also from the CEO of Wockhardt.
Doctors with MBAs: The numbers are fast rising
March 30, 2008 at 6:53 PM
Rahul, thanks for ur prompt reply! May I know what R those other companies?
March 31, 2008 at 2:01 AM
hi rahul
firstly GREAT SITE…..mus b helping loads of ppl around…wanted to know bout getting into ISB. Have just graduated ,March 2008. one yr of internship and another 6 months or so of work ex with a gud gmat score(I STILL hav to take the gmat, but i’ll mange a gud score…) …is dat gud enuf to apply to ISB..Idnt wanna spend too much time trying to get work ex.