Gmat?

[GonnaHappen]

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I've been thinking a lot recently about getting an MBA along with an MD degree but I'm pretty clueless when it comes to business school and the GMAT.

What is the GMAT like? How does it compare to the MCAT as far as time spent preparing, overall difficulty etc.?

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

it's totally different. Basically an IQ test (accepted by Mensa for membership purposes, unlike the MCAT). You can prep for it, but you're basically practicing seeing the type of questions they ask, and getting faster. The similarity to the MCAT is that the stuff isn't tough, it's just a massive number of pretty simple questions asked over an exceedingly short time period.

Take a look at the Kaplan and The Princeton Review web sites to get specifics of the # of sections, coverage, etc. I believe they added a writing sample.

Seemed to be more math focused, word problems and the like, much of prepping for it involved reviewing all of the basic math (like high school level) functions, and recognizing that each GMAT problem would have some type of twist to it. I recall doing the same with verbal rules; Kaplan put out a small book to review all of those rules that seem so easy to forget..

Way back when, I took the Kaplan course and was very happy with in. (unlike my MCAT Kaplan experience) in the sense of bumping up my GMAT score substantially through the course methodology.

Time spent preparing comared to MCAT? Minimal..like 6 weeks part time boosted me from pretty good into a score competitive anywhere.

A consideration of the GMAT also is that your peer group is not generally of the caliber of premed students -- lots of managers, analysts, future business folk out there who take it on a whim (and it's reasonable to earn an average score doing this) versus MCAT with all of those type-A's taking this test after working their butts off for the past 3 years..

 

[Hurricane95]

I'm currently studying for the GMAT for my test date on the 30th of March. I'm applying to a joint MD/MBA program now offered at my school.
The GMAT is MUCH easier than the MCAT and Step 1, you don't need anywhere near the same mental horsepower or time commitment to prepare for this exam...it's like a beefed up version of the SAT, just math and verbal sections (with an extra couple of essays at the beginning), but your numerical score is just taken from these 2, not the essays (separate writing score that is pretty meaningless). 3 weeks preparing is more than enough for a student of medical school caliber.

Start by going to www.mba.com and downloading their practice test module. It's a program that you DL onto your computer and has 2 full length practice tests. Take one as an initial diagnostic to see where you stand. Use that as a gauge to see how much you really have to study. Actually, studying is not really studying per se, but just doing TONS of practice Q's until you get used to the testing style.

Do NOT waste $1000+ on a review course. Massive waste of time. Your classmates will probably all be people who are 10+ years out of college and do not remember how to add or divide fractions.

Two books are the gold standard for preparation, each is like $35:
"The Princeton Review GMAT", 2009
"The Official Guide - GMAT Review" - 11th review, orange cover

First one is a helpful review of topics on the exam and has access to online practice tests. Second book is 800 practice Q's I believe with a couple of tests as well (haven't gotten to this book yet). This exam is all about efficiency, and good test-taking skills, not so much knowledge at all.
Good luck!

 

[DrJosephKim]

FYI, there are some MBA programs that don't require a GMAT if you have a terminal degree (like an MD). So, if you're already an MD and you're interested in an MBA, then you may want to take a look at some of these programs.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Do NOT waste $1000+ on a review course. Massive waste of time. Your classmates will probably all be people who are 10+ years out of college and do not remember how to add or divide fractions.

a question that I can't answer is how schools look at combined MD/MBA candidates - I've heard anecdotally that at some schools, if you're accepted to the MD program, you're pretty much accepted to the MBA program automatically.

However, the top MBA programs (if you're applying solely to the MBA program, not sure about if you're looking at MD/MBA) are looking for an average MCAT in the 98th percentile or so. It's been too many years since I took the exam to comment on difficulty of achieving this, but to be competitive to this level of progam, you're scoring better than 98% of college educated, advance-degree minded candidates..that will take some applicants substantial prep time. As mentioned above, taking a sample exam would help figure out where you're likley to score.

 

[Hurricane95]

hmmm...you have a point. I don't know much about applying to programs outside your medical school. The program I am doing is a joint degree at my school, and you are ALMOST guaranteed admission to MBA. The reason to do well on GMAT is potential scholarship money.

 

[GonnaHappen]

Great replies, and great info. Thanks!

 

[arrhythmia7]

I'm definitely no math whiz. I studies for 3.5 weeks during an outpatient rotation my 3rd year of residency and batted a 720 with a perfect writing score. It's really nothing at all comparable to USMLE or boards. The only tricky thing is getting used to the CAT style, and finishing the exam without stressing when it gets really hard.