I'm going to apply anyway, but how competitive are MD/MBA programs?

[onedirection]

I was curious how competitive MD/MBA programs are

ie:

Penn
NYU

Not really sure what other schools offer it. I've only been to info sessions for those two because I was free when they visited my university. I think my university also might have a program like this? Sorry for being so oblivious. I just haven't really put time into looking at this stuff.

At schools with top business schools, how difficult are these MD/MBA programs to get into?

I haven't done too much research into the whole admissions process yet. I feel like I'm probably going to take a year off before applying.

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[Lya]

Someone with personal experience on this can correct me if I am wrong.

From what I've read, I think you have to get into MD program first and then apply to MBA. I don't think you need to take GMAT; however, you really have to show how MBA fits into your MD career and vice versa, not just from your statement of interest but ideally also from your ECs.

With that said, it's very competitive especially for Penn. Not anyone with interests in business can just get in easily and do MBA. You really have to exemplify why MBA is absolutely needed.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

The requirements vary by school. Some let you apply at the same time, some let you apply at a certain time during the MD program. Some (like Penn) require GRE/GMAT, others don't. But as long as you are admitted into the MD program and have a clear reason for wanting the MBA, getting in shouldn't be too hard.

 

[inycepoo]

Someone with personal experience on this can correct me if I am wrong.

From what I've read, I think you have to get into MD program first and then apply to MBA. I don't think you need to take GMAT; however, you really have to show how MBA fits into your MD career and vice versa, not just from your statement of interest but ideally also from your ECs.

With that said, it's very competitive especially for Penn. Not anyone with interests in business can just get in easily and do MBA. You really have to exemplify why MBA is absolutely needed.

Work experience and well-networked individuals are what business schools are after. A typical premed is lacking in both departments. More often than not, dual degree applicants apply to their second degree after enroll in the med school, because the med admissions is the harder of the two by far. You can also apply as a direct dual admit, but you'll be lacking the priority they'll give you once you've been admitted to the med school since you'll be filing two separate applications, and the typical premed does not stand a chance against the MBA hopeful who has worked 5 years in finance and consulting post-college.

A quick online search on MD/MBA does you very well instead of asking on SDN. There's little point in speculating on how your chances are for a program if you can't get in the door of the med school to begin with. Also, as Lya said, you need a very good PS to show that the MBA is necessary and you have plans to use it well.

 

[Sassafrass23]

I'm applying to one in Texas. The way it works here is that you interview for both at your med school interview and then are accepted separately, i.e. being accepted into the MD program doesn't guarantee you'll also being doing MBA. Conversely, if you're not accepted into the MD, who cares if you made the cut for MBA?

 

[nychila]

I think if you're able to get admitted to the MD program you can demonstrate that an MBA would be useful to your future career through clear goals and prior experiences, getting admitted to any MBA program of the MD university shouldn't be too difficult, including top 5 and top 20 programs. You would also need an adequate GMAT score if your dual-degree program requires so, but I think they would be somewhat forgiving about a mediocre GMAT score and the relative lack of work experience.

 

[Soulstice]

Having spoken to MD-MBAs and business school professors at my undergraduate institution, my opinion of MD/MBA is that the MD is the real uphill climb. I've spoken to people with medical and/or business school experience who have said that, because getting into medical school and scoring well on the MCAT requires such a high degree of aptitude, the MBA is somewhat of a piece of cake in comparison. Now, I'm not sure how much this applies at schools with b-schools in the top 5-10, but my undergraduate school, its accompanying business school, and the medical school it affiliates with are all top 20, so I imagine this is probably the case at many places.

 

[inycepoo]

HBS/HKS and Yale basically said at my Ivy graduate school fair that if an MD student can give right reasons to do any additional degree, then he/she's in.

"Medical school students tend to be the smartest of them all, so we don't really see a need to filter again." Verbatim from HBS.

On the HMS side, it was "Harvard takes the best and that's it." lol no BS there

 

[inycepoo]

I think if you're able to get admitted to the MD program you can demonstrate that an MBA would be useful to your future career through clear goals and prior experiences, getting admitted to any MBA program of the MD university shouldn't be too difficult, including top 5 and top 20 programs. You would also need an adequate GMAT score if your dual-degree program requires so, but I think they would be somewhat forgiving about a mediocre GMAT score and the relative lack of work experience.

Yep. But OP seemed to be speaking of applying to both at the same time, so the lack of work experience would look weak to the separate MBA adcom. I've only ever heard of a quasi-guaranteed acceptance for those who have already made it to their med school, as you mentioned. i.e., you'd apply for the MBA during your M1 year.

 

[onedirection]

I mean I spent most of my summers doing business/finance related stuff. I turned down all my offers this summer to study for the MCAT

If I wasn't planning on going to medical school, I would have done the traditional Graduate --> IBanking [assuming I ended up getting a full time offer] --> Business school route

but since I want to go to medical school, and have a specific goal in mind, I figure the situation is a bit different

I'm also an economics major

 

[inycepoo]

You'll still need to weave a story (hopefully a truthful one...) of how the MD/MBA will guide you.

 

[onedirection]

Also random question

Would colleges care if I turned down acceptances to them during undergraduate admissions if I apply to them for medical school?

Like will they ask if you ever applied here before or something along those lines because that might be a little awkward?

 

[darkjedi]

At almost every medical school, the MD program will be harder to get into than the MBA programs. Almost no one applies directly for an MD/MBA going in, and it is usually advised against. Everyone pretty much applies for the MBA portion during their 1st or 2nd year. Most schools will pretty much accept any MD candidates applying, while others like HBS and Wharton still retain the freedom to reject people. There, you have to express a great interest in the MBA program itself and have a vision as to how you are going to utilize such a degree.

 

[inycepoo]

Also random question

Would colleges care if I turned down acceptances to them during undergraduate admissions if I apply to them for medical school?

Like will they ask if you ever applied here before or something along those lines because that might be a little awkward?

What are you gonna do? Lie? They definitely don't give a ****. That's just too much work for an adcom to care about.

The space is to catch reapplicants to the same program, not to punish you for turning down their college offer.

 

[pachewisc]

I was curious how competitive MD/MBA programs are

ie:

Penn
NYU

Not really sure what other schools offer it. I've only been to info sessions for those two because I was free when they visited my university. I think my university also might have a program like this? Sorry for being so oblivious. I just haven't really put time into looking at this stuff.

At schools with top business schools, how difficult are these MD/MBA programs to get into?

I haven't done too much research into the whole admissions process yet. I feel like I'm probably going to take a year off before applying.

You need the GMAT for almost every MD/MBA program. I don't know any that will allow you to apply without the GMAT. It's a separate application that requires personalized LORS, essays, and interviews. Some schools require you apply at the same time as the MD, while others let you apply later during M1, M2, and sometimes M3 years. It depends on the schools specific dual degree program design. I suggest looking individually into each school your considering because the application process is so variable.

To answer how difficult they are, all you should be concerned about is how difficult it is to get into the MD program. Take Georgetown for example. Average GPAs for their medical school is ~3.65. Their MBA program, which is top 25, averages GPA=3.3. MDs are MUCH harder than MBAs. Even the top MBA at Stanford the average GPA is like a 3.69.

If you can get into the MD program, get the business LORs, take the GMAT, write the application essays, and interview convincingly, you're golden. It just takes some effort.