MBA degree during 3rd/4th years

[study buddy]

First, for those getting an MBA during rotations, have you had any problems with shceduling? I will be starting my 3rd year soon, and have been accepted to an MBA program with evening and weekend classes. I figure I should finish the MBA in 2 years before Residency/internship, but I also want to do outrotations at other hospitals. Any problems with scheduling and finishing the classes?
Also, is it worth getting a degree if it does not have a medical slant? In other words, this will be just a general MBA track with a small or no emphasis on medical management. Does that really matter in the end?
I appreciate any help.

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[mcwmark]

Just curious, but do you think you're going to have enough time? Many nights you will be stuck in the hospital "on call". There will be times that you have to stay--what if that time conflicts with an exam?

Why do you want to get it now? I really think the value of the MBA comes from the reputation of the school, and I actually plan on going after I get out of school. The MMM degree may be worthwhile, but in the business arena, it is the MBA that gets the attention.

 

[AJM]

I think that is going to be VERY difficult to do. Clinical rotations are not like 8-to-5 jobs. You will be working long hours with call in the majority of your rotations, and you won't even be guaranteed to be done before an evening class starts. It's considered "poor form" to leave before afternoon/evening rounds, or before you're done for the day because you have a class. You'll also have a lot of reading and presentations to prepare for your clinical rotations.

I, too, have heard that the main benefits to getting an MBA involve the connections you make while in MBA school, not the classes themselves. It will be very difficult to make good connections at a night MBA school when you are also going to be working long hours. Everyone I know who has gotten an MBA during med school have taken time off and pursued their MBA full-time. If you really want an MBA, maybe you could take half of the classes at night/on weekends, but also take a full year off between your 3rd and 4th years? I don't know what your MBA program allows.

Just my .02

 

[study buddy]

Thanks for your tips. What is the MMM degree?

That's what I am trying to figure out - whether there is enough time during rotations. I talked to the lady in charge of my rotations at the hospital and she made it sound like it could be done. She said there was a guy a few years ago who completed his MBA as an intern (I'm pretty sure he started it before that year though). She also said most rotations will finish by 7pm, and that the preceptors will let me off early if I explain the reason.

The reason I want to get it now is because I don't want to do it during internship/residency, and afterwards I will be working off a debt (and probably starting a family) so I don't want to spend the money for it then. After that it's possible, but I may not be up to it at that point. Also, this school waived the GRE requirement and has no work experience required (all the others need a GRE score or 2-4 yrs work).

I think I will look into online courses, too, as I think that will allow more flexibility if I change cities after my 4th year (assuming I'm not finished with the MBA).

 

[Winged Scapula]

Originally posted by study buddy:
• I talked to the lady in charge of my rotations at the hospital and she made it sound like it could be done.. . She also said most rotations will finish by 7pm, and that the preceptors will let me off early if I explain the reason.
•

I think that's HIGHLY dependent on the rotation. What about taking call? You AREN'T going to be able to leave before 7 pm on those nights and at least for me, and most of my friends, you still worked at least some weekends. Most people I know who got an MBA during medical school did so by taking a year off and working on the thesis during their remaining clinical years.

Best of luck to you.

 

[shep]

First a couple of my opinions:
1. Be wary of online MBA programs. Personally, I would not do it. Group learning and discussion is a big part of most good MBA programs. It may seem annoying to have to sit and listen to your peers babble but you honestly do walk away with some insights.
2. From my experience, evening MBA programs are filled with slackers and are watered down. That does not mean you have to be a slacker but it does mean that you may be stuck in a group full of them and there is typically a lot of group work in MBA programs.


I have an MBA and will be starting med school in August. I can only speak to the value of the MBA degree and the time it will require but I thought it might help.
If you want to be the CEO of Int'l Paper or Cisco, you need to go to Harvard for the MBA; but if you just want the knowledge, don't worry about where you go.
I attended a small school in Denver, CO called the Univ. of Denver. The basic core was two years but could have been done in less if going full time.
I did not think the program was that hard compared to my undergrad in biochem. and certainly not compared to what I expect in med school. You can slack a little and still get along very well. There are a lot of "softer" courses on management and stuff that requires reading cases and discussions followed by papers. Not hard just time consuming.

As for the value of the degree; I use it every day in some way. It gives you a good understanding of how to analyze processes and how businesses come up with those sometimes goofy regulations and and financial based policies. Not to mention, it gives you a greater understanding of how to manage people and communicate effectively.

Science and medicine are obviously my real love but the truth is medicine and science are encompassed by the world of business. The MBA will teach you how that world works and why it works the way it does. If more doctors had a business degree our healthcare system might be in better shape. You can't argue with an HMO executive if you don't speak his/her language.

In short, you could probably do it even if you had to skip a few classes and were not able to put 100% into the study. MBA programs are usually willing to work with students regarding time constraints. Regardless, I think that what you would walk away with is an extremely valuable core of knowledge for your career and personal finances. I would do it again.