MBA during residency?

[sparticus]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Is it possible/feasible to do an MBA at a top tier program as a resident? What residency fields would make it the most possible? Does it matter really where you get an MBA from if you have an MD and plan on using the MBA for your practice? What about if you want to go into academics? Thanks for your input!!! 😀 😀

 

[bluejay68]

While I was at Penn one of my classmates was a General Surgery resident. I think residencies with lots of elective time and flexibilty work well with taking time out for an MBA. I think General Surgery at Penn is 7 years, with a couple years of dedicated research time, so leaving for a while and then coming back is built into the program.

I would imagine that during shorter residencies or ones with less elective/research time would be more difficult to manage, but some program directors could probably help you with creative scheduling if they really supported you. I think the problem is that without nonclinical time built into the residency, you would be missing call and clinical time that your fellow classmates would have to take over, which is kind of an unfair burden for them.

 

[Law2Doc]

Is it possible/feasible to do an MBA at a top tier program as a resident? What residency fields would make it the most possible? Does it matter really where you get an MBA from if you have an MD and plan on using the MBA for your practice? What about if you want to go into academics? Thanks for your input!!! 😀 😀

I don't see how it would be realistic to do a top tier MBA program simultaneously with residency. A true MBA program tends to have significant lecture time, homework, group work, presentations, and tests. If you are already doing a 70-80 hour work week in your residency, I don't see where you squeeze this into your schedule. There are a MBA programs that allow you to do part time evening classes so that you can work, but residency schedules tend not to be tied to the 9-5 clock like other jobs. There are "executive MBAs" that require less time, usually meeting all weekend every other weekend, but in residency, you don't always get off the weekends you satisfy to do these programs. So no, realistically I think you need to stagger these things.
But I wonder what you mean by "using the MBA for your practice"? The MBA is a degree that doesn't really teach you how to run a business. As discussed many times elsewhere on this board, it tends to be a degree that builds on existing skillsets, not give you new ones. This is why most MBA programs require you to have substantial work experience before enrolling. It is not a great form of education to learn how to run a small medical practice. Read some books and hire the appropriate ancillary professionals (accountant and business lawyer) and you will be fine.

 

[Shredder]

Is it possible/feasible to do an MBA at a top tier program as a resident? What residency fields would make it the most possible? Does it matter really where you get an MBA from if you have an MD and plan on using the MBA for your practice? What about if you want to go into academics? Thanks for your input!!! 😀 😀

i think thats unfeasible for sure, its too superhuman. maybe if you didnt have to sleep. i think the mba prestige would not matter for private practice, and for academia it depends on where. however an mba isnt really a teachers degree

 

[mward04]

i think thats unfeasible for sure, its too superhuman. maybe if you didnt have to sleep. i think the mba prestige would not matter for private practice, and for academia it depends on where. however an mba isnt really a teachers degree

I think it all depends upon the program. If they support you doing it, yes, you can do the MBA. If they don't support you, good luck. There are some official Residency/MBA programs listed here:
http://www.md-mba.org/otherdualmba.html (scroll down to Residency & MBA)

Mike