Ms biology + mba?

[periopocket]

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Hey guys, I was wait listed this past year, and I started a MS in Biology during the spring semester. I was offered a graduate assistantship from Microlabs - a company w/in the university, so I am on full ride. Would it look bad if I also did an MBA while I was here (it would be free), b/c I am due to complete the MS in BIO in the FALL, and Summer classes in biology are limited. I just don't know If that would affect my application negatively. I thought an MBA would be valuable later on for private practice. Thanks for advice guys!

 

[KittySquared]

No way would it affect you negatively. It takes a true business person to handle a private office. I say go for it, given that you can maintain good GPA of 3.7 and higher.

 

[wired202808]

Hey guys, I was wait listed this past year, and I started a MS in Biology during the spring semester. I was offered a graduate assistantship from Microlabs - a company w/in the university, so I am on full ride. Would it look bad if I also did an MBA while I was here (it would be free), b/c I am due to complete the MS in BIO in the FALL, and Summer classes in biology are limited. I just don't know If that would affect my application negatively. I thought an MBA would be valuable later on for private practice. Thanks for advice guys!

An MBA wont be perceived negatively but don't expect it to do much for your private practice. Most MBA classes, esp depending on the major, are more applicable towards general corporate environments. Additionally, you will probably forget majority of the coursework after 4 hard years in d-school. Its up to you if you really want it, it might look better on paper, but I doubt you'll have much use for it in reality. Esp since you're going for d-school, not for a corporate job.

 

[uva09]

If your future dental practice(s) is a type of corporation, which many are, then it would be a corporate environment, right? Virtually all private practitioners with equity are also considered corporate jobs by their very nature.

One of the most common gripes graduating dental students make concerns the lack of business-related coursework in the curriculum.

The average dental school applicant has very little, if any didactic business background. At the very least, the accounting classes in an MBA program would be incredibly valuable. You would be able to read and understand a balance sheet - income statements, expense reports, etc. You also would learn how to manage people effectively - how to market and advertise effectively, how to understand and interpret statistics, etc. There are a number of potential advantages.

Certainly there would be a number of irrelevant classes and much of the education could be considered over-kill, depending on the individual. A private practice owner can learn much of this on the fly or hire out where needed. But, it would definitely be helpful in private practice - there are numerous MD/MBA, DDS/MBA programs across the country for a reason. It looks good. It's helpful. And it opens more doors.

 

[Seamonkey Doc]

Hey guys, I was wait listed this past year, and I started a MS in Biology during the spring semester. I was offered a graduate assistantship from Microlabs - a company w/in the university, so I am on full ride. Would it look bad if I also did an MBA while I was here (it would be free), b/c I am due to complete the MS in BIO in the FALL, and Summer classes in biology are limited. I just don't know If that would affect my application negatively. I thought an MBA would be valuable later on for private practice. Thanks for advice guys!

Like what others have said here, an MBA will not look bad. After all, business knowledge is important in dentistry. It sounds like a great opportunity, so I would say go for it 👍

 

[wired202808]

Its good on paper but ultimately unnecessary. Look at it more like a personal achievement.

 

[dentalbro2016]

An MBA wont be perceived negatively but don't expect it to do much for your private practice. Most MBA classes, esp depending on the major, are more applicable towards general corporate environments. Additionally, you will probably forget majority of the coursework after 4 hard years in d-school. Its up to you if you really want it, it might look better on paper, but I doubt you'll have much use for it in reality. Esp since you're going for d-school, not for a corporate job.

+1, first time I've agreed with Wired... Anyway, he's completely right: MBA classes are mainly used for corporate environment and to specialize your competencies to make you more competitive. They would mostly prove useless for dental school -- unless there is a specialization focusing on entrepreneurship. If you're really interested in it I would suggest talking to some students or professors at the B-school first to find out if they really think it is worth your time and efforts to further your studies by getting an MBA.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

yes, an MBA might look good on paper..but the practicality of the degree is pretty useless.

 

[periopocket]

Thank you everyone for your responses, many of the professors and deans I have met at dental schools all have MBA's, and it has contributed to their high successes, weather some of you would like to believe it or not. I don't I would just go forgetting information so soon afterwards either. But, because my science gpa is my weak point in my application, I think most of you would probably agree to taking additional science courses, and doing over the minimum number of credits in my MS, if I am yet again unsuccessful next cycle.

 

[wired202808]

Thank you everyone for your responses, many of the professors and deans I have met at dental schools all have MBA's, and it has contributed to their high successes, weather some of you would like to believe it or not. I don't I would just go forgetting information so soon afterwards either. But, because my science gpa is my weak point in my application, I think most of you would probably agree to taking additional science courses, and doing over the minimum number of credits in my MS, if I am yet again unsuccessful next cycle.

I dont agree with majority of that statement but its your world and you should do what makes sense to you. But I wouldnt spend a lot of time on MBA classes that add nothing to your application, esp if you find up losing out time to study for the science classes. D-schools wont accept you just because you have or are going for an MBA, so make sure your sGPA is in tip top shape.

 

[periopocket]

Agreed, your rite, why waste time on business classes, when Science gpa is what needs to be improved. Thanks again.

Do you guys think it looks bad to take a few undergraduate biology courses, while in a MS in biology. They don't offer any graduate biology courses over the summer, so I am limited to undergrad classes. However, it will be on my graduate transcript, it just wont count for credit out of my total needed to graduate.

 

[wired202808]

Agreed, your rite, why waste time on business classes, when Science gpa is what needs to be improved. Thanks again.

Do you guys think it looks bad to take a few undergraduate biology courses, while in a MS in biology. They don't offer any graduate biology courses over the summer, so I am limited to undergrad classes. However, it will be on my graduate transcript, it just wont count for credit out of my total needed to graduate.

My opinion is that schools look at the overall GPA more than the Masters GPA. I have a strong post bacc GPA but it was ignored and the total was looked at for most schools. I dont believe it looks bad to take any level of science courses as long as you can get those A's and come out with a higher GPA.