Meet Vanderbilt’s Owen MBA Class of 2017

Mary Van Meter

Vanderbilt University, Owen Graduate School of Management

Hometown: Lexington, KY

Undergraduate School and Major:

University of Virginia, Biology and Economics

Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, MD candidate 2017

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Medical student at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Recalling your own experience, what advice do you have for applicants who are preparing for either the GMAT or the GRE? Do lots of practice problems and spend the most time on your weakest, not strongest, areas! I also found it helpful to taking full-length practice tests to gain endurance.

Based on your own selection process, what advice do you have for applicants who are trying to draw up a list of target schools to which to apply? I was interested in Vanderbilt’s combined degree program when I applied to medical school. If that is something you’re considering, make sure to ask about how different schools facilitate the combined degree, and do research into both schools in which you’re seeking degrees.

What advice do you have for applicants in actually applying to a school, writing essays, doing admission interviews, and getting recommenders to write letters on your behalf? Ask people early for recommendation letters, as these things take time. I found it helpful to write an essay and leave it for a day or two before coming back to it to edit. Talking about your strengths is never comfortable, but try to make sure you stand out.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? Vanderbilt has a great reputation overall and I was particularly interested in the Healthcare MBA given my medical background. Nashville has a huge healthcare industry so the Owen School has lots of opportunities to expand my knowledge of medicine on a more systems-based level.

What would you ultimately like to achieve before you graduate? I’m looking forward to gaining insight on the non-clinical side of healthcare. I ultimately want to pursue a job that includes hospital administration as well as a clinical practice, so understanding operations, gaining leadership skills, and learning more about how we can curtail costs in the healthcare system are all things I hope to gain here.