Mr. Medical Student

Hi Mr. Medical Student, Kristen from MBA Prep School here. As a former MIT Sloan adcom I’ve seen my fair share of med school MBA applicants and I have to say it looks like you would shoot to the top of the pool. From a pure raw stats perspective, you have the GRE score, the strong GPA in a tough major at a top university, and a sustained commitment to causes you are passionate about. This in and of itself makes you a strong candidate, but I think what pushes you over the line is the fact that you’ve been able to get a business perspective as a med student and are making an impact beyond your clinical experience. Many med students I have interviewed in the past have had a hard time defining their leadership; they have had limited opportunities to voice opinions or enact change beyond perhaps suggesting an alternative diagnosis for a patient. I like that you have implemented changes to the curriculum (no doubt having to convince the administration), manage student volunteers, and do pro-bono healthcare consulting. Your career goal is also clear and you can articulate the path forward in combining the MD with an MBA. I agree your odds are very good, as long as your application can effectively convey all of this. Please feel free to reach out if you would like help in ensuring the pieces of the puzzle come together in a cohesive way.

Mr. Medical Student, you remind me of a very fine young man I wrote about earlier this year who is in a similar place to you. He’s entering the first year of Harvard’s MBA program this fall: https://poetsandquants.com/2020/05/24/harvard-mba-admit-battling-covid-19-on-the-frontlines/

So for you, things seem to align in the same way they did for him. You have the base numbers (with a GRE that is seven points over the HBS class average); you have passed thorugh the fine screen to get into a prestigious and highly selective undergraduate school and med school; your extras are superb and show your heart; and your post-MBA goals are highly admirable. More than all this, you are able express yourself in succinct and clear prose. In short, at the young age of 24, you have put together an incredibly enviable record of achievement. Honestly? I think Harvard Business School would be very lucky to have you.