Help with profile evaluation (health care)

[sleexian]

Hello,

I am relatively new to the forum and am hoping to get some constructive feedback on my current profile. I am interested in pursuing my MBA with specific interest in healthcare and have been looking at several schools such as Duke (ideal reach school), BU, Vanderbilt, Berkeley and northwestern ( I am basically targeting schools close to major biotech/healthcare hubs in the US. I am not sure if I have a strong enough profile, so would greatly appreciate any help/suggestions to improve it.

Age: 26
GMAT: F
Ethnicity and country of citizenship: Asian (chinese) from Malaysia
GMAT: 640 (Q:44/V:34/AWA:5)
Undergrad: Brandeis University
Major: Biochemistry and biology
GPA: 3.5
Awards: Full scholarship to pursue my undergrad degree from Msian govt.;
EC: was teaching assistant for biology lab for 1 1/2 years. (I started out co-TA with a graduate student and was then given a chance to lead my own section of 10 students); worked on research with a professor (have a middle author publication)

Work experience:
1 1/2 years - research assistant (in laboratory) with major hospital in boston; unfortunately mostly technical things pertaining to oncology research
~2 years - translational research; managing and coordinating clinical trials and major role in research with a recently FDA approved medical devise used for cancer therapy ( I will have a chance at presenting the results at a major neuro-oncology conference in a week and am hoping to get publication sometime next year)

EC (after graduation): annual fundaraiser for department (but its nothing major); some 5K runs
MBA goal: business development in biotech/pharma (especially searching for strategic business alliance between pharma and academia for new discoveries)and eventually health care consulting

I am interested in MBA programs with a good structured health care program. I know there are quite a few schools with good programs but I am uncertain where I currently stand. I attended info sessions with Duke and BU (and plan on visiting Haas next week). I know my GMAT score is below the average for these schools and plan on retaking it. However, I am trying to figure out if I am over-reaching with these schools and if so, does anyone have suggestions of schools that may fit better?

Thank you!

[Jon@Admissionado]

Well, your profile looks good. Good enough to tell you that you GOTTA get a higher GMAT score! If you can of course.

But what I mean is that it is DEFINITELY worth your while to retake and get into the best possible healthcare program you can. Duke and Haas are awesome. But you DO need at least a 690 to apply there.

Kellogg has a Health Industry Management and Wharton a Health Care Management major. Both of which are top class programs.

If you are looking a little bit down the list, but still an amazing program for healthcare people, I'd look at UNC too.

Biotech is a pretty hot industry and not enough candidates from bio do MBAs, so that will be a nice advantage for you. Just rip the heck out of the GMAT, and then do the same for your essays.

[FutureWorks]

Hi Sleexian,


Generally most of the applicants have a good 4-5 years of work experience. Although it is not just the work experience that counts but also what you did there like-what were your achievements, what initiative you took, what changes you drove in your workplace etc. So to leverage this if you can show that in 4 years you have demonstrated the skills schools are looking for you could put in a strong set of essays. Hence the quality of your work, your academics and beyond academics will play an important role in determining your candidature.
Leverage your profile on all these aspects. All the best with your gmat

[sleexian]

Thanks for the feedback! I know I have to get my GMAT score to at least 700 if I want a shot at the better programs (even though standardize tests are not usually my strong suit).

I was just trying to figure out if I had a realistic shot at schools like Duke and Haas (assuming I get my GMAT scores higher). I did not really consider Wharton and Kellogg as they both seem to be a bit of a stretch with my profile. From research and talking to current students at Duke, it sounds like Duke accepts a wider range of applicants (wharton seemed heavy into management consultants and bankers), please correct me if I am wrong.

I will look into UNC. Thank you for the suggestion. I was wondering what anyone thought about the healthcare program at Vanderbilt and BU?

I know that my bio background is somewhat different and may be to my advantage. I am however a little worried that my lack of experience in business side of healthcare be considered a disadvantage? I am trying to set up some shadowing experience in the financial office at my hospital to get more information and exposure about the field (I currently hold a "academic" work visa that restricts my choice of work place). Is there anything else that I could do (aside from GMAT scores) to improve my candidacy?

Again, thank you all for the input! I really appreciate it!

[FutureWorks]

Hi,

Again, thank you all for the input! I really appreciate it!
"Aim for the stars and maybe you'll reach the sky" �. Stay positive and such anxieties are common during exam preparation time. Juggling between work and studies is tough so you need to define a significant time for your GMAT preparation.. However we recommend you to keep taking practise tests to gauge your performance. It will help you in identifying your weak areas and you can focus on them accordingly.
Duke's program is one of the highest rated programs for your field. If you can get into duke than that's the best school for your profile�
Also do mention the work shadowing you are doing in your application as this would highlight your zeal to learn.
Vanderbilt and BU too have good programs for you. The schools list selection is entirely up to you as the school you are choosing should fit with your goals and you as well �
All the very best!!

[Jon@Admissionado]

I know that my bio background is somewhat different and may be to my advantage. I am however a little worried that my lack of experience in business side of healthcare be considered a disadvantage? I am trying to set up some shadowing experience in the financial office at my hospital to get more information and exposure about the field (I currently hold a "academic" work visa that restricts my choice of work place). Is there anything else that I could do (aside from GMAT scores) to improve my candidacy?

Again, thank you all for the input! I really appreciate it!

Don't worry about it. Lots of people from healthcare come with little to no business experience. What you gotta do is not show that you have done everything already, but show POTENTIAL to succeed as a businesswoman. Other than that to improve your candidacy, if you are applying this year it may be a little late, but any initiatives you start, volunteerwork, extra responsibilities you take can help. If you are concentrating on applying now R2, the best thing you could do for yourself is to work hard to give yourself the best possible essays and application.

[sleexian]

I was initially planning on applying for R2 but have decided to delay application to next year and use the next couple of months to retake my GMAT, finish up on a work project (hopefully ending with a journal publication), get in more volunteer work and researching on different career prospects in health care post-MBA (hopefully to give me a clearer idea on the "goal essay").

[Jon@Admissionado]

Allright.
Well good luck to you! And it seems wise given everything.
Come back here in May/June to start preparing for R1 applications.... niiiiice and comfy.