Bioscientists and the MBA Degree
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I am frequently asked by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are having trouble finding a research and development job, whether or not it makes sense to go to business school to get an Masters of Business Administration) MBA degree to enhance their business acumen. While I don’t think it would hurt (especially if you are interested in business), I also don’t think most scientists benefit from enrolling traditional MBA degree programs. With this in mind, some forward-looking academic institutions have launched joint PhD-MBA programs which allow students enrolled in these programs to graduate with PhD and MBA degrees at the end of their graduate training.
The joint programs typically take less time than it would to earn each of the degrees individually and mainly cater to scientists who have decided to eschew academic science careers in favor of life sciences management jobs. While these programs are relatively new and continue to evolve, growing numbers of would-be scientists who are also interested in business are taking advantage of them.
One of these students, Kristy Houck graduated with a PhD in pharmacology and a MBA from the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine joint program almost two years ago. “I loved science, but knew that I didn’t want to perform bench work for the rest of my life. This opened a world of career opportunities for me” said Houck. “Previous graduates of the program have quickly risen to management level positions because they are recognized as business-savvy scientists” she added.
Other academic institutions are closely watching these programs to determine whether or not graduates of the joint PhD-MBA programs have better employment outcomes as compared with person who go through traditional PhD and MBA graduate programs. I listed the institutions that currently offer the joint program in the table below. Check it out!
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Academic institutions that offer joint PhD/MBA program in the life sciences |
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Name of Institution Website |
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Dartmouth |
http://su.pr/2udGyO |
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Pennsylvania State University (Dept. of Pharmacology) |
http://su.pr/21CRWm |
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San Diego State University |
http://su.pr/2hqX8y |
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University of Connecticut |
http://su.pr/4LQ6Dt |
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University of Florida |
http://su.pr/2ltSSj |
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Vanderbilt University |
http://su.pr/9Ze6Uf |
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Wake Forest University |
http://su.pr/As4gip |
Until next time....
Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!
Very interesting and informative post