Can I transition from the NHS to management consultancy?

Hello,

Transitioning from the NHS to management consultancy is 100% realistic. Many consultants come from non-business backgrounds, and your 10+ years in the NHS provide valuable expertise in healthcare systems, operations, and leadership, which are highly sought after in consulting.

Steps to Get Started
    1.    Leverage Your Expertise
Your NHS experience in managing teams, resources, and complex challenges is highly transferable, especially for firms with healthcare practices.
    2.    Build Business Knowledge
 Start learning about consulting frameworks and basics of strategy and finance.
 Recommended courses: “Foundations of Business Strategy” (Coursera), “Consulting Foundations” (LinkedIn Learning), or mini-MBA programs.
    3.    Prepare for Case Interviews (spend most of your time here)
Use resources like Case in Point by Marc Cosentino, PrepLounge, or Victor Cheng’s materials to gain an initial understanding of how to best solve case studies
    4.    Network Strategically
Connect with consultants with similar backgrounds and join LinkedIn groups focused on healthcare or management consulting
    5.    Target Healthcare-Focused Consulting Firms
Look at EY-Parthenon, McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, and Accenture that specialise in healthcare projects

Feel free to DM me to help you with your interview preparation / transition.  

Good luck!

Best,

Evelina

Hi there,

Very exciting that you're considering making a change! Not from the UK but sharing from Canada with a similar healthcare system in case helpful:

I've seen perhaps 2-3 former colleagues make the transition from the medical field into management consulting. Their backgrounds included roles such as Emergency Room Nurse or MD. While less common, it is definitely possible to make the transition. 

One of the more direct pathways would be to get an MBA and recruit as an MBA hire (saw this more often among my former colleagues who made the switch). Alternatively, you could also recruit directly from your NHS role into consulting. This would involve more preparation on your part, but again should be completely do-able (a former MD colleague was able to do this). 

Where to start

• Familiarize yourself with the consulting interview process: Firms definitely recognize the expertise of experienced hires such as yourself, however the interview process is unique and likely very different from what you have experienced in the past
  • Recommend watching a couple of YouTube videos to get a sense of what the process looks like, before reading some of the books that others have mentioned such as Case in Point or Case Interview Secrets
     
• Directly practice cases: If you choose to recruit directly from your NHS role, I would encourage you to first read the materials that others have mentioned, but do not put off practicing live with another person
  • I find many candidates try and "perfect" in isolation using recordings or online courses, however, timely feedback on areas for improvement is critical especially considering your full-time work commitments. You don't want to burn too much time on practicing the wrong thing- courses are great but only once you know what areas you actually need to practice
     
• Identify your recruitment strategy: Certain firms might be more welcoming to experienced hires from the medical field. Identify the firms you are interested in and which offices (e.g., London or others in UK) you intend to apply to
  • Consider if you want to transition into a generalist (i.e., would not strictly be working on healthcare related work) or healthcare specialist role, and narrow down which firms would offer that accordingly
  • Consider speaking with a recruiter given your extensive training in the medical field- they might be able to point you towards firms who value your profile 

Hope this helps and all the best as you navigate this career switch- you've got this!

Hi,

Transitioning from a National Health Service (NHS) consultant to a management consultant is a significant change, but it can be a rewarding move if approached thoughtfully. Here are some steps to help you prepare for the transition:

1. Self-Assessment

• Identify Skills and Interests: Reflect on the skills you've acquired in your NHS role and how they can be applied to management consulting. Key skills might include problem-solving, communication, leadership, and project management.
• Determine Your Goals: Consider what you hope to achieve by making this transition. Are you looking for new challenges, better work-life balance, or opportunities to influence healthcare policy at a higher level?

2. Education and Training

• Read case books and/or take personal coaching sessions: Typical case books are Case in Point or Interview Secrets. Other sources are platform like Preplounge where you find coaches and buddies to further practice your case interview skills.
• Tailor Your CV and draft you cover letter: Highlight relevant skills and experiences that align with management consulting roles.

3. Network

• Connect with Professionals: Attend (online) MBB company events and connect with current management consultants to learn more about the field and opportunities.

Note that steps 2 and 3 can be done in parallel. With the right preparation, you can successfully make the switch and thrive in your new management consulting role. Good luck with the preparations.

Do not hesitate to reach out via a personal message for more training resources.

Kr,

Mattijs

Hi there,

Absolutely, transitioning to consulting is realistic! Your extensive NHS experience, especially as a locum consultant, gives you unique insights into healthcare systems that many firms actively seek—particularly in their healthcare and life sciences practices.

Why You’re a Great Fit:

• Your hands-on knowledge of healthcare operations and patient care is invaluable to consulting firms advising healthcare organizations.
• Skills like problem-solving, leadership, and managing stakeholders are highly transferable to consulting.

How to Get Started:

1. Brush up on business basics with a course like “Foundations of Business Strategy” on Coursera or Case in Point for case interview prep.
2. Practice case studies—these are key to cracking consulting interviews.
3. Target healthcare-focused practices at firms like McKinsey, BCG, or Deloitte.

You’re bringing something unique to the table, so don’t underestimate your value! Feel free to reach out if you’d like advice or tips as you start your prep. Good luck—you’ve got this!

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on your career trajectory thus far!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, I do not understand why you should become more knowledgable in finance. What is the reason for that?
• Moreover, it is certainly possible to move into consulting, especially given your current consulting role, although the focus may be different.
• Lastly, in order to maximize your chances, in addition to all the aspects that apply to any candidate, I would highly advise you to at least consider applying for a practice consultant role if you are comfortable continuing to work in healthcare.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming pre-interview assessments and/or interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hey there, 

This is an easy answer :-) Is it realistic you ask?.....  100%, absolutely, most def, for sure, and all the other positive affirming responses :-) 

Management consulting is not about finance. It's about problem solving and delivering impact for clients. If anything, your NHS background could make you a wonderful fit for Life Sciences / Healthcare projects within management consulting (if you wanted to stay in familiar territory)

As for courses, practicing on PrepLounge and absorbing material from here would work really well. Lots of great coaches here, great case library, great articles written on many relevant topics. You're in safe hands on PrepLounge. 

Feel free to reach out if you want any more practical advice or guidance. I have many friends and colleagues in Healthcare and Life Sciences in management consulting if you'd like to speak to people from your field. :-)

All the best! 

Man, these generic ChatGPT answers are a killer - wasn't this way a year ago.

Here's a REAL answer from a human/coach.

You CAN transition, but it will be hard. 

You need to get pro bono/experiential consulting roles. Build up other skills. Get your resume reviewed. Network. etc. etc.

You should aim for specialist consulting roles in particular

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