Advanced Degree Candidate from another Country?

Hi there,

Congrats on graduating!

1) I’m looking to apply at the Middle East offices as an Advanced Degree Candidate. will they consider me an ADC even if my degree is not from the offices original country? What about if I apply in Europe?

Yes, they should. But you need to network and speak with them.

2) Do I realistically have a chance to get a job at MBB straight out of uni with only my medical degree? I just will have two clinical internships in Germany (one at the top hospital) and one year of foundation training at Cairo Uni Hospital, when I apply, but nothing else on my CV. Should I consider doing my residency (3-5 years) first? 

Sure, everyone has a “chance”. The level of this chance depends on

 1) Strength of background (grades, experience, etc.) 

2) Strength of resume

 3) “Match” (does your working rights, language, time spent in their country, etc. match their office/country) and finally 

4) Networking

3) If I get a job at MBB, will I be only working on healthcare projects? I know my main value would be my title and background as a doctor, but I don’t wanna spend the rest of my life only working in the healthcare industry. So would I get the chances to get different projects like “normal” consultants or not?

You would almost certainly come in as a generalist and therefore would not only be in healthcare.

4) I have no business background. Are there any courses certificates to obtain to increase my chances? For example CFI? I’m considering doing Business Foundations course by U Penn/Wharton (it’s free), but what else can increase my chances? Also what is the best way to prepare for interveiws etc?

Yes! There are a ton of courses as well as organizations that get you consulting experience (you work for free in small teams part-time for short projects and get to add it to the resume)

Hi Hassan,

1) Will I be considered an ADC although I hold a Medical Degree from another country? What about if I decide to apply to Europe?

If they would have considered someone with an equivalent local degree as Advanced Degree Candidate, they will also consider you in the same way. The possible issue is whether you can pass the screening with your application material (see below).

2) Should I switch to consulting before having done my residency? So I am a fresh grad with just the 1 year Foundation training or does doing a residency (3-5 years) increase my chances drastically?

You can apply now. You should prepare properly your CV/Cover and ideally have a referral, you can find more below:

▶ How to Get a Consulting Interview Invitation

3) What are my chances as a non business background person? Are there any online courses/certificates to improve my CV? (I have two clinical internships in Germany on my CV one of them at Germany’s top hospital, but besides that not much else but my degree)

We would need to see your CV and application material to assess your chances. The #1 thing that can help to get an invitation is a referral, you can find more below:

▶ How to Get an MBB Invitation

▶ The Exact Steps to Get a Referral

4) If I get to work at any of the MBB will I be exclusively working in healthcare projects because I’m a Dr? Or will they also let me work multiple industries? 

Joining as a generalist you should still have the option to work on different projects, although most likely they will be interested in your background in healthcare and related projects.

Best,

Francesco

Hi Hassan,

First of all, congratulations on completing your medical degree!

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• If you are considered an ADC in one country, it is likely that you would be considered an ADC in other countries as well. However, it is always best to check with the specific firms you are interested in to be sure.
• It is generally not necessary to complete a residency before transitioning to a consulting career. However, completing a residency may give you additional clinical experience and expertise that could be relevant in certain consulting projects, particularly those related to healthcare. Ultimately, your decision to switch to consulting before or after completing a residency will depend on your personal goals and circumstances.
• With a medical degree and clinical internships in Germany, including one at Germany's top hospital, on your resume, you do have some relevant experience that could be valuable in a consulting role. These experiences demonstrate your ability to work in a professional setting and your willingness to seek out new opportunities for learning and growth. Additionally, there are online courses and certifications that could help you build up your business skills and make you a more competitive candidate. However, it's difficult to accurately assess your chances without taking a more in-depth look at your CV.
• If you are hired by an MBB firm, you will likely have the opportunity to work on a variety of projects across different industries, and your medical degree may be relevant in certain cases. However, it is also possible that you may be asked to work primarily on healthcare-related projects, depending on the needs of the firm and your own skills and interests. Ultimately, the specific projects you work on will depend on the firm's priorities and the demand for your skills in the marketplace.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

Let's break this down:

1. Will I be considered an ADC although I hold a Medical Degree from another country? What about if I decide to apply to Europe? Yes, as an MD you're considered an ADC globally - I had colleages and coachees with a similar background. That being said, the quality of your education and brand name of your school matters a great deal.
2. Should I switch to consulting before having done my residency? So I am a fresh grad with just the 1 year Foundation training or does doing a residency (3-5 years) increase my chances drastically? This depends whether you want to set yourself up for an alternative career in the profession you actually trained for i.e., medicine. Having the residency in the bag case you change your mind and want to stay in medicine might prove important in the future. But it doesn't increase your chances for MBB consulting in my estimation. 
3. What are my chances as a non business background person? Are there any online courses/certificates to improve my CV? (I have two clinical internships in Germany on my CV one of them at Germany’s top hospital, but besides that not much else but my degree) I coached various MDs straight out of uni with no business background and they got Associate roles at McKinsey. You wouldn't be the first one and certainly won't be the last one to do this transition. As for certificates, don't worry about it. Nothing aside from an MBA after your residency will really help you much more at this point. Instead, get a foot in the door by having and following the right networking strategy.
4. If I get to work at any of the MBB will I be exclusively working in healthcare projects because I’m a Dr? Or will they also let me work multiple industries? I know that much of my value to them would be my title, but I don’t feel like working in the healthcare industry exclusively for the rest of my life.  No, you won't just be working on healthcare projects. And to be fair, with 0 work experience you probably wouldn't have a wealth of insight to provide, either. You will be hired as a generalist and work on the same projects as your peers coming from all kinds of backgrounds. That's the beauty of consulting!

Hope this helps a bit and best of luck! Please reach out if there's anything you'd like to discuss in more detail.

Moritz

Hello Hassan,

Here are my thoughts:

1) As you would have probably seen on BCG's website: Advanced degree candidates (ADCs) are students pursuing a PhD, postdoc, JD, or MDs, and also current residents and practicing physicians. 

Thus, technically you would be eligible to apply without doing a residency

2) Consulting firms thrive on diversity. Thus, having an international degree should not be a problem. However, if you have lived in Cairo for all your life for example, it might be difficult to explain why you would to move to say Copenhagen. Before rolling out interviews, firms need to be satisfied with your motivation of being in a) Consulting b) That specific firm and c) That specific location. This typically comes out through your Cover Letter. I can help you with your CV / Cover Letter.

3) Without much work experience, you should be allowed to apply, but you will be joining at a much junior level. Best to check with the HR representative of the office you intend to apply to.

4) As a specialist, you will be expected to contribute mostly to healthcare projects. If you are joining at a junior position, you can express your interest to the staffing team eventually that you want to try different industries. E.g. Say you become really good at Cost Optimisation projects in Healthcare and want to try Energy now. The staffing team can try and put you on Cost Optimisation projects in Energy since you will already have some expertise in that capability.

5) You can do the free courses you mentioned to increase your knowledge and confidence. However, the best way to succeed at the interviews is to prepare for the interviews themselves! i.e. Drills, peer mocks and mocks with coaches to improve your Case and Fit skills.

Hope this helps!

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any specific questions or would like to work with me :)

Best,

Rushabh