Healthcare vs med-tech consulting in UK - will the decision be made for me?

Question

I'm a medical doctor in the UK with 8 years of experience and considering a switch to consulting. I also have an undergrad degree in health policy. More recently I've been working within a commercially-facing outfit at a university offering input into innovative med-tech devices (heavy focus on startups and go-to-market strategy).

My preference is to focus on work with medical devices, including AI, but I also enjoy (to a lesser extent) the bigger picture (health systems and policy).

With MBB (London), I'm confused how my application would work.

Would I just apply as a generic "experienced hire" and someone would decide the best fit for me? Or am I expected to intimate preference?

I'm aware firms contain different "practices". Mckinsey for example has SHAPE which seems public sector focused. How do consultants within SHAPE differ from other consultants? Do/can they work elsewhere within the firm - medical devices strategy projects for example?

Answer 1

Hey!

At MBB in London, you would generally apply as a generic experienced hire, and the firm would assess your profile to align you with the most suitable practice. However, you can express preferences during interviews or discussions with recruiters, highlighting your interest in med-tech and AI. Practices like McKinsey's SHAPE often focus on public sector health systems and policy, but consultants can sometimes work across practices depending on project demand and your skillset. Given your med-tech and health systems expertise, you could likely contribute to both. I had many colleagues who transitioned from being medical doctors into consulting and navigated similar questions—expressing preferences helped guide their fit within the firm.

Good luck! Alessa

Answer 2

Hi there,

I have coached several doctors from the NHS (and also outside the UK) for consulting roles and also met quite a few while at McKinsey.

To answer your questions:

1. You can actively influence what role you will apply for and what projects you will work on (McKinsey even has a phrase for it -> "Build your own McKinsey"). Ideally, you discuss your preferences with HR in an intro call before your application or at the start of your application.

2. If you are in a certain practice, e.g., SHAPE, the expectation is that you conduct most of your work (projects, firm research, proposals) in the scope of that practice but there is some flexibility to venture outside of it (see point 1). This is something that happens organically once you join the firm and build your network.

2 other general observations

1. Doctors perform well during interviews and on the job (due to the overlap in skills such as problem-solving, stakeholder management, communication, etc.).

2. Doctors tend to stay shorter in consulting and move back to their old profession, to the NHS, or to research.

All the best,

Florian

Answer 3

You should apply to generalist track. McKinsey will align you with roles based on your skills, experience, and interests. If you're interested in med-tech, communicate this clearly during interviews. Your background in healthcare makes you valuable across both domains. Ultimately, the firm will consider your fit and expertise along with their needs (project demand) while aligning you.

All the best, Thanks Ashwin

Answer 4

At MBB, your work will primarily focus on what you refer to as “the bigger picture,” so keep that in mind before applying.

Regardless of how you apply, HR will likely reach out due to your unique profile to discuss next steps. To speed up the process, consider applying through referrals.

I’ve met several doctors at McKinsey who spent over 90% of their time on health-related projects, leveraging their specialized knowledge to add distinctive value. However, they typically stay at the firm for only 1–2 years.

Best,

Alberto