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Kathan

12 hrs ago

Junior doctor hoping to transition into management consulting

Hi guys, I am currently an SHO (Senior House Officer) doctor in the UK, I am currently trying to switch careers into management consulting as I believe this aligns more with my interests and goals. Was wondering if anyone has made this career switch, and if so if they have any advice for someone like me.

This is open to everyone, advice and input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!!

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Benjamin

Coach

12 hrs ago

Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer

Hi Kathan,

Glad you are deciding to break into consulting. It can indeed be a very rewarding and fulfilling career. I've known a few doctors who have made the switch successfully - so it is definitely possible.

Sharing some thoughts here. You probably want to think about 2 aspects about breaking into consulting:

Getting invited to the interview (getting one foot into the door)
1. Strong application (CV & CL)
  1. Make sure your application is in tip-top shape and worded in the right and relevant way that showcases the skills that are important
2. Networking
  1. This is also extremely important as it gives you a higher chance of getting a referral, plus also can help to strengthen your application story
Acing the interview
1. Understand what exactly you are going to be graded on
2. Understand what good looks like
3. Develop a strategy and plan to get you to a star candidate

Given your medical background, you can definitely leverage it to make your application strong in terms of a healthcare focus (a popular practice area, especially in UK), as well as to network with existing ex-medical professionals who are now in consulting.

There's lots more details and nuances that I go into in my article which talks more about breaking into consulting from a non-traditional background - you can read it for more perspective:

Breaking into consulting from a non-traditional background

All the best!

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1 comment

Kathan

12 hrs ago

Thanks for your response Benjamin, It is very useful and I will definitely check out the resource you have posted!

Eric

Coach

12 hrs ago

Ex Principal at BCG SF office | 100+ decision round interviews | BCG case bank contributor

Hi there, I knew several folks with a medical background from U.S. offices. Your background is a unique differentiator and a strong value proposition compared to more generalist candidates. As you know, healthcare is a highly complex and technical field, and your expertise would be incredibly valuable to MBB firms.

I don’t think securing an interview will be difficult for you—your background is a great asset. The key will be preparing for case interviews, as they can be quite challenging to navigate. With solid practice, I’m confident you’ll do well!

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1 comment

Kathan

11 hrs ago

Thanks for the reply Eric, I will definitely start looking through case interviews as this is quite a new concept to me and I will need more practise than most!

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Hagen

Coach

#1 recommended coach | >95% success rate | most experience in consulting, interviewing and coaching

7 Answers

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