Combined MD/MBA

The combined MD/MBA program is conducted under the joint auspices of the School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Management. This five-year program is designed specifically for students interested in both medicine and the business aspects of medicine. Students will complete the first three years on the medical school curriculum and then spend their fourth year fully integrated into the MBA program at the School of Management within the Health Sector Management Program. During this fourth year, they will take 36 credit hours of management courses with an emphasis on health sector issues. Multiple aspects of the sector are addressed, including health care delivery, the life sciences industry, and health information technology. In the fifth year, students will complete their remaining medical courses and 10 management course credits at the Graduate School of Management. The MD is awarded by the School of Medicine and the MBA in Health Sector Management by the Graduate School of Management.

Eligibility

Requirements for the MD/MBA program are the same as the traditional MD program (course requirements, MCAT) plus the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

Application

Students should express their interest in the MD/MBA program when they apply to medical school. In addition to the usual medical school application requirements, applicants for this combined degree program should submit the following materials to the Graduate School of Management Admissions Office:

• Online application form including answers to required essay questions
• Application fee of $125 payable to Boston University
• Current résumé
• Two letters of recommendation
• GMAT results: Request official scores and include a copy with your application package (GMAT test scores are valid for five years)
• Official copies of all university-level transcripts (undergraduate and graduate)

Please have all transcripts mailed to:

Boston University School of Management
Graduate Admission Office
595 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215

Applicants should attach a letter to both the School of Medicine and Graduate School of Management stating that they are applying to the combined MD/MBA program. It is also possible for students to apply for the MD/MBA program after they have begun medical school. Such students should express their interest to Dr. Stephen Ober, program director, MD/MBA program (617-358-3813, sober@bu.edu) or Professor Mark Allan, faculty director, Health Sector Management Program, Graduate School of Management (617-358-4206, mallan@bu.edu) for further advice.

Degree Requirements

To earn both degrees, students must successfully complete the required classroom and clinical coursework for the MD, the required coursework for the MBA, and a 400-hour field placement in a health sector organization (taken during the summer between the fourth and fifth years). Students must earn the grade of Pass or Honor in all MD courses and must maintain a grade point average of 2.7 (on a scale of 4.0) in all MBA courses.