SK Healthcare Summer 2027 R1 Prep

Hey there,

For Healthcare Consulting interviews, the main thing you should be familiar with is price-setting methodology. Different drugs or technologies can be priced in different ways: for example Quality of care (e.g., QALY-based ceilings), System Cost Saving (e.g., ROI or cost saving vs. equivalent therapeutic strategy), or Cross-Product/Cross-Country benchmarks (e.g., adjusting foreign prices to local wtp/budget).

The absolute #1 case type for these interviews is a healthcare-specific market sizing: think of something like "Give me the market sizing for Ozempic in Germany". In these case, you have to think about a Price * Quantity, where

• Price depends on the methodology you use, typically among the ones defined above (the most technical thing to know)
• Quantity is generally a function of population cuts and drug usage (e.g., one pill a day vs. something else)

I did a ton of work in healthcare while at McKinsey and I prepped a lot of folks for Healthcare Consulting roles -- both boutique and major firms, both Europe and US. Do not hesitate to reach out if you want some more details or want to book a dedicated session!

In any case, good luck on your interview!
Tom

The interview is broadly similar to other strategy consulting interviews, but with a much stronger emphasis on commercial strategy, pricing, and healthcare.

I'd focus your preparation on:

• Pricing (willingness to pay, value-based pricing, pricing strategy)
• Commercial strategy (growth, product launches, go-to-market)
• Basic healthcare/pharma concepts (market access, stakeholders, reimbursement, competitive landscape)
• Classic case interview skills (structuring, math, communication)

Don't worry if you don't have deep healthcare knowledge. They're usually more interested in your problem-solving approach than in testing highly technical industry expertise.

I used to work at Simon-Kucher and have also coached several candidates interviewing there, including for the Healthcare practice. If you'd like some targeted preparation or want to go through a few typical SK-style cases, feel free to send me a DM.

hey there :)

congrats on the interview!

For Simon-Kucher Healthcare, I'd focus less on memorizing pricing frameworks and more on understanding the logic behind pricing decisions. Be comfortable discussing willingness to pay, customer segmentation, competitive positioning, market access, and commercialization.

The cases are usually interviewer led and quite structured, so clear thinking and communication matter more than having the "perfect" framework. Also be prepared for a few fit questions around why Simon Kucher, why healthcare, and why pricing.

If you've already done general consulting prep, you're in a good position. I'd spend the remaining time doing a few live cases and brushing up on healthcare market basics.

Good luck, and feel free to reach out if you'd like to run through a mock case. Best, Alessa :)

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the invitation from Simon-Kucher!

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

• First of all, your preparation stays the base, and the Simon-Kucher twist is mostly the pricing logic. So rather than memorizing pricing frameworks, make sure you can reason about willingness to pay, customer segmentation, value-based pricing, and the market access and reimbursement basics of healthcare.
• Moreover, I would strongly advise you to practice a few healthcare-related cases studies and read up on Simon-Kucher's perspective on the industry.
• Lastly, please do not underestimate the personal fit part. Have short and concrete answers ready for why Simon-Kucher, why healthcare, and why pricing.

You can find more on this topic here: Boutique consulting firms.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming Simon-Kucher interviews, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen