transitioning from healthcare to consulting

Question

Hi!

I'm a former healthcare practitioner with 3 years of clinical experience, and recently completed my MSc in Health Data Science. I'm now exploring a transition into consulting, specifically McKinsey.

I'm based in Riyadh and applied for the Associate position and wanted to ask if this level is appropriate for someone with my background?

I've also received the SOLVE assessment link and will be taking the test in a few days. What should I expect after this phase if I pass? especially for someone with no business background whatsoever.

Thanks!

Answer 1

The Associate role is generally appropriate for someone with your profile, especially given the MSc. McKinsey's Riyadh office, and their Health Practice globally, places a high premium on specialized vertical expertise. Your clinical background is incredibly valuable, and the Health Data Science degree helps bridge the gap toward the quantitative, problem-solving skills they look for in an Associate. You are likely being viewed as a deep sector expert, not a standard undergraduate hire.

The SOLVE assessment is purely a volume filter. Passing it means you’ve earned the right for a human being—a recruiter or specialist—to finally look closely at your CV. For non-traditional candidates, the post-SOLVE CV screen is often the first significant hurdle. Since you lack the typical banking or direct strategy experience, the team will be laser-focused on finding transferable skills: evidence of structured thinking, stakeholder management (managing difficult patient/hospital dynamics), and demonstrating impact or leadership in a project setting.

If you clear the CV review, the next phase is the interview rounds (usually 2-3 rounds). Given your background, your immediate focus after the SOLVE should be on two areas: Mastering the core quantitative aspects of casing, and perhaps more importantly, preparing the Personal Experience Interview (PEI) stories. You must translate your clinical and research experiences into business narratives. Show how you managed a conflict, drove an outcome, or led change, using the STAR method, ensuring you clearly articulate the impact in non-clinical terms. That translation process is where sector experts prove they can handle the Associate toolkit.

All the best with the SOLVE!