MBB value proposition for 12 month stint

Question

I’m currently contemplating MBB offers, but the complication is that they carry a steep opportunity cost as I am coming from an attending role (in a field like cardiology/dermatology).

I have a top tier but non-HSW MD/MBA and have no significant management, investing, or startup experience.

I find the attending job moderately interesting, but would in the long term like the ability to split my time 60/40 between clinical medicine and something more strategic.

I see my time at an MBB falling into one of the three scenarios from most to least likely:

Scenario 1 - It’s not for me, and I leave after 12 months to return to clinical medicine (~60% odds?)

Scenario 2 - I stay for 3 - 4 years, reaching EM/PL/SM, and then going to a non-clinical exit (~30% odds)

Scenario 3 - I unearth a hidden talent and stay for the long haul (say 10% odds).

Any opinions on the value of 12 months at an MBB in this case? It’s not the plan to leave early, but nevertheless objectively the most likely outcome. Examples / specific stories that you know would be great. I gather that the consensus is that 12 months is normally not enough to achieve a good “exit”, but here the goal is more a skill-set and connections to open up interesting options where I already have industry knowledge.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi there,

You are correct, really good exit ops pop up usually after 2 years but if you are solely going there for the skill building, I would definitely recommend it, even for just 12 months.

You will learn a lot
You will see a lot
You will make new friends for life
You will earn well
You still have the MBB stamp of approval which can impact your future career positively
You might find new areas of interest
You might actually enjoy it and stay for longer (almost everyone I knew stayed longer than they initially planned…)

Cheers,

Florian

Answer 2

It's always worth it. It's not only a good professional experience, but a great life experience. Even if you follow the clinical path, at some point you'll have to deal with management / business topics. It's also good to understand a bit more how the world works.

Of course, exit options much better at the 2 year mark. But still a lot of options at the 1 year mark.

Answer 3

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the offers!

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

From an outside perspective, the mentioned split of “60/40 between clinical medicine and something more strategic” sounds like the job of a hospital executive.
Therefore, I would highly advise you to research the educational and work experience of hospital executives and compare them to your background. To me, it doesn’t sound like consulting would help you with your long-term goal.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen