Former med student who didn’t finish degree transitioning to equity research should I do mba

I am a former med student who withdrew in good standing and have been interested in working in investment banking. I applied and was not selected for Equity Research Associate Biotechnology after an assignment. I think I can handle a career like this because I was straight-As in premed sciences and math.


I would like to get into a program right away to improve my career prospects. I don’t qualify for a one year mba based on my short tenure at med school without being a degree- holder (I think) but I may be able to get a gmat waiver for a two year mba.

I am trying to decide between mba and law school.
Can you please help me weigh pros and  cons or examine this.


If mba route I thought I would want to go into equity research but is it dull work?

I seem to feel studying law in law school would be harder than the first year courses in mba school even finance related courses. I have taken since withdrawing from med school a mathematics for management course in which I received an “A”.

How hard is it to valuate companies, would I get stuck doing financial modeling forever and not advance , if I naively load up on finance courses for my mba will I have a hard time passing, etc? What are the career prospects for an honestly 30s female in equity research trying to make a mid course career correction?

And it’s attractive to me to get the test waiver, I would still have to take lsat if I were to go that route 


thanks!

 
Most Helpful

The technical side finance is not very difficult, especially if you come from a STEM background (I am a Stats/ML background). Most of the work will be spent memorizing finance jargon. You can think of it as middle school math with advanced word problems. Most valuation techniques are just different flavors of time-value of money.

In terms of the work in equity research, most important would be industry expertise. It’s a great starting point being a former med student; however, you need to understand the business of healthcare.

Surprisingly, there is a lot more social interaction than most people think, so soft skills are quite important when it comes to interacting with clients or management teams.

In terms of dullness, the work will largely depend on the analyst you work under. Some analysts will work their associates like a sweatshop in Bangladesh; Others actually introduce their associates to clients and management teams.

Don’t bother with an MBA, unless you get accepted at a top 10 school. Harvard, Stanford, etc. An MBA is more like a vacation from work where you get to network and party for 2 years.

I can’t speak to anything about law school. Other than it’s more difficult from what I have heard.

 

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