Healthcare PE / buyside without a Bio/Pharma academic background

I've noticed a lot of HC Associates / IPs have a Bio/Chem/Pharma degree (and a PhD).

Say you start your career in HC team. Should you even bother trying for HC teams at large-cap PE funds? Ideally aiming for MF/UMM, but I don't think requirements would differ for solid MM funds.

Meaning, that even if I was a good candidate, they would still hire someone from a Bio(Science) background as it is safer and marketable to LPs. On certain public posts, I have seen SWFs and other funds specifically request the Associate to have a medical/life science academic background.

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Pretty much only helpful for deep biotech (which is more of a VC / life sciences investment focus and not really a focus of buyout PE). Providers, pharma services, HCIT, etc. (the buyout sectors) are really like any other companies and a PhD will not really give you an edge

 
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In a HC team at a MF; we have one science background, rest are bankers/consultants.

It doesn't matter for an associate in buyout PE as there will be long-established proof of concept (high level).

As a general point and for further more detailed analysis, you will involve experts super early on, who are much more knowledgeable about the viability of certain propositions than your average bio PhD. 

As you become more important in sourcing it can be helpful in terms of initial filter, but this will be ~5 years in, at that point, you should have all the knowledge you need.


Final point to note. This is only relevant life science tools and some parts of pharma outsourcing; even Pharma is surprisingly simple once you break it down. Services, MedTech etc. aren't a factor.

 

Could you please PM me? I have a similar (pharma) background and it would be much appreciated to share your opinion on these processes :) 

 

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