Dual Degree Programs
Doctor of Medicine / MBA Program
The Doctor of Medicine/Master of Business Administration (MD/MBA) combined degree program has been designed to prepare future physicians to meet the challenges of business administration and financial issues in the practice of medicine in physician offices, hospitals, health care systems and the biotechnology industry. The program combines the full resources of the College of Medicine as preparation for the practice of medicine, along with a nationally prominent program at the Fisher College of Business that gives the graduate a variety of financial, management, and administrative skills.
Graduates of the program may choose to apply their degree through involvement in group practices, hospitals, health systems, managed care companies, biotechnology companies, or consulting firms in administrative positions such as senior executives, medical directors, or consultants. Some students may simply value the additional understanding of the system-wide aspects of health care in a way that complements their own practice of medicine in private or academic settings.
The two degrees would normally require six years if taken separately, but efficiencies in scheduling and a slight difference in degree requirements mean that both degrees can be completed within five years of beginning study. Both degrees are received at the same graduation. Both the MD and MBA degrees are fully accredited by their respective accrediting agencies.
Watch the MD/MBA Dual Degree webinar
Curriculum
Ohio State has long been known as an innovator in medical education, and the MD/MBA builds upon that experience to offer a rigorous but realistic program. Application to the combined program does not occur until the second year of medical school. In the typical case, after acceptance to the MD program, the student will begin medical school and complete the first and second years of the curriculum and Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination. During the second year of medical school, a student interested in the MD/MBA program would take the GMAT exam and apply to the Fisher College of Business MBA program by the April 15 deadline in the MBA program application rounds admission process. If accepted into the MBA program by the College of Business, the students are then reviewed by the College of Medicine for entry into the combined MD/MBA program on the basis of merit.
Following the first two full years of Medical School ending in May, students accepted into the combined program take national boards and finish research projects/career exploration in June and July. They then join the Fisher MBA program at the beginning of August and attend the full MBA orientation. Medical students finish the MBA core program in one year at the end of April of the next year. They then rejoin the MD program and begin the third year Clinical Applications curriculum and complete the remainder of the Med III clerkships. During the fifth and final year of the combined degree program, the medical student completes seven months of Med IV rotations and the spring semester of the second year of the MBA program. The total time to complete the MD/MBA program is five years.
Sample Course of Study
MD/MBA students proceed through five years of coursework at The Ohio State University in the following order:
| Period | Coursework |
|---|---|
| First Year | First-year MD preclinical coursework |
| Second Year | Second-year MD preclinical coursework, Step 1 USLME exam |
| Summer between Years 2 & 3 | June and July: Students take national boards and finish research projects/career exploration. June and July: Students take MEDCOLL 8764 or 8864 August: Begin 1st year MBA orientation |
| Third Year | First-year MBA coursework (including all required MBA core courses plus two 1.5 credit MBA electives) |
| Summer between Years 3 & 4 | Finish 1st year MBA courses end of April & begin Third Year clinical rotation |
| Fourth Year | Third-year MD core clinical rotations |
| Fifth Year | Combination of required second-year MBA elective coursework (15 hours) and fourth-year required and elective MD clinical rotations. Students must be enrolled for at least 3 MBA credit hours in Spring Semester. |
The remainder of MBA elective hours is fulfilled by 16 semester hours of seminars in the College of Medicine (MEDCOLL 8764 & 8864), of which 12 hours are accepted towards the MBA. Completion of an MBA major is not required. Electives must be MBA courses unless otherwise preapproved by the MBA program. MBA students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in the core. In addition, per Graduate School rules, MBA students must have a 3.0 overall minimum GPA and must be enrolled in 3 MBA credit hours minimum the semester they graduate.
Admissions
MD/MBA candidates should apply to the MBA program during the Autumn term of their Med II year (prior to the mid-January deadline for the MBA program application rounds admission process). This includes the GMAT exam and the standard MBA program application, and paying an application fee to the University Admissions Office.
Students who wish to pursue the MD/MBA must be admitted separately to each program. Students must be admitted to Fisher's MBA program prior to acceptance in the combined MD/MBA program. Applicants interested in the combined MD/MBA program should contact Fisher's MBA Program Coordinator or the Associate Dean for Clinical Education in the College of Medicine with any questions or to request the additional application materials.
Contact Information
For more information and an application for the MBA program contact:
The Ohio State University
Fisher College of Business
MBA Admissions
100 Gerlach Hall
2108 Neil Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210, USA
+1 (614).292.8511
mba@fisher.osu.edu
For more information and an application for the M.D. program contact:
Associate Dean for Clinical Education
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University
155B Meiling Hall
370 West 9th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210, USA
+1 (614).292.5126
medicine.osu.edu
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2100 Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210