MBA After BDS: Which is Better?

Ever wondered about venturing into management after an undergraduate in dental sciences?.  The option may seem peculiar, but it has turned out to be very useful for upcoming frontline healthcare professionals to manage their services. Every service being it healthcare or a commodity doesn’t come free of cost and medical graduates should know how to properly administer their business.

MBA after BDS is one of the popular streams for BDS graduates to pursue after graduation. Graduates who have a scope for healthcare management generally opt for MBA over MDS courses. MBA helps them to understand the nuances of business ethics in the healthcare sector and how they can expand their services to different horizons.

MBA After BDS Key Insights

One of the most asked questions by BDS graduates after graduation is “Can we do MBA after BDS?”. The answer for that is yes and in order to pursue MBA after a dental science degree graduates are required to meet some eligibility criteria.

MBA is a postgraduate degree that takes in students across all domains. The eligibility criteria for pursuing MBA after an undergraduate degree is that graduates should have an aggregate score of 50% in their UG studies. However, the prerequisites change when it comes to undergraduate degrees in dental sciences. Requirements differ based on university expectations, but the standard criteria as per UGC guidelines are listed below:

• MBA degree requires students to have graduated from an undergraduate degree in any specialized stream. It is the basic requirement for MBA admissions.
• For BDS graduates, the undergraduate BDS degree should be from a university recognized by top medical associations like IMA or the MCI.
• Apart from that, students must appear for entrance-level examinations. There are several common entrance examinations such as CAT, XMAT, GMAT, etc., that are considered for MBA admissions.
• Upon clearing the entrance examination, graduates should also clear subsequent group discussions and personal interview rounds to secure admissions into their desired university.
• Similar to other post-graduate courses, MBA can also be done abroad. In that case, the pre-requisites and eligibility criteria differ from Indian Institutes.
• For MBA in foreign universities, graduates should've cleared the GMAT along with IELTS for English proficiency. If they wish to pursue in non-English speaking countries, graduates should hold a language proficiency certification for the particular language.

Also Read: Top 10 Skills Required for MBA Students to Succeed

Why Pursue MBA after BDS?

"Why MBA after BDS?" is one of the most asked questions around several discussion forums and social media. MBA after BDS may not seem an obvious choice after graduation from dental sciences, but it has more scope than MDS. To understand more about the benefits of an MBA after a dental science course, let's get on to some facts.

• MBA after BDS offers numerous career choices combining both healthcare and management. The opportunities are quite unique and exciting.
• It offers scopes for BDS graduates to understand business structure and help them to float up to their own dental practice clinics and expand their business.
• Apart from that, there are several new job openings in terms of health administration and healthcare management. It is a direct result of an increase in the number of healthcare and dental services in India.
• MBA offers knowledge on business development which helps BDS candidates to work on expanding their services and thus enhancing their scopes.
• Unlike BDS, MBA offers a good pay grade even at the starting level. The current market demands graduates to have an MDS degree to earn a competitive salary, however with an MBA degree, they can achieve similar limits.

Also Read: Why an MBA in Marketing is Your Key to Success

Best MBA Courses After BDS

There is a series of specialization streams available under MBA healthcare studies that suits the needs and demands of the job market. Graduates get to choose from a pool of specializations ranging from pure management courses to healthcare management studies. Some of the top courses include:

1. MBA in Hospital Management

MBA in Hospital Management is one of the popular courses out of the lot often considered by medical undergraduates. BDS graduates take up hospital management courses, which help them understand the functioning of healthcare complexes from a managerial perspective. The Hospital Management course provides an effective understanding of hospital administration ranging from patient registration to facilities management.

The basic eligibility criteria for MBA in Hospital management admissions are very similar to that of other MBA courses. Apart from holding an undergraduate degree in any medical stream, graduates are required to clear entrance-level examinations conducted by various governing bodies. MBA Hospital Management coursework consists of subjects such as finance management, biostatistics, corporate communications, and much more that are essential for successful hospital management.

2. MBA in Hospital Administration

MBA in Hospital Administration is one of the three popular courses under MBA in the healthcare domain. The Hospital administration course helps students understand the medical and health service administration. MBA Hospital Administration coursework consists of subjects such as, health economics, corporate communications, patient care system, and other subjects that focus on administrative studies. The eligibility criteria for MBA in Hospital administration are the same as the other MBA Healthcare courses.

Graduates should clear entrance-level examinations such as GMAT, CAT, XMAT, etc., conducted by various universities for admissions and hold an undergraduate degree in any medical sciences course with a 50% aggregate. MBA in Hospital Administration broadens graduates' scope further in health service management and hospital administration.

3. MBA in Healthcare Management

MBA in Healthcare Administration is the most demanded course under healthcare management. Healthcare Management course imparts knowledge on several management aspects that are useful for supervision and development of healthcare. Apart from regular management subjects, students will get exposure to subjects like Clinical Pharmacy, Medical-Legal System, Quality Management, and much more under  MBA Healthcare Management coursework. 

To pursue this course, students are expected to clear an undergraduate BDS degree with an aggregate score of over 50% as basic eligibility criteria. The course helps graduates to get a detailed knowledge of healthcare management, which helps in bridging the gap between patients and healthcare facilities.MBA in Healthcare Management fits the demands posed by developing the healthcare sector solely due to their exquisite skillsets.

4. MBA in Pharmaceutical Management 

MBA in Pharmaceutical Management is offered a management specialization that provides more focus on pharma management. Pharma management courses, help BDS graduates get into the medicine manufacturing and drug manufacturing industry and help them to understand the nuances of pharma management based on demand. The pharmaceutical management course offers subjects like Pharmaceutical Marketing and Research, Pharmacoeconomics combined with basic management subjects like Finance Management, Strategic Management, etc.

The basic eligibility criteria for MBA in Pharmaceutical Management requires aspirants to have a minimum of 50%v in their undergraduate studies in any medical stream or other streams. Apart from that, aspirants should clear any entrance-level examinations conducted at the national level or university level. Graduates upon completion of MBA in Pharmaceutical Management receive numerous job opportunities from drug stores, drug manufacturing labs, medical research labs, and pharmacies with a  competitive pay scale.

Also Read: How to Balance Job and MBA Alltogether?

MBA After BDS Is It The Right Choice?

MBA over any medical degree is an absolute bonus given the current situation in India. Experience in multidisciplinary fields of study helps graduates to understand the workflow and structure better than a non-medical undergraduate. When it comes to choice, it depends on the student's willingness to pursue and their personal interests.

MBA is often opted by BDS students who have a clear vision about venturing into the healthcare management sector and entrepreneurship. MBA is certainly the go-to course when it comes to understanding business aspects in any service. BDS graduates who are more inclined towards dental sciences can opt for MDS or other MS programs in regards to dental studies. Graduates must be clear and firm on their choices.

It is indeed really difficult to choose between MBA or MDS, but it is essential that graduates weigh up all options before making a call. Both the courses have good reputations in the job market and it comes down to the aspirant's choices and ambition.

Also Read: Private or Government College? Which is Best for MBA?