Alex,

I spoke with an admissions recruiter about the MBA fellows programs at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, because I am interested in learning more about
Health Care Management--I am:

30
Live in Boston, MA
BA Psychology (2 years in Pre-Med) 1 year working in both inpatient & outpatient care. (But a low GPA 2.2)
Interested in Finance after graduation.
6 years of experience in asset management w/focus in health care sector
Progression in Leadership Analyst->Senior Associate. (Current Position)
-Additional post grad course work in statistics, corp. finance & accounting (3.78)
Volunteer work & Awarded a Plaque from the American Heart Association working in AHA Endowment Fund.
3 strong letters of recommendation
GMAT Practice range 580-640

Doing some additional research--JHU also has a DrPH (Doctorate Public Health Admin).

My question is what type of post grad would allow for the best training and career progression?

MBA with concentration the Health Care Management?
Master of Public Health?
Doctorate in Public Health?

As I understand, the JHU Carey Business school is not accredited yet--would this be a problem if I try to find work?

Thanks,

It really comes down to what exactly you want to do post-MBA. You said "finance" which isn't particularly specific. It may not even be worthwhile to go to school at all given your background (you have strong experience), depending on what your career goals are.

Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com

Reasons for MBA is to transfer my experience with asset management (investment management) covering health care sector, and some work in a hospital setting, into health care management and consulting--improving operational efficiencies and costs for clinics and hospitals.
Also, it's personal passion.

I have been told an MBA would help with the transition.

For what you want to do then, an MBA certainly could, although I have my doubts about JHU's MBA program getting you there.

Consulting firms are very pedigree oriented, so you are best off trying to get into the best school you can (ideally a school ranked in the top 16, but at least in the top 30). If you want a 180-degree transition, a full-time program is the way to go. However, you can also get a part-time MBA, keep your job with an eye towards a medium-term transition (i.e. within 3-5 years as opposed to 18-24 months or so with a full-time program) - that's a personal decision.

As for the other types of grad programs (doctorates and master in public health), I really have no idea. If you're going for a business-oriented job function (finance, consulting, strategy, operations, etc.) in most industries, the MBA is the way to go.

Alex Chu
alex@mbaapply.com
www.mbaapply.com
http://mbaapply.blogspot.com