More US students are studying combined medicine and business

By Ahmed Magdy, BMJ

An increasing number of US medical schools are offering combined medicine and business administration degree programmes, a recent study has found (Medical Education Online 2004;9:14). Medical and business schools have developed the programmes through cooperative agreements: medical students can get business and clinical training concurrently. Now 41 medical schools offer these programmes compared with just eight in 1998. Windsor Sherrill surveyed and interviewed 87 dual degree students and 80 medical students studying for a straight medicine to assess the students’ motivation, career interests, and decisions about dual degree programmes.

Assistant Professor Sherrill said, "The horizon of health care is rapidly changing. Historically, physicians acquired management roles because they had inherent business skills; physician executives often received business training on an ad hoc basis. Increasingly, the system requires physicians with advanced skills in business, finance, and organisation management. Dual degree programs in medicine and business have emerged to fill the training gap." Students completing the combined degree were expected to earn a mean income after five years of $167 986 (£93 891; €137 293), but those studying just medicine had a mean income of $132 208.

Not all students taking the dual course are motivated by the money, however. More than half (51%) cited private practice as a career aspiration compared with 81% of medical students. The two important factors which influenced the students’ decision to take the combined course were making a difference in medicine and career opportunities (table).

Assistant Professor Sherrill said, "Although the results of this information would indicate that the students prefer business activities, the comments in the interview do not support the idea that the dual degree students are in it for the money. As one student stated, ‘I want to be in a position where I make good decisions for my patients in a hospital that will benefit them whether that will be cutting costs for them or getting them better care. I want to keep patients first.’" But 78% of students taking the combined course want to combine administration and clinical practice compared with 26% of those studying just medicine.

Assistant Professor Sherrill said, "The desire to obtain business education among many of these young students seems related to a desire to retain some of their independence in their future careers."

He also said that these combined programmes would make better doctors: "It should definitely produce individuals with more knowledge concerning the way the healthcare systems function in addition to clinical expertise."


Visit www.md-mba.org for more information

studentBMJ 2004;12:349-392 October ISSN 0966-6494