If I am interested in pursuing the MD/MBA Program, when do I apply to Harvard Business School (HBS)?
You will apply to HBS during round 2 of the admissions process (due in January) while in your second year at Harvard Medical School.
When should I take the GMAT or GRE? Is one test preferred over the other? Is there a target test score?
HBS accepts either test, so it is up to each individual student which to take. When to take the test is also up to each student (keeping mind your GMAT or GRE test date must fall within a specified time frame). A range of test scores are acceptable as admissions decisions are based on more than just your GMAT or GRE score. Learn more about the class profile here.
Do I need to have prior business experience to apply to the joint MD/MBA Program? What “counts” as business experience?
Our student population comes from a variety of different backgrounds – not just business. These differences are critical to the HBS learning model. Our class profile changes each year based on who chooses to apply and enroll at HBS.

Our joint degree students have a remarkable impact on the classroom. Their unique perspective adds a deeper breadth of knowledge to all students.
Who are good people to ask for recommendation letters - is there a specific preference for who provides them? Are academic/clinical letters okay if I don’t have work experience?
Letters of recommendation are always best when they come from someone who knows the applicant well. A person who can speak to your leadership and analytical skills. Letters from HMS, a summer internship, extracurricular activities are all good places to begin. Try to avoid asking someone who only knows you in a classroom setting – you want recommendations from people who can speak to your skills in a real-world environment.
Do we have elective choices during our MBA? If so, how many months & what are the options for coursework?
Year 1 and 2 – Standard HMS schedule
Year 3 – Standard HMS schedule with the addition of one course at HBS - Medicine & Management
Year 4 – Standard HBS Required Curriculum (RC)
Year 5 – Fall term at HMS and Spring term at HBS completing Elective Curriculum (EC) courses (18 credits from the EC) including 3 hours of an independent project
Do Joint Degree students have the opportunity to do an internship during the MD/MBA program?
Internships will depend largely on if the student has outstanding HMS requirements that need to be completed over the summer between year 4 & 5. In the past, the HBS Career and Professional Development Team (CPD) has been able to help MD/MBA students structure internships that fit within the HMS requirements even if students have limited availability in the summer before year 5. This is handled on an individual basis.
How much does the business school cost? What is financial aid like?
In Years 1, 2, and 3 of the MD/MBA program, students are registered at HMS pursuing core medical curricular requirements and pay full HMS tuition and fees. Students apply to the HMS Financial Aid Office for financial aid in these years and follow standard HMS financial aid policies and procedures.

In Year 4, students are registered at HBS pursuing the MBA Required Curriculum and pay full HBS tuition and fees. Students apply to the HBS Financial Aid Office for financial aid in Year 4 and follow standard HBS financial aid policies. View a student budget for the HBS MBA Class of 2022.

In Year 5, students' primary school of enrollment is HMS, and students pay HMS full-year tuition and fees. Students apply to the HMS Financial Aid Office for financial aid in Year 5.

Students in the joint degree program will be limited to a total of five years of financial aid from HMS and HBS toward the MD/MBA degrees.
What specialties/careers do MD/MBA’s pursue?
There is no end to the opportunities you can find or make for yourself after you graduate from the MD/MBA program. We hope that our graduates select careers/specialties that reflect well on the mission of the MD/MBA program - which is to develop outstanding physician leaders, skilled in both medicine and management, to take positions of influence through which they will contribute substantially to the health and well-being of individuals and society.

We expect our MD/MBA graduates to pursue their residency upon completion of the program and go on to have impactful lives as physician leaders. Our graduates have developed exciting careers as leaders not only in hospital and medical practice settings but also with investment firms, insurance, medical delivery companies in academia and many others roles across a variety of medical fields.