Looking back, September 22nd was a memorable date for me. That is the day I took my first step towards my future career, the day that I took the GMAT.
This one year flew by so quickly that it all still feels so fresh... but I am getting ahead of myself. Let me go back and introduce myself in short.
I am Dr. Arpit Jasm (yes, I am a Medical Doctor) and I know the first thought that came to your mind: "A Doctor and an MBA? Why?" It is the question that I have faced a million times in the past year, starting with my face-to-face interview with .
After having worked in the private and public healthcare sectors, I always felt that I lacked management skills and wanted to learn how to improve the efficiency and deliver more with the same resources.
As physicians, we are limited in our zone of influence to managing patients, but I felt that it was time for me to learn to manage the doctors as well. That made me decide to take the next step of my career ladder: I had to do an MBA and when it came to doing it, I wanted to do it from one of the best universities.
The McGill interview itself was a great experience and a first-hand chance to know more about Desautels, McGill and Montreal. After that discussion, my decision was clear, I had to do my MBA at this university.
Within days that felt like weeks, the official acceptance offer was mailed to me, and I started with the visa procedures and other formalities. Before I knew it, I was finally in Montreal, and I was ready to go back to school, after 5 years of practicing as a physician.
Meeting the whole faculty, career services and my amazing fellow MBA candidates was a unique experience. The faculty is caring, experienced and dedicated. The career services are amazing and they are supportive with each and every hurdle you face, from resumes to networking, from job searches to personal appearance, etc.
The second-year MBAs (also called MBA2s) are like the elder siblings whom you can catch a hold of in the study rooms, computer lab, lounge, corridors, campus, and even in pubs and restaurants. The base camp was a huge help for me to bring myself at-par with other candidates from a wide range of careers and educational experiences. O-week (the orientation week), which was organized by the MBA2s was the best way to start the program, with 7 days of non-stop events and fun.
As for the MBA program itself, it is not at all what I had imagined it to be. Coming in with an Indian educational background, which is more theory based, individualistic and doesn’t involve much of a practical real-world aspect, I was very surprised by the approach here, which is the total opposite. We go through the recent balance sheets of companies, participate in case competitions and attend CEO talks. Participation is highly encouraged and the diversity of the candidates brings diversity to the discussions that we have in class.
It truly is an unbelievable experience to sit in a class that represents over 20 nations, with their respective cultures, values and traditions.
Wait for the professor to teach a concept, and every now and then, hands go up to share the stories and experiences of their cultures. Imagine how fruitful and wholesome the discussions can be when investment bankers, financial advisers, oil sector project managers, consultants and doctors, from all over the world, come together in one single platform.
Yes, without a doubt that diversity at every level is the best part about the Desautels Faculty of Management. I can't say that I have made any friendships at Desautels, The truth is, I feel like I have made life-long relationships. We truly are a family here, and we are ready to help each other now and forever.
About the author
Dr. Arpit Jasm graduated from Maulana Azad Medical College in 2011, with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery. He worked as a physician and medical doctor for both the private and public sector during 5 years, working for the Government of Delhi, the Government of Haryana, the Primary Healthcare Center of Rohtak and the Shirkar Nursing Home. He joined the Desautels Faculty of Management to start his MBA in August 2017.Â
Desautels MBA Program
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