Why did Dr. Soubhagya do an MBA after 6 years of medical practice –By Simran Somani from IIM-A

Whenever I see someone with the title “Doctor” before their name and if they also happen to have an MBA degree, I almost always assume them to be the Ph.D. kind (Think Ross from F.R.I.E.N.D.S). Because come on, how often do people pursue an MBA after years of medical practice?

Well, I had the chance to interact with someone who was not only a student and doctor at AIIMS, Delhi but after serving in the noble profession for 6 years, knocked at the doorsteps of IIM-Bangalore for a full-time MBA.

Presenting to you - Dr. Soubhagya Sagar Behera

Soubhagya, a 2020 graduate from IIM-Bangalore, entered IIMB with a whopping 72 months of work-ex. His summer internship was at Glenmark Pharma and is currently a Project Manager at PharmaAce, a life sciences company.

Like many of us who follow a certain career path, he comes from a family of doctors. While he thoroughly enjoyed the path he chose, he wanted to create an impact much bigger than ‘one patient a time’. And to him, pursuing an MBA after 6 years of medical practice was the stepping stone to achieving that goal.

Prologue

Honestly, before I spoke to Soubhagya, I assumed he picked medicine under Indian societal pressure and after 6 years of practice, it still did not interest him. I also will admit that I was nervous. This man is a decade senior to me, and I expected a serious Medicine-MBA guy who was going to give me very restrained insights into his life.

I could not have been further from the truth. Soubhagya was lively, multi-dimensional, and full of exciting stories to tell. A passionate traveller and photographer (Good enough to be a professional), he was a core member of the Media Cell at IIMB and did not pass any opportunity in college to chase sunrises – even amidst the pressure and chaos.

All of this is tied together in the beautiful reason behind why he wanted to pursue an MBA after 6 years of medical practice. He wanted to help ameliorate Indian HealthCare - the right way. He knew the roles he wanted ultimately would not come immediately after IIM-Bangalore either, but the transition from a practising doctor to healthcare management would need the intermediary that the MBA is. 

This really made me rethink what I had always considered gospel – As important as they are, there is an entire world beyond B-school campus placements and that is not the end for you. So, if it has not clicked right now, hold tight – life is a much longer journey.

Furthermore, have the courage to say “This is not it” even if it is a little later in your life. Change your mind and be brave about it - EVEN if you have already ticked the “success checklist” that society has generically prepared for you.

The Common Admission Test

The mettle needed to talk the plunge into MBA after medical practice was half the battle won - the next was the CAT. He knew that to make his dream a reality, he would have to face competitive examinations, mathematics, a college classroom, and the rat race all over again. But just like everything else in life, Your MBA determination is only as strong the urge to give in to your weakest thoughts. 

He battled the CAT twice and in his second attempt, he made it a point to ace it. His schedule was rough – after clinic, he alternated his study time between libraries and Starbucks, ending his day by unwinding with live music - Wash-rinse-repeat from mid-July. But this time, after acing the interviews, Soubhagya made it to IIM Bangalore.

It is very evident that no matter how much you study as a doctor, picking up mathematics after a decade is not an easy task. Today, many of us from diverse backgrounds are increasingly gravitating towards an MBA. Soubhagya’s story is one we can derive immense strength from and face the fears that have been holding us back – be it taking tough career decisions, or jumping headfirst into an old enemy (raise your hands if calling Math an old enemy isn’t wrong!). 

The IIM-Bangalore Phase

Most of us look at entering the college of our dreams as “having made it”. We feel a sense of misplaced comfort when we get that “Converted” email. For some of us, the actual hard parts of the journey – with elements, much beyond our control – start after that initial acceptance.

Again, we must not forget that even though he “made it” to IIM B, Soubhagya was not “sorted.” On the contrary, he had to face challenges so unique that it would not even occur to most of us as a challenge. Something as simple as making a Corporate CV for the first time! He lacked adequate guidance and support system so many of us take for granted today and was constantly under scrutiny for being the “doctor misfit in the MBA world of engineers”.

An unforgettable incident

And this is not to underplay the task of going back to the classroom after so many years! When I asked him about it, he recounted this story to me: 

“On day two of my IIM-B journey, in the marketing class, I was quite unnerved surrounded by a bunch of serious 20-year-olds, all putting up the best image, making me wonder if ‘I fit in?’  

The Prof wrote on the board: 1+1+1=1 and asked “how would you make this true?"

There were many answers - define the plus sign, define the base, define the equal sign and many more, yet none satisfied him.

Due to my outdated knowledge of Maths, I was a bit hesitant, yet I said, and I quote, "Take 3 glasses of water and pour it in one big glass of water. 3 glasses equal one glass" He asked me to repeat it, and then repeat it again.

His lesson was (I paraphrase) – “You guys are very used to thinking one way, very linearly and in a single domain, trying to fit the problem to your understanding. What he did was to change the entire domain, creating a scenario that solved the problem. Stop seeing things the way you are used to and think about things; change the way you see and think.”

That was a good day, and I finally felt like I could create my own space here and I wouldn’t regret this.”

What really matters in the end

Speaking of a fresh perspective, Soubhagya’s advice to the younger generation of today is simple – Stop overthinking.

8 years ago, as a freshly qualified doctor, he had written all the exams that would take him to the US to study medicine further. It was a dream he had worked all his life for. With the untimely demise of his father, all those plans amounted to nothing. He had to start from scratch – dream a new dream.

And that is exactly what he did.

He did not let his past losses, fears, achievements, and plans define him. Instead, he looked forward at the next 50 years of his life and chose new aspirations – all of it with a smile. I mean the man had a single campus placement shortlist and still managed to convert it by being calm and unstressed! 

Wrapping up my discussion with him, I ask him to answer my million-dollar question. “Soubhagya, are you happy with your present, with your choices, with your path?”

An unhesitant Soubhagya replied, “Oh, without a doubt – Absolutely. All you need to do is look at your right now and the next small step - the journey will fall into place.”