Like many medical students, I spent my clinical years at Stanford in pursuit of two parallel passions- the first, to help patients, and the second, to obtain as much free food as possible from the hospital. It was this second goal that ultimately led me to a consulting recruiting event. In search of a piece of pizza, I was intrigued by their depiction of a life in consulting. Two years later, I am working as an associate, focusing mainly on healthcare related studies. While many of the skills necessary to navigate the wards of an academic teaching hospital have been useful in consulting, I've found several of the norms at a consulting firm to be distinct.

During my summer internship, I was immediately struck by the non-hierarchical nature of consulting. From its inception, medicine has maintained a formal structure that begins with the attending doctor and works its way gradually down from fellows to residents and interns, ultimately ending with the lowly medical student. Consulting work, on the other hand, upholds a true team-based approach. Every voice is clearly heard and actively solicited. Certainly there are well defined levels of seniority at the firm, but to a great extent these levels reflect differences in roles rather than authority. Consulting deals in ideas and these are developed not only through experience but also through varied perspectives and lively collaboration. From the very first day, my opinion counted and I was expected to contribute broadly.

The second thing that impressed me as I began my career with McKinsey is the genuine effort made to support each consultant's personal and professional development. The firm provides extensive formal training, allowing people with no business background to quickly gain the skills and knowledge necessary to contribute and work effectively in their new environment. In addition, the firm has a tremendous focus on feedback. In medical school, feedback generally takes the form of the ubiquitous, "Great job, keep reading." At McKinsey, regular feedback is relied upon as an immensely powerful tool to help people improve in their jobs. Thoughtful, structured, and actionable feedback is given and received in a non-confrontational spirit. Strengths and opportunities for improvement are both highlighted, and concrete recommendations for change are given.

Finally, although both fields attract people who thrive in a hard-working, fast-paced environment, the schedule of work is quite different in consulting. While I often encountered unplanned downtime in the hospital, this is rarely the case in consulting. My days have an efficiency that I appreciate and provide me with the autonomy I require to complete my projects. Simple, time-consuming tasks are delegated elsewhere, freeing consultants to focus on the bigger picture. At the same time, it is recognized that working hard requires balance. Unlike physicians, we set our own schedules. There is no "on call." Weekends are your own.

Looking back over my transition from medicine to consulting, many aspects of my life remain the same. I am still pursuing a career that focuses on helping patients through healthcare. I still collaborate with teams of very bright colleagues in a spirit of inquiry. But in addition to what I discussed above, another thing has noticeably changed- the food is much, much better.