Is an MBA Worth the Time, Money and Effort? LESLI BITEL MBA, RDN, LDN GUEST AUTHOR
Getting an MBA is not for the faint of heart. It's time-consuming and requires substantial resources. Because tuition reimbursement is a thing of the past, students are often left footing the bill. Also, the curriculum can be challenging and outside of the comfort zone for many RDNs (it was for me). Despite these drawbacks, there are some pretty incredible benefits that can make the MBA degree worthwhile and highly beneficial. First things first: how long does it take? A typical full-time program takes two years but depending on the program, you may be able to personalize this timeframe. Due to having two small kids at home, a budding nutrition private practice, and a husband who traveled for work, I opted for the four-year plan and went to class on Saturdays. My program had very strict inperson attendance rules which, as you can imagine, greatly limited my ability to travel or socialize on
the weekends. Juggling family and work responsibilities with the rigors of school was challenging but I kept my eye on the prize - I really wanted this degree and was determined to complete it. Admittedly, sometimes missing out on weekend activities like kids' sporting events or dance performances provoked feelings of guilt. But guess what? Everyone survived. And, as a result of my not always being around, my kids became more independent and learned important executive functioning skills that continue to serve them. Now let's talk about the curriculum and what it takes to be a successful MBA student. In my case, I came to the table with over a decade of business and management experience in the pharmaceutical and diagnostic testing arenas so my priority was finding a program that would provide real-world experience and networking opportunities. I was not interested in learning a bunch of theory or cramming for exams. I wanted practical knowledge that was going to help me to add value on the job. After some deliberation, I ended up choosing an Executive MBA program with an emphasis on global business and entrepreneurship, which ended up being a great fit for me. An Executive MBA program is very focused on working successfully in teams, doing group projects and consulting, and presenting your findings to a larger audience. Your grade depends entirely upon your team's performance. It isn't just you that matters - everyone on the team gets the same grade so choose wisely! The team orientation can be interesting (putting it mildly!) because you're working with a variety of personalities. Although challenging at times, I believe it will undoubtedly increase your communication and problemsolving acumen and will prepare you well for future leadership roles. The MBA credential can open many doors for you and is the perfect option for any RDN who's interested in diversifying her/his skill sets outside the world of dietetics. It's also a great
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way to improve your marketability and open new employment doors. At the end of the day, you're going to get out what you put in so prepare yourself for some long hours (and nights).
Pursuing an MBA degree after completing my RDN was the best decision I could have made.
Pursuing an MBA degree after completing my RDN was the best decision I could have made. Achieving it gave me a tremendous sense of accomplishment and greatly enhanced my confidence in many areas, despite how challenging some aspects were along the way. I would do it all over again if given the chance to go back because that degree provided so many opportunities for me both personally and professionally. Lesli Bitel, MBA, RDN, LDN, is an experienced and soughtafter business strategist and coach. For the past decade, she has helped registered dietitians overcome the confusion associated with the business side of creating a profitable practice. Working with nutrition and functional medicine professionals, Lesli uses leading strategies to integrate multiple streams of income into their business models. Lesli has specialized training in functional nutrition and has experience running her own successful nutrition practice where she specialized in intuitive/ mindful eating and functional nutrition for clients suffering from neurological disorders.
