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 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�