Max Melchioris, OSU Fisher’s MBA Class of 2023
Age: 24
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Undergraduate Institution and Major: The Ohio State University, B.S. in Biology
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 2 years, Healthcare
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
As a medical student at OSU, I was offered the MD/MBA dual degree program, which combines high-quality medical education with high-quality business education. I chose to attend business school now for a few different reasons. After spending time with business leaders at the Wexner Medical Center, I recognized the MD/MBA dual degree as a valuable component for the business model in healthcare. It also converted a 4+2 program into 4+1 and gave me the opportunity to use my MBA knowledge for my entire career as a physician. I think the skills I will learn in business school complement the medical education well and pave the path for future success beyond just an MD degree.
Why did you choose OSU Fisher? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
When applying to medical schools, I looked at the rankings and curriculum of both the medical school and business school with the intention to join a dual degree program. The OSU Fisher program really stood out to me and helped me make my ultimate higher education decision. The emphasis on experiential learning and team-based learning was an important feature when looking at various business schools. In my opinion, these two features develop student’s soft skills much more than a program that solely functions to teach students about business theories and practices. In the classroom, we constantly work in teams and learn the process of effective team development, which will be vital for future success. Fisher promotes diverse experiences in the classroom and is very accommodating to dual degree students. My class has around ten dual degree students from the various OSU schools, which leads to even more diversity of thought that was not as apparent at other business schools. Additionally, Fisher has a unique study abroad program called Global Applied Projects (GAP), which pairs students with companies in foreign countries as consultants. This was one feature of the curriculum that gives us the opportunity to not only apply our business knowledge but also to learn about new cultures. Finally, I love OSU football, and, hopefully, after my third degree here, they will finally win a National Championship.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2023?
As an MD/MBA student, I think my medical and scientific background is one of my most valuable contributions to the class. Through my hands-on experiences in the hospital, I can apply previous experience to cases and help teach my classmates the inner workings of our complex medical system. I am fortunate to be one of the three MD/MBA students in my class at Fisher, and learning from other business students is something I am looking forward to in business school.
Tell us a fun fact that didn’t get included on your application:
When I was 13, I won a trip to Las Vegas to play video games. It was the right place at the right time situation where before an arena football game, there was a booth advertising people to play a racing video game and the fastest time won a trip and prizes. Since arena football was not the most popular sport back in 2011, I was one of about five people to try it out and won the trip. When I played in Las Vegas at the larger competition, I was absolutely crushed by actual professional video game players. It was a lot of fun, and that’s why you should always enter sweepstakes!
Post-MBA career interests:
After the MBA, I plan on pursuing a medical residency in Ophthalmology. My goal is to first hone my medical skills and provide high-quality patient care for about 5-10 years. Then, I want to gradually become more involved in the business side of medicine and ultimately end as a Chief Executive Officer or Chief Medical Officer at a hospital. I also am interested in health insurance and risk stratification in how it relates to medical outcome and usage of resources.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
– What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I would recommend applicants attend virtual preview days at various business schools. You get a great opportunity to network with admissions personnel and current students. At Fisher, if you attended one of these preview days, you were given a priority interview, which made the application process much less stressful.
– What is one thing you would change or do differently?
If I were to go back one year and apply again, I would spend more time perfecting my resume and finding the model for each school you apply to. It might not seem like much, but it helps you stand out during the admissions process as having an extra interest in the school.
– What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I would have loved to skip through the waiting period from application submission to interview to acceptance. It is a stressful time waiting to see where life will take you the following year, but Fisher did an excellent job of communicating. I reached out to admissions more than a few times, and each interaction made me more confident I made the right choice.
What is your initial impression of the OSU Fisher students/culture/community?
Everyone is so happy and friendly at OSU Fisher! I feel comfortable grabbing lunch with any of my classmates and knowing that I will have a great time. Even on the first day of orientation, the conversations flowed so well, and Fisher does a phenomenal job of picking applicants that fit together.
What is one thing you have learned about OSU Fisher that has surprised you?
I am most surprised by how excited the professors are to teach. I can tell that each professor has some incredible business experience, and they are more than willing to give advice to students. One professor even hosts breakfast for students to network with the intention to not discuss anything class-related. I feel more welcomed in the community through the professors at Fisher.
Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your personal application or admissions process in any way? If so, how?
The COVID-19 pandemic has been an ever-present factor for most people in some shape or form since the initial shutdown. As an applicant, it can be difficult to understand the culture of a school only through virtual meetings. Fisher did an excellent job in connecting prospective students, but the zoom meetings have limitations. I think the pandemic limited my need to look outside of my top choice in Fisher, which made the process easier for me, but I don’t think that opinion stands true with all applicants.
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Similar to many of my classmates, I have the same general anxieties of acclimating to the class curriculum and adapting my learning style to match appropriately with the business courses.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I am most excited about case competitions! I cannot wait to work with my classmates and compete at the national level.
