After that, MBA programs can't hurt. Experts in firms specializing in transitioning physicians to new careers agree that the easiest way to Wall Street is through the doors of a traditional business school. A few caveats apply. Most of the physicians on Wall Street began transitioning their careers around age 30 and few make the break past 40. Anyone starting a new career on Wall Street starts at a junior level, despite education or work experience.
Experience only accelerates promotions.
Even in cases where someone older than 40 is willing to assume a junior-level job, most banking professionals worry that older individuals will be unwilling to make the sacrifices of time and lifestyle that these jobs routinely require. Most physicians working on Wall Street did a few years of residency, or none at all, before they decided to leave. For those looking for a way to test the waters on Wall Street without leaving their medical practice, Saint-Amand's firm offers a third alternative. Clients are typically mutual funds or hedge funds who are looking to make investments in biotechnology companies but need the expertise offered by doctors to better understand these highly technical businesses. And to see if they really like finance after all.