Transcription
If you're planning to shift abroad to Canada, then doing an MS in Health Administration is an option out there. So, we have with us Dr. Ruta Kar, who's going to share with us her journey of doing MHA in Canada.
After completing her BDS from Dr. D.Y. Patil University in Pune, she worked as an associate dentist for three and a half years, after which she moved to Canada. There, she went on to do her MS in Health Administration from the University of Ottawa. She recently cleared her PMP with above Target and has been working as a Healthcare Project Manager for the last 6 years.
I'm Dr. Satish Kumar. This is Kaizen DTil. Our aim here is to help dentists succeed. Hi Dr. Ruta, thank you for joining us today. My first question to you is, why did you shift to Canada?
Hi, uh, first of all, thank you for having me. Uh, I think this is a very informative, um, sort of video, uh, that you are, uh, you know, doing. Um, I, I get, uh, asked a lot on LinkedIn from, but, you know, dentists who want to move to Canada, who want to, uh, learn more about MHA. Um, so I'm really glad that we're doing this. Uh, I actually moved to Canada for entirely personal reasons. Uh, my husband is based in Canada, so when we got married, uh, I moved here as well with him. So, he's been working here as a, as a, a software engineer since about 12 years, and so it was, yeah, it was just the next, uh, next step for me as, as we got married. So, it's been about seven or eight years for me, um, since I shifted to Canada.
So, you shifted to Canada. Now, the common route is, anyone who's a dentist here thinks, I would go to Canada, practice dentistry. Dentistry is booming out there. So, they take the NDE part or try and get into the DDS road. Why did you select MHA as such?
Yeah, that's again, another question that, uh, dentists who decide to switch parts get asked a lot. Uh, um, you know, especially, uh, given how lucrative, uh, the, the job is, and also when you've invested five, six years, uh, in studying, uh, in that field, uh, why not just carry on with it? Um, I also faced a similar sort of conundrum. Uh, but, um, as I started researching how to get a license, I realized that it's a very, very, uh, laborious process. It's extremely resource, uh, intensive. Um, there's approximately, I think, five exams, uh, that you need to clear, or there's an option of going back to university and, uh, studying with the existing fourth-year and final-year batch of students, and then appearing for the licensing exam with that batch. Um, while I was doing my research, I also reached out to a couple of my colleagues and acquaintances who had shifted to Canada and had decided to go down the NDE route, uh, just to hear firsthand, you know, just how difficult this route is going to be and mentally prepare myself. Um, and, and I was told almost unanimously that it's not going to be a walk in the park. Uh, you need to put in a solid 12 to 14 hours a day of self-study, um, you know, get hands-on experience by practicing on mannequins for, uh, practical exams. Um, and even then, um, what I gathered from, uh, from them was, uh, the passing rate is actually not great. Um, only about 60 to 70% of the students actually make it in the first attempt. Um, most of the people I were, I, I was talking to, uh, they were on their second attempt of of, uh, giving that NDE exam. The whole process, at least 7 to 8 years back, uh, was also costing about 40 to 60,000, uh, which is approximately 24 to 30 lakhs, uh, INR. Um, so, yeah, so when I was weighing my options, I realized that I wasn't too keen on going through this, uh, process, uh, just in terms of the time taken, um, and then the cost implications of it, right? Um, so I started researching, uh, you know, other options. Um, I, I very much wanted to stick to healthcare, uh, but I wanted to know what, what else might be, you know, out there. Um, so that's where I came across the MHA program at the University of Ottawa. Because I had already shifted to Canada, moving cities wasn't an option for me. I already had a base here, I already had a home here, so it had to be within, within Ottawa. Uh, and that's where I found the MHA program, which is one of the most established MHA programs, um, in Canada. I did the MHA, uh, intensive program, uh, back in the day, they used to offer that, but I think they've stopped that now, which is a one-year full-time course. So, they have classes, uh, throughout the week, and that's pretty much all you do. So, there's no option of working, um, part-time in the intensive program. Um, so that's the one that I did.
Understood. So, what is the other program which is available now? Once they have stopped the intensive program, what do you think?
Now, they have a part-time program. So, uh, students are able to work, uh, on, on the side. The program, I think the classes are only on the weekends and in the evenings, and that's a two-year course now.
Okay, so they shifted it to a part-time weekend course for two years. So, you can do a part-time job otherwise, weekend and evening?
Exactly. Yeah. Okay. Now, part-time or a full-time job, you just, yeah, it depends on what, what you're doing at the moment, but, uh, yeah, yeah.
So, now, if someone wants to get into MHA, what is the process for applying to these universities?
Um, it's a pretty straightforward process. All the information is readily available on, um, the website of, of the universities that, uh, anyone wants to apply to. But, uh, some key, uh, requirements that they do have are, um, academic qualifications. Uh, so, you know, if you're applying from outside of Canada, you do need, uh, a bachelor's degree, and they require a minimum average of B, which is the grade that they consider, which is 70% and above. Um, you also require work experience. So, minimum of three years of full-time work experience, um, is required for, for MHA. There's also an admissions test. So, when I did my MHA, uh, there was compulsory GRE or GMAT that you had to give in order to be eligible for this program. But now they've waved that off, and now you can do, um, a Harvard online math module. You have to score, I think, a 75% on, on that, um, in lieu of the GRE or GMAT. But if that's an exam that you've already given, then those test results can also be submitted, um, you know, in lieu of the Harvard module. So, there's two options, but you do have to provide, uh, proof that, uh, you've done the tests.
Other than that, there's language proficiency. So, um, IELTS or TOEFL. Um, IELTS, I think you require a score of seven, and for TOEFL, it was about, um, 100, uh, which was the minimum score required.
Once you provide all this, uh, that, the, the, a member of the, of the committee or the management, um, admissions faculty may even contact you for a personal interview. Um, you know, the interview is where they try to explore the student's, uh, background, um, you know, what their objectives are for pursuing MHA, are they a good fit, are they able to communicate effectively, those type of things. Um, so, yeah, so that's, that's the overall, um, application process. Once you do receive, uh, an admissions offer from the university, uh, they, they then ask you to upload, um, transcripts from your, uh, from your bachelor's, uh, university. So, yeah, you have to, you have to reach out to your university, get those unofficial transcripts, and provide them to the, to the university that you're applying for.
Understood. So, basically, there are like three levels in it. First is, you have to give those exams. Once your exams and you submit your applications, then they might contact you. There might be a personalized interview, that'll be the second step. And once you get the admission, that is when your submission of transcripts comes into the picture.
Yeah. So, how much did you spend for the entire process, and what is the fees once you join in?
Um, so overall, I think, because I had already moved here, I had already applied for my PR, which is permanent residence card, so that was ongoing, while I was, uh, preparing for my MHA. The total cost of the professional program is around $26,000 for, uh, per, like, people who are Canadian or permanent residents of Canada. But if you're an international student, then it is, uh, almost double. It's about 55 to $60,000 for the program. Um, and then to, to that, I think you have to add about 5 or 10,000, uh, Canadian dollars to, you know, apply for, pro, apply for visa. Accommodation would be separate. So, yeah, it is, it is a pretty expensive program.
Understood. So, you were not charged anything for the application process as such?
Um, I think there was some documents and some application forms that were, uh, that had a cost associated with it. I don't remember now, but, uh, yeah, I just remember the fee structure, uh, for it was separate for permanent residents versus international students. So, the application fees can be easily found on the website of the particular university you're interested in.
Absolutely. Yeah. Got it. Uh, now, once you graduate, okay, as an MHA, are there job opportunities available, or is it usually the PR residents or the Canadian citizens who get those opportunities before you?
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Um, yes, you have job opportunities for sure. Um, you do need to apply for a work permit. One thing that my MHA program at the University of Ottawa did offer was a four-month field project. It's also called a residency, where you have the opportunity to join, um, a healthcare organization, pick a project of your choice, and spend four months working on it. Um, at the end of the four months, you are required to, uh, provide a report, like develop a report, develop your findings, submit it to the university, and do a PowerPoint presentation on what your project was all about. Um, so that really gives you hands-on experience and an introduction into, into the Canadian Healthcare System. Um, and right after that, yeah, you're open to apply to, to jobs. Mostly, you get entry-level to mid-management positions. Those are your main options. Um, but, yeah, there are several jobs. It depends on what your preference is, whether you want to be out in the field, you know, working as a clinical manager or healthcare manager. There's quality improvement, risk management, project managers, policy analysts. Um, there's also a research component. So, if you want to, you know, work in a research organization, then that's also an option. You can also join an organization where you help with, uh, Human Resources, planning. So, that's, that's again, one option. There's also some roles which I've seen which are, um, education specialists, so developing educational materials for, um, for, like, the nursing, you know, or, or, um, other allied health professions. So, there's several job opportunities. It really depends on what, what your preference is.
Understood. So, there is a wide variety of fields which you can explore after MHA. So, MHA just basically forms a base, and then you can further specialize into one of these.
Exactly. Yeah. Great. Now, when you tell the entire process, okay, it sounds very simple, but I'm sure it was not. There would have been some problems which you faced. So, could you shed a light for the audience on what problems you faced during this process, and what they should be ready for?
Yeah, so it's not going to be easy, that's for sure. Um, I think one of the, uh, first problems that I faced was when I was applying, you know, how I said the 70% requirement for, uh, or that Grade B, that you have to show proof of, to the university. Um, I don't know if this is still happening, but when I was graduating from my dental college, I think 60 to 65% scoring that much was considered pretty good, right? Like, it was above average. Yeah. So, to, to go back to, to a university and convince them that 60, 65% is actually considered a Grade A, was difficult. So, you had to, I had to provide them with a grading scale to show them the comparable results. So, that was a little bit tedious. So, they actually rejected my application because they thought I was below average, as, as compared to what their requirement was. So, that was one of my main, I think, challenges while applying for the, for the program.
So, is it possible to do that? You go back and prove it? How did you do that?
Yeah, I actually just reached out to, to my university, and I told them that, you know, this is the problem that I'm facing. Um, so I asked for my college, admin, like, back in India, to provide me with a grading scale and with, like, written proof that this grade actually translates to, or this percentage actually translates to this grade in reality. So, yeah, that was, that was not fun, but, yeah, getting, getting that document is crucial.
Yeah. Uh, I guess my other challenge was, I had to give the GRE, and I had to go back to math, right? And math was not, uh, something that I was, uh, fond of. Um, I had left math actually in 11th and 12th, because I knew that I'm going to pursue dentistry, and I don't really require math. So, to go back and study math, and it's, it's not an easy type of, you know, math. It's pretty, uh, intense in terms of, like, the questions that they ask in GRE, GMAT. And now with the Harvard module, which is again, a very specific to math module, yeah, you have to be prepared to, you know, study math again. So, that was again, another challenge.
But I think overall, um, so those are my application challenges. But overall, moving to a new country, you know, you don't have, uh, much knowledge about the healthcare system. You're fresh off the boat. So, that can be quite challenging because, um, you don't have hands-on experience, right, in a, in a healthcare organization that is, um, specific to Canada. So, for me, I think that was also, um, pretty challenging, pretty tough in the beginning. There's always, you know, lack of confidence about, you know, what am, what exactly am I doing here? Like, you know, this doesn't apply to what I've studied, this is not what I have experience in. So, to just wrap your head around, you know, this is, uh, brand new, but to, to learn on the job is, is also, you know, imperative.
Um, I guess, um, another challenge for me was, um, public speaking, you know, communication skills, teamwork. I find dentistry to be a very, um, isolated profession, where you're directly just dealing with a patient. You're not working in, um, a big team, for example, you know, there's not too many moving parts. So, to switch, uh, your mentality to now, you know, start working in a, in a team where, you know, everything depends on how great the team works together, was also, um, uh, a learning curve for sure. Um, and, yeah, just, uh, just initially, there's a little bit of lack of clarity, right, of what is what, what am I going to do next? There's always a little bit of nervousness about that. So, those were some of my main challenges.
So, it's a mental game. So, you have to have that mental endurance to go through it. Your self-doubt, overcoming that, whether it's presentation skills or what you will do next. So, I'm sure it was a tough time, and it's great that you have gone through it successfully.
Yeah. I like the, yeah. Yes.
So, the point is, once you finished all this, now someone is watching this video. You told them about the challenges, about what MHA is. Is there any specific advice to some young dentist who's watching this and wants to follow your path?
Uh, yeah, for sure. Uh, I think, you know, leaving India and your comfortable life in India is, uh, you know, not a joke. You're, you're being uprooted, you're moving, you know, across the globe. So, it really takes a lot of adjustment, takes real courage to stick it out till the end. So, it's really important to have your eyes on the prize. I think, um, you have to do it with utmost sincerity. You have to be motivated by, um, you know, what your end goal is, what you, what you want to achieve. Um, you know, don't do it just because, you know, everybody else is doing it or you've heard, you know, things. Do your research. Come prepared for, for a lot of hard work.
Yeah, you have to be prepared for a really long, um, you know, arduous, but like, fruitful and rewarding professional journey. You also, I think, uh, one of my challenges was unlearning a lot of old habits, you know, where you're mugging or studying one or two weeks just before the exam. But here, you are pushed out of your comfort zone. You are asked to apply, you know, your knowledge, all the, all the knowledge that you're receiving in your program, you're asked to apply it in real time, right? Because this course is an extremely immersive type of course, where you are asked to work on submissions, reports, almost every week, and you're graded on that. So, be prepared to be challenged. You can't put off things till the very last moment.
Um, you know, uh, another thing is, um, networking, I think, is key. I actually got my first job while I was in the middle of my program, just because of networking. Yeah, I hadn't even finished my final year project, and I met the CEO of a hospital in, um, you know, a meeting, and he told me about the job, and the next week I went, I gave my interview. I think they liked how the interview went, and I was offered the job, and I, I had to still pass my program. So, it's very important to, um, to, yeah, like I said, network. Um, you know, work on your communication skills, work on your public speaking. You know, just, yeah, actively seek, um, learning opportunities. There's a lot to understand, um, in a new country, you know, especially about a new healthcare system. It's, it's nowhere similar to what we've seen in India. So, it's, um, yeah, so just, um, be prepared to learn a lot. Um, and, uh, don't be afraid to ask questions. Again, I think for me, I was always a little bit like, no, I don't want to, um, I was like shy, you know, in the sense, again, there's lack of confidence. But, um, yeah, just, just ask away if you have questions. Just ask. The professors here are very, um, helpful, supportive. So, they do, uh, appreciate, you know, when you're challenging them or when you're asking questions, which is unlike the, the education system back home, right? So, um, that's again, some, uh, an advice that I would give. And, yeah, just, just, uh, perseverance, right? Keep going. That would be, that would be my main advice.
So, if someone wants to connect with you and gain from your experience, how do they do that?
They can reach out to me via LinkedIn. Um, you know, I can, I can share my LinkedIn profile or Instagram. I'm also active on Instagram. So, both these, uh, social media channels, I can definitely, um, offer to.
Great. So, we would connect her Instagram page and her LinkedIn profile in our Instagram post about this video. Do not forget to check that out if you want to connect with her. I'm sure anyone who's watched this video would have got a lot of information from how the process is, what difficulties they would face, and what they should do to set things right from the start. If you like this video, do not forget to check out our Canada after BDS playlist, where we have explained various methods of practicing and earning in Canada, as well as have interviewed various people who have done so successfully.
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