By Karishma Sewaramani, MBA ’24
Transitioning from a career as a practicing Oncologist in India to being a Senior Product Manager at Onc.AI has been a remarkable journey. I discovered that it’s not always necessary to follow the conventional career path, and that sometimes, creating your own path is the key.
The Journey from Oncology to Product Management
While I loved practicing oncology, I yearned to make a larger impact, driven by my passion for innovation. I knew I enjoyed building things but wasn’t sure how to channel this interest. My journey began to take shape when I started my MBA at MIT Sloan, where I discovered that product management was the perfect fit for my skills and interests.
Transitioning from medicine to product management is not straightforward, and in general, few defined career paths to product management exist. As a result, many advised me to gain experience through consulting first, and then I could transition into product management. However, I learned that networking could provide an alternative route. During my first year in the MBA program, I secured a consulting internship, as advised to me. However, it was canceled due to visa issues. With no internship in April, I reached out to the MIT Sloan community for support and started intensive networking. I recognized that my lack of PM experience meant traditional “cold” applications would not be as effective, so I reached out directly to CEOs and senior leadership. While many didn’t respond, a significant number did, especially with an MIT email—about 20-40%.
I landed my internship and current job at Onc.AI through networking, not job listings. By connecting with the CEO and articulating my value, a role was ultimately created for me. After my internship, I continued part-time at Onc.AI during my second year and eventually joined Onc.AI full-time as a Senior Product Manager. My role excites me because it blends my medical background with technology and AI, working on a non-invasive tool that uses deep learning on CT scans to predict patient responses to specific drugs.
Actionable Advice for Current and Future Students
- Identify Your Unique Contribution: Ask yourself, “What can I most contribute?” Then, seek out companies that need those skills.
- Leverage Your Community for Guidance: MIT Sloan is a tight-knit community brimming with support and resources. Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, classmates, the Career Development Office (CDO), etc. for help.
- Evaluate Advice Critically: While it’s crucial to explore different perspectives and seek advice, remember to critically evaluate the guidance you receive. Filter out advice that doesn’t resonate with you and make your own informed decisions about which suggestions to follow.
- Network Strategically: Instead of relying on job listings, reach out to senior leaders without directly asking for a job. Demonstrate your value, and they might create opportunities for you.
- Conduct Informational Interviews Effectively:
- Be present in the moment. Spend the first 5-10 minutes understanding their work.
- Use the next 5-8 minutes to explain how you can help them.
- In the last 5 minutes, request another call. They might even suggest it themselves.
- Show Enthusiasm and Follow-Up: Express your enthusiasm and always follow up with an email.
- Think Beyond Your Experience: Don’t limit yourself based on your past experience. Many skills are transferable, even if you lack direct experience.
There is no one-size-fits-all career path. Students should remain open-minded, proactive, and resilient in their career journeys. In a competitive environment, it’s okay to forge your own path. Despite being told that I needed 1-2 years of corporate experience before getting a product role, I proved that although it’s important to seek out advice, you don’t have to follow every piece of advice and that if you can articulate your contributions effectively, nothing else matters.
