Consulting Club at TMC gears up for annual case competition; shares how to get involved

The Consulting Club at Texas Medical Center (CCTMC) held a summer social in 2021. It was the first time the club was able to meet each other in person since coronavirus pandemic.

As April 22 draws near, the Consulting Club at Texas Medical Center (CCTMC) is deep in the process of preparing for the annual national case competition they host. This year is even more special, as they are partnering with the consulting clubs at Duke University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to put on this event. Although this is the main event for the club, they have opportunities for learning more about the consulting industry and getting real world practice all year long. We spoke with Cheryl Jiang—a PhD student in the Immunology program at the GSBS and vice president of finance and marketing at CCTMC—to explain their mission, events, and how to get involved.

The Consulting Club at Texas Medical Center (CCTMC) was founded by graduate students in 2015 with the goal of preparing their peers for careers in management consulting. CCTMC is a well-established student-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization made up of PhD, MD, and MBA students from eight institutions within the Texas Medical Center: Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine, MD Anderson, UTHealth, University of Houston, Texas A&M, Houston Methodist Hospital, UTMB Health.

The Case Competition is the biggest event of the year for the CCTMC. At the start of the event (April 1), the real-world client and their question will be presented by the consulting club. From there, participants will have three weeks to research the business problems, develop a well-rounded solution, and present it to consultant judges from the top firms on Case Competition Day (April 22).

“It’s always an exciting time for us” says Cheryl. “The opportunity for the TMC community to network and gain experience in the industry is why we plan this event.” The prizes for placing in the 2022 Case Competition are impressive—first place team members even receive an interview with Triangle Insights Group, a top management consulting firm. Visit the 2022 Duke-UNC-TMC National Case Competition website for details.

Besides the case competition, there are many other benefits to being a part of the consulting club. Students have the opportunity to gain a basic understanding of what it is like to pursue a career in management consulting. Throughout the year, CCTMC hosts info sessions with a specific focus on how to begin in a historically difficult field to enter. Club members also have the opportunity to work with actual clients to solve essential questions for their businesses through research. This way, students can get a feel for whether or not the consulting industry is right for them. “Our members have received offers from top consulting firms in offices over the world—from McKinsey, Bain, BCG, and more. We are very proud of our members’ achievements.”

Cheryl decided to begin pursuing a career in the management consulting industry because she desires a fast-paced environment in which she feels she is actively contributing viable solutions to her clients. “A client will come to you with a question they do not have the power to solve, and it’s your job to find the answers. It’s a challenge, but it’s rewarding.”

“Plus,” Cheryl says with a grin, “the salaries and opportunity for advancement in the management consulting industry are definitely motivating factors.”

The best way for students to get involved with the CCTMC is to join their Slack channel and mailing list. Be on the lookout for an update on how the 2022 Duke-UNC-TMC National Case Competition plays out!