From Scrubs to Strategy: An Army Doctor’s Leap Into Business

For most of my adult life, my world revolved around stethoscopes, military briefings, and the controlled chaos of field hospitals. I’m a Doctor by training, and for nearly a decade, I wore the olive green, first as a Medical Officer in the Indian Army, and later as a volunteer during the COVID-19 pandemic. I never thought I’d be back in a classroom, certainly not one with Excel models and strategy frameworks.

When I eventually hung up my uniform, I took a brief detour into aviation, working with the flight safety department at IndiGo. But even then, I knew I was looking for something more. Something that could tie together my leadership experience, my people skills, and my hunger to build solutions at scale. That’s what brought me to ISB.

Coming here was a calculated leap of faith. I knew that transitioning from a deeply technical, service-driven field into the business world wouldn’t be easy. But I also knew that the leadership lessons I’d learned in the Army, discipline, resilience, and empathy, had real-world value far beyond medicine or defence. The ISB PGP programme felt like the perfect launchpad to make that transition.

Adjusting to the Academic Pace: Shock and Growth

Nothing could have prepared me for how intense the first two terms would be. Coming back to structured academics after ten years was a shock to the system. The pace, the pre-reads, the quizzes, it was overwhelming at first. There were moments when I doubted whether I could keep up.

This is where ISB’s magic kicked in. My peers, many younger, sharper, and more fluent in spreadsheets, never let me fall behind. They pulled me in, explained things patiently, and made sure I stayed afloat. That sense of camaraderie is something I will always be grateful for.

One moment that truly shifted my thinking was during the LSAT class, Leading Self and Teams. The session on decision-making and heuristics was a revelation. For years, I had relied on intuition, especially in high-stakes military environments. Seeing those instincts deconstructed through cognitive biases and behavioural frameworks helped me realise how much I had been missing. It was humbling and incredibly empowering.

Learning From Peers: Collaboration Beyond the Classroom

Working with my study group has also been an eye-opener. I’ve learned just as much from hallway conversations and late-night assignment discussions as I have from textbooks. Collaborating with peers from finance, consulting, startups, and tech has stretched my thinking. Their diverse perspectives have expanded my knowledge base in ways that traditional learning never could.

Interestingly, while ISB hasn’t changed my fundamental career interests, it has helped me refine how I want to get there. I’m not chasing a title or a specific industry, I’m chasing impact. I want to take the leadership skills I developed in the Army and apply them to solve problems in the civilian world. Whether that’s in healthcare, operations, or strategy, I now have the vocabulary, the tools, and the network to make it happen.

Balance is key. Between academics, club work, and social engagements, it’s easy to get pulled in a hundred directions. My mantra? Prioritise and avoid FOMO. You can’t do everything, and you don’t need to. At ISB, growth is not just about stacking achievements; it’s about choosing what truly matters to you.

I’ve also had the chance to step up as a coordinator for both the Senior Executives Club and the Operations Club, as well as contribute to a special interest group focused on healthcare. These roles have given me a platform to connect with like-minded peers and shape conversations around sectors I care deeply about.

Embracing Change: Confidence, Campus Life, and the Road Ahead

Campus life has been an experience in itself. From making new friends to trying new things, yes, I even danced at a campus event, ISB has brought out sides of me I didn’t know existed. It’s a strange but wonderful thing to feel like a fresher at 30-something. But it’s also liberating.

Looking ahead, I know I still have a long way to go. The fear of numbers that once held me back has started to fade. Slowly, I’m building confidence in financial models, business cases, and strategic decision-making. For the first time in years, I feel like I’m out of my comfort zone, and I’m loving it.

ISB is not just helping me build a new career. It’s helping me reimagine who I can be. From structured learning to peer collaboration and club engagement, every moment has helped me grow in ways I did not anticipate.

The combination of leadership lessons from the Army and the academic and social experiences at ISB has prepared me to step into the corporate world with purpose, confidence, and clarity.

Synopsis

A military doctor, Finehas Pinto, PGP Class of 2026, reflects on transitioning from medicine and defence to business. Through ISB, they leveraged military leadership lessons, embraced rigorous academics, and collaborated with peers to build confidence, strategic thinking, and the skills needed to create meaningful impact in the corporate world