Field Course in Healthcare

Course Number 6660

Professor of Mgt Practice Richard Hamermesh
Senior Lecturer Ginger L. Graham
Winter; Q3Q4; 3 credits
5 sessions

Students enrolling in the seminar should have identified a project and a sponsoring company prior to the start of the course.

The Field Study Seminar in Healthcare provides an opportunity for students, working in teams, to gain first-hand experience with a health care organization. Students enrolled in the seminar should have identified a project and a sponsoring company prior to the start of the course.

While most student work will be done in the field, at the company, and in library research, the seminar will meet a number of times to review methodologies and support materials and to present the findings of each team to all of the participants. In addition, outside experts and executives will join some of the sessions to provide additional content knowledge.

This seminar will be especially helpful to students who are interested in deepening their understanding of the healthcare industry entrepreneurship, venture capital, and early stage technologies. In addition, it is possible to use this project to enter the HBS Business Plan Competition.

Healthcare represents a staggering 16% of US GDP and is also one of the major areas of new venture investing. In recent years, biotechnology, medical device, and health care service investments have represented between 25 to 30 percent of all venture capital funding. This field study seminar offers an opportunity to work in a hands-on fashion on a project of importance to both the company and the student.

This seminar will include five classroom sessions for students and ongoing meetings with the sponsoring faculty.