Healthcare

What was the driving force behind your switch into the healthcare sector?

One of the main reasons I chose to pursue an MBA was to explore other industries. Prior to business school, I spent six years on Wall Street with a global investment bank. While I held a variety of roles at the firm and had a broad range of experiences, my career to-date had been in one industry. At HBS, through the case method and by interacting with classmates from diverse backgrounds, I have been exposed to a variety of different industries.

How well do you feel HBS has prepared you for the healthcare industry?

I developed my interest in healthcare during my second year of business school after classes were well underway. I therefore had not enrolled in any healthcare classes. While at first I was disappointed not to be able to learn about healthcare in classes dedicated to it, I quickly realized that HBS had an enormous number of resources available outside of the classroom. The Healthcare Club, in conjunction with the Healthcare Initiative, hosts a wide-range of events to allow students to develop a deeper understanding of the industry and develop connections in the sector. After only a few weeks, I was on the phone with an alumni mentor who had run a significant provider network, had attended several healthcare events and conferences, and met with students who had worked in the industry. Because of HBS's size and scale, the resources available to students are tremendous and I have felt I have been able to learn quickly, even outside of healthcare-specific classes.

Why would you recommend HBS for someone who wants to work in the healthcare industry?

In addition to healthcare focused courses, HBS acknowledges the significance of the sector by incorporating healthcare cases into classes from Operations Strategy to Entrepreneurial Finance and Corporate Restructuring. We touched on salient and timely issues in class, and I know I'll remember those discussions for years to come. Through the Healthcare Club I found an alumni mentor who had run a significant healthcare system and took time to talk with me about career paths, challenges of the sector, and his perspective on the current changes. HBS' Healthcare Club also puts on several events including a conference and hosts speakers who give us a better understanding of the broad healthcare industry.