"There is a great need for people in healthcare who can not only understand the science, but also effectively communicate it. The industry demands strategic thinkers with rigorous business discipline." Zachary Hornby MBA 2006

Students who are interested in an MBA program focused on healthcare management have numerous opportunities at Harvard Business School, from clubs and elective courses to internships, field studies, and career development programs. Whether students are "career changers" or have previous work experience in healthcare, HBS prepares them for fulfilling management careers. Our graduates are represented across the industry in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, service delivery, international health, venture capital, consulting, entrepreneurial startups, and insurance.

The HBS MBA program offers a general management experience that develops great leaders through exposure to a variety of business disciplines. While there is not a degree or a track in healthcare (just as there are no majors in any functional areas such as Finance or Marketing), students prepare for future leadership roles in healthcare through coursework as well as through extensive extracurricular activities such as speaker series, faculty presentations, mentor programs, and networking activities.

The Healthcare MBA Curriculum

The first year required curriculum incorporates healthcare cases and topics in most courses ranging from Marketing and Finance to Entrepreneurship and Technology and Operations Management. As a result, all students learn to understand the industry from various functional perspectives.

During the second year elective curriculum, students may take courses focused on their particular healthcare interests at HBS in addition to completing projects and papers related to healthcare in many other courses. Some students choose to cross-register for additional healthcare courses elsewhere within Harvard University, including at the Harvard School of Public Health, the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and Harvard Law School.

Both first year and second year students have the opportunity to participate in the Healthcare Immersion Program, an intensive, one-week course offered during the winter break. The format and focus changes every other year offering interested students varied content each year.

MBA Student Profiles

Elisa Dannemiller, MBA 2007, I chose to obtain my MBA and my MD to be able to contribute to the healthcare industry by treating one patient at a time while also developing the skill set to affect the healthcare system as a whole. I chose HBS because I believed the diversity of the student body and the case method would challenge me to learn about healthcare from a different perspective...

Laura Dicker, MBA 2007, In looking at graduate schools, I actually applied to both public health schools and business schools. Though I was admitted to other programs, including some dual MBA-MPH degree programs, I ultimately decided that the most pressing issues facing the U.S. health care system are really business and operational issues that require the skills of an MBA education. As I began asking people who work in hospital administration, I heard time and time again that pursuing an MBA at Harvard Business School would, by far, be the best preparation I could get towards this end. Looking back on these last two years, I am incredibly pleased with the decision...

Sonali Duggal, MBA 2008, The opportunities one has as a Harvard Business School student are remarkable. You learn from incredible professors and classmates and there are many alumni and staff members to turn to when looking for internships and jobs. There are so many resources to access. HBS has created an environment perfect for learning and the facilities are amazing...

Jonathan Solomon, MBA 2007, I think that Harvard Business School was a perfect fit for me. In the first year we did not have to dedicate our courses to one specific industry. Instead, we were exposed to all different aspects of businesses and industries. It was a great experience to meet people interested in energy, banking--and even the music industry--without having to lock myself into healthcare so early on...

Kevin Wegener, MBA 2008, Harvard Business School has a great MBA program for healthcare because it is so flexible. It can help students who are interested in healthcare prior to HBS as well as those who become interested in healthcare during business school. Most importantly, the HBS MBA program does not lock you into an industry track; it allows you to have flexibility as you explore different career paths...

• HBS Courses and Cross-disciplinary Opportunities
• Careers
• Healthcare Club

Diagnostics-For-All, a not-for-profit diagnostics company that will provide a new generation of point-of-care tools to address the needs of the global medical community, won the 2008 HBS Business Plan Contest. They went on to win the $100K MIT Entrepreneurship Competition, one of the only teams to have won both contests.