I cannot describe the intense emotions I felt when I saw my son’s eyes for the first time on July 18th, 2018. Four days later, when Fuqua’s HSM Bootcamp started, I quickly realized that the program would be a second family for me. Everyone, from the HSM administration and faculty to my classmates, was extremely supportive and strongly interested in advancing health care. I was particularly intrigued by the diversity of the HSM student body, comprised of people from different nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds. Being an electrical and biomedical engineer by background, I was excited to interact with physicians, scientists, entrepreneurs, consultants, and policy experts.
Through my involvement as an HSM Fellow, I have the opportunity to identify students’ renewed interests and make formal recommendations to shape the future direction of the HSM program. In addition, the HSM curriculum has provided me with a deep understanding of the complexities of the health care system along with methods to apply business frameworks and implement solutions. I have enjoyed taking Health Care Markets, a course which equipped me with solid foundations in health care economics, strategy, and insurance models. Even more stimulating, however, was Medical Device Strategy, as it helped me learn how to make regulatory, financing, development and supply chain decisions in the fast-changing medical device industry.
During the summer, I interned at Medtronic, a medical device company, in Boulder, Colorado. My work revolved around several main projects: a market opportunity analysis for a new product introduction, as well as a market development plan to promote a product in a new procedural space. The diverse interactions I had with my HSM classmates throughout the first year at Fuqua helped me confidently network with many professionals working in various functions and at different levels within Medtronic. As importantly, living in Boulder gave my family and me the opportunity to explore the amazing mountains of Colorado, where my son, Alex, took his first steps!
Through these academic, professional and leadership experiences, I have confirmed that participating in the HSM program was the best decision I have made to prepare myself for next steps after business school. I am learning from experienced faculty how to apply business methodologies to solve challenging health care problems, acquiring valuable leadership skills by helping to shape the HSM program, and making strong connections with professionals working at large health care companies with a worldwide impact.