Reflections on HSM as an HSM Fellow

As my journey at Fuqua reaches its end this spring, I take pride in my decision to pursue the Health Sector Management (HSM) program certificate as part of my experience. Around this time two years ago, I opted in to the HSM program to expand my knowledge of the industry beyond health IT, which had been my primary work focus since undergrad. Now, looking back, I realize that my learning throughout the program has profoundly shaped my career ambitions in the health care industry. While I knew I wanted to stay in health care, I had little direction beyond that. Through HSM, I found clarity and decided that that the health care provider space is where I want to be. Moreover, I am now equipped with the knowledge and tools I need to explore other industry segments as well. On a more immediate basis, I can more quickly develop informed thoughts and opinions about the complexities of modern health care in the U.S. and abroad.

I’ve also had the opportunity to shape the HSM program for my class and for future students through my involvement as an HSM Fellow. Distinct from other Fellow programs at Fuqua, the HSM Fellows take on leadership roles to align the HSM curriculum with students’ interests. We also help improve HSM by evaluating it against health care offerings at other business schools. We then combine this with the student feedback to generate a report to direct HSM moving forward. My focus has been on the development and analysis of student surveys to generate feedback, which I presented to the HSM faculty, administration, and Dean. Working together, we have expanded content from the topics of interest that we identified on these surveys, including health care technology, finance, and consulting.  It has been an honor to hold this responsibility on behalf of my classmates, and it has provided me with incredible learning and growth opportunities outside the classroom.

Additionally, through a course offering partnership between HSM and the Duke University Hospital (DUH), I worked under the mentorship of DUH’s Chief Operating Officer to better understand the overall wellness of the hospital’s health care workers. I applied this understanding, along with my recommendations for implementation, in a presentation to hospital leaders. This compelling experience exposed me to a critical issue affecting health care organizations across the country, one which I hope to help resolve in my career after Fuqua. I’m grateful to continue to be included in meetings and workgroups for the hospital’s 2017 wellness planning even after completing the course requirement.

With these experiences, I can say that the HSM program is perhaps the best decision I could have made to ready myself for the next step after school. With the knowledge I’ve gained in HSM, paired with the business foundation I’ve received at Fuqua, I am thrilled to explore opportunities to improve patients’ health and support those who care for them.