The HSM and HCC Experience

The most important element of business school for me was a program that would help me gain the knowledge, network, and experience to succeed in the health care industry long-term.  By meeting that bar, the Health Sector Management (HSM) program at Fuqua became the deciding factor for where to spend the next two years of my life.  The HSM program has given me both structured in-class learning with more theoretical discussions and experiential learning that provides practical experience.  Just as importantly, the Health Care Club (HCC) has provided the career skills and networking opportunities that complement my education, creating a holistic health care experience that makes me confident that Fuqua was the right choice for business school.

The most helpful health care programming during my first year was the HCC Lifeline Sessions, a series of sessions set up for the second-year students to coach first-years through recruiting in the health care industry.  The support from the second-years throughout the recruiting process was instrumental in helping the first-years receive invitations to interview and eventually land internship offers.  These sessions included coaching on the best tactics for writing a relevant health care resume, networking with company representatives, and interview preparation including a mock super day to simulate the actual process.  The advice and assistance provided by the HCC allowed me and my peers to have the confidence and skillset to succeed in the recruiting process.

While the HCC’s Lifeline Sessions were the most helpful aspect of my first year at Fuqua, my favorite part was the in-class discussion during HSM Bootcamp in the summer and Healthcare Markets in the Spring 1 term.  I have been thoroughly impressed by the amount of health care experience and knowledge that exists within the HSM student body, and this really enhances our classroom discussions.  From topics such as consolidation in the provider industry to pharmaceutical R&D, someone within the classroom will have experience to share with the class.  Professor Ridley did an incredible job of leveraging the vast experience and passion for the health care industry in the room.  He ensured all points of view were heard, and that each sub-sector of the industry had a voice on any given topic.  Additionally, I have had the opportunity to utilize some of the materials we covered in HSM Bootcamp, as well as the case studies in Health Care Markets during my summer internship at Optum. 

The final part of the health care experience at Fuqua that is critical to highlight is the community.  The HCC hosts many social events throughout the year which allow first and second year students interested in healthcare to get to know each other on a personal level and form friendships outside of the academic environment. I quickly found that I was far from the only student motivated to choose Fuqua because of health care, and having that passion in common creates both easy friendships and a strong network of people to turn to for professional advice and support.