Earlier this week, we featured an article highlighting some of the best MBA programs for students interested in the intersection between business and healthcare. In reporting that piece, we came across a terrific recent blog post by a student working concurrently toward her MBA at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and her Master of Public Health (MPH) at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health.
That student, Claire Cooper, has generously given us permission to republish her piece here for the Clear Admit audience. Read on to learn how Cooper has sought out opportunities to gain hands-on healthcare experience in the course of her time as a Goizueta MBA student and the advantages Emory offers to other prospective healthcare-focused business school students. The five-semester, dual MBA/MPH degree program in which Collins is enrolled is one of three dual-degree programs offered at Emory for healthcare-focused students. Goizueta also offers its students an MBA Healthcare Concentration that helps prepare them for a range of career paths in the healthcare industry.
The following post has been republished in its entirety from its original source, “Life at Goizueta,” the Emory MBA student blog.
Six Ways to Get Hands On with Healthcare
By Claire Cooper
Considering its status as a top growing industry in America, it’s no surprise that the business of healthcare is an area of growing emphasis at Goizueta Business School. In addition, Atlanta is an ideal location to study healthcare, with world renowned medical research and treatment facilities and the Center for Disease Control located steps from campus.
For those considering concentrating in healthcare during their MBA, I wanted to highlight how attending Emory has helped me to delve into this field in exciting and hands-on ways.
- Help Decide How to Spend One Million Dollars in Biotech Funding… for a Class
In the dedicated Healthcare Management Practice course, students are tasked with evaluating the prospects of commercial success of 20 medical device innovations competing for translational research funding. Daily guest lecturers with years of experience evaluating such products mentor us and guide our thinking in determining which projects should be presented to funders. Our work will directly inform the awarding of one million dollars of grant funding from the Coutler Foundation, associated with Emory Medical Center.
- Attend Classes at Rollins, a Top Public Health School
Goizueta students are allowed to take classes across campus at any of the other graduate schools or undergraduate classes for no additional fee, and for credit toward their MBA. For example, I recently took a weekend-long course at Rollins—one of the top ranked public health schools in the nation—focusing on preparedness and planning for emergencies, taught by practitioners at the CDC.
Alternatively, if you plan ahead, you can complete both your MBA and your Master of Public Health degrees in only five semesters.
- Expand Your Interests with Guest Lectures and Speaker Series
This semester alone I attended a phenomenal lecture and discussion led by Naz Modirzadeh, a law professor at Harvard, on international law and ethics regarding the provision of healthcare and humanitarian aid in crises. There was as well a day-long environmental health conference led by both local decision makers and international stakeholders.
- Mentor a Biotech Startup
Kevin Manion, a classmate from the class of 2017, has begun a mentoring program that pairs biotech startup companies involved with an incubator program locally with MBA students. We’ve supported them in developing their market research and pitch and in targeting their messaging.
- Recruit with Top Healthcare Companies
Major players in the healthcare industry such as McKesson, Genentech and Emory Healthcare actively recruit and interview on campus.
- Any Many More!
Beyond these opportunities, my healthcare-focused classmates have taken courses such as “The Business of Healthcare” and “Healthcare—Product and Brand.” Many have participated in healthcare case competitions hosted by consulting companies, giving students the opportunity to delve into common problems faced by the industry and to show off their acumen to potential employers. Several of us attended Vanderbilt’s Healthcare Conference.
As a major focus in Goizueta’s strategic growth plan, I look forward to seeing even greater opportunities in coming years for the development of those students interested in shaping the future of healthcare in this country and abroad. To me, it’s critically important to combine my interest in business with my passion for healthcare; I hope to keep finding ways to build on this intersection.
