Tito Porras, Johns Hopkins Carey MBA Class of 2025
Tito Porras, Johns Hopkins Carey MBA Class of 2025Age: 33
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Texas at Austin, Psychology
Pre-MBA Work Experience (role, company, years): Neurosurgery Resident, Johns Hopkins Hospital, currently in year six
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
In my fifth year of neurosurgery residency, I began a period of dedicated research in which I began working on surgical robotics and machine learning projects. I quickly became appreciative of how understanding and engaging industry can help drive research to translation. Throughout residency, I have also enjoyed clinical and administrative leadership positions. As my first research year ended, I realized there was a unique opportunity to pair my clinical background with a business education which could make me a more effective leader in both the laboratory and the hospital.
Why did you choose Johns Hopkins Carey? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Carey was a natural choice because I could obtain my business education while continuing my research and remaining close to my wife and kids. However, the importance of Carey’s interconnectedness with the rest of Johns Hopkins University cannot be understated. This is exemplified by the Health, Technology, and Innovation specialization, which prepares students to navigate the business of health in direct partnership with the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Hospital. There are limitless opportunities to step beyond the classroom and directly engage a world-class hospital system.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2025?
Having spent the past five years immersed in the Johns Hopkins ecosystem I bring an “insider” perspective into the operations of the hospital and the U.S. healthcare system. One salient example is describing our institution’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
When I started the research phase of my residency training, I decided to rekindle a childhood passion: riding bikes! Road or gravel. Leisure or racing. I’ve been trying it all and enjoying myself.
Post-MBA career interests:
My goal is to finish residency and pursue an academic career. I plan to leverage my MBA knowledge and experiences to help translate and scale my research to clinical implementation.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
It was incredibly helpful to speak with several faculty and students about their perspectives and experience. Doing so made me comfortable that a Carey education was the right choice for me at this time in my career.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would have started the process earlier! In my case, business school was not on my radar until I started to really immerse myself in research, but having time to research and understand options is always a plus.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
Truthfully, the Carey Office of Admissions made the process a great experience. However, if there was one part of applying that I would like to have “skipped” it would be the difficult decision of whether to commit two years of my life to obtaining a business education. In so many ways, I was adding on an incredible layer of complexity to an already busy life. What helped me get through was talking to as many people as possible, including family, mentors, clinicians, and business school faculty. I took my time gathering perspectives and weighed each carefully. At the end of the day, I had a feeling in my gut about what to do and couldn’t be happier with my decision!
What is your initial impression of the Carey students/culture/community?
Incredible diversity at all levels. The truly global community brings a variety of perspectives to both personal and class discussion. And after having been surrounded by clinicians for the past several years, seeing how people from completely different career backgrounds approach the same problems is fascinating.
What is one thing you have learned about Carey that has surprised you?
I did not appreciate how customizable the Carey MBA experience would be. Beyond the required coursework, one can choose to engage their education in so many ways. Between classmates, extracurriculars, and on-campus events, there is so much to do. This doesn’t even include the ways a Carey student can interact with the other Johns Hopkins institutions or greater Baltimore community!
What is one thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
Balance! Between research, school, and family, there is a lot going on. But before starting, the Carey Office of Admissions and faculty made me feel at ease.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
I’ll answer balance again! I enjoy challenges and am looking forward to navigating the upcoming year. I cannot wait to see how my neurosurgical residency and MBA influence one another.
