Max Wang, Tuck MBA Class of 2022
Age: 34
Hometown: Shenzhen, China
Undergraduate institution and major: Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Finance
Pre-MBA work experience: Senior Consultant, Deloitte, Consulting, 2012-2017; IT Compliance Manager, TJX, Retail, 2017-2020
Post-MBA role: Consultant, Chartis, Healthcare/Consulting, 2022-Present
Why did you pursue an MBA?
My pre-MBA work experience was highly skill-based. As a strong people manager, I wanted to pivot to an industry and role where my strengths could be fully utilized. To qualify for such leadership roles, I needed to strengthen my analytical, strategic, and communication skills — areas that an MBA curriculum is designed to develop.
Why did you choose Dartmouth Tuck for your MBA? What factors figured most prominently into your decision?
Tuck offers a tight-knit community where students are invested in each other’s success. The professors at Tuck are also genuinely interested in building long-lasting relationships with students. I connected with Tuck (and other schools) multiple times before making my decision, and the Tuck culture I experienced was consistently welcoming and encouraging, resonating deeply with my values. Tuck’s core curriculum also focused on the skills I needed, and the breadth and depth of that curriculum were a perfect fit for my career goals.
Why have you pursued a career in healthcare?
I started my MBA journey just a few months into the Covid pandemic. During that time, I witnessed the positive impact that healthcare workers around the world made in helping their communities through the challenging time. As someone who has always sought to make a meaningful impact through my work, I wanted to be part of that mission. That’s when I decided to pursue a career in healthcare.
Of all the sectors in healthcare — provider, pharma, medical devices, payer, policy, etc. — I found myself most aligned with the provider sector after connecting with classmates, alumni, and recruiters. The provider sector is highly mission-driven and people-oriented. Because I aspire to be a people manager in a mission-driven organization, I decided the provider sector would be a great fit for me.
What offerings at Tuck, specifically, supported your healthcare career? And how did they do so?
Tuck offers a 2-year MBA/MPH dual degree program, which you can apply to during the second half of your first year. As someone pivoting into healthcare, I took advantage of this offering, not only because it gave me the credentials I needed, but also because it allowed me to graduate from both programs together with my Tuck classmates.
Tuck also offers a comprehensive collection of healthcare courses through its Center for Health Care, where I was a fellow and have remained in close contact post-MBA. One of the many classes I took through the Center was Professor Gardent’s Medical Care and the Corporation, an introductory course in healthcare that helped me tremendously in preparing for my summer internship with Chartis.
What advice do you have for prospective MBAs considering MBA programs and entering the healthcare space?
To quote my strategy professor at Tuck, Professor Gavetti: “You don’t train to be an athlete; you train to become a swimmer, a cyclist, or a tennis player.” Business school is a great place to figure out what industry you want to enter; that said, the sooner you commit to an industry, the sooner you can start building the skills and expertise specific to that field, which will help take you to the next level.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Healthcare is an exciting industry to join. Once you break it down into its various sectors, it’s not as overwhelming as it might initially seem. If you are a mission-driven professional looking to make a positive impact in the world, I highly recommend pursuing a career in healthcare.
