As an undergraduate anthropology major, I was interested in organizational and system change. Following college, I worked in clinical research and recognized that I was more interested in working with organizations to implement practices that had been found to be effective, rather than being on the research side. I realized that a dual degree with public health and business would offer me the skillset necessary to implement and inspire useful change in healthcare systems and organizations. The Gillings and Kenan-Flagler programs have complemented one another tremendously, each offering insight into different areas of the healthcare ecosystem. For example, at Gillings, I’ve learned about healthcare policy and how policy has shaped payor systems, and at Kenan-Flagler, I’ve explored innovations in payment models and payor strategy. The two curriculums really build on one another.
My most memorable experience as part of the Healthcare Club was the 2019 Annual Business of Health Conference last November. Sam Levison and I were co-VPs, and we worked alongside the Center for the Business for Health for months to organize the conference. It was inspiring and gratifying to see students and faculty from different parts of UNC, in addition to healthcare professionals from across the country, come together to grapple with and imagine solutions to some of the most pressing healthcare issues of today.
Get involved and don’t hesitate to reach out to Kenan-Flagler alumni to learn about their career paths. I wasn’t considering healthcare consulting before graduate school, and it was through conversations with UNC alumni that I decided to apply to my summer internship in consulting last year. Not only were alumni incredibly helpful during the recruiting process, but they were also a wonderful support network during my summer internship and beyond.