As innovation and the chance to improve people’s lives lure b-school students to healthcare, the industry’s biggest players have snapped up MBAs in greater numbers.
Cynthia Saunders-Cheatham, executive director of careers at Cornell’s Johnson School, says healthcare recruitment doubled in 2015, although the portion is small compared with other sectors.
Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Bayer, and Genentech have led the charge. “We see large firms and start-ups with hiring needs in supply chain, marketing, and finance,” says Dean Vera, director of career management at Rutgers Business School, whose biggest recruiter is big pharma.
Companies including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, GSK, and Pfizer are hiring MBAs.
J&J has been among the most aggressive. Its recruitment of MBAs and undergraduates at schools like IE and Kenan-Flagler surged by 20% in 2014, and the company hired four times as many MBAs as its next closest competitor, Eli Lilly, according to Bloomberg data.
Health providers value MBAs who have a background in the industry. Even clinicians are sought-after to become executives. “A blue chip MBA helps to connect the bedside to the business side,” says Matthew Hanley, chief medical officer for the metro group at Carolinas HealthCare.
He studied on the MBA program at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business after medical school.
One of the big growth drivers has been the advent of digital health. Career opportunities have emerged at big healthcare companies but also tech outfits like Google, Apple and Samsung, which are exploring health-tech. “They have the opportunity to put tremendous pressure on healthcare providers,” says Dr Rainer Sibbel, director of the healthcare management program at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.
Steve Rakas, executive director for careers at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business, has noticed an increase in healthcare job opportunities in areas like social media and wearables.
“Technology has impacted all sectors, and healthcare is not an exception,” he says.
Digital is poised to have a major impact on the industry, says Kimberly MacPherson, at the Center for Health Technology at Haas School of Business, who points to the potential for reducing costs and using data for trend analysis and predictive modelling. “Here, MBA students can find very interesting opportunities,” says Federico Lega, director of the masters in international healthcare management at SDA Bocconi School of Management.
He says the huge quantity of health data has potential uses in disease prevention and management. But this requires people with deep knowledge of healthcare processes and who can lead multidisciplinary teams. “We call these people e-health managers,” he says.
Eivor Oborn, healthcare management professor at Warwick Business School, says: “Healthcare is increasingly a data-driven sector and new career opportunities exist in the capture, analysis and making sense of the data in practical terms.”
While big data is making headlines, the driver for MBA graduates is often sentimental.
For Carolinas HealthCare’s Matthew, the lure is the chance to meaningfully impact patients’ lives. “It gives me tremendous satisfaction,” the executive says.
CMU Africa: Educating the next African generation.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa offers master's degrees in technology and engineering fields. The campus has good facilities, high-quality education, focuses on African challenges, and students from many African nations. It aims to create tech leaders for Africa's future. I would recommend this university.
Abby
Verified
30/11/2022
On Campus
Honest Opinion on CMU
Finding yourself in CMU is such a great blessing. The amazing and great professors and lots of networking opportunities. I was in the faculty of engineering and here the course work was very interesting. The lecturers were very strict and couldn't accept late submission of assignments and work given. This made us very focused. The students are generally good and friendly
Joel
Verified
8/11/2022
On Campus
Excellence and Academic Integrity
CMU is one of the top class universities in Pittsburgh. It is a multi-diverse university with high regard for academic integrity, excellence, and innovation. It consists of different programs and departments that work together to achieve a common goal. I enjoy the convenience of moving from one building to the other. The faculty and staff are super friendly. It is relatively easy to make connections with other students, especially where collaboratory research is necessary. I would definitely recommend CMU to anyone looking for a muti-diverse academic experience.
Student
Verified
15/08/2023
On Campus
Stressful yet worthwhile
I've been genuinely impressed with the fusion of creativity and innovation at CMU. The professors are a mixed bag-- some are great and life-changing, but I had a couple (mostly gen eds in freshman year) that were really frustrating. The workload can be intense, and it's no joke. Campus was very lively; clubs, events, etc. – there's something for everyone. Pittsburgh in general has some areas that are great, and others that disappoint-- Oakland is a very nice university town area. Overall, CMU is a hotbed of innovation and learning, but the pace and location do come into play.
Tom
Verified
1/03/2023
On Campus
Quite demanding here
Carnegie Mellon is a demanding academic institution where students are expected to put in a lot of effort. Despite the challenging coursework and constant workload, this environment teaches you how to speak for yourself and stand up for what you believe in. The institution also has a strong graduate network, which helps you succeed in the job hunt both while you are enrolled there and after
Student
Verified
3/09/2024
On Campus
Transformative Learning
My time at Carnegie Mellon university has been truly transformative, opening up a wide array of opportunities that move beyond the traditional classroom experience. Participation in webinars and seminars has allowed me to explore various topics that are not typically included in the standard curriculum. This exposure has helped equip students like myself with essential tools to effectively navigate our complex world.
Assynath
Verified
20/01/2025
On Campus
CMU Africa: Educating the next African generation.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa offers master's degrees in technology and engineering fields. The campus has good facilities, high-quality education, focuses on African challenges, and students from many African nations. It aims to create tech leaders for Africa's future. I would recommend this university.
Abby
Verified
30/11/2022
On Campus
Honest Opinion on CMU
Finding yourself in CMU is such a great blessing. The amazing and great professors and lots of networking opportunities. I was in the faculty of engineering and here the course work was very interesting. The lecturers were very strict and couldn't accept late submission of assignments and work given. This made us very focused. The students are generally good and friendly
Joel
Verified
8/11/2022
On Campus
Excellence and Academic Integrity
CMU is one of the top class universities in Pittsburgh. It is a multi-diverse university with high regard for academic integrity, excellence, and innovation. It consists of different programs and departments that work together to achieve a common goal. I enjoy the convenience of moving from one building to the other. The faculty and staff are super friendly. It is relatively easy to make connections with other students, especially where collaboratory research is necessary. I would definitely recommend CMU to anyone looking for a muti-diverse academic experience.
Student
Verified
15/08/2023
On Campus
Stressful yet worthwhile
I've been genuinely impressed with the fusion of creativity and innovation at CMU. The professors are a mixed bag-- some are great and life-changing, but I had a couple (mostly gen eds in freshman year) that were really frustrating. The workload can be intense, and it's no joke. Campus was very lively; clubs, events, etc. – there's something for everyone. Pittsburgh in general has some areas that are great, and others that disappoint-- Oakland is a very nice university town area. Overall, CMU is a hotbed of innovation and learning, but the pace and location do come into play.
Tom
Verified
1/03/2023
On Campus
Quite demanding here
Carnegie Mellon is a demanding academic institution where students are expected to put in a lot of effort. Despite the challenging coursework and constant workload, this environment teaches you how to speak for yourself and stand up for what you believe in. The institution also has a strong graduate network, which helps you succeed in the job hunt both while you are enrolled there and after
Student
Verified
3/09/2024
On Campus
Transformative Learning
My time at Carnegie Mellon university has been truly transformative, opening up a wide array of opportunities that move beyond the traditional classroom experience. Participation in webinars and seminars has allowed me to explore various topics that are not typically included in the standard curriculum. This exposure has helped equip students like myself with essential tools to effectively navigate our complex world.
Assynath
Verified
20/01/2025
On Campus
CMU Africa: Educating the next African generation.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa offers master's degrees in technology and engineering fields. The campus has good facilities, high-quality education, focuses on African challenges, and students from many African nations. It aims to create tech leaders for Africa's future. I would recommend this university.
