Through 14 years of experience as a front-line service provider, in various agencies along the healthcare spectrum, I began to identify glaring gaps within the healthcare system. Specifically, the continuum of care from acute care settings into the community was largely non-existent. As a result, the vulnerable population was getting overlooked, leading to sicker and more costly patients. This missing link prompted me to question how I could contribute to this growing healthcare issue – Could integrated care systems be developed? Could funding models change? Can healthcare become more accessible? I quickly realized that I needed the formal education to support my decision-making, and to get a better understanding of the healthcare system as a whole.
I was immediately drawn to Frankfurt School’s MBA in International Healthcare Management. The niche programme, the experienced faculty, the multicultural student body, and the ability to learn and draw from global healthcare systems were too good to be true. Module 1, Day 1, I knew I had made the right decision.
The hands-on experience gleaned from international healthcare systems is truly unique to this programme. I strongly believe there is no greater learning opportunity than engaging in lived experiences of others from diverse personal and professional backgrounds.
Being able to share space and ideas with a surgeon from Brazil, a physiotherapist from Russia, and a dentist from Saudi Arabia, while working towards a common goal is truly a transformational life experience.
Professor Sibbel claimed that the MBA would not just provide essential learning opportunities, but that it would also create a very definitive change in thinking. I will support that claim.
Since returning home after Module 1, I have already found myself diving deeper into business concepts that I see in my daily work. I can also appreciate that these concepts can be translated into real life scenarios. I am also viewing my role and those around me from a different lens, and I believe that is the primary outcome of a programme like the MBA. As a woman in the healthcare sector, I am also very pleased with the support provided by Frankfurt School to foster strong female leaders. Scholarships, leadership coaching and academic and professional mentoring are some of the many resources upon which to draw. Additionally, updating my LinkedIn profile to include Frankfurt School has garnered a lot of interest from potential employers.
I am very humbled and excited to be on this journey, alongside some brilliant minds. I’m looking forward to the next modules in the following months, and reuniting with my new friends and healthcare colleagues.