Togetherness - Duke - Example business school personal statement

Example business school personal statement

1.

Depending on the specialty that I choose, I will be in the middle of residency 3 to 5 years from now. With a potential fellowship following residency, I’ll finally be able to call myself an attending. Along the way, I envision the knowledge and skills gained during the MBA program playing a critical role in the way I take care of patients, deepening my understanding of the complexities of the health care system, developing my leadership skills as part of a health care team, and enhancing my problem solving and strategy skills when confronted with difficult cases. Taking an active role in research is also a part of my plan moving forward. After completing a year of clinical research in pediatric orthopedics, I found I was most interested in health outcomes research and cost benefit analyses and would like to continue this work in order to find ways to sustain our country’s increasing health care needs without sacrificing patient satisfaction.

Looking ahead into the future, my dream job would be to run a hospital. To fulfill such an immense leadership position would require integrating my clinical experiences with my business acumen. Being able to see firsthand the challenges patients face will only help focus the impact I could have on health care policy and legislation that ultimately drive health care delivery. As the need for quality health care continues to quickly increase, access to these services is critical. The question then becomes how to expand access to reach those in need and still deliver the highest quality of care. Although this is not a problem I expect to solve on my own, the MBA program provides me with a foundation of management, financial, and entrepreneurial skills that allow me to strive for an improved health care system. Since beginning medical school, I have come to realize how the operational and strategic side to health care is as influential as the clinical side when it comes to patient health. In whatever position or title I may hold, I ultimately desire to make a positive impact on patient care. It has become clear to me that this objective cannot truly be reached without taking a step outside of medical school and outside of the hospital to learn about the other factors at play in the world of health care.

2.

There is something unique about the Duke community that influenced my decision to choose Duke as an undergraduate and again as a medical student. What I noticed from the very beginning is the Duke pride of students, faculty, and alumni and their willingness to build an inclusive and inviting community wherever they are. The academics are outstanding, but it truly is the people that have made my Duke experience thus far so valuable, and I believe that Fuqua is no different. The emphasis on team culture at Fuqua, with an “others” focused mentality that values selflessness and interpersonal relationships, is why I think Fuqua best aligns with my own personal values and is the place that will be push me to grow both personally and professionally.

Reaching out to a few of the current students and alumni of the dual degree program at Fuqua helped me to reaffirm why I wanted to pursue the MBA, and, more importantly, show me how I too could quickly become a productive member of the Fuqua community. Although we had never met before, all of the people I contacted were immediately excited to talk about the program and their own experiences. This genuine warmth and enthusiasm demonstrate the positive impact the Fuqua community has had on them and their desire to share it with others. One student spoke of a project he worked on with administrators and physicians from the Duke hospital in addition to students from other professional schools that combined his classroom work with his clinical skills. This specifically sparked my interest as it is this exact type of collaboration that I am looking for in an MBA program. As a current member of the Interprofessional Education (IPE) initiative that combines students from the nursing, medical, physician assistant, and physical therapy schools to disseminate the locations of AEDs on Duke’s campus, I am an advocate for interprofessional work. The emphasis that Fuqua places on experiences outside of the classroom would allow me to continue this type of engagement in an entirely new setting and begin to build relationships that go beyond solely the health disciplines.

During my undergraduate career, I was part of a program that encouraged female student-athletes to pursue a career in medicine. It fostered a close-knit community that extended beyond the four years of undergrad. I still reach out to residents and physicians that were once a part of this program asking for advice as I move along my medical school journey. The support that this program gave me was instrumental in helping me get into medical school and continues to be a resource anytime I feel lost or have a question. The Association of Women in Business has built a similar community of women united by their business interests, and this is a place where I envision myself learning from these other women and engaging in my own self-development. It supports female talent, encourages female leadership, and discusses the most relevant issues in business for women. Having this kind of support and being able to participate in these discussions would enhance my Fuqua experience and forge life-long relationships.

Lastly, as one of the most well-known Health Sector Management programs in the country, Fuqua would be an incredible place to further my academic interests on the way to achieving my post-MBA goals. However, the students here are committed to more than just success in the classroom. As part of this concentration, I could easily find individuals with passions similar to mine, such as in the Health Provider Association or in the Health Care Club, who wish to integrate clinical and business interests and use the knowledge gained in the classroom to give back to the community.

Through various opportunities to learn more about the program at Fuqua from current students, alumni, and admissions officers, it has become incredibly exciting to envision myself as a future student. Fuqua has created an environment in which students are driven and dedicated learners yet recognize the balance between school and social. Not only are they committed to making the most out of their business school experience but also seem to thoroughly enjoy each moment along the way, whether in or out of the classroom. If granted the chance to become a student, I see myself taking part in many of these activities and bringing my own unique set of experiences to add to the Fuqua community.