Kerlyne E. Jean
Health Sector MBA+ MPH Hyde Park, Massachusetts“In my search for dual degree programs, BU was the only one that I felt offered a well-integrated program that allowed me the flexibility to craft a unique degree for the career I wanted.”
Armed with an undergraduate degree in medical sciences, Kerlyne Jean knew she wanted to have an impact on healthcare—only not as a doctor. “After completing my undergraduate degree in the premedical sciences,” she says, “I knew that I did not see myself as a physician for the rest of my career. I wanted to make changes within health organizations at a managerial level. In order for me to have the impact within the field, I knew I had to go back and obtain an MBA and sharpen the analytical skills needed to effect change.”
Jean found everything she wanted at Questrom. “My main draw to BU,” she says, “was that it fulfilled my search for an institution that offered me the ability to learn actively. In terms of health, BU was located in the heart of the industry with the opportunities to network with the top firms in the field in which I wanted to be.”
Jean also appreciates being able to tailor her degree to suit her needs and ambitions. That includes working across degree programs. “In addition to the health sector courses offered I have focused in strategic operations with courses such as Six Sigma and focusing on classes in both schools—MBA and MPH—that offer opportunities to work with live organizations in a consultative capacity.”
One of her favorite real-world experiences from her first year was the IBM Integrated Project, in which students were given not just a real business problem to solve but had to do it for a real client. “It was a great opportunity to move past the simulations and engage in hands-on active learning.”
She’s also added to her healthcare experience in two important—and very different—ways. One was on the corporate side as an intern with the Health Advisory group at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston. The other was in Guatemala, where she provided consulting for a clinic that was expanding its mobile services. “During this trip I was able to work with an organization that helps change the lives of those less fortunate by providing increased access to health services.”
After graduation, Jean will be returning to PricewaterhouseCoopers full time, ready to make a real difference. “The MBA will add value by providing me with the toolkit to succeed in client work as well as providing innovative and ethical solutions within an industry that is undergoing a lot of change.”