John Long
Health Sector MBA+ MS in Digital innovation* Product & Operations Lead, Hark Wellness“My graduate experience gave me the space to zoom out and objectively consider my career’s overall trajectory. With plans to continue working in the biopharmaceutical/healthcare technology space, an MBA from Questrom adds invaluable credibility and provides connections to experts throughout the field.”
*Renamed the MBA+ MS in Digital Technology in Fall 2019.
Ask John Long why he chose to pursue the MBA+ MS in Digital innovation (MBA+ MSDi) dual degree and he’ll provide a concise, analytical response. “Business is what sets the United States apart and lends itself to sustained innovation. Technology is the medium of business. Whether your passion lies in nonprofits or finance, Questrom gives you the tools and opportunities to be a better business professional.”
For the native Alabaman, who received his undergraduate degree in sociology from NYU, that passion rests in healthcare. That led John to choose the Health Sector Management MBA at Questrom. “It’s impossible to grasp the complexity behind our healthcare system, but it’s extremely rewarding to investigate the flow of resources."
John values the opportunity to craft a Questrom experience that reflects and fosters his entrepreneurial spirit—even before beginning his MBA, he founded a salt company specializing in providing iron-enriched salt to anemic patients. His background working with health technology startups dovetails with courses such as idea lab and product design and development. “Professor Mark Philip’s Drugs, Devices & Diagnostics class also set a high bar, bringing C-suite experience into the classroom. He has the credibility and know-how to put the business behind healthcare into context,” he says of his professor.
John has kept busy outside the classroom as well. He was a fellow at PULSE@MassChallenge, which allowed him to provide consulting services to health technology startups. As an MBA intern at Walmart in the company’s Health & Wellness Transformation Division, he relished helping develop strategies to bring healthcare products and services to the market. “The experience allowed me to better understand how business is conducted within a corporate environment, and further develop my interest in building healthcare businesses."
After graduation, John plans to stay in Boston, working for one of the region’s many biopharmaceutical and healthcare technology businesses, some of them “situated right down the street from Questrom.”