People

As an MCiM student, you will learn from and network with exceptionally accomplished and diverse professionals and thought leaders in medicine, business, and technology.

Chelsea Ye

Chelsea graduated from Duke University with a major in Evolutionary Anthropology and a minor in Global Health.

She has been working at the life sciences company, Verily, for the past two years as a Study Innovations and Operations Program Manager. Prior to working at Verily, Chelsea worked on the Research Program Management team at 23andMe and has worked as a clinical research coordinator at Stanford and Duke. In her free time she enjoys live music, walks across the Golden Gate Bridge and traveling for new experiences. She is excited to join the diverse MCiM community and gain a deeper understanding of the healthcare technology landscape.

1. How have you been able to apply what you've learned through MCiM to your business practices? How does MCiM translate to the business field?

MCiM has given me the skills to have a deeper understanding of business practices and how to approach complex business problems with a more technical eye. Through courses like Principles of Business Strategy, Corporate Finance and Leading and Managing Healthcare I have taken away frameworks and models that undoubtedly will enable me to be a better business leader in the future.

2.. Which aspect(s) of the MCiM program were you most excited about?

For the MCiM program I was most excited about learning from innovative leaders in healthcare, growing my network and gaining a more insightful understanding of the complex healthcare system in the US. MCiM has delivered above and beyond what I hoped to learn from a program, from visionary guest speakers to in depth class discussions of real world problems faced by healthcare providers, the MCiM program has done a wonderful job comprehensively diving into the details of US healthcare.

3. How would you say MCiM has changed your perspective on healthcare, especially coming from a non-healthcare background?

I wouldn’t say that MCiM has necessarily changed my perspective on healthcare, if anything MCiM has given me much more clarity as to what “healthcare” is. Coming from a non-healthcare background (and I would argue even for those with a healthcare background), understanding the healthcare system was like walking around a dark room with only a phone flashlight. However, in completing this program, I feel that I now have a spotlight on the key areas of healthcare and a network who can help me further uncover what is still hiding in the shadows.

4. What advice would you give potential students on how to propose the benefits of MCiM to their current organization/manager?

I believe in order to optimize any part of a business/organization, it’s important to understand how the business fits into the larger system as a whole. Once you can truly understand who the relevant players are in the system, you will have a better perspective on how your organization or business should strategize to become successful. Through MCiM, my deeper understanding of the system has helped me to optimize my implementation of work which I believe has provided great value to my organization and team.

Angel Arnaout

Surgical Oncologist, Professor of Surgery, and Regional Director of Breast Care Quality in Eastern Ontario, Canada. She has been a research scientist at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute for 10 years and she has completed the International Commonwealth Harkness Fellowship in Health Care Policy along with being the Valedictorian of her Global Executive MBA class at the University of Toronto in Canada.

1. If you could give advice to your past self when starting the program, what would you say?

Unlike most of the other students in the program, I entered the MCiM program much further along in my career. I don’t think I was expecting the program to be so inspiring and personally transformative so far into my career, even after my MBA. I honestly sit though through many classes with my jaw dropped open behind my mask, being completely in awe of what I am learning, mentally stimulated and feeling super fortunate to being taught by the world’s thought leaders in digital innovation and futuristic healthcare. If I could have given myself advice prior to starting the program, I would have said to let go of all constraints, be prepared to be mentally disrupted and immersed in the unique learning environment at Stanford, which seems to be extremely deliberate in training its students to take on the complex problems in society that no one else can or will.

2. Every quarter you get to meet different faculty members and guest speakers. Has there been an MCiM course and/or guest speaker event that has been most impactful and why?

Every faculty member that taught us so far been someone so globally influential in the field, someone I had previously listened to on prominent webinars or whose NEJM paper I have read and cited multiple times before coming. All have been truly the best in the world. I was most taken though by Professor David Scheinker, who is the inspiration for the next phase of my career. He was able to show me how math, system engineering, machine learning and simulations can help me solve a lot of the frustrations I currently experience as a physician and administrative leader within my healthcare system. Canada, like many universal healthcare systems, has been troubled with access to care issues and long wait times. Modelling the expected amounts of resources required to deliver quality healthcare at the local and national levels, linking that to projected growing incidence of disease, and then using that to redesign care delivery and resource investments can really help our healthcare system stay ahead and be more sustainable.

3. How do you feel MCiM will benefit your future career trajectory?

The good news is it already has. Prior to coming to the program, I didn’t have high hopes that my career would be as fulfilling as I had originally imagined it to be when I first entered medical school. Physicians currently practice in an environment that is rampant with staff shortages, high rates of burnout and moral injury resulting from our inability to take care of patients in the way that is needed. Now I can see how the unique combination of business model innovation and technology can really achieve the healthcare system that we all want to work in, that can benefit both providers and patients. I am now skilled in leading beyond the usual goal of incremental improvements in healthcare to large scale healthcare system engineering and redesign, digital health ecosystem and infrastructure modernization. This is so exciting!

Nicholas Quiroz

Senior Business Reporting Analyst at Stanford Health Care who is focused on developing valuable information that improves departmental and patient outcomes. He is fueled with a desire to develop solutions within health care and his areas of interest include data management, increasing interoperability and reconciling reports.

What led you to pursue an MCiM degree?

The pandemic has highlighted the long-standing gaps in health care cost, quality, and access that impede health equity. Our health care system is in desperate need of a transformation and I believe the MCiM program can create leaders that leverage data necessary for this transformation. By understanding how to turn data into information, we can turn knowledge into meaningful action that benefits everyone.

Now that we have wrapped up summer quarter, what have been some strategies you have used to be successful in the MCiM program? Are there any learnings you have found helpful to take with you into autumn quarter?

Participate as much as you can even if its uncomfortable. As an introvert, socializing can be hard, but networking in this program led to memorable conversations and meaningful friendships that made it worth it. I realized just how many opportunities there are to learn something new, you just have to have the willingness to put yourself out there.

What has been a memorable experience in MCiM so far?

The diversity that exists in this program is incredible. I have learned more from my peers this quarter than I have in years at previous programs. Their insight, experience, and point of views have enlightened me to say the least. The faculty and staff certainly know how to curate an environment that allows everyone to contribute equally.

Cherrelle Smith

Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Assistant Medical Director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at Stanford who focuses her efforts on clinical operations and is motivated by process improvements on health equity and pediatric acute care services.

Why did you choose to attend the MCiM program?

As a Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) physician focused in the operations of our department, MCiM offered an opportunity to expand my clinical expertise by broadening my understanding of business practices, digital health and health technology as well as incorporating the design process. I wanted a foundation on how to use the data and metrics related to clinical care to make decisions not only related to our day-to-day workflows but also make innovative decisions and sustainable successful decisions for our future.

What have you learned in the MCiM program that has made a difference in your profession?

BioDesign classes are enhancing my process improvement focus especially when it comes to clarifying and understanding needs of our patients. The concepts from our Business Strategy class are exciting and new for me to apply coming from a health/science background and I feel it’s turning me into a more well-rounded leader.

What are your hopes and aspirations for life after MCiM?

Susan Ruyu Qi

Ophthalmology Resident from Canada, passionate about innovation in medicine, particularly the role of Artificial Intelligence in the field of ophthalmology.

What attracted you most to the MCiM program?

I’ve always been passionate about innovation in medicine. However, I didn't feel prepared for it from my medical training. I believe that an effective leader in healthcare, especially in the future, must be familiar with not only medicine but also business and technology. It is by inputting these three keywords into the search engine that I landed on the MCiM program. The tailored curriculum, amazing faculty, inspiring classmates with diverse backgrounds and expertise, along with Stanford’s unique ecosystem for entrepreneurship all made MCiM the perfect program!

Please share a bit about your experience as a student in the MCiM program. Would you encourage other international students to participate in the program?

I’ve had the best year of my life at Stanford as an MCiM student. Living on the beautiful Stanford campus, it was extremely easy to meet like-minded people; friendships formed instantaneously. The student population is extremely diverse and welcoming. MCiM’s flexible curriculum also allowed me to take extra courses outside of our program, where I got a chance to meet students across all departments. I would absolutely encourage international students to join MCIM and live at Stanford for a year. This in-person experience has been life-changing.

How has MCiM changed your understanding of the world and prepared you for next steps?

The MCiM program has opened my eyes to worlds that I didn’t know existed and has given me tools to assess and tackle problems from new perspectives. During my year, I worked on many projects, from a biodesign app to reduce falls in post-stroke patients, to researching blockchain technology for retina image sharing, to as far as pitching for a Web 3 security startup! Financial statements no longer scare me and I learned so much from collaborating with classmates from diverse backgrounds. Stanford’s notorious Design Thinking process has helped sharpen my acumen for need finding and I feel ready for opportunities that come my way in my future career as an ophthalmologist. Find out more on susanqi.com

Brian Soetikno

Biomedical engineer and resident physician, passionate about the intersection of medicine, business, and technology

Why were you interested in MCiM?

Before MCiM, I had so many unanswered questions despite years of training as a physician and biomedical engineer. I wanted to grasp better how the US healthcare system operates and I wanted to understand how companies and organizations could scale scientific discoveries to impact patient care. I also wanted to learn how I could become a more effective leader in my chosen specialty of ophthalmology. With MCiM, I have learned the tools to continue studying these questions and so, so much more.

What has been the highlight of your year?

My year's highlight was presenting the final presentation for our Healthcare Information Technology and Strategy course. My team studied whether the blockchain could be a viable way to act as a personal healthcare record for sharing images. We ultimately pivoted from this idea several times before settling on a business strategy that involved a federated network. The interviews we conducted and the deep discussions we had led to tons of learning, and it was very fulfilling to see how far we had come at the end of the class.

What are you planning to do with your degree?

My next step is to complete my residency training in ophthalmology at Stanford. From evaluating healthcare technologies and companies critically to applying leadership principles in the clinic and scientific research to understanding the exchange of data in healthcare IT, the applications of the MCiM degree in my future work are immense. I can imagine continuing to reference my notes, links, slides, and MCiM colleagues for years to come.

Amanda Way

Former entrepreneur, competitive figure skater, and neuroscience researcher turned healthcare/techbio venture capitalist

Why a MCiM degree over a MBA or traditional degree?

I fell in love with learning about biotech and healthcare from a 10,000 foot view and working closely with companies that were changing the lives of patient populations by working in venture capital over the past 5 years. I realized I could create higher level impact by working with physicians across the world to improve broken healthcare systems rather than become the physician myself, but wanted a deeper understanding of the inner workings of healthcare systems and clinical informatics which brought me to MCiM instead of returning to medical school, or taking two years away from work for a more general MBA.

What is it like to collaborate in the classroom with people of all different ages, industries, and backgrounds?

How have you surprised yourself this past year?

I left the job I was in when I started! I came to MCiM looking to use this program to support my work at Emerson Collective, as I was expanding my investing work beyond biotech to healthcare to improve the lives of cancer patients, and I ended up exploring passions outside the cancer space that I realized I needed to continue to dive into post-graduation. I am excited to be starting a new role as Principal at JAZZ Venture Partners to do just that!

Viveka Rydell-Anderson

Experienced leader with demonstrated results working in the US and international ecosystem at the intersection of business, healthcare and technology

What is unique about the MCiM program?

The world-class faculty providing cutting-edge teachings at the intersection of business, healthcare and innovation is unique. Stanford’s work in data science, design-thinking, AI/ML, ethics, financing, healthcare operations and change management is ground breaking. MCiM gives us the best frameworks and tools to innovate, chart strategies, and lead transformation.

How has MCiM helped you reach your professional goals?

Having brought healthcare solutions to the market in the past, this program rounded out my operational experience in some key areas. We studied potentials and pitfalls of emerging technologies, so we can lead with discernment: see the larger picture, and spot red flags. The program prepared me to drive healthcare transformation at a new level, with deeper understanding of the intricacies of the healthcare landscape.

What has surprised you most in your MCiM experience thus far?

The high caliber, intellectual curiosity and passion for healthcare of everyone in our diverse class. The openness and willingness of professors, industry leaders, and VCs to talk us and mentor us as we explored new business ideas. It is great to be part of this international network of people who are shaping the future of healthcare.

MCiM students are proven leaders and emerging leaders in settings ranging from tech start-ups to health systems in the Bay Area and beyond. Members of this professionally, demographically, and culturally diverse cohort will be at different stages of their lives and careers, lending depth to your learning experience and fostering the communication and teambuilding skills the marketplace rewards.

What you will share with your MCiM peers is a desire to acquire additional foundational skills and knowledge at the intersection of medicine, business, and technology. You will work closely with Stanford faculty whose expertise across clinical business and informatics is fundamental to understanding and driving the transformation of health care and care delivery.

MCiM ultimately offers a learning experience that is uniquely Stanford: The close interaction among Stanford faculty and MCiM students serves to galvanize innovative solutions to health care’s challenges and to extend professional networks across industries, disciplines, and areas of expertise.