What was your plan coming out of college? Did it pan out? If your path differed from your plan, how and why did it change?
Coming out of college, I was drawn to Wall Street. I did not know exactly what I wanted to do, but I did know that I was interested in the business of healthcare. I figured that a logical first step would be to enter healthcare investment banking. I’m glad I made this decision because it gave me strong technical financial skills and a broad understanding of healthcare. While I enjoyed working with teams at some incredible companies, I soon realized that I wanted my next chapter to bring me closer to working with products.
Is this your first job? How did your first job influence your career path?
My first job was in healthcare investment banking, but now I am working at Unite Us, a healthcare technology startup. I am in the process of applying to graduate schools to pursue a Master's degree in biomedical data science. My experience in healthcare investment banking and my time at Unite Us have made me realize that I am happiest and most engaged when I feel close to the product that I am working with and see the impact of my work on the end-user, which, in my experience, is the patient.
If you have changed jobs, how did you navigate the transition? Which skills were transferable?
Interestingly, on a day-to-day basis, what I was doing at United Us was similar to what I did when I was working in healthcare investment banking. In both positions, I created and helped edit board decks and financial models. However, a major difference between these experiences was that instead of pitching to companies as I did as an investment banker, at Unite US, I took on the perspective of the company. The technical skills between these jobs were definitely transferrable.
What kind of activities in college best prepared you for post-college life?
Being a MGMT-100 TA helped me think critically about corporate strategy and how teams are structured. My LSM senior capstone course was also instrumental in preparing me for life post-college. This year-long class taught me how to understand the intricacies of the healthcare system, especially how information flows in this industry. It helped me understand why pharmaceutical companies are incentivized to act in certain ways.
To what extent do you feel that your major influenced your career choice?
Even though I was a Management major, it was the Wharton curriculum as a whole that influenced my career choice. The Wharton fundamentals taught me real-world skills and allowed me to see the “big picture” when I took more focused courses.
What kind of classes do you wish you had taken more of in college?
I wish I took more computer science courses in college. I can’t say I regret the choices of courses I took at Penn - there is only so much time in the day, after all. But I wish there had been more time for computer science.
Are there any classes that Wharton could have offered to make your transition to post-college life more fluid?
I learned a lot of great technical skills at Wharton, and I think an additional course on personal finance could have been super helpful. My friends and I used to joke that we learned how to build an LBO model from scratch but didn’t know how to file taxes.
How did your perspective on careers change from immediately out of college vs. 5 years out?
I think that if you asked any of my friends, they would say that students worry too much about recruiting, and I would agree. Penn is very pre-professional, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, it can become detrimental when students prioritize prestige over passion. I know so many people who faced this reality in their first or second jobs. I think you really want to be doing stuff you enjoy regardless of where you work. And chances are, if you enjoy the work, you will be better at your job.
What do you realize now was truly unique about Wharton’s experience from talking to others from various universities/walks of life?
It is amazing how much practical knowledge I acquired at Wharton. So much of what you learn in your business fundamentals courses and particularly in more focused classes outside the required curriculum can be applied in a real-world setting. I did not appreciate this while I was at school. In most Wharton courses, you not only learn about theories and formulas, but you also study how these concepts are useful in certain industries related to business. Upon graduation, Wharton students are able to speak the language of business, which I have realized is a rare feat to accomplish when I talk to friends from other universities.
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