Healthcare MBA Residency Provides Valuable Experience and Connections for Success in Healthcare

Alexis Rocha knew she wanted to pursue a Full-Time MBA at Baylor University, where she could benefit from a top MBA program with residency requirements. The combination of small class sizes, her growing network of Baylor alumni in the business world and a world-class faculty made the Hankamer School of Business (HSB) her first choice. 

“I knew my program would be rigorous, but I knew I’d be taught by some of the best and most sought-after faculty around and in a strong Christian environment,” she said. 

Rocha also recognized the Robbins Healthcare MBA at Baylor takes a more holistic approach to learning, including management opportunities. Traditional classes like accounting, finance and economics are supplemented by classes that take a deep dive into the unique elements shaping American healthcare.

“The fundamental elements of the American context were addressed in classes like Social Issues in Healthcare, Healthcare Finance and Healthcare Operations Management,” she said. “One class – Healthcare Law and Ethics – was taught by professors from our neighboring college, Baylor School of Law.” 

This breadth of coursework prepared Rocha for a residency in the healthcare field. 

The Robbins Healthcare MBA comes with a guaranteed residency match and job placement opportunity, neither of which was lost on Rocha. Following the on-campus period, MBA students have the opportunity to both apply and test the theories they’ve learned. The experience gained in the real world under the guidance of a healthcare executive can’t be calculated by memorizing theories alone. The practical application of Baylor’s Healthcare MBA to leadership can open doors to positions in administration at hospitals, doctors’ groups or insurance companies.

Rocha found Baylor’s Full-Time MBA program presented her with benefits beyond those of pure online or hybrid courses of study. 

“There is more time to learn, more time to engage in networking events, and more time to fully utilize on-campus resources like the Career Center and the library,” she said. 

 While the digital world is evolving to revolutionize the way we do business, certain experiences, like impromptu elevator conversations leading to networking opportunities, will never be digitized. That’s where the deeper value of Baylor’s Healthcare Residency lies: combining technology advancement with irreplaceable connections that prepare students for any situation. 

In addition, residency networking events provided opportunities to meet the program’s board members. Immersive international learning experiences – Costa Rica in Rocha’s case – provide firsthand experience meeting healthcare leaders to learn about effective policy implementation or product change. Such cross-cultural learning informs policy-making on the front end to achieve better outcomes.

As an undergrad, Rocha didn’t pursue a degree in a health-related field. 

“It’s a cliché,” she said about her decision to pursue Political Science, “but everything comes back to politics. There is, unfortunately, a significant knowledge gap between those leading and working in the business side of healthcare and those writing policy.” 

Such a gap is seen in universal healthcare. Policymakers must consider institutional concerns and the interests of the populace – having healthy citizens and communities. The former must exist in order to provide care, and the latter needs access to affordable medical care. 

“As a current healthcare administrator and aspiring healthcare leader, it is important that I understand how to advocate in a way that ensures realistic business metrics are met, so healthcare providers can continue operations, providing the level of care patients deserve and need,” Rocha said.

Ensuring healthcare leaders and employees are cared for, properly compensated for their work, and know their years of professional experience and knowledge result in the ability to live in today’s economy is key.

Rocha sees a growing interest among people in understanding more than what typical dinner table conversations provide and a need for bipartisan dialog. The need to improve these conversations is why HSB incorporates both law and ethics classes into its MBA programs. 

Across the span of her MBA program, Rocha found the class Organizational Behavior to be the most influential and informative. 

“I think an overwhelming number of my peers would say the same thing,” she said. “The class focused on how to approach personal and systemic biases in different work environments. We also learned how to better understand relationship dynamics.” 

Factors that motivate employees, implementing cultural changes effectively and mediation of difficulties among team members were among the important materials covered. 

Rocha has advice for prospective students considering Baylor’s MBA programs.

“Schedule time to interview with directors, professors and current students in your field of interest,” she said. “Their feedback will help you find a program that fits. And, if possible, attend Done-in-a-Day, where you can complete your application and interview, then find out if you are accepted and know your scholarship package in one day.” 

Other opportunities include visiting the Career Center and engaging in every event available to prospective students.

“In today’s economy, it is nice to not only acquire a degree that holds value to me and my pursuit of building a better world, but one that also holds future employment value,” Rocha said. “Not everyone can go in with the confidence of knowing they will have a job offer before they even walk across the stage to receive their degree, but the Robbins Healthcare MBA program guarantees a standard of excellence in students that is undeniably attractive to all future employers.”

About Baylor’s Full-Time MBA Program

Baylor’s Full-Time MBA is designed to build your business acumen so you can take your career to the next level. You can earn an MBA in five programs with six concentrations while getting expert instruction from nationally acclaimed faculty and all the other resources you’ve come to expect from the University’s Business School. Choose an Early-Career MBA, the Core MBA Degree Plan, a Healthcare MBA, or one of seven Dual Degree programs. Click here for more information about Baylor's Full-Time MBA Program. Whether you seek a Healthcare MBA for management or other leadership application, consider Baylor’s Full-Time MBA.

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