Why Your Career in Health Care Profits from Business Management Skills

Health care and medical experts benefit from part-time MBA

This interview was first published in November 2020.

Healthcare and medical experts are continuously facing the challenge to combine patient care with the task of running a medical health institution. For anyone seeking to advance in their career, there is an increasing necessity to understand business management procedures and show strong leadership skills.

We aim to close this knowledge gap, by offering an innovative and practice-oriented part-time MBA program. The program participants quickly learn that there are countless ambiguities and different ways to solve a problem. Many of our graduates tell us how they went through a complete change of perspective during their time at HHL and that they are now approaching challenges in an entirely different way.

Senior Physician at Helios Bördeklinik shares his HHL study experience

We reached out to Dr. Ali Bahsoun and asked him to share his personal experience as a medical health care professional and part-time MBA student. Dr. Bahsoun is Senior Physician for Plastic, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery at the Helios Bördeklinik in Magdeburg (Saxony-Anhalt/Germany).

Why was the part-time MBA program the natural next step to acquiring further business management skills?

Looking back on my development as a surgeon I was always looking to put in the work to advance even further in my career. This personal motivation provided me with the enthusiasm to join the “Leadership for Experts in Medicine and Health Care” Executive Education program. I was looking to deepen my business management skills as a health care professional. After completing the program I felt inspired and taken care of by the HHL staff and instructors, motivating me to continue my studies

The program management urged me to develop my ability and further discover opportunities and build a successful, prosperous future. I wished to extend my studies and expand the spectrum of my management and leadership skills through a solid curriculum found in the part-time MBA.

Business management skills to manage a changing health care system

Additionally, it was enough to look around to discover a complex, controversial and ever-changing modern world: a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world. A world where everything is connected: health care, economics, finance, business, politics, sociology, leadership, administration, etc. Again, I felt the need to build my confidence in approaching these issues and discover the potential of this world to progress in my career.

With these two factors in mind, it was certain that if I wanted to put my best foot forward, I had to enroll in a well-established MBA program like the one offered by HHL. Hence, this was my natural next step.

How do you manage to combine studying with your busy work schedule?

The part-time MBA program is very well-structured, making it easy to find a balance between studying and workload. The one-weekend-per-month program gives us enough time to prepare the provided material before the beginning of each module, as well as afterward.

How does the exchange with the HHL community support you on your professional journey?

The variety of the educational and professional backgrounds of fellow students is unique to HHL’s MBA class. This diversity has converted our class into our own small community where each one of us is an expert in their field. Group assignments give us a platform for rich interaction and engagement in interesting discussions with peers. I am always looking for new ways of thinking and listen to how other companies are structured and managed, in order to learn and gain a deeper understanding from other perspectives.

Applying business management knowledge from other industries

It is a constant learning process; each idea in itself is a recommendation or a tip that could be beneficial in my own professional journey. Another helpful exchange is the one provided through the HHL network. The live webinars with guest lecturers, events organized by students’ clubs and initiatives or by the career development department, as well as Alumni talks and many other events from highly professional and successful people offer the opportunity to dive deep into many aspects which are instrumental on a personal and professional level.

Do you have any advice for prospective students?

Sure. I encourage prospective students to explore their curiosity, engage in discussions, immerse themselves in new topics and profit from the opportunity to deepen their understanding of subjects that interest them the most.

When you start, do not hesitate to ask for help or advice, for you now belong to the HHL-Community. You have the support of fellow students, faculty, administration and alumni. All of them are always ready to help.

Be patient! The current COVID-19 time is an exceptional time. For now, you might be missing some of the campus life and in-class experiences. Do not worry! The HHL staff has exerted great effort in developing the online platform and managing to deliver classroom-quality lectures.

Above all, our relationship with HHL goes beyond our study terms. We all are going to enjoy Leipzig’s spirit and weekend activities again soon. My last piece of advice is to have fun, make friends and enjoy the journey of being a student again.