Meet Columbia Business School’s MBA Class Of 2021

Christopher De Allie

Columbia Business School

“Always willing to improve and being eager to learn from any situation.”

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Fun Fact About Yourself: I got a black belt in Shotokan Karate at 10 years old but forgot almost everything I learned.

Undergraduate School and Major: Cornell University College of Human Ecology (Major: Human Biology, Health & Society)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: NIH-funded Clinical Research Scientist for Columbia University Department of Pediatric Orthopedics under a Precision Medicine Grant – I examined the association between the magnitude of spinal curvature in Cerebral Palsy patients and respiratory assistive aid use.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: The biggest accomplishment in my career was getting accepted to business school and medical school at Columbia University. It proved to me that I can excel in two fields that most people don’t think can go well together, and it allowed me to find a way to combine my interests.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Engaging – Every MBA classmate I’ve encountered has gone out of their way to ensure that everyone around them is having a great time.

What is the best part of coming to New York City to earn your MBA? I’ll able to collaborate with a highly entrepreneurial student population and engage myself in an environment that fosters innovation.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? As a medical student at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, I have the opportunity to experience the shortcomings of many different areas within the medical field. These shortcomings include areas for improvement in biotechnological advancements and inefficient medical guidelines in the hospital setting. Ultimately, these gaps for innovation in medicine can affect patient care. Getting a degree from Columbia Business School will help me work towards my goals while staying on track to become a medical doctor. Columbia Business School contributes to the growth of exceptional physicians by providing opportunities for dual-degree medical students like myself to take full advantage of its curriculum’s flexibility.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Columbia Entrepreneurs Organization

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? What do you foresee as potential changes in the U.S. healthcare system that may affect how you will be able to utilize your MBA?

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? In today’s rapidly-changing healthcare environment, it is vital to apply customer-driven techniques for patient satisfaction. As we live in a technological era, advancements in technology are linked to advancements in medicine. Unique to the healthcare setting, I plan on exploring new opportunities to engage with healthcare companies and get involved with policy and innovation. At Columbia Business School, I hope to learn how to think more analytically about areas of need within healthcare alongside other pioneering thinkers. As more companies approach the intersection of technology and health, the need for medical professionals to contribute is greater than ever.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I applied to only Columbia Business School as part of an accelerated dual-degree track to receive an MD/MBA in 5 years.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? N/A

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? A defining moment for me was when life-and-death became more of an issue once I reached the age of 13 and all the beautiful parks and fields nearby became gang-affiliated locations. Having been raised in the brutal streets of Brooklyn, New York, my father always offered me advice to make it through life successfully. I eventually grew to understand this different meaning of “making it through life successfully.” Living on Flatbush Ave in the middle of an extremely poor neighborhood meant more than minding your own business; it meant looking forward to a possible future but also looking back for your own reassurance of protection. This shaped me into an individual who always strives to accomplish my goals no matter what obstacles or challenges I may encounter.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? My long-term goals include improving both medical care quality and outcomes, all in an effort to alleviate the healthcare burden on patients. In ten years, I will be a board-certified anesthesiologist who also works alongside other companies with a focus on medical device innovation.