Kellogg Chronicles: Discovering My Path To A Healthcare Internship & Beyond

My teammates and Tim Calkins, our professor for Biomedical Marketing

Many assumed that a career in healthcare was inevitable for me. It was easy to see why. Both of my parents worked in pharmaceuticals. I had a background in human health as an undergrad, and consulting experiences primarily in life sciences. But what many didn’t realize was that I had never seen myself as someone destined for healthcare. I disliked anything to do with blood and hadn’t touched a lab science class since high school. When I started my MBA at Kellogg, I wasn’t entirely sure where I was headed.

My fellow interns and I at Abbott House, a replica of Dr. Abbott’s original house in Chicago

Kellogg felt like a fresh start, an opportunity to explore areas where I hadn’t yet ventured.  I was eager to try it all—brand management, venture capital, product management, and corporate strategy. Every option seemed exciting! As I moved through my core classes in the summer and fall, I could see how each of these roles might shape the next steps in my career. The possibilities were endless, but that also meant my focus was scattered. Little did I know, a pivotal summer internship would offer the experience I needed to solidify my career direction.

PIVOTAL MOMENTS: WINTER QUARTER REALIZATIONS

As the winter quarter rolled in, so did the pressures of recruiting. This was the time when most students were deep in the throes of figuring out their summer internships – and I was no different. It was during the winter quarter that two classes truly shaped my path forward.

The first was Healthcare Strategy with Professor Craig Garthwaite. I had taken his core strategy class and, on a whim, decided to enroll in his Healthcare Strategy course. It was so last minute that I got off the waitlist at 6 a.m. the day classes began. Despite my experience in the industry, this class offered a fresh perspective. It opened my eyes to the intricate relationships between stakeholders in the U.S. healthcare system and how incentive structures and strategies have far-reaching impacts on execution. The course rekindled my interest in the complex problems faced by those in life sciences. I would recommend this class to anyone who plans to interact with the U.S. or global healthcare systems (i.e., everyone!) – even if they aren’t planning to pursue a healthcare career.

The second pivotal course was Personal Leadership Insights with Professor Shana Carroll. This discussion-based class was a bit of a departure from the more technical courses I was taking. However, it quickly became one of the most impactful. It forced me to confront the tough questions I had been avoiding and pushed me to define what I truly wanted from my career. Until then, I had kept my future relatively open, willing to explore anything that came my way. This class helped me set clear boundaries, making it easier to turn down roles that didn’t align with my interests and to identify the needs and joys that would sustain me in the long run. One key takeaway was the importance of seeking roles that would push me to continue learning and growing. I found that despite many exciting brand and product-related opportunities, I wanted to focus more on portfolios and strategy.

Switzerland

For my internship, I decided that I wanted to continue building on some of the hard skills in finance and strategy that I was learning in my classes. I wanted to understand how to gain buy-in for projects and ideas, especially in a large, risk-averse company. I believed that this experience would not only strengthen my analytical skills, but also enhance my leadership abilities within a corporate context.

I found that opportunity at Abbott. Working with their corporate strategy team, my summer project focused on developing strategies for Abbott’s pharmaceutical licensing and acquisition team. The project was challenging. In particular, it forced me to consider the merits of moving quickly on an opportunity versus taking a more thorough evaluation. I saw firsthand how difficult it can be to change processes, and even goals in a large organization.

Although initially unplanned, I also had a chance to travel to Abbott’s Switzerland office to meet the team and conduct interviews. This experience underscored the importance of face-to-face interactions—something that felt particularly meaningful in our increasingly virtual world.

LEANING ON KELLOGG’S COMMUNITY: THE VALUE OF SUPPORT

If I could offer one piece of advice to other students, it would be to lean on your peers and professors—they are your most immediate and abundant resources in business school. Beyond formal programs and career services, two conversations helped me solidify my decision-making framework when choosing my summer role.

First, I spoke with Professor Garthwaite during the open office hours he hosted for his students. He talked me through his evaluation of risk and reward for the various roles and companies I was considering. His perspective gave me measure of my own risk tolerance, and his industry knowledge helped me clarify several uncertainties that were running through my head at that moment. In particular, Professor Garthwaite lent an economists view regarding my concerns with pricing pressure in the US healthcare industry, particularly with small-molecule pharmaceuticals.  He also applied that lens to the broader industry, helping me think through opportunities in MedTech vs. Pharmaceuticals.

Second, I reached out to my friend Jess G. I knew that Jess and I had similar career backgrounds, and similar goals in recruiting. In addition, he was in my section and my ‘pod’ and I had the fortune of meeting him early in my time at Kellogg. I texted him out of the blue to see if he had a few minutes to chat with me, catching him just before another Kellogg event. We had a candid conversation, not just about the big worries, but also the smaller ones that felt too trivial to bring up with mentors or managers. This conversation not only helped me articulate my priorities but also exemplified the supportive Kellogg community that I’ve come to value deeply. For me, it serves as a reminder to lean on my peers – their experiences, insights, and opinions both reflect and expand my own knowledge and perspective.

The last Healthcare at Kellogg (HCAK) happy hour of the year!

Looking back at my time so far at Kellogg, and my experiences this summer, I realize how fluid a career path can be. There are many paths to an exciting destination, and Kellogg has opened so many doors. With the strong community and the wealth of experts, I was able to identify an amazing opportunity and contribute to an industry-leading company. While I’m not certain what my exact career path looks like from here on out, I am looking forward to another year of growth, both personally and professionally at Kellogg. In the short term, I’ve planned for more contemplative classes like Moral Complexity in Leadership along with Healthcare, through which I hope to build myself not just as a business leader, but also a thought leader.

Bio: Christina Wu is a second-year student in the MMM program (MBA + MS Design Innovation). She is the Marketing Committee Lead for Healthcare Club and a Forte Foundation Fellow. Prior to Kellogg, she worked as a Manager at Kx Advisors, a Life Sciences consultancy, and this summer, she interned at Abbott Laboratories, working in their Strategic Initiatives Office for Established Pharmaceuticals and Nutrition. In her free time, Christina loves reading, baking, and mixology.

DON’T MISS: KELLOGG CHRONICLES: LEADING THE BUSINESS OF HEALTHCARE CONFERENCE