Sukh Bansal

Stanford Graduate School of Business

“Physician from the UK with dreams of improving healthcare.”

Hometown: London, United Kingdom

Fun Fact About Yourself: I signed up for a 100-mile cycling event with zero prior road cycling experience. I must admit when I signed up, I thought it was a great idea. My legs disagreed. Six years later, I’m still road cycling… and still questioning my life choices on steep climbs.

Undergraduate School and Major: Imperial College London (BSc) and University of Birmingham (MD).

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: National Health Service, Anesthesiology Resident

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Stanford GSB’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I chose the GSB because it’s the perfect place to build a career focused on addressing critical healthcare challenges and it offers some incredible entrepreneurial resources. For example, just this quarter, I’ve started on Stanford’s Biodesign which has been amazing: I get to work with a cross-disciplinary team to address a critical healthcare need, meet successful founders who are changing the way we practice medicine, and learn from investors in the biotech world.

What has been the most important thing that you’ve learned at Stanford GSB so far? Within my first week at the GSB, I learned about ‘homophily’: the tendency for people to cluster around those similar to them. What I love about the GSB is that it actively pushes us beyond that. We get to know each other well and that fosters a strong sense of community. However, just as important, we’re encouraged to build loose ties across diverse backgrounds, industries, and perspectives. Through this, I’ve learned to not only appreciate but actively seek out diversity of thought, knowing that some of the most valuable insights and opportunities come from engaging with those who think differently from me.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Stanford GSB? My Personal Leadership Coach (PLC) is a second-year MBA student who has completed the Arbuckle Leadership Fellow program and dedicates a significant portion of their time to coaching first-year students like me on a one-to-one basis. I really value these sessions and how they evolve with me. Last quarter, our focus was on clarifying a career direction; this quarter we have been refining my communication and leadership style. Through this process, I’ve come to realize that leadership isn’t about having all the answers upfront, it’s about being willing to adapt, take feedback, and refine how I show up.

What quality best describes your MBA classmates you’ve met so far? Give an example why this true. Humility stands out to me. I expected my classmates at the GSB to be ambitious, sharp, and driven. What has impressed me most is how kind and grounded people are. Despite their incredible achievements, my classmates invariably approach conversations with curiosity and a genuine willingness to learn from others. It’s this mix of excellence and humility that makes the community so special.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Being able to help patients and their families through the pandemic whilst working on intensive care.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? My biggest accomplishment is the personal growth I’ve experienced since transitioning from medicine to business. Stepping into a completely new world at the GSB has challenged me in ways I didn’t expect, and I’ve had to rethink how I communicate, influence, and lead outside of a high-stakes clinical setting. I had no business knowledge or background prior to the GSB, so jumping head-first into something I knew very little about has contributed to that personal growth. Here at the GSB, I have been refining my ability to navigate ambiguity, communicate with impact, and lead in environments where there are no clear right answers. I’m excited to keep pushing myself.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? There are so many to choose from! Weekends away to Tahoe come to mind, spending the days with friends skiing and the evenings playing games.

What advice would you give to a prospective applicant looking to join the Stanford GSB Class of 2026? Be introspective and vulnerable, be authentic to yourself, and approach the application as a process of personal growth rather than just a means to an end.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE STANFORD GSB MBA CLASS OF 2026