Shari Rajoo

University of Massachusetts Amherst, Isenberg School of Management

“I am a self-declared nerd with a love of learning, patient care, and family!”

Age: 54

Hometown: Kingsport, TN

Fun fact about yourself: I earned my black belt in Tae Kwon Do and I knit (badly).

Undergraduate School and Degree: Bachelor of Science Biology/ Microbiology, University of Southern Mississippi

Master of Science Molecular Biology, University of Southern Mississippi

Doctor of Medicine, St. Georges’s University School of Medicine

Where are you currently working? Ballad Health, Chief Medical Officer of Population Health and Value-Based Performance

Chief Medical Officer Appalachian Highlands Clinically Integrated Network

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? From my lens, we are still asking patients to come to us in healthcare. I wanted to change that, so I worked with our team on establishing a home visiting program, which would act as an extension of our primary care team and a component of our wrap-around services for patients. Many patients have expressed deep gratitude for the program, which helps them get needed healthcare. I am proud of our team for being able to serve patients in a unique, much needed way.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? I really wanted to pursue an MBA. The great reputation of University of Massachusetts Amherst and the online format was a fantastic combination. The icing on the cake was the warm, professional and caring attitude of MaryBeth Kimball the advisor for the program.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? This is a stellar program, and I loved all of it. If I have to pick a favorite, I will say it was the ability to work with multiple people from various parts of the world. This allowed me to learn about their experiences as they highlighted the similarities and differences between other countries and the US in a variety of areas.

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? The climate has changed since I was an undergraduate. I was consistently impressed with the care and concern each professor showed for us students (as humans) and the acknowledgement that we have lives that include full-time jobs and many other responsibilities. At first, I was not sure how to embrace this extra level of kindness. I can say that it took a huge weight off my shoulders to know that I could ask for help when needed and my professors would not think less of me for it. The only downside to the online experience is that we are taught by such fascinating people that I do wish I could have met all of them in person!

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? I would recommend setting aside specific time to do the work of the class, reading each syllabus carefully, participating in any zoom sessions, and reaching out to the professors for questions. Having a “study buddy” is a great help as well. The professors take a lot of time to ensure their materials are detailed and they provide a lot of support. I believe doing well is very achievable by following the professors’ instructions.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? This education has helped me understand the challenges of organizations, especially large ones, at a much deeper level. I have a better grasp of why my organization operates in the way that it does and how to enhance my contributions to the organization.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? Yes. I was asked to take on the role of Chief Medical Officer for our first Clinically Integrated Network (“Appalachian Highlands Clinically Integrated Network”), which launched 1/1/2025.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential or executive MBA program? I work full-time and have my kids in school and aging parents living with me. As a result, a traditional program was out of the question for me. An online program was my only path to an MBA (I could not have afforded to leave my job to pursue this degree). I wanted a “regular” MBA program in an online format. The University of Massachusetts Amherst program was a perfect fit for me on paper. The reality was even better as the caliber of professors is excellent!

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? One of the courses did allow us to use AI for certain tasks and this proved very useful. We also discussed the impact of AI in multiple courses. Exploring the topic of AI, the capabilities and controversies has been very important in terms of both gaining knowledge and thinking about the challenges of harnessing such incredible capabilities. How we do this responsibly will not be easy.

Number of Hours Per Week Spent on an Online MBA: On average, I spend about 10-15 hours per week.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? As clichéd as it sounds, my goal in life has always been to make a difference in people’s lives. I want to improve how patients experience their care, and I would love to see us develop the “Ritz-Carlton” of experiences in healthcare. Quality care is what we talk about, but that is the floor of healthcare for our patients – they expect quality care and would be shocked if they did not receive that. The next level for the patient is the feeling that you are cared for in extraordinary ways by your healthcare team and that is where the experience starts to become elevated. I am not quite sure, just yet, how I would achieve this, but will keep looking for that golden opportunity to do so.

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