Indian Field Seminar, Winter 2015

In mid-January, 19 students and 2 program advisors completed the Indian Field Seminar, one of the many international experiences which provide students with additional engagement outside of the classroom. After completing preliminary work during the first semester in Boston, the group spent two weeks in India. Travels started in New Delhi, continued to Mumbai, and finished in Bangalore. Some of the stops included the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Max Healthcare (private hospital system), Cipla (generic pharmaceutical manufacturer), Dabawala (complex meal delivery system), and AmeriCares (mobile medical clinics). Cultural visits included Qutab Minar, the Taj Mahal, and the Elephanta Caves. Beyond providing an up-close look at health care delivery in an emerging market, the field seminar exposed students to the different practices and innovations that companies, both established and start-ups, are creating in India. Two students shared their thoughts following the trip:

Liz Nerad, 2015, MBA/MPH: “As a dual degree MBA/MPH studying Global Health Management, I was drawn to the field seminar because it seemed like a practical application of both of my degrees and interests. Before graduate school I lived abroad for a few years, so I have really come to believe the best way of learning is through experience. Though I have traveled and worked in health care internationally, I had never been to India before, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to see the country with a unique lens.

“The seminar took our classroom learning to the next level by giving us first hand exposure to the issues faced in the health sector in India. During an HSM class we read a case about Narayana Health, a hospital specializing in low-cost and highly efficient heart surgeries. During the field seminar we actually visited the hospital, where we went beyond traditional case-based learning and were given a first-hand look at the issues discussed in the case and the practical solutions that were really applied. The field seminar also took us on a diverse range of site visits, which also really gave us a holistic perspective about the health sector in India. For example, one day were in a rural village learning about community health workers and then the next we were in a super-specialty world class cancer hospital.”

Liza Bruno, 2015, MBA: “The field seminar was one of the highlights of my BU SMG experience. Our professor, Ned Rimer, put together a fantastic itinerary that kept us moving non-stop for two weeks. Not only did I learn a great deal about the health sector in India, I also had a blast traveling with fellow classmates. Everyone brought something unique to the group, and we are already looking forward to our first reunion.”