Siu-Hin Wan, ’25 Executive MBA: Building Healthcare Leadership Beyond the Hospital
Tuesday, December 17, 2024
Program
’25 Executive MBA
Hometown
Hong Kong and Minneapolis
Undergraduate School and Major:
Northwestern University: Biomedical Engineering and Medical School
Mayo Clinic: Internal Medicine Residency, Cardiology, and Advanced Heart Failure / Transplant Cardiology Fellowship
Current Job Title and Employer
Cardiologist and Director of Heart Failure at Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute - United Hospital
Meet the Carlson School community and learn about the experiences and career connections we offer.
What was your initial reason or motivation for pursuing an MBA?
Previously, I never thought I would pursue an MBA degree, as I was a clinician, researcher, and educator in the cardiology healthcare field. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic opened my eyes to the importance of strong leadership and teamwork in medicine, important skills for physicians never formally taught in medical school or residency/fellowship training. Also, there can be a large disconnect between frontline physicians and managers making operational decisions in a healthcare system. As a result, I seek to develop important management skills as I progress in my career to bridge the divide between organizational vision and direct patient care.
Why did you choose the Carlson School?
The Carlson School of Management’s reputation and excellence in teaching, research, and intimacy with diverse industries mean that I will both learn the most cutting-edge, evidence-based concepts as well as obtain practical skills that I can directly and immediately apply to my job. Also, the supportive and friendly staff of the Carlson Executive MBA (CEMBA) program and the program’s flexibility allow me to balance my full-time clinical position with school. While the University of Minnesota community is large, the excellent faculty-to-student ratio in CEMBA allows for meaningful class interactions and collaborative opportunities to connect internally and externally.
What has been or was your most valuable Carlson School experience?
So many facets of my Carlson experience have been incredible, but my most cherished part of being in CEMBA is the connection formed with my peers and faculty. We are fortunate in Minneapolis to thrive in an environment with very diverse industries, and thus I have the opportunity to interact with leaders in other fields that I would otherwise never come across. We all learn and grow exponentially by sharing our stories and working together. Additionally, our faculty are truly top-notch, and not only are they expert researchers, but also incredible teachers with lots of real-life experience that make classes fun, interactive, and engaging.
We are fortunate in Minneapolis to thrive in an environment with very diverse industries, and thus I have the opportunity to interact with leaders in other fields that I would otherwise never come across.
How has your Carlson School experience helped you change your career path and get to where you are?
My Carlson experience has given me a unique perspective on approaching problems. I approach problems with a different lens compared to my undergraduate engineering and medical school training. While my educational pathway has been fairly well defined previously with a clear end goal, the Carlson School has many different opportunities and pathways. There is a very diverse student body in terms of careers and interests and therefore opened my mind to different possibilities out there. While I initially joined the CEMBA program to gain leadership and teamwork experience, my interactions with my peers and faculty, many of which have direct experience in healthcare, have led me to explore different opportunities and career paths. The CEMBA program is not about getting a degree but rather a window into different possibilities.
What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Carlson’s Executive MBA program?
Carlson’s Executive MBA program is one where the amount of effort I put in is directly related to what I get out of it. That means it’s not only about being a good student and learning the material (although building a toolbox of skills and knowledge is important), and certainly not about competing with others on a graded curve, but rather about how one works together in a team to build everyone up. In a sense, CEMBA is not really about school but more about life and how the environment of a real job career behaves. Those most competitive for admission are those who would add value to the program and who we would personally like to have in class!
