Martina Di Gioacchino

I had been working in the health care sector for a number of years, first as a health care practitioner and business owner, and was increasingly moving into the business side of the industry into areas such as service delivery and infrastructure. I began to realize that if I wanted to be more effective in these new roles and effectively use my clinical knowledge and experience in management, I would need a stronger knowledge of core business and management concepts. I felt as though completing my MBA would help strengthen my skill set and put me in a stronger position to take on new and exciting roles within the industry.

I chose Ivey because I believed that the teaching/learning style was more compatible with my personal learning style. I knew that I did not want to sit through lecture-style classes, so the case method of learning seemed perfect for me. It allows students to learn through real-world scenarios, it’s extremely engaging and gives students an opportunity to draw on their own work experiences.

I have learned so much from the professors at Ivey, but I have learned equally as much by listening to and responding to the contribution of my classmates. This class is a group of people who are passionate about the educational material, energetic in their approach, and engaged in all aspects of the program. Every one of my peers is not only focused on the school work, but is highly engaged in clubs, career development activities, socials, and in getting to know their classmates. Being able to draw on their experiences, as well as my own, provides a huge benefit and makes the cases so much richer and more memorable. There are lessons that I take away from each class that I feel I would be able to apply in the real world.

In five years, I plan to be working in the health care industry on projects that will improve service delivery. I am very interested in improving the way patients access health services and move through the health care system. I hope to be able to apply my clinical experience and my business education to health care problems so that patients can achieve the best possible outcomes.