An unsung program at Kellogg is its Health Enterprise Management (HEMA) program and a ”star” within HEMA is its Global Health Initiative (GHI)—co-founded by Kellogg professor Daniel Diermeier, with several students in leadership and advisory roles—in which academics, students, corporations and nonprofits create products that solve medical problems around the world. Evidence of the profile of the program, in 2006, the GHI received a $4.9MM grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop diagnostic devices capable of identifying the HIV virus. Another impressive experiential offering is the multidisciplinary “Medical Innovation” class, which brings together industry leaders, top faculty members and students from several of Northwestern’s graduate schools (Law, Engineering, Medicine and Business). During this two-term course, students experience the “entire innovation life cycle” from a variety of perspectives: scientific, legal and entrepreneurial/managerial. Students even shadow surgeons and observe clinicians to facilitate their own brainstorming sessions for an innovative product—an actual product is created and presented to potential investors. Clearly, Kellogg provides students interested in healthcare with an opportunity to roll-up their sleeves and get their hands dirty (and also sanitize them as well.)
Read the full article: Friday Factoid: The Healthcare Experience at Kellogg