Academics & Student Experience

The Healthcare at Kellogg (HCAK) Pathway prepares students for the unique challenges and opportunities in the healthcare sector. Foundational HCAK offerings integrate fundamental managerial disciplines (e.g., economics, strategy) with deep exposure to the industries comprising the healthcare sector, while advanced courses apply these concepts to the specific problems facing managers in the life sciences and payer/provider sectors. As a capstone to the pathway, HCAK students may test and hone their skills through an experiential or field course.

Faculty sponsors: Craig Garthwaite (Strategy)

Last edited July 13, 2021. For any questions regarding this page, please email kellogg-registrar@kellogg.northwestern.edu

In February 2021, Kellogg alumnus Kent Hawryluk ’07 gave a $3M gift to establish the Hawryluk Biopharmaceutical Scholars Endowed Fund. This builds upon the HCAK program establishing a network of full-time MBA students with demonstrated interest in the biopharmaceutical sector. Scholars will receive scholarships and benefit from dedicated cocurricular programming intended to prepare them for long-term success in this evolving field. Each year an intimately sized cohort will be named Hawryluk Scholars. Read more about this year’s Hawryluk Scholars.

Annually, the Hawryluk Biopharmaceutical Scholars program will have a kick-off dinner with Kent Hawryluk and Kellogg faculty to outline the diverse programming for Hawryluk Scholars including:

• Customized Mentoring – Scholars are paired with members of the Hawryluk Mentorship Council to provide ongoing guidance and advice about careers in the biopharmaceutical market
• Executive Briefings – Industry leaders will speak to the group about the latest trends in the biopharmaceutical sector
• Company Treks – A visit to leading companies here in Illinois or out of state to meet with industry leaders and firms at the frontier of innovation
• Chalk Talks – Scientists from Northwestern University and industry will speak to the group about their area of expertise

Hawryluk Scholars will also receive greater access to speakers at Kellogg, the scientific community at Northwestern University, such as the Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP) Institute, and an alum mentor.

2020-21 Cohort

• Bhavana Balakrishnan ’22
• Lauren Cziesla ’23
• David Elmets ’23
• Siddharth (Sid) Gupta ’23
• Michael Koniares ’22
• Raina Liu ’22
• Sara McGahan ’23
• Cecilia Su ’22
• Christa Styrkowicz ’22
• Michelle Wang ’23
• Fiona Wu ’22

The program for Healthcare at Kellogg goes well beyond the classroom to offer a rich mix of cocurricular, professional, mentorship and academic opportunities. The Healthcare Club, with an average of 350 students, delivers a diverse platform of opportunities and activities for Kellogg students to gain awareness, develop relevant skill sets and build successful careers in the healthcare industry.

The Healthcare Club hosts events throughout the year, providing students with an opportunity to learn about the healthcare system, meet other students interested in healthcare, connect with companies across the healthcare sector, prepare for interviews at healthcare companies and network with Kellogg alumni who work in healthcare. Highlights include Healthcare 101 Speaker Series, Healthcare Week, Company Lunch & Learns, Career Tracks, Social Events and Case Competitions.

Open to participants around the world, the Biotech and Healthcare Case competition is one of the oldest and best-known healthcare competitions. This annual event features teams of students who tackle complex healthcare questions beyond a class setting.

For more than 30 years, HCAK has hosted the Mentorship Program to provide students with opportunities to gain insights from nationally recognized healthcare executives. HCAK hosts one-on-one sessions as well as small group lunches with visiting executives throughout the winter and spring quarters.

Perspectives on the Business of Healthcare

Leading C-suite executives speak to a group of 60 students about their careers and broad issues of interest in their particular sector of healthcare. Speakers are selected from the highest industry tiers and across the healthcare ecosystem. The speakers explore current trends and share their strategic foresight of where the industry is going. This year’s speakers will include:

• Liz Bhatt, Chief Business & Strategy Officer, Applied Molecular Transport
• Jeff Rhodes, Co-Director Healthcare, TPG
• Martin Babler, Chairman, President & CEO, Esker Therapeutics
• Eric Larsen, President, Advisory Board Company
• Chris Ehrlich, CEO, Locust Walk
• Adam Koppel, Managing Director, Bain Capital Life Sciences

Healthcare at Kellogg Executive Chat

A more informal venue that provides a distinctive space for students to ask candid questions of healthcare executives. The chats are intentionally capped at 15 students over lunch. This format helps build unique opportunities for in-depth conversations with leaders across the healthcare ecosystem.

• David Muhlestein, Chief Strategy and Chief Research Officer, Leavitt Partners
• Kaveh Safavi, Senior Managing Director Global Health, Accenture
• Brook LeVassuer, CEO, AristaMD
• Sasha Preble, Partner and COO Strategy and Growth, Optum
• Irina Pelphrey, Senior Director, Pricing and Partnerships, Walmart Health
• Tanya Hayes, Partner Human Capital, Frazier Healthcare
• Kent Berkley, Principal, Frazier Healthcare
• Mike Miller, CEO, Caravel Autism Health
• Richard Heller, Pediatric Radiologist, Radiology Partners

Faculty Speaker Series

Healthcare at Kellogg will hold a series of five lunch-time talks on key areas of the healthcare sector. Each presentation is designed to give meaningful insights to all students, regardless of experience in the industry. Examples of topics covered in the HCAK Speaker Series have included:

• Healthcare at Kellogg and Broad Overview of the U.S. Health System with Professor Craig Garthwaite
• U.S. Health Insurance System (Public and Private) with Professor Amanda Starc
• Health Providers: Market-Level Perspective with Professor David Dranove
• Life Sciences: BioPharma and Medical Devices with Professor Craig Garthwaite
• Entrepreneurship in Health Care with Professor Peter McNerney

The Kellogg Healthcare Alumni Network is a robust innovative way for thousands of healthcare alumni to engage with each other and Kellogg faculty, thought leaders more frequently and meaningfully.

Members will regular communications about timely issues related to the business of healthcare. Additionally, members will have access to exclusive webinars, updates on healthcare stories of interest with faculty editorials, an updated database of Kellogg alumni in the healthcare field, and networking opportunities at in-person events and conferences.