Shaping Global Healthcare: My Journey from a Dentist to an Aspiring Healthcare Leader at UCL

Before joining UCL, I was a dental practitioner in India. I joined the field of healthcare to make an impact in people’s lives while trying to improve the standard of healthcare services in India. I was aware of the importance of leveraging technology to improve the landscape of healthcare. However, I was uncertain of how to do it and how to develop the skills to do it. Pursuing a master's in healthcare management (Analytics) is one of the best career decisions I have ever made. My journey at UCL started as that of any international student. I was both nervous and excited at the same time. The support I received at UCL has been remarkable and helped me realise my potential.

I am very grateful for this opportunity as this has helped me in understanding myself and in giving direction to my plans. When I joined the programme, I wanted to become a leader in healthcare in India, but now while I am exiting the programme, I realise that I want to become a leader in healthcare globally. My scope and purview of the field of healthcare have increased manifold in the last year, and I want to continue contributing to the field of healthcare by improving healthcare delivery services through healthcare technology to make healthcare more accessible for people from all walks of life. Health inequity is an injustice that the future leaders of healthcare must be cognizant of, and it is the battle I intend to win with the knowledge and skillset I have gained at UCL GBSH. The cultural diversity and my interactions with my peers have re-ignited my will to make healthcare a better place for women, both as patients and as workers.

My experience at UCL has taught me how to believe in myself and to think critically, which I am sure will lend itself towards turning my vision into reality. The industry insights I was fortunate to receive, thanks to our healthcare executives in residence and industry experts, have helped me in developing a keen interest in healthcare policy which, I believe, is at the core of change in healthcare. My favourite modules in the course, namely Healthcare Economics and Financing and Changing Health Systems, have made me realise the value of health policy, and I intend to further my interests by working for public health organisations and the Ministry for Health. I have confidence that my time at UCL has equipped me to become a worthy future leader in healthcare. I am excited to start my career and to use my skills to make a positive impact on the lives of others.