How Business Students Can Break Into the Healthcare Industry

Breaking into the healthcare industry might initially seem intimidating for business students. After all, healthcare often brings to mind doctors and nurses rather than business majors. But the realistic truth is this: healthcare is a multi-billion dollar industry that relies on strong business expertise to run efficiently, innovate and grow. 

It is no secret that the Healthcare industry will only grow from here. The Bureau of Labor Statistics documents on April 18th of 2025 that there are about “1.9 million openings projected each year due to growth in employment.” The industry isn't subject to only medical professionals, however. Business skills are valuable in healthcare because they can improve efficiency, mainly through people who are able to manage finances, plan strategically, and lead a team to coordinate interdisciplinary teams(doctors, nurses, administrators). 

Healthcare is more than medicine. Dr. Richard Pitts explains how the “complexities of delivering medical care are rapidly changing.”  The industry requires skills in finance, marketing, operations and strategy. Business students bring valuable expertise in financial management, helping healthcare organizations to improve patient care delivery. The Harvard Business school elucidates in 2018 that Pitts, himself, enrolled in an online business program - featuring courses pertaining to analytics, financial accounting, and economics - CORe. He says “CORe filled in the missing pieces” regarding his business skills.

In addition to finance & analytics, marketing plays an often overlooked role in community outreach, & brand development for hospitals & healthcare providers. The National Institute of Health published an article by Victor Lorin Purcarea PhD titled “The Impact of Marketing Strategies in Healthcare Systems.” Pucarea accentuates how “healthcare marketing is an interdisciplinary field,” where many business skills that can be applied, often aren't.

Just like in any other industry, networking can open a plethora of doors. It is vital to build strong networking relationships to enable mentorship opportunities in the healthcare industry. Global Health Education in early 2025 articulates how medical professionals with expertise in their field, and know your work, value your integrity & can see potential in younger generations. Networking also allows for building confidence for empaths & introverts. There's numerous personality types that can thrive in the healthcare industry. If you feel less confident in public speaking, try to socialize & practice being seen for what you excel at - maybe marketing, analytics or finance.

Appealingly, it’s quite advantageous to have the ability to empathize & show genuine interest in patients. It's important for business-inclined individuals to be able to listen & care in order to foster a real connection with healthcare professionals  & patients.

Gaining relevant experience is the first step to breaking into the industry. Fortunately, many hospitals & other healthcare related organizations offer internships for students in medicine or business. If you’re around Texas, UT at Austin’s McCombs School of Business has several internship & volunteering opportunities. Start by looking at large hospital systems, insurance companies or healthcare consultancies. On the contrary, don't overlook startups or non-profit healthcare organizations, which value new generations’ perspectives & entrepreneurial mindsets.

Ultimately, while it may seem intimidating at first, there's limitless possibilities for crossing busienss & healthcare. Whether its strategic planning, operational efficiency, financial management or even marketing, business students bring necessary and valuable perspectives that can drive tangible impacts. By developing relevant skills, networking, & gaining experience, you can position yourself for a meaningful and rewarding career in healthcare - even without a medical background. 

References

“Healthcare Initiative: Undergraduate Student Opportunities.” McCombs School of Business, 3 Feb. 2025, www.mccombs.utexas.edu/centers-initiatives/healthcare-innovation- initiative/undergrad-programs/undergraduate-student-opportunities/. Accessed 13 Sept. 2025.

Landry, Lauren. “Why Healthcare Professionals Need Business Skills | HBS Online.” Business Insights - Blog, 18 Oct. 2018, online.hbs.edu/blog/post/soft-skills-in-healthcare.

Purcarea, Victor. “The Impact of Marketing Strategies in Healthcare Systems.” Journal of Medicine and Life, vol. 12, no. 2, 2019, pp. 93–96. NCBI, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC6685306/.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Healthcare Occupations : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.” Bls.gov, 4 Sept. 2019, www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/.