OCS Conference Funding Submission

Event Photo:

Nicholas Richards in front of Columbia Business School.

Name: Nicholas Richards

Degree Program: ONLINE MASTER OF HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

Specialization:

Conference Host Organization/Institution: Columbia Business School

Conference/Competition Name: 20th Annual Columbia Healthcare Conference

Conference Term: Spring Conference Start Date: 2024-02-09 Conference End Date: 2024-02-09

What were your takeaways from this conference/case competition?
I learned a lot from this conference, such as the importance of value-based care. The CEO and founder of Oak Street Health- a value based healthcare company spoke about restructuring the healthcare system away from the FFS to cut costs and improve health outcomes. I also saw a lot of ideas on how to solve the interoperability issue that is present between hospitals. Overall, the conference reinforced the concepts taught in my classes, and showed how they are applied in a real-life context.

How will your participation in this conference/case competition support your professional development?
The conference was a fantastic networking opportunity. I was able to connect with a plethora of business students specializing in healthcare. Additionally, I spoke and connected with various healthcare leaders and asked about industry and career advice. There was a start-up showcase where I learned a lot of different healthcare start-up companies and different career opportunities in that field.

What are some next steps or action items this conference/case competition inspired?
One next step is to schedule networking calls with people I met at the conference to further explore different available career paths post-graduation. The conference motivated me to research value-based care, and see how I can be involved with aiding this healthcare delivery system through my career.

What are some tips or best practices that you would like to share with other Wagner students who attend a conference/case competition?
First, I would recommend researching the companies and the speakers before attending. Also, I recommend assessing the agenda because there are multiple panels happening at once, so viewing the agenda beforehand can help you choose swiftly. Lastly, I would recommend bringing business cards, or download virtual business cards to aid in networking. 

Wagner Areas of Impact: Health