Healthcare Initiative

The health economy is large—roughly one in five dollars of spending in the U.S. goes toward healthcare—and constantly evolving. In recent years, government programs have created new marketplaces for health insurance and changed the pricing dynamics for pharmaceutical drugs. Private and public insurers have developed new ways to pay hospitals and physicians for the care they provide to patients. Digital health technologies, such as telemedicine, have expanded access to care in geographies far from major health facilities.

The changing landscape poses both opportunities and challenges for players in the industry, from life-science companies to insurers to healthcare providers. Through coursework, research, and immersion activities, NYU Stern’s Healthcare Initiative seeks to demystify the inner workings of the health economy and prepare our students to be leaders in the future business of healthcare.

The Healthcare Initiative supports Stern students, faculty, and alumni interested in the business of healthcare through three channels:

Coursework

The MBA specialization in Healthcare includes more than two dozen healthcare-specific business courses across multiple departments at Stern and schools at NYU. Students learn the foundations—how healthcare markets function—from industry practitioners and academic experts. For students seeking in-depth training, we offer electives in four sub-specialty tracks: payers/providers, life sciences, health technology and entrepreneurship, and health policy and health reform.

Research

Faculty members at Stern study the business of healthcare through the lens of multiple academic disciplines. Our in-house experts have contributed important research in areas such as the future of AI in medical decision-making; the design of health insurance marketplaces; new methods for limiting hospital queues; and the role of health technology in patients’ adherence to medical treatment. In addition to our local expertise, the Healthcare Initiative helps bring scholars from around New York City, the U.S., and the world to present cutting-edge research insights to the Stern community.

Community

Our dedicated faculty, students, and alumni support intellectual engagement and career development in the healthcare sector though a range of activities:

• Stern Healthcare Association (SHA) - This MBA club is for students interested in the business of healthcare. SHA organizes networking events, mentoring activities, and an annual conference that brings industry experts to campus to discuss the latest developments in the health sector.
• Endless Frontiers Lab - MBA students provide professional development support to the Lab’s health technology and life sciences startups through the associated MBA course.
• Executives-in-Residence - Stern alumni executives interact with students in both formal and informal settings, including panel discussions and open “office hours.”
• Research and Policy Events - The Healthcare Initiative coordinates student and faculty engagement in healthcare-related events across the University. In recent years, Stern has hosted the Health Economics Day research conference and co-sponsored a discussion series on the future of digital health.