Meet Luke
My interest in the program was founded in a desire to learn more about the U.S. healthcare system. As a pre-med undergraduate, your curriculum is almost entirely science-based, and you miss out on key lessons and insights related to the mechanisms that define how our country provides healthcare. Additionally, I wanted to gain the tangible skills from both Kelley and O’Neill that are associated with the six core competencies of the MSHM program.
My practicum internship is with IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians—which is a multi- specialty physician group within IU Health's south-central region. Working alongside my preceptor (Elizabeth Thompson), I have been able to lead the strategic improvement efforts of multiple medical specialties and facilitate positive systemic change. I am confident that through my practicum experiences I have gained insights that will one day aid in my ability to serve as a physician leader for my community.
While I will not be able to completely answer this question until I begin medical school at the IUSM in the fall, I know that the MSHM curriculum has certainly aided efforts to prepare. The MSHM curriculum has given me a much more holistic view of medicine and healthcare delivery—focusing on more than just the clinical components of medicine. Additionally, I've had the opportunity to network with numerous healthcare leaders, including practicing physicians, and benefit from their experiences and insights.
There are too many to count! I suppose that one of my biggest takeaways from the program is the need for structural change within the U.S. healthcare system. Healthcare costs within the U.S. are notoriously higher than any other country on earth, yet our health outcomes are on average worse than other developed countries. Additionally, we need to continue to expand healthcare access and move towards a system that emphasizes social determinants of health. These are issues that I have a much more informed understanding of because of the MSHM program, and I look forward to advocating for their support in the future as a physician.