How HEC Is Helping Me Shape The World Of Medicine

Upon completing an MSc in Strategic Management at HEC Paris, Medicine Graduate Francesco Delorenzi found his calling as a Life Sciences Specialist at L.E.K Consulting: working as a consultant to help shape the medicine of the future.

After seven years of poring over medical handbooks and one year in the E.R., Francesco made the choice to hang up his stethoscope. Having just completed his training as a Medical Doctor at the University of Leuven in Belgium, he was passionate about positively impacting the lives of others; but he realized that being a Doctor wasn’t his only way to do this. 

“I had the chance of being a member of the European Youth Parliament for five years during medical school, and it was a big part of my life”, Francesco remembers. “We were always thinking about how the world is changing, and what can be done to point this change in the right direction. Somewhere along the way, I realized I wanted to apply this philosophy to medicine; not just to execute it, but to help shape the medicine of tomorrow”, he explains. “I loved the idea of working with people creating new cures, helping to develop new medical devices and improve the way healthcare is delivered to patients. These areas are paramount in the medical sphere”. 

Bridging The Gap

In order to successfully make this jump, he knew that he needed to develop his business acumen and strategic thinking to fill the gap between his background and aspirations. And so, determination brimming, he made the decision to go back to school to study a Master’s in Strategic Management at HEC Paris.

“As soon as I started HEC, I realized it was exactly what I was looking for”, says Francesco. “Naturally, medicine is a lot of theory and repeating what is being taught in the books – at HEC, we were encouraged from day one to let our critical minds flourish and interact with professors, which I really loved”, he divulges.

“Good strategy comes from an ongoing process of learning and iteration, and HEC really focuses on that: teaching students how to learn differently. It really was the perfect springboard between my background in medicine and becoming a consultant in the life sciences”.

After graduating from HEC, Francesco was able to follow his aspirations, landing a job as a Life Sciences Specialist for L.E.K Consulting in London. “A recent project of mine was to help implement effective mobile medical assistance to people living far away from care centers. It was such an enriching experience”.

Find Your Springboard

We often fall into linear academic and professional trajectories, but the beaten track isn’t always the right one for us. Sharing his story, Francesco hopes to inspire others to overcome the doubts and excuses, in order to make a bold career move and strive for what truly motivates us. Sometimes, it just takes finding the right springboard to help us take the leap.