James McElherne

My background is slightly unique for University of Michigan’s MBA program. Since graduating from Saint Mary’s, a small liberal arts university in the bluffs of southeastern Minnesota, I’ve continued to be a professional student and attended both Mayo Clinic for a cytogenetics certification and the Illinois Institute of Technology for a master’s degree in biotechnology. My career has focused primarily on providing patients with the correct genetic test results, but my impact on bigger questions in the changing healthcare environment has so far been limited.

I am witnessing first-hand the business decisions taking place over the “post” Affordable Care Act and I want to be in a position to influence those decisions. To achieve this, an MBA was essential and Ross was the perfect fit for me. Its reputation and action-based learning is unlike any other part-time MBA program and I will be finished in two quick years.  The cohort model mimics what I will see in the real world, working closely with dynamic team members . . . and the cherry on top is that I finally have a college football team to cheer for on Saturdays! Go Blue!