Photo of Lida Kourita

Lida Kourita

EMBA 16

Strategy & Clinical Development Lead
DiscernDx

"Berkeley was the bridge that enabled me to cross over from one-on-one healthcare delivery to contributing to the development of systems with the potential to reach very large populations."

Asking and answering the question: What more can I do?

I loved my work as a pediatrician but was frustrated that my impact was limited by geography and time. I could see only so many patients in a week and could do nothing to help people elsewhere who are excluded from the healthcare system completely.

Getting involved with telemedicine was a good first step, but I soon realized that complementing my medical knowledge with business skills and a strong network of like-minded professionals would expand my ability to make a difference on a more global scale.

At Berkeley Haas I found a business school that could teach me the skills I lacked, and even more importantly, that reflected my own principles and philosophy.

I was one of several physicians in my class and we all made a point of integrating ourselves into the class rather than isolating ourselves. That allowed us to learn from, and share with, people in a wide array of disciplines and industries.

Promoting innovation

Without the connection at the Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship Center, I would never have thought to apply for a National Science Foundation I-Corps grant. This funding has been invaluable to neuroFit in understanding and validating our value proposition. It has provided access to customers nationwide, as well as top industry leaders.

You can’t destroy unless you have a plan to construct something in its place. At Berkeley Haas I learned how to build models and identify key partners as an entrée into a bigger healthcare ecosystem.

From big data to artificial intelligence, technology is giving us the power to disrupt the point-of care in healthcare in so many ways. Having an MBA has helped me to look at the business of healthcare with the eyes of an entrepreneur, not a physician.

 

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PREVIOUS DEGREES

MRCPCH, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

MD, Universitá degli Studi id Siena Italy