Welcome to “3 Questions with …”, a recurring feature on the Career Center blog. We’re asking alumni of all graduation years and career interests to share a bit of their experiences and advice.
Ife Adebayo, A16, Senior Associate at Artisan Healthcare Consulting
1. In just a few sentences, please tell us about your current job/graduate program/vocational endeavor.
I work as a project leader for a boutique life sciences consulting firm called Artisan Healthcare Consulting. The firm works to provide global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and device companies with actionable strategies and quantitative insights. My role is to support and direct multiple project teams to ensure high-quality deliverables. I typically work on anywhere from 3-5 projects at once, in therapeutic areas ranging from oncology to rare disease. No two days are identical at Artisan; my work day may include conducting physician interviews, presenting to clients, participating in internal meetings, and socializing with my colleagues. I started at Artisan after graduating from Tufts University School of Medicine with an MPH and have been at the firm for ~4 years.
2. How did your time at Tufts influence your career journey?
My time at Tufts was crucial to my career journey in multiple ways:
I am grateful to Tufts for opening my eyes to the broad range of healthcare careers. I came to school with the intention of being pre-med. After taking a few pre-med courses, I realized I wasn’t passionate about the material but knew I wanted to work in the healthcare industry. Around that time, a friend of mine recommended that I take the course, “Healthcare in America.” It was the first time I was exposed to public health and the course highlighted numerous healthcare careers. After a few community health courses I decided to double major in Economics and Community Health. In the classroom, I learned about gaps in the healthcare and business worlds and the need for individuals to bridge the two topics. I began to research careers that incorporated the two perspectives and was immediately drawn to healthcare consulting because of the fast-paced nature and the early exposure to several healthcare sectors. Without Tufts, I likely wouldn’t have explored healthcare consulting as a career path.
3. What advice would you offer to a student who wants to pursue a career path like yours?
My advice for any student interested in pursuing a career in life sciences consulting is to (1) connect with Tufts alumni in the field, and (2) take courses and gain experiences that broaden your healthcare knowledge. I find that it is extremely beneficial to talk to people who were once in your shoes. Connecting with alumni will provide insight into the day-to-day routine of the job as well as the recruitment process. It may also signal to the alumni that you’re truly interested in working at their organization. Through courses, internships, and independent research, you can expand your healthcare knowledge and gain new perspectives. This is very valuable in consulting because it demonstrates your interest in the space and allows you to leverage those experiences in projects.
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