Pre-Health Policy

Health policy studies help prepare students for careers in healthcare administration, health services management, health law, health economics, health services research, and many other jobs within business, government, and other sectors. The pre-health policy advisor can help you understand the career options related to health policy and develop a learning plan that will help you prepare for work in these fields.  

Meet a Health Studies major

For Liam Simpson ’23, the journey towards his goal of becoming a hospital administrator started long before he arrived at UR and continues beyond campus, but his time here shaped the trajectory of his path. “The supportive environment at UR helped me build confidence in my abilities, preparing me to transition seamlessly into the next phase of my career.” An appreciation for the dedication and compassion of healthcare professionals was instilled at a young age. From recognizing his grandfather’s leadership as a hospital administrator to witnessing his father’s commitment to providing life-saving equipment, Liam saw first-hand the difference that healthcare professionals made in peoples live. Yet, it was his grandmother’s role as an end-of-life social worker that coalesced his admiration for healthcare professionals.

Even with strong foundational roots in the healthcare industry, it was a course taught by Dr. Carolyn Watts that solidified his commitment to pursuing an HS major and a degree in healthcare. “Her class made me believe that I could make a real difference in the world.”  In May, he will complete his Master of Health Administration program at VCU. Then move to Baltimore having secured a highly sought after Administrative Fellowship at Johns Hopkins Medical Center.

For Olivia Podber ’22, the idea of quality health care for all people has been the driving force behind her education at University of Richmond. As a CVS Health/Aetna general management corporate intern in Summer 2021, Podber worked with Aetna Better Health of Kentucky on Medicaid issues. She drafted weekly reports on Medicaid membership and market share, developed a more efficient tool for analyzing and processing the reports, and recommended interventions to providers to decrease care gaps. “I saw how many lives were being changed as a result of the company’s commitment to the trifecta of health care—more accessible, more affordable, and higher quality,” Podber said. “CVS used its power and position to ensure the quality of care provided for Medicaid patients was equitable and of a high standard.”

Podner is now completing CVS’s General Management Leadership Development Program. The four-and-a-half-year program includes three 18-month rotations chosen from a wide variety of areas, such as health insurance, pharmacy innovation, behavioral health, retail, and product development, and it will put her on the corporate leadership fast track. “During my internship, I experienced how CVS advocates for patients who don’t have a voice in our health care system,” Podber said. “I was able to be a part of that advocacy. Everybody from the executive team on down to the interns took on the goal of improving health care. I can’t think of a better place to start my career.” Read more.