Student blogs

As the academic year is coming to an end, I wanted to take a moment to highlight one of the things that makes our program truly special—its incredible diversity. Being part of the MBE program has allowed me to learn alongside classmates from all over the world, each bringing their own unique background, perspective, and experience to our shared academic journey. Through these short interviews, you’ll get a glimpse into the rich variety of cultures, countries, and career paths that shape the MBE community today. Whether you’re a prospective student, current member of the program, or just curious about what makes our class so dynamic, I hope you enjoy meeting some of the current MBE’ees 🙂

Olesia, 23

Where are you from?
Russia

⁠What is your education/career background
Bachelor in Biomedicine in Russian state medical university. Project management & RnD internship in pharma. Student organizations leader.

⁠Why did you choose the MBE program
I have chosen MBE because of the unique curriculum which includes 3 internships and overall prestige of KI and program in particular. I did research and was impressed by career paths of program graduates on LinkedIn.

⁠What is your favorite thing about the program?
My peers and overall graduate network. It is very rewarding to be surrounded by such talented and inspiring people.

Where are you doing your PP1

Key2Brain is a Swedish biotechnology company committed to developing a novel and efficacious brain-targeting platform technology. I am investigating new indications and creating business cases for investors.

Dario, 46

Where are you from?

I’m from Cali, Colombia.

What is your education/career background

I’m a medical doctor and Ophthalmologist from Colombia. I specialized in Ophthalmology at Instituto Barraquer de America and completed a Master’s Degree in Immunology and Ocular Surface in Spain. I also earned a Certificate in Strategy from Harvard Business School Online. I worked for over a decade as a Cataract and Refractive Surgeon and Medical Director at Muscat Eye Laser Center in Oman. Now, I’m pursuing a Master’s in Bioentrepreneurship at Karolinska Institutet to expand into healthcare innovation.

Why did you choose the MBE program

I chose the MBE program because it combines business, healthcare, and innovation, which is exactly the direction I want to take my career. I was looking for a program that would give me strong business and management skills, with a clear focus on the healthcare and medtech industries. Karolinska Institutet’s strong reputation in research and its close ties with the life sciences sector made it the perfect place to learn. I want to help bridge clinical practice with medtech and business development, especially in ophthalmology.

What is your favorite thing about the program?

I really appreciate the strong theoretical foundation we receive during the first year, which is then followed by a lot of real-world practice in life sciences companies. This combination makes the learning experience very complete and meaningful. It is also inspiring to work alongside classmates from so many different professional backgrounds. It keeps the program dynamic and full of new perspectives.

What was your experience moving to Stockholm
Moving to Stockholm has been an amazing experience. At Karolinska Institutet, I really appreciate the welcoming and supportive atmosphere inside the classroom. I love that every question is considered relevant and important, which creates a very open and engaging learning environment. Outside of my studies, I enjoy spending weekends exploring parks and nature reserves for birding and wildlife photography. I am constantly amazed by the beauty of nature here, how safe everything feels, and the excellent public transportation that makes it easy to visit even places far from the city. People are very kind, and the overall quality of life in Stockholm is outstanding.

Where are you doing your PP1

I’m doing my PP1 at Elekta, a company that is a leader in precision radiation medicine. It has been a fantastic opportunity to see healthcare innovation up close.

Brielle, 30

Where are you from?

Singapore

What is your education/career background

I did my Bachelor of Life Science at National University of Singapore, worked in a few technology companies right after graduation and also in market research. In between, I also spent a year attending a songwriting school in Norway for fun! 

Why did you choose the MBE program

I initially considered pursuing an MBA, but I was drawn to the MBE program because of its comprehensive coverage of both business fundamentals and their application within the life sciences sector. What really stood out to me was the emphasis on practical placements, offering students valuable opportunities to apply what we learn directly to the real world.

What is your favorite thing about the program?

I love how interdisciplinary the MBE program is — the courses can be quite challenging at times, but they’re also incredibly rewarding. I’ve already been able to apply what I’m learning in class to my current Practical Placement. I also really appreciate the diversity of the cohort, with classmates from a wide range of professional backgrounds, age groups, and countries.

What was your experience moving to Stockholm?

How much I love the sun now! Believe me, I used to hide from the sun back home in Singapore. But getting through the Swedish winters have given me a new perspective to embrace the little joys of life each day. And of course the fika culture! 

Where are you doing your PP1

Johnson & Johnson

Julius, 27

Where are you from?

Jyväskylä, Finland

What is your education/career background

I studied to become a medical doctor at the University of Oulu.

Why did you choose the MBE program

During med school I became very interested in entrepreneurship, and it was something I wanted to pursue. As medical school is very science and clinical heavy, you rarely get to learn management and business skills part of your studies. Moreover, in business schools you hardly get the scientific and clinical side either. Once I discovered the MBE program it felt like the perfect program tailored for my interest – business studies focused in the healthcare and life science industry. That prompted me to apply for the program. Also Sweden felt like an ideal place to study as it is not far from home.

What is your favorite thing about the program?

Although almost everyone comes from different career backgrounds and geographical locations, we are all likeminded people which is my absoute favorite thing.

What was your experience moving to Stockholm?

Stockholm is very similar to Helsinki, where I have lived for a while, so I didn’t experience major culture shocks per se. However, I think one difference I have noticed is that the bread is strangely sweeter and that you don’t need to wave your hand to stop the bus, like you need to in Finland.

Where are you doing your PP1

Nordic Healthcare Group, as a junior associate