Joanne Kim

Each course has provided a new view into what’s broken, what’s working, and what could be better for our patients and communities – and, it has all been brought to life by the personal narratives of my classmates who are on the frontlines or in places of leadership.

Raised in rural Missouri, I spent my childhood surrounded by the persisting barriers and major gaps patients face when attempting to access the critical care they need. For years, I watched my parents drive the distance and study medical terms late at night with desperation – they just wanted to understand what was happening to their loved ones. These deep-rooted frustrations led me to pursue and lead health policy research at Duke University as an undergrad and later motivated me to spend my early career at McKinsey & Company dedicated to solving complex challenges across the healthcare ecosystem. As I continued to explore the problems unique to healthcare, I grew more curious about the potential solutions, too.

Fast forward to 2025, and I knew that my curiosity needed to convert into action. I applied for graduate programs eager to learn while simultaneously joining the early founding team at Vega Health with the aim of solving AI problems for our care delivery organizations.

As a student, I continue to be humbled and inspired by my peers – many of whom are clinicians, administrators, and industry professionals who envision a healthcare system that works for everyone. And, as an entrepreneur, I am excited that Vega Health is scaling innovation that has the potential to bring those visions to life.

What drew you to pursue an MHA degree?

Throughout my undergraduate studies and early career experiences, I developed a deep fascination for the transformative impact that could result from challenging the status quo – I learned that simply shifting how a process flows or how a team is designed and led could alter the outcomes for entire populations. This initial view into the untapped potential of our healthcare system inspired me to pursue a Master of Health Administration (MHA). I wanted to deepen my understanding of the current solution space and practice applying operational levers to improve both the patient and provider experience.

Most importantly, however, I was motivated by my personal search for a community of problem-solvers – I wanted to be surrounded by others who were equally bullish about the challenges in healthcare today.

Why Dartmouth?

I was drawn to Dartmouth’s MHA program for the curriculum and the flexibility it offered, and I ultimately chose the program because of the community I was immediately welcomed into. As someone building at an early venture startup, it was critical to find a graduate program that was both engaging and adaptable to the demanding nature of my responsibilities outside of the classroom. And, above all else, I knew that I wanted to find a program that would fill the next twelve months with thoughtful dialogues and wild ideas about how we might start to change healthcare.

I still recall our first accepted students’ session. A current student offered vignettes about the diverse experiences and opportunities enabled by the program as a current student; she spoke to the problems she was tackling, the shifts in her own mindset, and the closeness of the cohort. We then shared introductions among the newly accepted students – some were preparing for medical school, others were veterans, and still others were ED physicians. The session concluded with a shared commitment among the program administrators to bring the best of Dartmouth into our hybrid curriculum. Energized by the possibilities, I left knowing that the Dartmouth MHA program would be where I would spend the next leg of my academic journey.

What has been the best part of the program for you – so far?

Since beginning my graduate studies, faculty members, program administrators, and my peers have all contributed to fostering the virtual learning environment necessary to balance my desires to learn and my aspirations to take action. Each course has provided a new view into what’s broken, what’s working, and what could be better for our patients and communities – and, it has all been brought to life by the personal narratives of my classmates who are on the frontlines or in places of leadership.

There also continues to be unlocks outside the virtual classroom. Most recently, we spent some time learning about another healthcare system across the world in India – Narayana Health – during an in-person residential session. Equipped with VR technology, we were transported to the cardiovascular center there where we observed a surgery, the patients, and the facilities. Within the same day, we were then exposed to the Heart and Vascular Center at Dartmouth Health, where Dr. Richard Powell shared how the organization operates and functions differently based on the unique needs of the Upper Valley’s patient population. This global virtual experience speaks to the ethos of the program’s curriculum – by design, we are being prepared to think, collaborate, and imagine impact beyond an individual system’s walls.

I am most excited to graduate and take with me a newfound community of thought-partners, mentors, and friends. Whether competing in policy competitions together or coordinating virtual social events, we have found ways to connect and support each other. 

What are your career goals post-MHA?

After graduating from the Dartmouth MHA program, I will be moving to Durham, North Carolina, to lay roots in a new community and scale operations at Vega Health. As we continue to grow, I am in anticipation of how we might connect bridges between our providers and AI model developers in the ecosystem, and how we will evolve so that we can be good partners to that ecosystem. I look forward to continuously innovating and always bringing our best to both sides of the marketplace.

In essence, I am excited to continue asking, “What can we solve together?” and building stuff that works. 

Is there anything else that you would tell a friend or colleague who was considering Dartmouth’s MHA program?

If you want to solve the problems we see and feel in healthcare and/or if you are looking for a group of people who are crazy enough to go do it with you, then I can’t recommend the Dartmouth MHA program enough. The program will change you, for the better.