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Meet Dalhousie MBA student Marshall Plandowski

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Dal MBA student Marshall Plandowski

By: Allison Currie

Recognizing the clear alignment and wealth of possibilities associated with such a partnership, the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub first recruited students from the Dalhousie University MBA program in the fall of 2021. The collaboration was so successful that students continued to join the team in 2023 and 2024, with several transitioning to full-time roles.

Meet MBA student and 2024 Health Innovation Hub intern Marshall Plandowski.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I’m originally from Halifax and completed my undergrad in the Medical Sciences program at Dalhousie University. I started university with the intention of pursuing medicine, but during my degree I realized that there were so many other areas that I wanted to explore.

I also come from a strong sports background with both of my parents working in professional hockey. I’ve met so many amazing people through the game and have been able to see first-hand the value of hard work and persistence in achieving success.

Who or what inspires you?

I’m inspired by those I’ve met along my MBA journey, both in the classroom and during my residency. Within the MBA program I’m surrounded by talented, like-minded people who each have their own ambitious goals. We’re a close group who push each other to improve, and this environment has been incredibly motivating for me as I work toward my own aspirations.

Now working at the Health Innovation Hub, I’m constantly engaging with forward-thinkers with a deep passion for solving the problems and complexities of our healthcare system. It’s truly an infectious environment that has motivated me to contribute in any way that I can. Every day I get to view the imaginative and creative solutions put forward by our healthcare innovators, and it’s shown me that there are truly no limits to what is possible.

What attracted you to the MBA program at Dalhousie?

Through my experiences during my undergrad, I realized that there are so many ways to help patients other than patient-facing care. Healthcare is incredibly multifaceted and requires input from a wide variety of players to succeed. I had also become deeply interested in entrepreneurship and venture capital and completing the MBA program at Dalhousie felt like a tremendous opportunity to explore these passions further.

Dalhousie’s eight-month corporate residency was also an attractive selling point for me as it would provide me with meaningful exposure to an industry of my choosing. I was looking for a chance to immerse myself within a corporate environment, and the MBA program was offering a great way to do so.

What attracted you to the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub?

I was very curious about how my science background could be leveraged within a business environment, and the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub felt like a fantastic opportunity to put that to the test! The Hub is an agile team with ambitious goals, where I knew I would have a chance to drive impact. The Health Innovation Hub has partnerships with industry titans within the healthcare, pharmaceutical and tech industries, meaning that I would have exposure to a wide variety of different projects that each touch our health system in a meaningful way.

The team at the Health Innovation Hub also made it clear that they were invested in my professional development and wanted to give me any opportunity that I thought would be beneficial for my career growth. I was searching for a position where I could learn as much as possible, and the prospect of shaping my corporate residency in this way was very exciting for me.

What do you feel was you greatest learning or achievement while at the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub?

I’ve been given tremendous opportunities to work on the financial side of many high-profile projects, specifically taking lead on financial modelling, budgeting, and forecasting initiatives across our Robotics and Wound Care portfolios. Each of these programs involve multi-million-dollar procurement initiatives, so to be trusted to produce and present this information to stakeholders was a big achievement for me.

This experience has taught me that creating innovative solutions requires an entire ecosystem of players pushing in the same direction. Not only is clinical validation important for product success, but also the availability of financial supports. Healthcare is deeply intertwined with the financial system, and providing start-ups with access to appropriate funding opportunities will allow us to pursue best-in-class care for Nova Scotians.

What do you think the future of healthcare innovation looks like?

I think that healthcare innovation is moving toward a global, collaborative network in which industry partners come together to develop technologies faster than ever. I’ve also been able to see first-hand the impact that start-ups have had in the Nova Scotian ecosystem, and I believe that this entrepreneurial spirit will continue to push the healthcare industry forward. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be in the healthcare space, and Nova Scotia has positioned itself as a global leader in healthcare innovation.

What are your ideal next steps on your educational/career path?

My time at the Health Innovation Hub has shown me that healthcare innovation is often not possible without the right resources supporting it. Having had a chance to work closely on the financial side of technology projects, I’m incredibly motivated to pursue opportunities within capital markets, allowing me to lean into the skills I have developed during my corporate residency. I’ll be completing my MBA next year with a focus in finance, and I’m looking forward to driving healthcare forward in my own way.