In a sector as demanding and constantly evolving as healthcare, clinical training alone is no longer sufficient to address all the day-to-day challenges. Leading teams, managing resources, negotiating partnerships, understanding financial models, and interpreting the culture of healthcare organizations are now essential skills for anyone working in this ecosystem.
It was precisely this need that led InĂŞs Leal, a physician, to pursue a graduate degree in health care management. Her story illustrates how this program proved to be not only an academic education but also a transformative experience that had a direct impact on her professional practice.
A diverse, comprehensive curriculum tailored to the realities of healthcare
For Inês Leal, one of the program’s greatest strengths lies in the diversity and depth of the curriculum. As a doctor, she recognizes that she lacked fundamental skills in management and business, especially in areas such as accounting, finance, and negotiation.
These are skills considered “core” in any management program, but they take on particular importance when applied to the healthcare sector. The ability to understand numbers, make well-informed decisions, manage resources, and negotiate with various partners is becoming increasingly relevant for professionals working in hospitals, universities, the pharmaceutical industry, or other healthcare-related organizations.
In addition to the more traditional courses, the program also includes areas closely aligned with the sector’s specific challenges, such as leadership in healthcare and organizational culture in healthcare.
In addition to the traditional management chairs
The program includes the courses typically expected in a management program: finance, accounting, negotiation, and other essential tools for understanding how organizations operate.
But, according to InĂŞs, it goes even further.
There are also “outside-the-box” skills that help participants challenge entrenched practices, interpret the current state of healthcare, and envision new ways to shape the future. This combination of management fundamentals and critical thinking applied to healthcare makes the program particularly relevant for professionals who want to play a more active role in transforming the sector.
Tools That Make a Real Difference in Everyday Life
One of the aspects Inês Leal valued most was the immediate applicability of the course content. She continues to consciously apply the tools she acquired during the graduate program in her daily work. In her testimonial, Inês highlights the program’s impact on various aspects of her professional life:
In an environment such as the National Health Service, where multidisciplinary teams and professionals with vastly different levels of experience work side by side, the ability to communicate, manage expectations, and lead is absolutely essential.
InĂŞs emphasizes that much of what she learned exceeded her expectations. Even today, in specific situations at work, she recalls the material, professors, and tools she encountered during her graduate studies.
A renowned faculty and a practical approach
Another one of the program's strengths is its faculty. According to InĂŞs Leal, the professors stand out not only for their knowledge and reputation, but also for their teaching skills.
Their teaching style is hands-on, closely aligned with the participants’ real-world experiences, and effective at generating enthusiasm in the classroom. This connection between academic knowledge, professional experience, and practical application enables students to acquire up-to-date, useful skills with the potential for ongoing development.
For anyone considering enrolling in the program, InĂŞs offers a clear recommendation: review the course content, determine whether it aligns with your professional routine, and trust in the quality of the educational experience.
A network that extends beyond the end of the program
One of the most striking aspects of this type of training is the ecosystem that develops among participants, instructors, and the institution. In the case of Nova SBE, Inês points out that, even when the program ends, the experience doesn’t truly end.
The network of colleagues, faculty members, and healthcare professionals continues to serve as a space for connection, collaboration, and the development of new ideas. This ecosystem serves as a foundation for future projects, knowledge sharing, and the creation of new opportunities.
More than just a course, the graduate program becomes a community.
Flexibility, a welcoming environment, and lifelong learning
Inês Leal’s testimony is also deeply personal. The doctor attended the program while on maternity leave for her second child. At the time, the baby was only two or three weeks old.
InĂŞs recalls the team's flexibility and the warm welcome she received: there was a room set aside so she could breastfeed in privacy while still participating in classes alongside her classmates.
This experience had a particularly profound impact on her. For Inês, institutions that support learning and continuous growth—both personal and professional—during motherhood are an example that should be valued.
Her story shows that executive education can and should be compatible with different stages of life. Supporting professionals who want to continue learning—even during personally challenging times—is also a way to foster more humane, inclusive, and future-ready organizations.
A training program for those who want to transform healthcare
A graduate program in health management thus offers an opportunity for professionals who wish to broaden their skills, gain confidence in management areas, and develop a more strategic perspective on the sector.
Inês Leal’s testimony highlights three key aspects of the program: the quality of the content, the practical relevance of the tools, and the strength of the network built throughout the experience.
For doctors, managers, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem, this training can be a decisive step toward leading more effectively, communicating with greater impact, creating value, and contributing to a healthcare system that is better prepared for the challenges of today and tomorrow.
