By Chandler Mobley; Senior Manager, Market Insights; Health Industry Distributors Association
Last year, HIDA opened its doors to our first class of Medical Supply Chain Emerging Leaders. This cohort of college students attended our MedSupplyChain Conference in Florida to learn about healthcare distribution and network with leaders in the industry. This year, the Medical Supply Chain Emerging Leaders program has even more to be proud of:
More Students: Thirteen college students have been selected as Emerging Leaders – up from 11 the year before. It is a diverse cohort, including first-generation college students with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. A great many of them have work experience in foreign countries – they already have seen the global impact of logistics and distribution.
More Schools: Six schools are represented among the Emerging Leaders – from Arizona State, East Carolina, Western Michigan, North Carolina A&T, Wayne State, and the University of South Carolina. Of the five schools that sent Emerging Leaders in 2024 – four have sent us students for the second year in a row. It is a great vote of confidence that the Emerging Leaders who attended last year were willing to recommend us to their peers.
More Perspectives: The Emerging Leaders are passionate about healthcare distribution. Many of them are active in college clubs and organizations devoted to supply chain management and business.
In their application essays, these students shared that their professional aspirations are rooted in personal experience. Here’s what some of them had to say:
- “My passion for healthcare distribution isn’t just rooted in logistics; it’s driven by a desire to bridge the gaps in global healthcare access. Every vaccine delivered, every surgical tool transported, is a link in the chain that determines whether a life is saved or lost.
- “I consider healthcare to be one of the most important supply chain fields to exist presently. The consumers are patients, not customers. If a particular medical product is not delivered to the hospital on time, the patient will have to suffer for it, especially with their lives on the line.”
- “The seamless care I received as a child relied on efficient supply chain management to ensure that patients like me received the right care at the right time.”
- “My life changed drastically when I began experiencing severe heart issues that required immediate surgery. Due to delays in the healthcare system, I had to wait six months for the procedure. This experience shifted my perspective and ignited my passion for entering the medical field.”
The growth of the Medical Supply Chain Emerging Leaders program reflects the incredible potential of the next generation to transform healthcare distribution. These students bring unique perspectives shaped by personal experiences and global outlooks, united by their shared commitment to improving healthcare access and outcomes through supply chain innovation. With such passionate and talented individuals entering the field, the future of healthcare distribution looks brighter than ever.