This is MCPHS: ‘I Can Do Something with my Business Skills in the Healthcare Industry’

An MBA in Health Technology student is combining her background in business with her passion for improving healthcare.

Name: Hang Bui
Degree: MBA in Health Technology '27
Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

A Different Path into Healthcare

Hang Bui likes to say she's a combination of her parents.

Her father is a hematologist. Her mother works in finance. Growing up in Ho Chi Minh City, Bui developed an interest in both healthcare and business, but after college she started her career in fashion retail.

She joined casual-wear retailer UNIQLO's management trainee program and became a store supervisor. She learned about operations, customer service, analytics, and profit and loss. She learned to manage employees who had been in the apparel business for years while she was a recent graduate.

“It was intimidating,” she says. “But I focused on learning fast.”

Bui said she fell in love with the business side of the job: solving problems, working with data, and figuring out how things could improve.

Then her father retired. As he shared his concerns about the Vietnamese healthcare system, Bui had one of those “aha” moments: “I can do something with my business skills in the healthcare industry.”

That’s when MCPHS entered the chat. As a student in the MBA in Health Technology program Bui combines business, data, and technology to understand how hospitals can improve operations, and how AI can help make sense of massive amounts of healthcare data. It’s the best of both of her worlds.

Quick Takes

She was part of the team that won MCPHS’s first Hack the Health Gap Competition for a project about food insecurity.

Bui chose MCPHS after a friend in Vietnam recommended the university; she was drawn to its STEM-designated MBA in Health Technology and Boston’s healthcare ecosystem.

At An Sinh Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Bui analyzed patient flow, spending patterns, and service use and helped redesign the hospital's check-up process.

She works as a healthcare market research intern at ApolloMD, researching everything from reimbursement and payer landscapes to hospital markets and operational feasibility.

Fun Facts

Friday Night at MCPHS: “Breaking Bad” became a Friday-night tradition with Bui's roommates. Her favorite character? Gus Fring. “He's obviously not a good person,” she says, but she finds his discipline, strong personal code and ability to recognize and use other people's talents fascinating.

Outdoor Escape: Bui spends plenty of time on her computer, so when she has free time, she likes to get outside. Her ideal reset might involve running, kayaking, wandering through a festival or simply drawing something silly in the park. “Being outside helps me reconnect with the real world.”

Celebrity Inspo: Reese Witherspoon has a special place in Bui’s story. Her character in “Legally Blonde” inspired Bui to study abroad. “I loved the idea of someone being underestimated, believing in herself anyway, and proving that she belonged.”

Morning Mindset: Bui has read several of Tony Robbins’ books and starts many mornings with his guided morning routine priming. One quote that has stayed with her is, “Life is always happening for us, not to us.”

Boston Bound: Bui says Boston feels like her “new home,” and she loves the city’s intellectual culture. She enjoys seeing people of all ages—from high school students to people in their 50s and 60s—showing up to lectures and conferences.

Notable Quote

“AI is my best friend.”

Candid Conversation

What has been the most meaningful part of your experience at MCPHS?

I really appreciate that everything we learn is connected to healthcare. For example, in my data science class, we use Python and machine learning to analyze CMS data and ask bigger questions about the U.S. healthcare system. It’s not just learning how to use technology; it’s learning how to use it to solve healthcare problems.

What advice would you give to incoming students?

Don’t only focus on what you learn in the classroom. Go outside and meet people in the industry. Boston is a great place to do that. I’ve been to Dana-Farber for an oncology conference and to a lecture at Harvard. There are so many opportunities around here to learn and build your network.

How would you describe the MCPHS Community?

I would use two words: supportive and collaborative. I really enjoy the fact that the school is small, so professors and students can connect with each other. Whenever I have a question, I can bring it to my professors, and they support me. They also give me career advice and help me build professional connections.

What’s the last book you read?

I finished the Book of Exodus in the Bible. It brought back memories of watching “The Prince of Egypt” over and over as a kid. I grew up in a non-religious family, so back then I didn’t even understand the story. I also didn’t understand English, but I loved singing along to “The Prince of Egypt.” One lyric that stayed with me was, “Now, we are not afraid, although we know there's much to fear. We were moving mountains, long before we knew we could.” Years later, after learning English and becoming a Christian, I finally understood the story and why those words resonated with me. It feels almost like a message from my childhood.

What are your career goals after graduation?

In the next five to 10 years, I want to build my career in the U.S. and master how to use AI and business analytics to support the healthcare system. After that, I want to go back to Vietnam and use what I’ve learned to support the healthcare system there. That was the first seed that made me start this journey.

"This is MCPHS" is an ongoing series featuring future healthcare leaders from across the University’s 14 schools.