Ana Tsulaia

For Ana Tsulaia, pursuing a Master in Management at Emory’s Goizueta Business School wasn’t a detour from medicine—it was an essential step toward becoming the kind of physician she aspires to be.

“During my time as a pre-med student at Emory, I had the incredible opportunity to contribute to several international initiatives for refugees,” Ana explains. “Witnessing physicians collaborate and create spaces for displaced patients inspired me to become a physician who not only treats individuals but also works to build systems that expand access to care on a broader scale.”

Originally from the country of Georgia, Ana earned highest honors in biology as an Emory undergraduate before joining the Master in Management program during her gap year before medical school. “Pursuing a Master in Management was a deliberate step toward that vision,” she says. “This program helped me gain critical skills in leadership, strategy, and communication—tools that will allow me to lead healthcare efforts that extend beyond the exam room and into under-served communities around the world.”

Throughout her time in the program, Ana found that her coursework fundamentally reshaped how she thought about both healthcare and leadership. “These experiences gave me a new framework for thinking about medicine—not just as a science, but as a system that can be redesigned and improved.”

Ana also valued the program’s collaborative, people-centered culture. “Goizueta is special because of its people and its culture. The diversity of the cohort—not just in background, but in thinking—enriched every discussion.”

Now preparing to attend Harvard Medical School, Ana reflects on the value of her Master in Management experience. “Absolutely, it was worth it. For pre-med students, this degree is truly a gem. It helped me clarify my goals, stand out as a medical school applicant, and prepare for a future where I can practice medicine on my own terms while leading larger-scale initiatives.”