Gautami Sonarikar

What industries, functions, or roles are you most interested in pursuing for your internship and beyond?

I’m interested in pursuing a role in the pharmaceutical industry. I am particularly interested in drug development and regulatory affairs, looking at medication safety in underserved patient populations. Since beginning my MBA here at Kenan-Flagler, I am excited to explore areas in market access, price strategies, and healthcare consulting both nationally and globally.

What drew you to choose UNC Kenan-Flagler for your MBA?

As a current pharmacy student at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, I was drawn to Kenan-Flagler because of the variety of opportunities for collaboration and interprofessional development. The school’s strong healthcare concentration aligns directly with my career goals of pursuing leadership in the pharmaceutical industry. I was specifically interested in programs like STAR (Student Teams Achieving Results), and after speaking with an older student in the program, it seemed like something I could really get involved in, I was really fascinated by how I could apply classroom knowledge to real-world problems while working directly with clients, therefore I am thrilled to get involved with it as the semester continues. I was also drawn to Kenan-Flagler’s commitment to promote strong collaboration rather than competition, creating an environment where I can thrive personally and professionally.

What’s been the most meaningful or memorable experience so far in your first year (class, project, club, recruiting, etc.)?

The most memorable experience in my first year so far has been either winning the orientation cup with my legacy or working on the SPS case competition with my study group! I really got to bond with these individuals and I’m so excited for more events like these throughout the year.

 

How have your classes, MBA Career Services, or peers helped you prepare for recruiting and internship search?

Although recruiting and my internship search has not quite kicked off yet, I feel as though I am well equipped for success with the help of many individuals. Orientation focused heavily on recruiting tips, staying organized, and building a strong brand image for yourself to attract recruiters. Most of my peers come from different backgrounds than I do, so I have been reaching out to many of them to ask about their experience working in healthcare in different functional areas. I believe by doing this I have gained better insights in different positions from people that were just there. Although classes have just started, I feel as though I am already beginning to use critical thinking skills very heavily, and I feel as though that will translate well to my recruiting and an internship search.

 

What are your short-term and long-term career goals?

My short term career goals are to transition to a full-time role in the pharmaceutical industry after my pharmacy graduation several years from now. I would like to explore roles in consulting and market access as these areas are unknown to me, and I hope to do that throughout my internship search and onto my full-time role. Long-term, I would like to possibly move into healthcare policy and strategy, shaping access, equity, and innovation at the industry or national level. I would be interested in leading a global division in healthcare consulting as well; I have to dream big!

 

What’s one lesson or insight you’ve gained during your first year that you think will carry you forward in your MBA journey?

Someone during the first week of orientation said to us “it’s OK to be scared because being scared means you’re about to do something really really brave” and this has definitely stuck with me. I came into this program, very uncertain and worried about comparing myself to my classmates, especially coming from a very non-traditional background. I was scared but I have quickly come to learn that everyone has something to learn in this program whether they have been heavily business-focused or not. I feel very brave having come here, to step out of my comfort zone and pursue a career in the healthcare industry, while taking classes that I wouldn’t have seen myself taking 4 years ago. I remind myself this because it is important to celebrate very moment, no matter how small.

 

 

Originally Published on October 27, 2025

Return to the main Spotlight Series page.