When Two Worlds Collide: Eddie Tajima ’25 MHM/MBA
Medicine and Business—two very different career streams. How could they possibly be intertwined? Eddie Tajima ’25 MHM/MBA is an example of just how both fields can be combined to work together.
Tajima graduated with a Health Management degree from Northeastern University and for the last 15 years has worked in the healthcare industry as a consultant, analyst, trainer, operations manager and project manager. When he decided that the logical next step to broaden his knowledge in the industry, Tajima decided that the Master of Healthcare Management in the Eller College of Management would be the best fit. “I followed in the footsteps of others by looking at program quality, flexibility, cost and reputation,” he says. “After everything was said and done, the Eller College was the clear choice.”
While he was researching the MHM program, Tajima noticed that the Eller College Online MBA program was ranked as a Top 10 online MBA program. “I thought if I was going to make such a significant commitment of time and money, I would go all in.”
Not only is Tajima pursuing two master’s degrees, he also currently holds two jobs. “I love learning new things and having the opportunity of working with various organizations and individuals,” he says. “So I work with consulting and professional service firms to place me in one or two year engagements.” Tajima is healthcare IT application project manager at Ascension Health where he manages a $17 million infrastructure project to migrate their contact centers to a new phone solution. He is also senior project manager at Queen’s Health System, assisting with a $37 million Epic integration for Kona community and Kohala Hospitals.
Tajima is barely at the beginning of his MHM/MBA journey but already feels like it has been a truly beneficial experience. “I am already feeling so much more confident in my understanding of financial statements, the role of marketing and management theories,” he says. “It’s exciting to know there’s still so much more to learn!”
Upon graduation, Tajima hopes to settle into a more permanent position. “I think a leadership role with a healthcare organization would align well with my education and experience.”