Jordan Mueller Reinvents Himself

In the days leading up to Commencement, the Mailman School website is featuring first-person accounts from nine members of the graduating class as they reflect on their singular paths into public health, some of the surprising lessons they took away from their experience at the Mailman School, and their aspirations for the years ahead. 

Among others, you’ll meet a former high school teacher who excelled in the lab while working to overcome the “imposter syndrome”; a Texas native intent on improving the odds for young women’s access to reproductive health in her home state; an aspiring physician who hit on the winning formula for compassionate care; and a scholarship-winning MHA grad set on making his mark at the Mayo Clinic.

The Mailman School MPH was worth much more than the skills acquired in the classroom for Jordan Mueller. New York City gave the Sociomedical Sciences graduate a perfect launching pad for a career in healthcare consulting.

I don’t know what prepares you for New York, but it’s definitely not where I’m from. I grew up in Spokane, Washington, and went to college in the middle of wheat fields. Living in the big city was one of the most attractive aspects of the Mailman School. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what would happen when I came to New York, but I knew the experience would give me opportunities I couldn’t have anywhere else.

As soon as I got here I started thinking about my career options. I was in touch with Career Services for advice on my résumé and entrees to work experiences as soon as I arrived on campus. Now, at the end of my two years here, my résumé looks completely different then when I started. I transitioned from on-the-ground work with nonprofit organizations to more high-level policy experience. You could say I reinvented myself.

I’m graduating from the Department of Sociomedical Sciences, but I’ve also developed a strong interest in health policy and management. In public health, we pay a lot of attention to social and environmental forces that shape health, but the healthcare setting is still a very powerful way to improve population health. Increasingly, hospitals and insurance companies are investing in ways to keep communities healthy, whether it’s through subsidized gym memberships or Uber rides for the frail elderly. Classic public health principles are finally catching on because companies need to make and save money.

My work experience has grown leaps and bounds. I worked at a global health consulting firm, and in a fellowship at a foundation as part of a team that allocated more than $7 million in healthcare grant funding for diverse projects, from reducing readmissions for cardiac surgery to healthy living workshops for elderly LGBT adults.

At the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation—the largest public hospital system in the country—I worked to ensure that people who don’t speak English as their first language have access to interpreter services. My colleagues and I were very aware that, as many people are getting insurance through the Affordable Care Act, they have new options for where they want to be treated. We had to be sure they wanted to use our hospitals because we offered an excellent patient experience, not just because we were the only place that would see them. 

I also took advantage of Mailman’s top-notch network, setting up dozens of informational interviews with alums using the School’s database. They were extremely useful in helping me choose a future that fit with my interests. I set my sights on consulting, and was and met representatives from Booz Allen Hamilton at the School’s Career Fair. Starting this August, I will be putting my education to use as a senior consultant with the firm in Washington, D.C.

As I enter the management consulting industry, I will always think of what I learned in Sociomedical Sciences around equality and the importance of the social determinants of health. My team will be consulting the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ensure that healthcare is affordable and accessible for all. Some of my projects will focus on the cost of prescription drugs. As it is now, there are too many seniors who have to choose between eating food and paying their bills and buying their medication. I’m also going to be consulting the regulatory agency that oversees insurance plans available through the ACA marketplace. A lot of these plans have been purchased by people who haven’t been insured before—such as people with chronic health conditions, people who are unemployed, and those who couldn’t afford insurance. I’ll be making sure all those plans are worth it, that the deductible and copays aren’t out of reach.

We’re starting to see a shift in the conversation around healthcare in the United States—from resignation to optimism. I’m thrilled to be able to use my skills and interests to be a part of the solution.