Bronx native Kadiatou Bah has long envisioned a career in medicine. At CUNY Medgar Evers College, where she earned a bachelor's degree in biology, she built a foundation in science and health care and grew increasingly interested in how business, analytics, and technology could shape how care is delivered.
Now on the premedical track and pursuing an M.S. in Applied Analytics at Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS), Bah is exploring how data can help health care organizations make better decisions, improve operations, and ultimately better serve patients and communities. She is attending Columbia as a recipient of the Columbia SPS CUNY Fellowship, which has given her the opportunity to pursue graduate study while becoming more deeply involved in the Columbia community.
In the following Q&A, Bah reflects on building confidence with new technical skills, the fellowship's impact, and why she hopes to approach medicine with a broader understanding of the systems surrounding patient care.
What drew you to the Applied Analytics program?
Before medical school, I wanted to use this time as a graduate student in the Applied Analytics program to expand my knowledge beyond the traditional sciences and explore my interests in business analytics and technology.
Through my experiences in health care, I became interested in how data can improve decision-making, patient care, and health care operations. Columbia has always been a dream of mine, and the opportunity to develop these skills while preparing for my future career in medicine is what drew me to the program.
What has receiving the Columbia SPS CUNY Fellowship meant to you, and how has it shaped your experience at Columbia?
I am incredibly honored and grateful to receive a full-tuition scholarship to attend Columbia, and it is honestly something I never imagined would happen for me.
It has allowed me to pursue my graduate education without worrying about the financial burden of tuition and to fully focus on growing academically and professionally. More than anything, this fellowship has shown me that opportunities I once thought were out of reach can become a reality.
The fellowship has also allowed me to fully immerse myself in the Columbia community beyond the classroom. I have attended networking and career events, connected with students from different academic and professional backgrounds, and become involved in student organizations.
These experiences have helped me step outside of my comfort zone, build new relationships, and explore opportunities that are helping me grow as a person.
Are there any courses, projects, or SPS experiences that have been especially meaningful to you?
Applied Machine Learning I has challenged me to approach data and problem-solving in a completely new way.
I am learning how to use Python to explore datasets, identify patterns, and understand how machine learning can support real-world decision-making. Seeing myself become more confident with technical concepts that were once completely new to me has been rewarding.
What kinds of problems do you hope to better understand or solve through analytics, and how do they connect to your professional goals?
I hope to learn how health care organizations can use business analytics and technology to make better decisions and improve patient care.
I am interested in using data to understand what is working, identify areas that need improvement, and find more effective ways to address challenges within health care. As a future physician, I hope these skills will allow me to look beyond individual patient care and better understand the larger systems that shape the health care experience.
I hope to combine medicine with my interests in business, analytics, and technology. My studies at SPS are helping me comprehend health care beyond the clinical setting and how data can be used to improve the way health care organizations operate.
I hope to use this perspective to better serve patients and communities that have historically faced barriers to quality health care.
What advice would you give other CUNY students or recent graduates considering applying to Columbia SPS?
My advice is to never count yourself out of an opportunity because you feel like you may not belong or are not qualified enough.
Your experiences at CUNY have value and have helped shape who you are. Take the time to recognize how much you have already accomplished and be confident in what you bring to the table.
Sometimes the opportunities that feel the most out of reach are the ones worth taking a chance on.
About the Program
Columbia University’s Master of Science in Applied Analytics prepares students with the practical data and leadership skills to succeed. The program combines in-depth knowledge of data analytics with the leadership, management, and communication principles and tactics necessary to impact decision-making across industries and organizational functions.
Learn more about the program here. The program is available full-time and part-time, online and on-campus.
