Julio Guerrero Ontiveros Masters in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care , 2014

Entrepreneur and Director of Metix Ltd

Hi, I'm Julio Guerrero Ontiveros and I studied Masters in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care within Health Sciences at the University of Southampton.

I chose the University of Southampton for its high international rankings, the scholarship opportunity offered by the Faculty for exceptional applicants, and its proximity to London. I wasn’t disappointed!

 

I studied for a degree in Medicine and Surgery at one of the top three medical schools in Mexico. Following that I worked professionally in a mainly clinical background, but I also collaborated on several research projects relating to biomedical science and underwent formal training in leadership and management from institutions such as Quantum Leap Inc. in California.

 

Although during my professional career I had helped treat over 20,000 patients, it just didn’t feel efficient enough, and I wanted to help on a bigger scale by leading change that could save 20,000 patients a day.

 

I was careful to choose a programme that was a step away from clinical practice as I was looking to focus on the management and leadership aspects that I had not covered in my MBBS.

 

My course did study the clinical aspects, but in the context of management and leadership, and this balance was exactly what I was looking for. I was pleased with the level of difficulty, critical feedback and tough marking.

 

Coming from a typical medical education the biggest challenges for me were actually generating new data, rather than memorising and repeating data, but also writing to an academic level. However, Southampton helped me become competent enough to conduct and publish research in my area, which I hope to do one day.

 

I currently lead a medical technology SME, Metix Ltd. Without the training I received here I would be nowhere near confident enough to lead a team, especially a team of highly specialised engineering and software professionals, all with postgraduate degrees.

 

A mock board experience during one of my modules helped me structure the current board meetings I have to this day; and this is also true for other strategic management assignments in the programme.

 

There were many benefits to being a student here, and winning prizes in world class competitions such as Start-up Weekend and Silicon Valley comes to UK was just one of them. Also being invited to mentor young scientists, and entrepreneurs in Moscow and St. Petersburg, will be unforgettable.

 

I would also urge anyone with my interests to get involved early on in the University’s Entrepreneur’s Society (Fish on Toast). It is one of the most life changing experiences I have had and connected me with like-minded people who taught me to dream big. Through this Society I got the opportunity to attend many events and competitions that I never knew existed, and which allowed me to practice entrepreneurship in a safe environment before actually founding a company.

 

Starting your own medical technology company is probably one of the most difficult and highest entry-level business environments today. You are not only required to be a good scientist, professional and creative, but you also need to learn to work outside your comfort zone for the sake of your business, such as in marketing, regulation, legal, tech and finance.

 

Southampton is an amazing place and I fell absolutely in love with the city but I also love the fact that I could easily travel to London for the weekend. I also took advantage of the city’s close proximity of Southampton airport and I travelled to many European places for very decent prices as well!