Six Days in Shanghai Changed How I See Global Healthcare

By: Tiffany Bair

A photo of the group

Coming back from Shanghai, I was equal parts inspired, impressed, and exhausted—in the best way possible.

This spring break, I joined 50 other Kellogg classmates in Shanghai for Healthcare at Kellogg’s (HCAK) Deep Dive course on value creation and capture in Chinese healthcare. Before the trip, I knew healthcare in China was important. We all see the headlines growth, innovation, and market opportunity. But knowing that from afar and experiencing it on the ground turned out to be two very different things.

Ruijin Hosputal Tour

I went into the trip curious, excited, and, admittedly, a little intimidated. There were the logistics, of course—the visa, the very long flight, and the feeling of heading somewhere far outside my usual frame of reference. But there was also a bigger question in the back of my mind: what did healthcare innovation in China actually look like in practice?

After spending a week in Shanghai, my biggest conclusion is simple: you really do have to see it to believe it.

The trip was incredibly thoughtfully curated by the HCAK team. Our days were packed with lectures, company visits, hospital tours, alumni events, and conversations with healthcare leaders in China who were generous with both their time and candor. We would spend the morning getting a crash course on a healthcare subsector, then see those concepts in action in the afternoon—whether through company visits or speakers walking us through what their organizations were doing—and keep the conversation going over dinner that night.

If I had to narrow the week down to three biggest takeaways, it would be these:

#1 — China’s healthcare innovation is deeply tied to real market needs What impressed me most was not just the speed of innovation, but how purposeful it felt. Much of what we saw was designed around real challenges: improving access, reaching broader populations, scaling expertise, and delivering care more efficiently. Whether it was AI being integrated into care delivery at Ant Health or GE HealthCare’s mobile diagnostic buses extending advanced screening tools into rural and underserved areas, the common thread was practicality. The goal was not innovation for novelty’s sake. It was to build solutions that work at scale and meet real needs.

Chinese biopharma industry panel

#2 — China is becoming an increasingly important global healthcare player One of the biggest shifts in my thinking was seeing China not just as a major market but as a growing source of innovation and partnership. Companies like Hengrui and Innovent stood out as examples of firms expanding their global impact, R&D, and commercialization capabilities, and partnerships with multinational players like Eli Lilly and Takeda. As someone about to start a career in pharmaceuticals, this felt especially important. The trip pushed me to think more globally, and more realistically, about where innovation comes from, how it scales, and how the industry will continue to evolve.

#3 — The Kellogg network is strong, generous, and global This trip was also a great reminder that one of the best parts of Kellogg is the people. The mix of perspectives in the room—from classmates across programs to alumni who were so generous with their time and candid about their experiences—gave the week a depth that went far beyond the classroom. More than anything, it felt like being welcomed into a global, engaged community that continues to show up for Kellogg students and alumni alike.

Classroom learning

Beyond the healthcare content, getting to experience Shanghai itself added so much to the week. From exploring the Bund and Nanjing East Road to trying incredible food and ending the trip on a river cruise under the skyline, we also got to see the city’s culture and energy firsthand. My last visit to Shanghai was in 2019, and I was struck by how much it had changed. The growth of electric vehicles made the streets feel noticeably quieter and cleaner, while everyday conveniences, like Taobao deliveries arriving at the hotel lobby within the hour or a robot bringing food directly to your room, showed just how seamlessly technology has become part of daily life. In many ways, the pace of change in the city mirrored the pace of innovation we were seeing in healthcare.

Coming from a largely U.S.-based perspective on healthcare, I realized how easy it is to think of other markets too narrowly. This trip pushed me to zoom out. China is not just a large market; it is also a place where meaningful healthcare innovation is happening quickly, thoughtfully, and with growing global relevance.

And yes, all of this was packed into six days. When did we sleep? Great question. The caffeine was definitely doing its part. But I am incredibly grateful for how much I was able to see, learn, and experience in such a short time.

Classmates at a networking event

I left Shanghai with a much deeper appreciation for healthcare in China, but also with a broader sense of how much perspective you gain when you actually go see something for yourself. Some things really cannot be understood through headlines alone, and this was one of them.

So if you are considering this trip in the future: go. It's intense, eye-opening, and absolutely worth the jet lag. Read More About Kelloggian Travel: Small Ski, Big Redemption Inside Kellogg's First Saudi Trek Japan, Finally I Left Kellogg For a Month and the World Didn't End (Argentina Edition) Japan Trek Highlights Kellogg Yacht Week 2025 Looking Back on KWEST Peru '24