Building Better Health Care Systems Starts With Business Skills

Derek Mau’s career has always been rooted in health care, working directly with patients and clinical teams in environments where every interaction mattered. It was meaningful work, but it also gave him a front-row seat to something bigger: the systems behind the care.

“Most of my professional experience was in health care and patient-facing roles,” Derek explains. “I worked closely with patients and clinical teams in settings where I could see both the human side of care and the operational challenges behind them.

“Those experiences taught me how much trust, communication and coordination matter in health care,” he adds. “They also made me more aware that strong outcomes do not depend only on individual effort, but also on how well a system supports patients and the people caring for them.”

Over time, that awareness grew into curiosity and then into a clear direction for his next step. His interest in our Certificate Program in Business Administration wasn’t about leaving health care behind. Instead, it was about understanding it more deeply. That interest sharpened during COVID-19, when the importance of operational efficiency and strong leadership became impossible to ignore. He began to engage more closely with the administrative operations of the clinic and develop theories on how to improve the workflow.

“What drew me to business administration was the realization that many of the challenges I cared about were not only clinical,” Derek explains. “They were also operational, organizational and strategic. Patients could benefit not just from direct care, but also from improving the work behind the scenes.”

He saw how communication breakdowns and inefficient workflows could ripple outward—impacting not just teams, but patient care itself.

Rather than feeling limited by those challenges, Derek felt motivated to better understand—and eventually help improve—the systems behind them.

“For me, it was never about moving away from patient-facing work,” he says. “It was about becoming better equipped to contribute in a meaningful way.”

I wanted a program that was credible, flexible and practical, and UC Berkeley Extension quickly stood out.

Finding the Right Fit With Us

As Derek explored programs, he knew exactly what he was looking for: a learning opportunity that was practical, flexible and immediately applicable.

“I chose your business management certificate because I wanted a structured and practical introduction to core business concepts that I could apply to real-world problems,” he says. “I wanted a program that was credible, flexible and practical, and UC Berkeley Extension quickly stood out.”

The certificate’s design allowed him to build skills in business foundations, organizational behavior, communication and decision-making—all while continuing to work as a medical scribe at Allergy & Asthma Medical Group of the Bay Area.

“I wanted to leave the program with skills I could immediately apply, but also with a stronger foundation for the long term,” he adds.

Once starting his classes, Derek quickly found that the certificate delivered on its promise of practical, real-world learning.

“My experience was very positive,” he says. “The curriculum gave me a useful framework for thinking about leadership, teamwork and organizational decision making in a more intentional way.”

Rather than staying theoretical, the coursework challenged him to apply concepts to real workplace scenarios. “I appreciated that the classes were not limited to abstract concepts,” he enthuses. “The instructors pushed us to think about how those ideas show up in real workplaces and real decisions.”

The diversity of his classmates added another layer to his studies.

“One of the most valuable parts of the experience was learning alongside students from different professional backgrounds,” Derek explains. “There’s a Chinese proverb that roughly says, ‘In a group of three people, there is at least one who can be my teacher.’ This was more than true with my fellow students. Hearing how they approached challenges in their own industries broadened my perspective.”

At the same time, instructors played a key role in helping him connect the dots between theory and practice.

“I also appreciated the instructors, who brought both expertise and practical insight to the classroom,” he says. “I spent a lot of time after classes talking to them about career trajectory and my plans for the future. Their insight and advice has led me to consider other avenues into health care administration that I hadn’t considered.”

One of the most valuable parts of the experience was learning alongside students from different professional backgrounds.

From Classroom to Work

Like many of our students, Derek completed the program while working full time, a challenge that ultimately became an advantage.

“This made the experience especially meaningful because I could see the relevance of what I was learning in real time,” he says.

The online format made that balance possible while also building essential professional skills.

“Learning online required a lot of self-direction, time management and consistency,” Derek explains. “It also taught me how to communicate clearly in a virtual environment, stay organized and keep myself accountable with my goals. Especially in the modern workplace, these skills are increasingly important in any professional setting.”

One of the most impactful aspects of Derek’s experience was how immediately applicable the coursework was. Concepts from class gave him a clearer way to understand challenges he was already encountering in the workplace.

“The program gave me a clearer language for things I had already observed, such as the importance of communication, team dynamics, accountability and process improvement,” he explains.

More importantly, it shifted how he approached problem-solving.

“It helped me think more systematically about how small changes in workflow or coordination can improve outcomes for both staff and the patients they serve,” he describes. “Having ideas about the workflow is one thing, but being able to convey the ideas and gather support from the team is just as important.

“Instead of only focusing on what is needed to get done in the moment,” Derek adds, “I became more attentive to why systems function the way they do, where bottlenecks are and how leadership can shape culture and performance over time.”

Personally, earning this certificate represents growth, curiosity and a commitment to becoming a more capable version of myself.

A Goal That Reflects Growth

For Derek, completing the certificate was both a professional milestone and a personal achievement.

“Personally, earning this certificate represents growth, curiosity and a commitment to becoming a more capable version of myself,” he says. “It reflects my belief that serving others well requires continuous learning and the willingness to develop new perspectives.”

Professionally, the certificate gave him a stronger foundation in leadership and organizational thinking, skills he plans to continue building throughout his career.

“It has given me tools to better understand how teams function, how decisions are made and how institutions can improve,” he says.

Looking back, Derek encourages future students to approach the certificate with intention and curiosity.

“Try not to think of the classes as boxes to check,” he offers. “Instead, look for ways to connect what you are learning to your own work, goals and experiences.”

He also emphasizes the importance of engagement, “because some of the best learning comes from hearing how other people think through problems.”

Currently, he’s less focused on titles and more focused on building a career, contributing to “organizations and communities in ways that improve both individual experiences and the larger structures that shape them.”

As Derek looks toward the future, his goals remain rooted in both service and systems-level impact.

“I hope to be in a role where I can combine service, leadership and systems thinking in a meaningful way,” he says.