Increasing Relevance in the Healthcare Sector
![John Barker](../images/John-Barker-sized.jpg)
John Barker has worked in law for his entire career. With more than 25 years of experience, he’s traveled to different countries to participate in projects covering market research, product strategy, and translational tools for legal systems around the world. In his current role as Vice President of Strategy and Competitive Intelligence at Wolters Kluwer, a global company that provides information services for legal, business, and healthcare organizations, Barker helps develop innovative solutions for his clients.
In particular, Barker works in Wolters Kluwer’s healthcare division, as well as the compliance and reimbursement division. When he noticed an increasing interest in compliance issues, he decided to return to school and earned his Master of Science in Regulatory Compliance (MSRC) at Northwestern.
“Northwestern has a very high ranking in the United States and worldwide,” Barker noted. “I was very impressed by the curriculum, and it was the only university I considered. I only wanted to go to Northwestern.”
Barker valued that Northwestern’s MSRC program is considered equivalent to the 1,500 hours of work experience the Healthcare Compliance Association requires to sit for its certification exams. After graduating in June 2017, Barker has been diligently studying to take two tests in the fall. Barker also found the coursework benefited him professionally while he was still a student.
“The MSRC program has made it possible for me to increase my relevance to my company’s healthcare and healthcare compliance and reimbursement businesses. My knowledge has really grown.”
To find time to focus on his full-time job and studies, Barker worked early in the morning and on weekends. He has some advice for prospective students: “You have to be committed to this program. Leverage all of the resources that Northwestern offers you, proactively seek them out.”
One way in which Barker took advantage of the University’s resources was by utilizing the writing lab to refine his scientific writing abilities. Additionally, he collaborated as much as possible with his classmates and faculty. The camaraderie of his cohort stood out as another highlight of the program, and the faculty impressed Barker across the board. One professor, Shelly Carling, provided such a positive experience in her Healthcare Billing Models and Systems class that Barker nominated her for a Distinguished Faculty Award.
Barker concluded, “I’m delighted and proud to be a graduate of Northwestern. I now miss going to school, because I enjoyed the students and professors and classes so much.”
However, Barker’s time on campus might not be over yet. After completing his certification exams, he is considering returning to Northwestern for one of the Regulatory Compliance Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study programs.