Issue link: https://industrialengineer.epubxp.com/i/826827
66 ISE Magazine | www.iise.org/ISEmagazine Tarun Mohan Lal holds a master's degree in industrial engineering from Texas A&M; University and recently received a Ph.D in industrial engineering from the State University of New York. He has been involved with IISE's Society for Health Systems (SHS) since 2012 and has served in various positions, including conference chair and student paper competition chair, and is a member of the SHS board of directors. with Tarun Mohan Lal, principal, Advanced Analytics and Outpatient Practice Optimization at Mayo Clinic final five What attracted you to industrial engineering? During my undergraduate program, I was exploring different ways I could ap- ply my quantitative skills coupled with a passion for leadership to a real-world setting. Courses on operations research and operations management really fas- cinated me as they gave me a holistic perspective and allowed me to use my math background and build on manage- ment skills. Since then, I've loved the challenges presented by industrial and systems engineering. What drew you to the healthcare sector? Since childhood, I always wanted to be a doctor; however, my aptitude for math and fear of never-ending medical educa- tion led me toward engineering. Until I joined a Ph.D program, I was not aware of opportunities to work in healthcare. It was a class on industrial engineering in healthcare that got me interested in considering a career in healthcare. I feel fortunate about my decision to pursue this career path, as it allows me to expe- rience the best of both worlds. You've been heavily involved with SHS since 2012. How has this benefited your career? As my family did not have a lot of en- gineers, my university and professional society contacts gave me invaluable mentorship, particularly with how the educational system is structured and do's and don'ts in the job search. Serving as the chair of the Healthcare Systems Pro- cess Improvement Conference in 2015 prepared me for my future job roles. Soon after serving the three-year con- ference chair term, Mayo Clinic asked me to take on a leadership role. This was my first "real" management role and my experience in recruiting and managing a team of volunteers and the responsi- bility of managing all the tasks associ- ated with the conference planning were incredible in teaching me the important elements of middle management. I feel the on-the-job experience leading the conference was immensely helpful. As I progress through the SHS ranks, my current role on the board is teaching me the skills necessary to take on senior leadership roles, which is my long-term goal. You represented IISE as one of DiscoverE's 2014 New Faces of Engineering. What impact do you aim to make on society as an IE in healthcare? Beyond inspiring younger people, I want to stay in healthcare and eventu- ally take roles where instead of doing the work and encouraging other IEs, I can encourage healthcare employees to champion continuous improvement projects. Revolutionizing the system can't be done by one person or a group of individuals. Instead, it takes every- body having enough knowledge to accept, adapt and lead such projects. I also hope to serve in leadership forums where I can influence national and in- ternational healthcare agendas. As a young professional, what advice would you give graduating IE students? As cliché as it may sound in an ISE mag- azine article, associating myself with a professional organization like IISE has been incredibly valuable – and the thing that has benefitted me the most in my career. It has provided me with men- tors who have given me great advice and the opportunity to serve in leader- ship positions, which helped me grow in my career. I have also gained friends that will stay forever – not just while I am in school – but for a lifetime, in addition to receiving several job offers. Also, don't forget to share your work at conferences or in publications. This will give you and others the next best idea for the society.