Fabrice Kouakou (TBS 2019) - Medico-Marketing Manager

Fabrice Kouakou passed a MS degree in Marketing and Commercial Manager in the Health Industry,«Simone Veil» 
and tells us about his incredible path at TBS

Why did you choose Toulouse, and TBS, to persue your studies ?

I initially trained as a doctor and practised as a Clinical Doctor for a number of years. 

First and foremost, I was looking for a combined qualification in Health/Marketing-Management because I was contemplating a career change. 

I was also looking to give an international dimension to my career so I needed to enroll in a school whose level of teaching had a good reputation. I chose TBS for its international aura. 

While I was developing my professinal project I met many professionals, most of whom were doctors, whose careers were an example for me. I noticed that TBS was often part of their academic background. 

Therefore I decided to apply to TBS through the admissions program and I was accepted! I did not know Toulouse,but I knew it was a city full of students, multicultural and, above all, that it was rarely cold. I wasn't dissapointed and I was won over by the charm of the Pink City. 

Can you describe your time as a student at TBS ?

In October 2018, I started the mastère spécialisé Manager Marketing et Commercial en Industries de Santé (MS IS), a course which runs part-time over 15 months. One week per month we were in school, the other three in companies. 

In the scope of this training course I participated in a number of different projects, in particular, the project called Vaccitanie, which was driven by different people at TBS with the aim to promote vaccinations. As part of my professional thesis, I also conducted a study on the crucial factors that would make private practitioners accept telemedecine.

Do you have any stories to share about your year ?  

Together with several classmates, we were involved in a project for a collective effort to promote vaccination. We supported this collective effort in different areas of promotion. We organised meetings and often finished late at night. It was quite tiring but it remains a time that we liked because we met alot of people. 

By the end of it, it was abit like having a drink together with a group of 30 people !

How did you get to where you are today in your professional career ? 

The first stage in my career was in healthcare, a classic medical career. 

After optaining a General Medical State Doctorate on the Ivory Coast, I started work at the private hospital in Abidjan as the resident physician. This position was composed of two parts : medical (diagnosis and patient care) but also managerial.

It was with the intention of adding a Marketing skill that I joined the MS IS program at TBS. And it was in the scope of this training that I completed a 6-month internship in Marketing and Communication which led to a position in the Toulouse company, Medylink, as medico-Marketing Manager, where I have been working for nearly a year now.

In addition to this this role, I also take care of collaborative management projects for patients in several areas of health. 

How did your specialized master's degree from TBS contribute to your career change ?  

It can be said that I didn't possess any notions of marketing when I started the MS IS degree.

However, the different modules I studied, and moreover, the various projects we completed, taught me a great deal. I had the opportunity of using tools that previously I knew nothing about. At the same time as the projects in companies, I was able to get a feel for Health Marketing, e-Marketing and Project Management.

Above all, in my opinion the most important thing was that it gave me the chance to get out of my comfort zone and it sharpened my curiosity and my thirst for knowledge. 

What were your motivations when you started work after your degree ? 

As an anecdote, my first intention was to target the pharmaceutical industry. Instead I met a company director in the area of telemedecine who shared his project with me. It captured my interest and I decided to collaborate in the project. 

I am very attracted to entrepreneurship and digital. I was interested in the possibility of working on a project that had a key focus on improving the patient experience and access to treatment in France but all the more so in developing countries.

Why did you choose this career path, this project ?

The telemedecine sector was new to me. However I quickly came to realize that it could have a significant impact on improving treatment. It is not intended to replace classic medical practice but in certain situations it is of real benefit. Today's health crisis has highlighted its scope of application and use.

So by choosing this project in particular I could learn about and master the mechanisms behind telemedecine, thus contributing to its expansion in France and even in other countries in order to set it up where it is needed. 

At what point did your know that this was the right path for you ?

The day I had an interview for my internship! I already had experience in hospitals as a physician and a manager. So I was very familiar with the patient experience but also of the daily challenges faced by health professionals.

This projet involves digitizing the patient experience on various levels so it was a perfect mix between my experience and what I wanted to learn. 

Where do you see yourself in ten years time ?

I have a natural ability to plan ahead but I am always open to new opportunities when they represent an interest for me in accordance with my convictions. In a sense, I could find myself in a completely different environement from the one I aiming for today.

But in practice, in ten years time I will be no doubt be working on the Ivory Coast in the medico-social sector.

Moreover, I have several entrepreneurial projects across various sectors that should come to fruition by then. 

How has the Alumni network supported you ?

The Alumni network was already supportive when I was planning my professional project and indeed when I was looking for an internship. 

Today it remains a support structure thanks to the many connections it can create. It is true that it enables you to learn a great deal about other career paths and other sectors of activity. 

How would you recommend using the network ?

The TBS Alumni network is strong in terms of its number of members, activity on all continents, presence in a great many areas of activity. Belonging to it and participating in the variety of different activities provides a genuine means for professional success. 

What advice would you give to TBS Alumni, graduates and students ?

In my mind, our professional lives should provide as much fulfillment as other aspects of our lives.

Aiming for what we love, what we are passionate about, or what simply adds the colour we want to give to our world can provide us with that fulfillment. Nevertheless, it is important to dare, to believe in oneself and trust in our knowledge even when it appears to be mad or risky. 

Finally, would you accept to be contacted directly by Alumni who may be interested in your career path ? 

With pleasure, either on the social media or face to face, I would be happy to exchange. 

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