For Dr. Yazmin Odia, a neuro-oncologist and principal investigator on more than 30 clinical trials, returning to the classroom to earn an MBA degree was more than a professional development goal. It was a strategic step toward strengthening the leadership foundation she has been building throughout her career.
Odia, chief of neuro-oncology and director of the Brain Tumor Program at Baptist Health South Florida, graduates this semester from Florida International University’s Healthcare MBA program. She was recently named an FIU Outstanding Graduate, recognized for her academic excellence and impact.
“I’ve been transitioning more into leadership, and I wanted to really understand the business side of medicine,” Odia said. “We learn everything else through training, but not the business side. The MBA helped fill that gap.”
After exploring multiple options, Odia chose FIU’s hybrid 18-month program for its rigor, structure, and flexibility. The return on investment, she said, felt right. Managing coursework while running a major clinical division was demanding, but she credits time management and a strong support system for making it possible.
“I’ve built the program 700% from baseline, but I did it by building a great team around me,” she said. “I don’t compromise patient care, and I’ve learned to say yes and no to the right things. The MBA helped me hone time management skills even more.”
Leadership, she notes, has always been rooted in empathy and understanding the strengths of others. Odia said she prides herself on identifying talent, empowering team members, and ensuring people feel valued in their roles.
“People want to know they’re contributing to a greater good,” she said. “I could not do what I do without my team, and I always make sure they know the impact they have.”
The program’s emphasis on teamwork offered its own learning curve. Accustomed to academic environments focused on individual performance, Odia said collaborating with classmates of different ages, backgrounds, and professional experiences pushed her to expand her perspective.
“I was paired with some of the youngest graduates in the cohort, and we worked quite well together,” she said. “Learning to step back and let others take the reins at times was an important lesson. Teamwork is its own education.”
All the while, she balanced a full professional load and a three-generation household, raising a teenage high schooler and a preschooler with the support of her husband, parents and extended family.
Now, just as she prepares to walk at commencement, Odia is stepping into a new leadership role. She has accepted a position in New Orleans, where she will direct neuro-oncology and lead the clinical trials office for all of oncology within the LSU and LCMC health systems.
“It was not pre-planned 18 months ago, but it aligns perfectly with my mission,” she said. “I’ll still care for patients with brain cancer while helping build programs and develop next-generation treatments. I feel well prepared to take on this new terrain.”
Reflecting on her journey, Odia hopes her legacy will be defined by excellence and respect.
“I want my work to speak for itself,” she said. “And I want to be remembered for always respecting patients, colleagues, and team members — that’s what truly matters.”