Axelle Dubois, Class of 2019

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND? 

After a literary baccalaureate, I spent two years on the Sciences Po campus in Paris, as part of a dual degree with the University of Paris IV, which gave me the opportunity to complete both the undergraduate college at Sciences Po and a degree in history. This was not always a relaxing experience, but it was extremely enriching! 

As part of my 3A, I went to London with the desire to discover other teaching methods through the courses given by UCL. When I came back, I decided to follow a master's degree at Sciences Po's School of Public Affairs, specialising in "Global Health". 

This master's degree enabled me to take the first steps in my professional career, by doing a one-year work-study programme with the consulting firm Antares Consulting, which specialises in the health sector. I stayed with this firm after graduation, before leaving for new adventures in February 2021 in the Innovation and Public Policies team of ALCIMED, keeping my expertise in public health policies.  

WHAT WERE THE MAJOR STAGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL PROJECT?  

Once I had chosen my Master's degree, I would say that my work-study year was particularly decisive in defining my career path. The courses I was given as well as the missions carried out within the firm allowed me to confirm my interest in the world of health - particularly public health - and to identify a professional sector through which I could invest myself. 

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR CURRENT POSITION AS A SENIOR CONSULTANT IN PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT ALCIMED? 

>As a consultant, I carry out a variety of assignments for mainly public clients, both on a national and local scale: Health Insurance, Regional Health Agencies, rare disease networks, hospitals, etc. I support the setting up of innovative systems, I carry out diagnoses on the needs of specific populations, and I evaluate experiments. The range of possibilities is wide and can be explained by Alcimed's philosophy: the objective is to discover unknown areas, to accompany our clients in new needs, and to study new ways of doing things. It is thus rather rare to carry out identical missions several times. 

Being a consultant also means contributing to the life of the firm: leading team meetings, supporting junior consultants and carrying out communication activities.  

For over a year now, I have also been contributing to the development of our business. I talk to potential clients to introduce them to ALCIMED and our convictions, discuss their current challenges and how we can best support them to meet them. If a subject is identified, I build and submit a work methodology to them, which will then be conducted by the team of consultants. 

This dual role of director and sales representative is a real opportunity in my opinion: it allows me to take time out during my assignments, but above all to develop themes that particularly interest me, and to bring them to our team.  

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR NEXT CHALLENGES WILL BE? 

I would say that my main challenge today is to pursue my career within Alcimed. I aspire to being able to manage, support a team and carry out projects, while remaining in the public health policy sector which I am passionate about. 

WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS DID YOUR TRAINING AT THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS MAKE TO THE POSITION YOU HOLD TODAY?   

Sciences Po in its entirety was a particularly formative experience, in terms of the theoretical knowledge acquired (epidemiology, functioning of the health system, major public health concepts, understanding of information, etc.) but perhaps above all in terms of the reflexes that accompany me in my daily work today.

Training in oral expression, synthetic presentations such as reports and arguments, the use of Excel, and developing a critical view of a subject are all codes that enable me to become operational very quickly in the consulting profession. In other words, the training received at Sciences Po enables young graduates to quickly grasp the challenges of a new position by focusing on the substance of the subjects without having to go back to the basics acquired during their studies.  

Sciences Po also allowed me to discover the world of consulting through its forums and to test my attraction for this sector through the M2 work-study programme - a transitional year that I would recommend to anyone who has the opportunity.  

I would also say that both my dual degree and my work-study programme, apart from fuelling my curiosity, have enabled me to learn to manage a heavy workload and to be particularly organised and proactive - essential skills in my profession.  

WOULD YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR A STUDENT OR FUTURE GRADUATE? 

It may sound simple, but I would say that the most important thing is to look for a job and a structure that you want to get up for every morning, that is aligned with your values, that makes you feel at home. For my part, this is the case at ALCIMED, and I am extremely grateful for it.

To do this, rely on the Sciences Po community. In my experience, we are everywhere! So do not hesitate, as soon as you are interested in an organisation, to identify a "sciencespiste" to whom you can turn to find out what is behind it, and what you are going to get involved in. 

In my sector, firms can be extremely different from one another in terms of working conditions, the number and diversity of assignments, the team atmosphere and the management style. So you need to do your homework to make an informed choice based on what will suit you best.  

This is linked to a second element that I think is essential: get to know yourself, understand your desires and expectations. Some jobs, such as consulting, require you to be curious, to enjoy working on several projects at once, to carry out a project only for a limited period of time... This is not suitable for everyone, and it is therefore essential to know what will motivate you on a daily basis.

en savoir plus

• The Master in Public Policy at the School of Public Affairs
• The Global Health policy stream at the School of Public Affairs
• The apprenticeship at the School of Public Affairs

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