Medical students gaining experience in Quality Improvement (QI)

I find it inspiring that medical students are getting experience in Quality Improvement. QI is not a normal part of the medical school curriculum. You may learn some basics around general QI concepts, but you don't generally get to work on a QI initiative.

Some medical students enrolled in dual-degree MD/MBA programs have worked on a QI project by applying business principles in a health care setting. After all, business principles related to process improvement can be applied in health care.

The IHI (Institute for Healthcare Improvement) Open School project has given today's medical students the resources and framework to work on a QI project. As an example: Colleen McCormick is a fourth-year medical student at Wright State University who will be doing her pediatrics residency at Northwestern University in Chicago, has written weekly posts for the IHI Open School blog. McCormick used the IHI Open School Quality Improvement Practicum to set up and execute her QI project.

If you're a medical student or resident interested in quality improvement, make sure to take get involved with the IHI Open School project.

The Physician-MBA & Occupational Medicine

What does the MD/MBA have in common with the world of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM)? Read this Harvard School of Public Health newsletter publication titled, "The Physician-MBA & Occupational Medicine." The Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency Program at Harvard recognizes a number of MD/MBA graduates (they also have an MPH because you get an MPH as a part of the residency in preventive medicine) in this newsletter.

Medicine and Business

Make sure to read this article from "Bench and Bedside," the Stanford University School of Medicine Alumni Association Magazine. The article is titled, "Medicine Gets Down (and Up) to Business" and it highlights several highly-accomplished venture capitalists like Victor Perlroth, MD ’00, MBA ’01: The Serial Entrepreneur and innovators like Meetpaul Singh, ’96, MS ’97, MD ’00, MBA ’04: The Technology Innovator. The article also highlights the accomplishments of Kevin Grimes, MD, MBA ’93: The Mentor and Coach and Alexa Bisinger, MD candidate ’11, MBA candidate ’11: The Flexible GenNexter.

Notice a common theme here? These are all MD/MBA students or graduates. If you didn't get an MBA during medical school, it's never too late to go back to business school to pursue an MBA. That's what I'm doing.

Does your medical school offer a dual MD/MBA degree? If so, then I'm sure you'll also find some interesting articles in your alumni magazine or newsletter. Please share those with us so that we can highlight those stories here on NonClinicalJobs.com.

Given that the article was published last year, I'm sure that some of these folks are probably engaged in different ventures by now. That's the common theme among entrepreneurial, business-minded individuals who are actively seizing new opportunities in this rapidly-evolving world of health care.

Leadership and management skills in dual degree MD/MBA medical students

I recently had the opportunity to speak to medical students at the 9th Annual MD/MBA Conference hosted at Texas Tech University. One of the conversations focused around the value of the MBA for medical students who are preparing for residency applications. Is the MBA an asset or is it a hindrance when it comes to residency applications? Do residency program directors view the MBA as a positive characteristic? Are they indifferent?

Robert Wallace, MD, MBA, from the University of Southern California is currently conducting some research to answer these questions, so stay tuned. You can also read a current MD/MBA student's perspective on this issue here.

Discussing the value of the MBA for physicians at the Annual MD/MBA Conference

Over the weekend, I had a great time at the 9th Annual MD/MBA Conference at Texas Tech. I enjoyed all the conversations that I had with medical students and I enjoyed the presentations.

On Saturday, Mark Boswell, MD, MBA, Professor and Chair, Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, spoke about the evolving business of medicine. He reminded MD/MBA students that they will face challenges in the field of medicine but they will also have opportunities to use their MBA skills as they get involved in things like: operational assessment of charges and collections, practice benchmarking, quality measures, contracts and negotiating, and financial statements.

Residency Directors and Their Opinions of MD/MBA Applicants

Author: Brittany Chan

This weekend, Texas Tech hosted the 9th annual MD/MBA Conference. It was a great success and I’d like to thank everyone who came out to Lubbock.

One major topic discussed at the conference was the impact of the MD/MBA dual degree on one’s residency application. Back in January, I posted an article on the utility of the dual degree in the field. Based on anecdotes I had heard from other students, I mentioned marketability to residency programs as one of the advantages to the MD/MBA. However, I really had no empirical evidence for what residency directors truly think of the dual degree.

Dr. Robert Wallace, a clinical associate professor in ob/gyn at the Keck School of Medicine at USC, presented an eye-opening research study in which he surveyed residency directors on their opinions of MD/MBA applicants. Though he and his research team are still working, the preliminary data he shared shows that overall, 85% of the residency directors surveyed were aware that MD/MBA dual degree programs exist, and 65% of the residency directors viewed the MD/MBA as a positive aspect of a student’s application. According to his study, MD/MBA students were often perceived to have positive traits such as stronger communication skills, interpersonal skills, management skills, problem solving ability, and leadership potential. On the negative side, MD/MBA students were sometimes judged to have less clinical focus or seem "distracted". No significant differences were noted among specialties.

Discussing health IT at the 9th Annual MD/MBA Conference

Here at the 9th Annual MD/MBA Conference, we had some great presentations about health information technology and the business of medicine. Harry Greenspun, MD, EVP and Chief Medical Officer of Dell Perot Systems kicked things off yesterday morning with a foundational presentation on the evolving health IT landscape.

Andrew Zarick, MD, MBA, Associate Director of Navigant Consulting healthcare practice, spoke about his work as a consultant. He often performs medical reviews of patient records and he reminded us that EHRs can be associated with certain pitfalls if physicians don't use these digital wisely. Electronic health records have improved legibility of patient records, but they also make it easy for physicians to get lazy or sloppy and to "copy and paste" too much health information.

It was great to see my Twitter buddy Dr. Saldana (@lsaldanamd). Luis Saldana, MD, MBA, Associate CMIO at Texas Health Resources, emphasized the importance of change management, physician engagement, clinical collaboration, and improved patient outcomes. He also spent some time discussing the value of clinical decisions support (CDS) as a valuable resource within EHRs.

I'm now at Texas Tech for the 9th Annual MD/MBA Conference

I'm now in Lubbock, Texas for the 9th Annual MD/MBA Conference. I'll be blogging about the conference and sharing my insights as I listen to the speakers and network with students, residents, and other physicians.

This year, some of the featured speakers include:

• Harry Greenspun, MD, CMO/Dell-Perot
• Clyde Wesp, MD, MAOM, CMO St. Joseph Health System
• Luis Saldana, MD, Associate CMIO Texas Health System
• Charles Kennedy, MD, Vice President of Information Technology and Clinical Research WellPoint
• Randy HInkle, MD, President and CEO Grace Clinic
• Tedd Michell, MD, President of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
• Earl Greenia, PhD, MHA, CEO Gold Coast Health Plan
• Nir Menachemi, PhD, MPH, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• and me: Joseph Kim, MD, MPH, Founder of NonClinicalJobs.com

Stay tuned as I write about the upcoming Annual MD/MBA Conference

This weekend, I'll be Lubbock TX attending the Annual MD/MBA Conference. I'll be there Saturday and Sunday and I'm speaking on Sunday morning. I really look forward to meeting students and residents who have a strong interest in health IT and business. This is really an exciting time to be a medical student. There are so many changes happening in the world of health IT ranging from the implementation and utilization of electronic health records and computerized physician order entry systems to mobile health gadgets and home monitoring telehealth technologies.

Last year, when I was in Boston for the Annual MD/MBA Conference, I had the pleasure of meeting some of you - our readers. I hope that will happen again this year. Speaking of Boston and the 8th Association of MD/MBA Programs (AMMP) Annual Conference, you can view videos from those presentations by following the instructions here.

Promote YOUR Business at the 9th Annual MD/MBA Conference!

Author: Brittany Chan

The 9th Annual MD/MBA Conference is just around the corner! Join us April 8-10, 2011, in Lubbock, Texas for a spectacular conference hosted by Texas Tech University! This will be a great opportunity to network with other leaders in your field and find out about career opportunities. If you haven’t registered yet, you may do so here.

Whether you can make the conference or not, why not promote your business among an audience of practicing physicians, physician executives, company leaders, students, and more? Texas Tech is looking for conference sponsors. Make a tax-deductible donation for as little as $350 and receive several benefits, including:

- Ads in the program
- Your company name in the online listings
- A booth at the residency and career fair
- Seats at the President’s Dinner and Networking Breakfast
- And more!

This is a terrific marketing opportunity for your company! Click here for more information about the different sponsorship packages available, and email me if you’re interested in a sponsorship or have any questions. The deadline is March 28.

Join me in Lubbock TX for the Annual MD/MBA Conference

I'm currently working on my presentation for the Annual MD/MBA Conference in Lubbock, TX. I'll be speaking on Sunday morning and I hope to see you there.

I'm finalizing my slides and I plan to discuss physician careers in:

• Health information technology
• Consulting
• Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology/Medical Devices
• Medical communications, journalism, publishing, medical education

I wish I had time to get into other topics like entrepreneurship, medical management and administration, public health, research, managed markets, finance/venture capital/investment banking, market research. 

I'll be speaking at 9th Annual National MD/MBA Conference

I hope to see you in Lubbock, Texas for the 9th Annual National MD/MBA Conference. This year, the conference is focusing on health information technology and some great speakers will be talking about opportunities in health IT for physicians who have an interest in business.

The conference is sponsored by Texas Tech University and you can register here.

I'll be speaking on Sunday morning, April 10 at 9:45 AM about non-clinical (and non-traditional) career opportunities. At the meeting, I'll also share some interesting information I collected on the LinkedIn group for the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) when I asked physician executives about their MD/MBA experience. Is it better to get an MD/MBA at the same time or to get the MBA after you've earned your MD + residency training? Attend my presentation to hear what physician executives have to share.

I don't have an MD/MBA (yet), but I'm working on it. I didn't take advantage of the dual degree program that was offered in my medical school. I'm one of those physicians getting an MBA later in life. I'm currently enrolled in an executive MBA program and you can follow my Business School Blog to read about my experiences in business school.

LAST CHANCE to Submit Abstracts for the MD/MBA Conference!!

Author: Brittany Chan

We are getting really excited for the 9th annual MD/MBA Conference hosted by Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas! If you haven't submitted an abstract for the poster competition, the deadline has been extended to February 28, so get your submissions in to AMMPPosterCompetition@gmail.com!

We are looking for any posters focused on the intersection of medicine and business, including health systems, economics, policy, entrepreneurship, physician management, health IT, and more. For more information about the poster competition, go to the website or click the flyer image below.

The conference will be held April 8-10, 2011. Register here! It will be a great opportunity to learn about career opportunities and network with MD/MBA students and notable physician executives. We will also be hosting the first annual AMMP Residency Fair!

Hope to see you there!



About the author:

Brittany Chan is a second-year medical student at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas. She is also a candidate for an MBA in Health Organization Management from the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. Originally from the Houston area, she graduated summa cum laude with degrees in psychology and general studies from Texas Tech University in 2009. In addition to blogging, Brittany enjoys reading, crafts, and spending time with family and friends.

Tentative Schedule for 2011 MD/MBA Conference

Here's the Tentative Schedule for 2011 MD/MBA Conference:

Friday, April 8th @ The Overton Hotel

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Welcome Reception & Initial Poster Judging

Saturday, April 9th @ The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

8:00 AM – 12 Noon Conference Welcome, Breakfast and Round 1 Guest Speakers
12 Noon – 1:00 PM The 57th Semi-Annual Buesseler Lecture
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Concurrent Sessions
2:00 PM – 5:30 PM Round 2 Guest Speakers

Some Insights on being an MD/MBA Graduate Part 3: I've graduated and matched, now what?

Author: Riley Alexander, MD, MBA

I made sure and titled this "graduated and matched" because if you didn't go through the match, you've most likely made the decision to go the non-clinical route and this post will have much less relevance to you. (Dr. Kim has already addressed multiple pathways involved in that route so just peruse the blog for some great material on that, if you're interested).

As a first year resident, I think the initial time after graduation and starting residency has been one of the more difficult parts of being an MD/MBA grads--especially if you were like me and weighted most of your MBA courses towards the end of your MD/MBA training. Why is this? Well, I think the primary reason is that you've just completed this rather unique training and you're now faced with 3 or more years of residency/fellowship...3-more years where you have this fear that you will "lose everything" from your MBA training. Residency is, after all, a rigorous training environment that doesn't allow for a lot of extra-curricular activities and certainly not another full-time job.

So how have I addressed this? One of the best things I did was take advantage of the time I had off between graduation and residency. This will likely be the last time you have 2 months in a row off for the next 25 years so choosing to work during this time is not an easy one. But, if you're really interested in "getting your feet wet" in a non-clinical setting, this may be your best time. I was fortunate enough to get hired by a local healthcare consulting firm on a full-time basis during this time. This experience was invaluable. Working full-time allows you get a much better sense of how actually working in a non-clinical setting is and if you'll like it. It also allows you to learn how the business setting you're in much better than if you were just exposed on a part-time or after-hours basis. I know something like this may not be easy to find with the limited time-frame, but if you're really interested in doing it, try asking around and put some feelers out there and remember it will only be for two months--don't let what you get paid influence you too much. Many employers would be thrilled to have a recently minted MD/MBA on for a couple of months who is more interested in learning than making money. It may even provide for some part-time or non-clinical moonlighting opportunities during residency.

Texas Tech Health Organization Management Program

The HOM Program created a joint venture between the School of Medicine at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. Students in this program receive both MD and MBA degrees within the four years of medical school.

The first graduating class of MD/MBA students completed the program in May 2001. At the time, TTUHSC School of Medicine was one of only two medical schools in the nation to offer a joint MD/MBA program.

You can learn about the Texas Tech Health Organization Management Program here.

This year, Texas Tech is sponsoring and hosting the 9th Annual Conference for the Association of MD/MBA Programs. You can learn about that upcoming conference here.

Registration Now Open for the 9th Annual MD/MBA Conference!

Author: Brittany Chan

If you’re a physician seeking a non-clinical career transition, a prospective or current MD/MBA student, or if you’d simply like to network with other bright minds, you should consider attending the 9th annual MD/MBA Conference. This year’s conference, hosted by Texas Tech University, will be held at the classy Overton Hotel and Conference Center in Lubbock, Texas. The students and faculty here have been working very hard to make this a successful conference.

I am most excited about the first annual AMMP residency fair. Texas Tech has invited residency directors from around the country to assist students with strategies for effectively marketing their dual degree when applying for residencies. Students will have the chance to ask questions and participate in small group discussions with the directors. If you’re an MD/MBA student, it’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss!

The conference will also feature:

• Nationally recognized physician executive speakers
• Student poster competition
• Terrific networking opportunities
• And more!

The conference will take place from April 8-10, 2011. For more information and to register for the conference, click here!

Some Insights on being an MD/MBA Graduate Part 2: Applying/Interviewing for Residency and Finishing Up

Author: Riley Alexander, MD, MBA

I wanted to use this article to discuss issues that face the final year (5th year usually, I think there are some where you still finish in 4) of MD/MBA students. Brittany made a great post on what the MBA offers medical students and what you can do with it while you're in school earlier so I won't touch on that much in this article.

The first thing I wanted to cover is how the MBA affected applying to residency. Being this is the time of year when interviews are winding down and match day is just about 2 months away, there is nothing on the mind more-so than "The Match." Entering this time of year always brought out the question among my MD/MBA peers: "Will I be looked at differently as an MD/MBA applicant?" In particular, everyone was more concerned if the deeply entrenched world of medical academia that dominates residencies would shun "the business person."

DO/MBA Dual Degree: PCOM and SJU

The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) offers a dual-degree DO/MBA through Saint Joseph's University Erivan K. Haub School of Business.

PCOM's DO/MBA Degree Program, the osteopathic profession's first graduate program in business administration, increases your career options and practice management skills while you prepare to become a physician. Learn what they don't teach you in medical school. On the business side, medical students today sense a need for solid business sense to manage a practice successfully in an age of increasing competition and regulation.

* PCOM does an excellent job of training you as an osteopathic physician. A cooperative program with St. Joseph's University now makes possible an augmented degree track that can enhance your efficiency and skills as a clinician by equipping you for the business management side of medicine.
* The DO/MBA program provides the business know-how every physician needs. A solo practitioner learns to make business decisions about managing time, money, personnel and practice building. Those joining group practice enter a small business that markets medical services, subject to all the lore and pitfalls of the business world. And physicians serving administration positions in academic health care centers, major hospitals, clinical departments or public health delivery gain a credential for senior management positions.

Economic Club Meeting recap

Author: Riley Alexander, MD, MBA

Well, I was fortunate enough to still be able to attend the Economic Club of Indiana meeting yesterday and was very happy I did...a big thanks to the Kelley School of Business for providing me with the info and free ticket. As I said before I attended, I didn't know a lot about the speaker or the company he's involved with, Lumina. I quickly found out that my questions I asked in my previous post were not really relevant. The speaker, Jamie Merisotas, was a very good speaker and did a great job of emphasizing the goals of Lumina, primarily to have 60% of Americans obtaining some form of post-secondary education by 2025.

This may not sound like a very high number, but currently the U.S. rate is at 39% so they have a long way to go. His talk and the goals of Lumina are specifically focusing on post-secondary education so my question about costs of graduate and medical education were not covered (even though I submitted it before the talk...I was glad it got screened afterwards). Information on some of the compelling statistics of education's impact on economics can be found on their site. A link to their pamphlet describing their plan in full can be found here. Essentially he made the point that America lacks a skilled workforce scaled to its size and that advancement of the middle class is dependent on education and will only become more so in the future...along with staying competitive in an increasingly global environment.