ASSOCIATION OF MD MBA PROGRAMS

DIRECTORS

President:

Maria Young Chandler, MD, MBA

Maria Young Chandler launched the MD/MBA joint degree program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in 1997 enabling medical students to obtain both their business and medical degrees simultaneously. The mission of the program is, to train a select group of physicians in the aspects of business who will lead our community and the healthcare industry toward a solution to the incredible challenge we are faced with of providing patients with quality care that is financially and ethically responsible. She believes wholeheartedly that physicians of the future need business skills to be better leaders as well team members.


Vice President:

David B. Nash, MD, MBA


Secretary:

Stephen E. Whitney, MD, MBA


Treasurer:

James Ebert, MD, MBA

HISTORY

In 2003, MD/MBA program directors of the then thirty-three identified dual degree programs in the U.S. began meeting annually in order to build ties, share experiences hone the mission of the programs, and help new programs to prosper from lessons learned. The meetings were held at rotating universities to highlight their MD/MBA program. Program directors shared details of their programs and invited dual degree speakers to discuss their chosen career paths. MD/MBA students from the programs attended with their directors. Such enthusiasm was evident; naturally these annual meetings emerged into weekend long conferences with increasing attendance and have been supported by the hosting universities.

Conferences have been held (and are planned for):
2010 Boston University, Boston, Massachusets (planned)
2009 Wright State School of Medicine, Raj Soin College of Business, Dayton, Ohio
2008 AMSA National Head Quarters, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2007 Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University Jones School of Business
2006 Dartmouth Medical School, Tuck School of Business
2005 Emory University, Goizueta Business School
2004 Jefferson Medical College, Widener University School of Business
2003 University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Paul Merage School of Business

Previous speakers include:
Andrew Agwunobi, MD, MBA, Florida Health Secretary, Past President & CEO Grady Health System
Regina Benjamin, MD, MBA, “Making a Difference”
Founder and CEO, La Batre Rural Health Clinic Bayou La Batre, AL, Board of Trustees, American Medical, Association (AMA), Mandela Award Winner, ABC Television’s Person of the Week, CBS This Morning’s Woman of the Year, Reader’s Digest A Healing Force: How one heroic doctor is helping her hurricane-ravaged town get back on the map
C. Everett Koop, MD, ScD, Former Surgeon General, Senior Scholar, Koop Institute at Dartmouth
Roger Schenke, MBA, Executive Vice President of The American College of Physician
Executives
David B. Nash, MD, MBA, The Dr. Raymond C. and Doris N. Grandon Professor of Health Policy, Associate Dean, Jefferson Medical College.
John Ludden, MD, Norman S. Stearns MD Professor of Health Management, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Public Health and Family Medicine, Director, MD/MBA in Health Management Program.

In 2007, Maria Chandler, MD, MBA, Faculty Advisor of University of California, Irvine’s MD/MBA program, was invited to represent this national group of program directors and present their mission to the Board of Directors of the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE). The Board, many of whom are dual degree holders themselves, identified with the group and offered support to help it evolve. With this support, the Association of MD MBA Programs, Inc. was officially incorporated in the State of Florida in 2008. Officers were elected at the April conference and a non-profit public benefit corporation 501(c)(3) application is currently pending.

The purposes for which the corporation was formed are as follows: i.) To improve the coordination and advancement of leadership and management training and medical education that will equip physicians for leadership positions, and ii.) To provide an educational home and forum for MD/MBA joint degree programs, serving as a source of information and expertise to universities, programs, students, graduates, residents, fellows, healthcare professionals, and the public.

Evidence of the need for these dually trained physicians is becoming more apparent. Currently over 54 MD/MBA programs exist across the U.S. with an estimated 500 dual degree graduates per year and a mission to train a select group of physicians in the aspects of business who will lead our healthcare industry toward a solution to the incredible challenge we are faced with of providing patients with quality care that is financially and ethically responsible. As far back as 1997, national healthcare and medical educational organizations were publicizing the leadership rolls of physicians and the business skills they require which aren’t offered in traditional medical curriculum. For example, The Association of American Medical Colleges stated that future physicians must “acquire leadership skills,” be able to “analyze financial data,” and “negotiate contracts.” The U.C. Commission on the Future of Medical Education stated it "urges medical schools to emphasize business skills" and "trainees today should also have a sophisticated understanding of business management" and "doctors must exhibit business acumen if they want to land a job." In fact, according to Hospitals & Health Networks, even back then, physicians held leadership positions in more than 50% of the cases in hospitals, managed care settings, and group practices without any further training.

We are currently gathering data from the programs in order to count current numbers of students, and track graduates’ residency and career paths. Projects in progress include residency/MBA tacks and Executive fellowships for graduates.