A very ambitious Pre-Med student tells you....

[TheOx777]

They would like to one day become the President/CEO of a major teaching hospital and/or healthcare system! You tell them?

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[Frazier]

They would like to one day become the President/CEO of a major teaching hospital and/or healthcare system! You tell them?

"May the odds be ever in your favor."

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If the job is there, someone needs to own it. Use the system, work smart, work hard, climb the ladder until you can finally sit back and enjoy the view. You may never make it to the President/CEO level, but if that's your dream you would be doing yourself a disservice by not pursuing it.

 

[KeratinPearls]

Get into med school, pass all USMLE exams, get into residency, finish residency and pass your board exam first. Then we can talk about it. Seriously it is such a long road it is not even funny. I am in my fellowship now and remember when I was also ambitious premed. You will get burned out by the time you finish your residency and if you have the energy to continue to be a CEO of a major hospital then props to you. I am sure these CEOs are working hard as well.

 

[michaelrack]

They would like to one day become the President/CEO of a major teaching hospital and/or healthcare system! You tell them?

I tell them: "That's nice. Why are you applying to med school? "

 

[TheOx777]

Thanks for all of the replies. I am just doing my due diligence as I prepare to embark on what I perceive to be a tortuous and very dynamic career in medicine/biomedical science.

"It's better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one, then to have an opportunity and not be prepared!"

 

[Frazier]

Thanks for all of the replies. I am just doing my due diligence as I prepare to embark on what I perceive to be a tortuous and very dynamic career in medicine/biomedical science.

"It's better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one, then to have an opportunity and not be prepared!"

Oh, were you asking on your own behalf?

If so, that's awesome. Being ambitious is a valuable trait. Aim high, shoot high, land high.

 

[michaelrack]

Get into med school, pass all USMLE exams, get into residency, finish residency and pass your board exam first. Then we can talk about it. Seriously it is such a long road it is not even funny. I am in my fellowship now and remember when I was also ambitious premed. You will get burned out by the time you finish your residency and if you have the energy to continue to be a CEO of a major hospital then props to you. I am sure these CEOs are working hard as well.

disagree with this advice. Med school is not the way to go if one's goal is be a ceo of a large hospital/health system

 

[michaelrack]

One option for the OP would be to take a few business classes while completing his bachelor's degree. Then do some type of hospital administration internship/fellowship (check out Mayo Clinic). After that, work a few years in hospital administration and then go for an MBA (perhaps one with an emphasis/minor in healthcare administration)

 

[Circumflex]

Explore business courses in undergrad before comitting to med school. Only apply to med school if you think you would really love being a doctor and treating patients. Going the med school route if you know you want to end up in an administrative role is not a good idea for many reasons. To be a CEO, you need business training. Look into MBA programs with healthcare administration.

 

[TheOx777]

Thanks for the advice guys. I am actually a non-traditional student who has several degrees B.S, M.S. and working on a clinical doctorate now at a fairly well known/regarded midwest medical center. Medicine was never on the radar for me until ~12-18 months ago. Now it is all I think about. I have great exposure and access to many physicians at the academic center in which I train. I would like to practice medicine and likely transition to an administrative position mid-career(i.e. late 40s, early 50s).

I have approximately 18 months left until I am finished with my current program and then I will make the transition at that time. I am also keeping a keen eye on where health care is going in the next 2-3 years because it seems like many(not all) med students, residents, and seasoned physicians have their panties in a bunch regarding the looming changes in healthcare. I likely would too if I was in the same situation.

Are there any specialties that lend themselves to making a smoother transition into upper-level administrative roles? MD/MBA worth considering?

 

[Frazier]

Thanks for the advice guys. I am actually a non-traditional student who has several degrees B.S, M.S. and working on a clinical doctorate now at a fairly well known/regarded midwest medical center. Medicine was never on the radar for me until ~12-18 months ago. Now it is all I think about. I have great exposure and access to many physicians at the academic center in which I train. I would like to practice medicine and likely transition to an administrative position mid-career(i.e. late 40s, early 50s).

I have approximately 18 months left until I am finished with my current program and then I will make the transition at that time. I am also keeping a keen eye on where health care is going in the next 2-3 years because it seems like many(not all) med students, residents, and seasoned physicians have their panties in a bunch regarding the looming changes in healthcare. I likely would too if I was in the same situation.

Are there any specialties that lend themselves to making a smoother transition into upper-level administrative roles? MD/MBA worth considering?

Interesting background.

Anyway, as you likely know, there are more people in upper-level administration that are without the MD credential than with it. With that said, of those individuals that do have an MD, I don't think there is any definitively valid information available that shows any particular specialty having an easier time "transitioning" into admin roles. If you simply looked at the frequencies, it wouldn't be that telling by itself (for example, perhaps there are many more internal medicine docs than radiation oncology folks...but there is a larger population of internal med docs to begin with. The pools aren't equal.)

Do the specialty that you enjoy and will be happy doing in case you never get to transition out of a pure clinical position.

In regards to the MD/MBA... there are many threads discussing the pros/cons. Assuming you are way nontraditional (judging by your stable of degrees), the opportunity costs keep on building up. Is a 5-year MD/MBA worth the extra year of lost income?

I'd argue "no".

If you decide the MBA is the correct choice for you, consider obtaining the degree during your residency (depending on the specialty) or during your spare time as an attending.

 

[link2swim06]

Thanks for the advice guys. I am actually a non-traditional student who has several degrees B.S, M.S. and working on a clinical doctorate now at a fairly well known/regarded midwest medical center. Medicine was never on the radar for me until ~12-18 months ago. Now it is all I think about. I have great exposure and access to many physicians at the academic center in which I train. I would like to practice medicine and likely transition to an administrative position mid-career(i.e. late 40s, early 50s).

I have approximately 18 months left until I am finished with my current program and then I will make the transition at that time. I am also keeping a keen eye on where health care is going in the next 2-3 years because it seems like many(not all) med students, residents, and seasoned physicians have their panties in a bunch regarding the looming changes in healthcare. I likely would too if I was in the same situation.

Are there any specialties that lend themselves to making a smoother transition into upper-level administrative roles? MD/MBA worth considering?

It is 90% about who you know, not what you know.

People transition to top of any organization, business, or even become president of the USA because they are extremely savvy about networking and are some of the most charismatic people you will ever meet.

 

[IWillChangeHC]

Be acutely aware of the business side of healthcare. Also realize, a formal business program will likely teach the basic of business and not healthcare business.

Sources: I dropped out of Medical School and became a healthcare administrator.