The Wayne State University School of Business Administration has launched an Executive Master in Business Administration for Physicians program. A joint initiative of the business school, the WSU School of Medicine and the Detroit Medical Center, the intense 16-month program is designed to provide doctors with the skills they need to be effective administrators in today's highly competitive health-care environment.

The 36-credit program's courses center on fundamental skills, including accounting, statistics, information systems, finance and service operations; 21st century delivery systems for health care; structuring for the future through strategic planning and marketing; and competing in a dynamic environment with emphasis on organizational design, managing modern technical health-care professionals, and legal and risk analysis.

"For the most part, being a doctor in the modern day has evolved far beyond traditional patient care," said School of Medicine Dean John Crissman, MD. "There are so many technical and business issues involved. This program helps physicians gain the tools they need to excel in the business of medicine as well as the practice of it."

The program's faculty is comprised of key health-care executives from metropolitan Detroit along with business school faculty. Full-time faculty from the business school received summer research grants to further develop the health-care focus of their courses.

According to the program's director, Timothy Butler, PhD, the diverse specialties of the parties involved in the planning process have led to a truly unique program.

"I know of no other executive program in which a business school, medical school, and major health system have formed a partnership," Dr. Butler said. "This gives our students a rich perspective on the business and economic environment of health care."

For more information on the Executive MBA for Physicians, please contact Program Director Timothy Butler at (313) 577-2243 or via email at timothy.butler@wayne.edu.