Become a physician leader: Navigate healthcare's future
In today's complex healthcare environment, physicians who have both a medical degree and a Master of Business Administration degree will be highly sought for leadership positions at hospitals, healthcare systems, and health and medical-related businesses. The Wayne State University School of Medicine's Warrior M.D./M.B.A. program equips you with the skills to excel as a physician leader, prepared to tackle the industry's complex challenges and drive positive change.
Why choose the M.D./M.B.A. program?
- Master the business of medicine: Gain a deep understanding of healthcare finances, strategy, operations, and leadership, complementing your medical expertise.
- Shape the future of healthcare: Be innovative with the knowledge and skills to develop solutions and lead healthcare transformation.
- Open doors to diverse careers: Pursue leadership roles in hospitals, healthcare policy, pharmaceutical companies, and more, or launch your healthcare venture.
- Fast-track your success: This program integrates your medical and business education into a focused four-year curriculum. This allows you to earn both degrees without delaying your medical training or residency.
Program highlights:
- Exceptional medical education: Receive a rigorous medical education alongside hands-on clinical experience, preparing you for patient care excellence.
- Renowned business faculty: Learn from leading Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business faculty and industry experts, gaining unparalleled business insights.
- Integrated curriculum: M.B.A. courses are designed specifically for medical students, ensuring seamless integration with your medical studies.
- Flexibility: Explore the M.D./M.B.A. option during your first year of medical school and seamlessly integrate M.B.A. courses into your medical curriculum.
Students completing the M.D./M.B.A. program will:
- Have the knowledge, experiences and tools needed to confidently use the language of business and effectively engage at the intersection of medicine and business.
- Learn how decisions are made, understand the impact of decisions, and learn how to effectively advocate for new ideas and approaches; they will learn how to ask the right questions and to question the answers.
- Learn how to work effectively as a member of a team, influence others, and lead.
- Learn how information technology and data science is changing the way business operates.
- Provide the knowledge base and the critical thinking, problem solving, strategic planning and leadership skills needed to navigate and shape a rapidly changing healthcare environment.
- Learn to think differently, develop a network of like-minded colleagues and mentors, and grow in the role of physician leader to drive the changes needed to improve the quality of and access to care within an increasingly cost-constrained environment.
- Learn basic financial skills to be able to manage budgets and personal finances.
Completion of your joint degree will open up career pathways that include roles in:
- Hospital administration
- Health care policy research and policy development
- Pharmaceutical, medical device, health tech and insurance companies
- Entrepreneurial endeavors ranging from the creation of a private practice to the establishment of a non-profit focused on addressing health disparities, to a potential role of founder or medical advisor to health care startups.
Admission requirements and workload
Applicants to this program must be admitted to both the School of Medicine four-year Doctor of Medicine Degree Program and the Mike Ilitch School of Business M.B.A. Program. The M.B.A. program is closely coordinated with your medical school requirements in mind.
Students are first granted admission to the M.D. program, take the elective Business of Medicine in their first year, and then apply to the M.B.A. program during their first year of study while enrolled in the Business of Medicine elective.
- After a review of the students' first year performance, including performance in the Business of Medicine elective courses, students will be admitted to the M.B.A. and begin course work the first week of April. Some students may not be taken into program if there are concerns.
Students must meet the admission, enrollment and graduation requirements of both programs and enroll concurrently in the two programs during most of the period in which they are completing their degrees.
- M.D. students complete all but three of the M.B.A. core courses before their one-year clerkship.
- To ensure success in the program, students are not permitted to take any additional electives during the second year.
- M.B.A. courses are scheduled for Thursday evenings and many Saturdays throughout the second year. In addition to these class sessions, students should expect to spend an additional 5 hours per week reading and completing assignments. Courses will combine in-person meetings, and asynchronous, self-paced modules.
- The courses needed to complete the program will be scheduled during M4.
- Students must complete the required courses for both programs and in accordance with the Graduate School policies and regulations. Students completing requirements for only one degree will be awarded only that degree.
Students complete a minimum of 36 credits for the M.B.A. program, with six credits transferred from the M.D. program; six credit hours are double counted and used to fulfill the degree requirements for both the M.D. and M.B.A. program. Medical students in the program save time and money by completing the joint degree program under this four-year timeframe.
Tuition is $34,000 and paid in 12 installments starting in year two. The pre-requisite elective Business of Medicine is not a part of this tuition and paid as a part of the medical school tuition accounted for in year one.
Contact
- Dr. Anne Messman | amessman@med.wayne.edu | 313-282-6577
- Dr. Sherilynn Perelli | sheri_perelli@wayne.edu | 313-577-6116
Your path starts with the M.D. program
To apply to the M.D./M.B.A. program, you must first be admitted to the four-year M.D. program. Follow the Becoming a Warrior M.D. steps to get started. For additional details, including program structure and timelines, view our M.D./M.B.A. FAQs.
