Top 10 Executive Courses in Healthcare

ESMT Berlin runs the Young Physician Leaders Program, an executive education program that is for outstanding clinicians under the age of 40. They develop the management skills they need to lead global health systems. Participants can choose to study remotely, in person or a combination of delivery formats, underscoring the flexibility of the course. To help them navigate the coronavirus pandemic, alumni of the program get free “lifelong learning” on topics such as conflict management, building resilience, and coping with vaccine hesitancy.

The Innovative Health Care Leader Program at Stanford Graduate School of Business in California, runs online in the summer and cover subjects such as design thinking and personal leadership development. The admissions process is highly selective and a typical cohort is composed of senior executives and policymakers with at least 10 years of professional work experience in the healthcare industry. 

The Executive Health Innovation Management program — a joint initiate between London’s Imperial College Business School and Copenhagen Business School in Denmark — offers an interactive learning experience. In addition to lectures and case studies the program includes an “executive challenge” where participants work on their own real healthcare issues. The program runs for eight teaching days spread out over four months, in a hybrid format, blending in-person sessions with remote study. 

Cambridge Judge Business School of the UK offers a wide range of executive education programs for the healthcare sector. The flagship course is the Cambridge Chief Residents Leadership and Management Program, which is designed for early career doctors who are navigating management challenges. It supports clinicians as they develop to become the future leaders of healthcare delivery. It is a joint program between the Judge Business School, Cambridge University, and Cambridge University Hospitals Post Graduate Medical Center. 

Bayes Business School (formerly Cass) in London runs the Executive Master’s in Medical Leadership, an executive education program delivered part-time over a period of two years. The specialist course offers leadership training for doctors who might one day transform healthcare systems to help people live longer, healthier lives. An important component of the course is the focus on personal development as well as research-based conceptual knowledge. Participants also complete a leadership project as part of the program. 

Kellogg School of Management, at Northwestern University in Illinois, puts on the Leading Strategic Change in Healthcare program. Participants on the course learn how to solve difficult managerial and strategic problems, while navigating a complex and shifting policy environment. In cross-disciplinary teams, they develop a strategic framework for leading and navigating disruption. Participants can specialize in specific tracks to dive into sub-sectors of the healthcare industry. 

Duke Executive Education, part of Duke University in the US, collaborates with Health Sector Management (HSM) faculty at Duke Fuqua School of Business to deliver a range of executive education programs that address the complexities of today’s healthcare sector. This includes the three-day Navigating Health Care Trends program. Participants in this course learn about the disruptive forces reshaping healthcare and develop the capabilities and skills they need to adapt to the shifting marketplace. 

Columbia Business School in New York City puts on the Digital Health Strategy: Leveraging Emerging Technologies in Healthcare program. Participants learn how to harness digital technologies, which provide innovative ways to achieve better health outcomes and business opportunities while lowering costs. The program is delivered in partnership with Columbia and digital health testing center HITLAB. The course is run for six days over two weeks through live online sessions. 

The Leading Strategic Innovation in Healthcare course is a six-week executive education program offered by Warwick Business School in the UK. The program is designed for individuals and groups across healthcare organizations worldwide. Participants on this course learn how to embed leadership and innovation in practice in healthcare settings across the globe. 

Eller Executive Education at the University of Arizona has partnered with Dignity Health Global Education (DHGE), a workforce development company, to develop and deliver the Healthcare Mini MBA. This executive education program runs for 12 weeks and gives participants an understanding of economics, business, policy, ethics and decision making in the healthcare sector. The program features professional athletes who offer unique insights into performing under pressure.