Mark Reisbig, MD, PhD, is an anesthesiologist and associate chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center–Bergan Mercy. For him, joining the Executive Healthcare MBA program was an easy decision. Between seeking expanded responsibilities within his organization and a career focused on quality improvement, he knew he wanted to pursue a healthcare MBA.
Reisbig is a Creighton alumnus, having completed his medical doctorate at the School of Medicine, where he’s currently an associate professor and director of the MD/PhD Program. He was confident Creighton could offer a top-notch education, and when he looked into the specifics of the program, he found it was exactly what he needed.
As he nears the halfway mark of the healthcare MBA, Reisbig says the content has been just what he had hoped it would. For example, he found the Strategy for Healthcare Organizations course especially applicable to his role, using what he learned about strategic planning in thinking about a vision for his department and hospital.
In many ways, the program is helping to bring into focus aspects of healthcare that he was aware of but not completely familiar with. For instance, he says the Executive Leadership and Organizational Behavior course shed light on the organizational structure of hospitals, noting “None of us learned that in medical school. You kind of learn it on the fly, and coming into that course, I still didn’t understand the importance of the various layers of management. The course has really helped to lay that out.”
Perspectives from Others in Healthcare Administration
Along with a relevant curriculum, he’s learned a lot from the other students in his cohort. While he works within a hospital system and benefits from hearing from others in similar institutions, he also appreciates the perspectives of those who work in other settings, including private practice, retail pharmacy and biotech.
He’s gotten to know his cohort well through two short in-person residencies (there are four total), regular discussion board posts and group projects, and he’s found the ideas shared by his classmate are already helping him in his day-to-day duties. He says, “When I go to work and I talk to someone who has one of those positions, I can better understand where they’re coming from.”
A Challenge Worth Taking
Reisbig says being a student again 13 years after graduating was an adjustment, but he notes, “It’s very student friendly, and the pace is fair. It’s not onerous.” Even with the challenge of balancing work, school and family, Reisbig recommends the program wholeheartedly. He’s suggested it to several colleagues and notes, “I think it’s almost essential for physicians to get an understanding of the business of medicine.”
He knows that in order to look to the future and improve, healthcare professionals need to learn the intricacies of how healthcare systems work, how healthcare is changing and how to keep up.
Ready to expand your expertise and prepare for your next role? Explore Creighton University’s Executive Healthcare MBA and Executive Fellowship programs.
