MBA program fro health professionals moves to Syracuse

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Feb 08, 2002 by Kropf, Annemarie

SYRACUSE - John Henry Jr. decided to get an MBA in January 2000. A clinical-transplant coordinator at SUNY Upstate Medical University, he enrolled in the executive MBA program for health-care professionals at the Institute for Human Performance at SUNY Upstate.

"It was for my own personal growth," he says, "and to expand my experience."

For 20 months, Henry attended classes every other weekend. His classmates included various types of physicians and registered nurses. "it was a lot of interactive learning," he says. "There was lots of discussions to draw on our different experiences."

Henry graduated from the program in August 2001. He says the program is worth the time and effort. "It's a great program for the community," he says. "There are a number of hospitals and private practices."

The executive MBA program for health-care professionals began at Binghamton University, State University of New York, in 1996. George Bobinski, associate dean of the school of management, says the program began because of considerable interest from the Binghamton medical community.

"There's a lack of people with business training in health care," he says.

Over the years, it became apparent to Bobinski that an increasing number of students were commuting to Binghamton from Syracuse. "So we decided to move up here," he says. Henry's class was the first to take place in Syracuse.

Bobinski says that the program is not that different from any other MBA program. The ways it differs are in terms of cases, applications, and health-care context, he adds.

"All individuals in the cohorts are health-care providers," Bobinksi says. "Fifty percent are physicians and 50 percent are health-care professionals. We encourage them to share information about themselves with others in the profession."

When the program began, 26 people signed up for it. Bobinski says he tries to keep the class size around 20 to 25 people, so that there is active participation from everyone.

Depending on the subject matter, there is some lecture component and subsequent class discussion, as well as simulations, study groups, and presentations. "You don't want a straight lecture," he says. "By sharing their perspectives, it increases their learning."

Primarily, the instructors come from Binghamton University.

"It's easier to have one instructor come up than 20 students come down," he says. Around 80 percent of the full-time school of management faculty members at Binghamton University take part in the program. The other 20 percent includes experts in certain fields. Lowell Seifter, senior member of the executive committee at Green & Seifter Attorneys PLLC, taught the health-law course in Syracuse.

"Lowell was brought in for his specialized knowledge," Bobinksi says. "He has the expertise of being an attorney but also specific knowledge of health law."

The two-year program consists of 56 credits that include both classwork and a four-credit independent study or internship. For two weekends each month, students spend Friday and Saturday in the classroom. Friday's class lasts from 1 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., while Saturday's two classes stretch from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Students take a total of 14 courses.

The program costs $32,500, which includes books and materials. Overnight lodging is not included, since Bobinski says it's not an issue.

Students who take the program are extremely motivated, says Bobinski.

"The students in the program are employed full time," he adds. "It's a major commitment on . their part. It's not a 35-hour-per-week job, it's 50-plus hours."

Representing a wide mix of ages, students typically have an average of 12 years' work experience, he adds. "I've had physicians in their 50s and some just out of medical school for a few years."

Some physicians feel that, rather than have leadership roles taken by those with no clinical background, they could have the roles instead. And so they decide to enroll in the program, Bobinski says.

"It's easier to train someone with a clinical background in business matters rather than train someone with a business background in clinical matters," he adds.

Bobinski sees this program continuing for a long time, since health care is becoming increasingly more business-like. "There's been a dramatic shift in the way health-care organizations have been forced to do business," he says. "They're now in business whether they like it or not."