From patents and patient experience to supply chain operation and leadership styles, Executive MBA students enrolled in the Cleveland Clinic-Weatherhead Executive MBA program got a behind-the-curtain look from executives and other members of the C-suite at Cleveland Clinic during the EMBA Experiential Learning Day.
The full-day session took place virtually this year and gave students the opportunity to connect lessons and classwork to real-world experiences from individuals who live it every day.
Panelists included Simrit Sandhu, former Chief Supply Chain & Support Services Officer, who discussed her experience operating a healthcare supply chain during a pandemic. She offered an exclusive look into how COVID-19 was an “unprecedented wake-up call” that was nearly impossible to plan for and why the demand for certain products—from toilet paper to life-saving vaccines—was and is still so overwhelming.
Adrienne Boissy, MD, MA, Chief Experience Officer, held an interactive discussion on person-centered care, discussing improvement opportunities and allowing students to break off into groups to identify metrics that could be used to measure patient experience for different healthcare organizations.
Will Morris, MD (MED ‘03), MBA (MGT ‘17), Executive Medical Director, Cleveland Clinic Innovations, is a Weatherhead alum from the Executive MBA program. Morris’ presentation began with each student brainstorming and then pitching innovations based on problems that are relevant to his or her industry. He then went through the innovation process and discussed key intellectual properties and the importance of understanding your organization’s policy and support infrastructure.
Finally, James K. Stoller, MD, MS, (MGT ‘01) Chairman, Education Institute, also a Weatherhead graduate, led an energetic discussion encouraging students to rise boldly to the leadership challenge in healthcare. Stoller and students examined six core leadership styles and discussed the difference between leadership and management, how to characterize great leadership and which competencies are most important for a healthcare leader—with emotional intelligence emerging as the most favored concept. Stoller provided inspiring stories and examples of leadership in his life and offered research that looked at physician leadership at Cleveland Clinic.
"I hope that this event provided a real-world context and application of principles discussed in the EMBA curriculum as well as an organic networking opportunity,” Stoller said. “This event showcases the culture and depth of the talent pool of Cleveland Clinic and tangibly demonstrates the value of the affiliation that exists through the Cleveland Clinic-Weatherhead School of Management program.”
Daniela Allende, MD, a student in the program who attended the event, said the event was valuable and provided many key takeaways.
"The experiential day has many benefits to the EMBA students,” Allende said. “It is not only an opportunity to see first-hand how the new concepts learned are being used in daily practice, but also a chance to connect with highly experienced and recognized professionals that are willing to share their ‘pearls’ of wisdom.”
Learn more about the Cleveland Clinic-Weatherhead Executive MBA Program.