This past January, the EMBA class of 2021 joined us for their first 10-day on-site residency session. This cohort includes 31 physicians, all eager to learn about the new science of medicine and management. The physicians:

• Come from 15 states, along with Armenia and the United Arab Emirates;
• Represent 14 specialties, including anesthesiology, obstetrics and gynecology, otolaryngology, and numerous surgical subspecialties;
• Are 45% women and 30% US students of color;
• Have an average age of 49 and an average of over 16 years of post-residency work experience.

During their first 10 day in-person residency session, the class of 2021 participated in EMBA orientation, attended sessions of their first semester courses, and networked with the class of 2020.

The physicians began preparing for the EMBA program in December by attending a live orientation webinar that walked them through the program and what to expect during the January residency. They also started to review course materials and completed a 360 degree leadership assessment to be reviewed during residency with the support of executive and peer coaches.

The first few residency sessions oriented students and helped build bonds among the cohort. Those sessions included a “Masterclass in Human Creativity” where students learned how to apply improvisational techniques to their professional work as well as their experience in the program. Students also took part in a session to learn more about the case method, which is the basis for many of the EMBA courses. The information gained and relationships built during these orientation sessions are important to set the tone of residency and help the class continue to work well together during the remote periods of the program.

After a few days of adapting to the program and each other, the physicians began their academic classes. The curriculum gives students a base of knowledge in the first semester, so students start with Economics, Financial Accounting, Leadership and Organizational Behavior, and Operations Management. These classes are necessary so other classes later in the curriculum, such as Corporate Finance, Management of Healthcare Organizations, and Systems Thinking, can build off of their fundamental concepts.

Toward the end of residency, the class of 2021 participated in an evening mixer with the class of 2020, who are in their third of four semesters. Dean David Weil welcomed the new students and took the opportunity to meet the EMBA physicians in person. Participants connected throughout the room. Students developed new contacts across cohorts, and some were even delighted to find old colleagues in the other cohorts as well. There was a true networking atmosphere that the students will continue to leverage throughout the program and beyond.