For more information, contact: Boonshoft School of Medicine Marketing and Communications, Cindy Young at (937) 775-2951, or Phillip Neal at (937) 775-4587.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2009

WSU Boonshoft School of Medicine hosts national M.D./M.B.A. conference

Students, administrators from around the country met in April to explore “Physician Leadership in the 21st Century”

DAYTON, Ohio—Representatives of universities and institutions from around the country converged on the Wright State campus this spring for a high-profile national event. The Seventh Annual M.D./M.B.A. Conference, whose theme was “Physician Leadership in the 21st Century,” took place April 17-19 and brought together more than 50 students, professors, and program directors for a weekend of presentations, social activities, and collaboration.

James Ebert, M.D., M.B.A., M.P.H. FAAP, associate professor of community health and pediatrics and the Oscar Boonshoft Chair and director of the school’s Center for Global Health Systems, Management, and Policy, opened and moderated the conference. Berkwood Farmer, Ph.D., dean of the Raj Soin College of Business, and Howard Part, M.D., medical school dean, each offered brief words of welcome to the participants.

During his presentation, Anthony Nguyen, M.D., M.B.A., senior vice president and medical director of health benefits company WellPoint, Inc., announced the creation of a new Physician Executive Fellowship Program. The year-long fellowships, slated to begin in fall 2009, will initially accommodate two fellows who, “have a true passion for moving into a physician executive role and truly driving organizational strategy.”

The conference also included a judged poster session with several awards. More than a dozen medical students, post-graduates, and faculty members presented their work on health systems, health economics, health enterprise, and health policy.

On the final day of the conference, Windsor Sherrill, Ph.D., and pre-medical student Jason Crumpler, both of Clemson University, presented the results of a ten-year study of M.D./M.B.A. programs and their graduates.  Their research "shows that on 10-year follow-up, 100 percent of M.D./M.B.A. graduates are still very happy about their choice of the dual degree.”

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Editor’s note: For more information or to schedule an interview contact: Phillip Neal, Marketing and Communications, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, (937) 775-4587 or phillip.neal@wright.edu.