INDIANAPOLIS—Before the Affordable Care Act, there was little intersection of business and medicine. Physicians were happy taking care of patients, and administrators handled the rest. Today, physicians are frequently called upon to lead business decisions, which is a challenge for many who have had little, if any, formal business training.

That’s why the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis launched the  Business of Medicine MBA Program two years ago—to equip physicians with the business knowledge, tools, and experience to effectively influence others and lead healthcare change. Thirty-three physicians from across Indiana and as far away as California are among the first graduating class of this unique, physician-only MBA program.

J. Daniel Andress, MD
CardioSpecialists Group, Ltd. (IL)

Thomas J. Birdas, MD
IU School of Medicine (IN)

Thomas A. Ciulla, MD
Midwest Eye Institute (IN)

Julie M. Clary, MD
IU School of Medicine (IN)

Renn J. Crichlow, MD
OrthoIndy (IN)

Virginia M. Dolan, MD
Memorial Physician Services (IL)

Miguel R. Escobar, MD
AMG Hancock Specialty Hospital (IN)

Daniel P. Fagin, MD
Northwestern Memorial Hospital (IL)

Brett R. Fink, MD
Indiana Orthopedic Center (IN)

Michael J. Fletcher, MD
Hancock Regional Hospital (IN)

James D. Grant, MD
Beaumont Health System (MI)

Eyas M. Hattab, MD
IU School of Medicine (IN)

Leonard R. Henry, MD
IU Health Goshen Hospital (IN)

David A. Hormuth, MD
Advanced Cardiothoracic Consultants, LLC (IN)

Syed J.A. Khan, MD
Serenity Medical Center, LLC (IN)

Tushar G. Kothari, MD
Radiology Associates of Northern Kentucky (KY)

Frank P. Lloyd Jr., MD
Center for Surgical Sciences and Trauma (IN)

Suresh Lohano, MD
Floyd Memorial Hospital (IN)

Yousuf Mahomed, MD
IU School of Medicine (IN)

Katheryn M. Moreira, MD
Riverview Hospital (IN)

Ryan D. Nagy, MD
IU Health Methodist Hospital (IN)

Ann Marie Nelson, DO
IU Health Physicians (IN)

Anca Pop, MD
Gastroenterologist (TN)

Laura L. Rife, MD
Major Health Partners (IN)

Brian J. Robb, DO
Mosaic Life Care (MO)

Ronald H. Shapiro, MD
Roudebush VA Medical Center (IN)

Harpreetinder Singh, MD
IU Health Morgan Hospital (IN)

Lauren M. Smith, MD
Cook County Health and Hospital Systems (IL)

Gary W. Stephens, DO
Fort Sanders Perinatal Center (TN)

Michael N. Tsangaris, MD
Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health (IN)

Deon W. Vigilance, MD
IU Health (IN)

Alen Voskanian, MD
Vitas Healthcare (CA)

Michelle K. Zimmerman, MD
IU School of Medicine (IN)

When Laura Rife, MD, started the Kelley Business of Medicine MBA Program, she had sat through countless hospital meetings where the business decisions had already been made. She was afraid to speak up and offer her own ideas because she felt she lacked the business acumen to contribute and participate.

Kelley changed all that for Dr. Rife. Halfway through the program, she was named chief of staff at Major Hospital in Shelbyville, Ind.

“I’m now equipped to address the business issues behind medical decisions,” says Dr. Rife. “My new skills and vocabulary allow me to lead the crucial conversations that bridge the gap between administration and clinical practice.”

Ultimately for Dr. Rife, going back to school was more than gaining three more letters at the end of her name.

“As clichéd as it sounds, it’s been a transformative, empowering experience—no doctor is going to leave here unchanged.”

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