Physician MBA takes executive leadership impact from local to global

Ann Marie Nelson, DO, MBA’15, was among the first graduating class of the Physician MBA Program at the Kelley School of Business Indianapolis when it launched in 2013. Since then, she has earned the role of associate vice president, where she currently leads and impacts patients worldwide as part of the oncology team at Eli Lilly and Company.

As a physician in executive leadership, Dr. Nelson realized expanding her business knowledge could position her to improve healthcare and create a greater impact for patients. With each step in her career—from handling medical emergencies in the most vulnerable situations as a flight nurse, to earning expertise in leadership in a major health network, and then serving in executive leadership at an industry-leading biopharmaceutical company—adding the IU Kelley Physician MBA added greater breadth and depth to her business capabilities.

“My passion has always been about improving patient care in innovative sustainable ways; it is exciting to bring this focus to the global stage. My MBA has allowed me to influence executive discussions and decision making,” Dr. Nelson said. “I am able to bring a more holistic view of healthcare opportunities and barriers, which allows me to share the relevant perspectives of both business and medicine more effectively and persuasively.”

Her medical expertise and leadership experience positioned her to pivot to the pharmaceutical industry, and the IU Kelley Physician MBA enhanced how she could contribute strategically. To address some of the toughest challenges in healthcare, physicians need to understand and respond to the needs of the stakeholders and value drivers throughout the healthcare ecosystem. The Physician MBA Program trains physicians in the business concepts they’ll use each day. Physicians learn to consider improvement opportunities by evaluating the benefit versus risk, the return on investment, and how these fit into the organization’s strategic priorities.

“Being armed with this business knowledge allows us to innovate and create new solutions for our patients’ needs,” Dr. Nelson said. “As physicians, we are uniquely positioned to drive the organizational changes needed in healthcare.”

The Physician MBA is a rigorous Kelley degree designed specifically for doctors, so the courses teach operations, finance, accounting, and basic business principles through the lens of the healthcare industry. Rather than learning about process improvement through manufacturing, physicians discover how to improve wait time in their clinics, streamline inventory, or identify bottlenecks.

“You already have the medical expertise. Adding the MBA allows you to offer so much more to your organization,” Dr. Nelson said. “You have the skills to improve processes and how we deliver care. You take what you learn at Kelley and make it work for your organization.”

As one of the first graduates of the Physician MBA Program, Dr. Nelson remains an advocate for doctors earning MBAs. She has encouraged colleagues to enroll in the Kelley program and has also introduced fellow physicians to pharmaceutical roles. Looking back on her experience, Dr. Nelson suggests that incoming students complete homework without stressing over it. Instead, use the experience to focus on sharpening the “softer” skills in business, such as networking and presentations. Wherever a physician plans to take this business training, Dr. Nelson says there’s value in your voice.

“Whether you’re in academia or clinical practice, physicians with an MBA have more opportunities available to them. This can be within your current organization or outside of traditional healthcare settings, which you may not have previously considered,” Dr. Nelson said. “Your voice and input are highly valuable.”