Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Medical Centers
“This program not only empowered me with new skills and a fund of knowledge regarding physician leadership in health care, but it gave me greater confidence in my ability to take those skills back home to make an impactful difference.”
—Brian H. Zack, Medical Director at University Hospitals Cleveland
About the Program
This program brings together physicians in administrative positions in academic medical centers for an intensive and systematic study of the critical leadership and management issues facing academic medical centers.
Program Fees
- Standard Price $11,200.00
Program Overview
For over 40 years, Harvard has conducted Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Medical Centers, an executive development program designed specifically to help physicians become the leaders needed by both their organizations and patients in today’s complex health care landscape. This program is designed to serve a wide array of physician leaders. It convenes medical directors and chiefs of divisions from academic medical centers together with an interdisciplinary faculty team for two weeks of intensive and systematic study of the critical leadership and management issues faced by physicians in administrative positions and academic medical centers. The program curriculum is organized around the following interrelated courses taught by esteemed Harvard faculty:
- Competitive Strategy
- Financial Analysis
- Operations Management
- Organizational Issues
- Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
- Leadership
- Health Care Policy
Upcoming Program Details
The program’s overall objective is to enhance and develop participants’ leadership abilities and effectiveness. This is accomplished by providing an increased understanding of their responsibilities as leaders, perspective on the critical leadership and management issues they face, and understanding and awareness of concepts and techniques relevant to management.
Upon completion of the program, participants will have gained:
- Increased understanding of the responsibilities and tasks of leaders in complex institutions
- Broader appreciation of the challenges and changes occurring in academic medical centers and the implications for their own institution and service or area of responsibility
- New perspectives on issues they face currently and on those which arise in the future
- Knowledge of relevant concepts and techniques in several key management disciplines
- New methods to analyze problems and an enhanced capacity to identify the critical questions
- Greater effectiveness as unit and institutional leaders in formulating and implementing initiatives and managing change
All Times are Eastern Time (ET).
Sunday, October 5, 2025 | ||
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3:00–4:00 pm | Final Registration – Colonnade Hotel | |
4:30–5:15 pm | Opening Meeting – Colonnade Hotel | |
5:15–7:30 pm | Reception and Dinner – Colonnade Hotel | |
7:30–9:30 pm | Study Time | Monday, October 6, 2025 |
8:15–8:45 am | Discussion Groups | |
8:45–9:15 am | Introduction to Week One (Technology Orientation) | |
9:15–10:30 am | What is Leadership? | |
10:30–11:00 am | Refreshment Break | |
11:00 am–12:15 pm | Strategic Planning: Department Level | |
12:15–1:15 pm | Lunch | |
1:15–2:30 pm | Introduction & Management Control Function | |
2:30–2:45 pm | Wrap Up & Evaluation | Tuesday, October 7, 2025 |
8:15–9:00 am | Discussion Groups | |
9:00–9:15 am | Coffee Break | |
9:15–10:30 am | Introduction to Strategy: A New Approach | |
10:30–11:00 am | Refreshment Break | |
11:00 am–12:30 pm | Through the Looking Glass: Understanding Organizations | |
12:30–1:30 pm | Lunch | |
1:30–2:45 pm | Differential Cost Accounting 1 | |
2:45–3:00 pm | Wrap Up & Evaluation | Wednesday, October 8, 2025 |
8:15–9:00 am | Discussion Groups | |
9:00–9:15 am | Coffee Break | |
9:15–10:30 am | Managing Quality of Care and Reengineering | |
10:30–11:00 am | Refreshment Break | |
11:00 am–12:15 pm | Managing Flow & Variability | |
12:15–1:15 pm | Lunch | |
1:15–2:30 pm | Managing Change and Transition | |
2:30–2:45 pm | Wrap Up & Evaluation | Thursday, October 9, 2025 |
8:15–8:45 am | Discussion Groups | |
8:45–9:00 am | Coffee Break | |
9:00–10:30 am | Leading Teams and Group Decision Making: The Value of Leaders | |
10:30–11:00 am | Refreshment Break | |
11:00 am–12:15 pm | Leading Teams and Group Decision Making: The Value of Leaders (Con't) | |
12:15–1:15 pm | Lunch | |
1:15–2:45 pm | Understanding Policy & Desegregation in US Hospitals in 1966 | |
2:45–3:00 pm | Wrap Up & Evaluation | Friday, October 10, 2025 |
8:15–9:00 am | Discussion Groups | |
9:00–9:15 am | Coffee Break | |
9:15–10:30 am | Differential Cost Accounting 2 | |
10:30–11:00 am | Refreshment Break | |
11:00 am–12:15 pm | The Basics of Operations Management | |
12:15–1:15 pm | Lunch | |
1:15–2:30 pm | Creating a Culture of Operational Excellence | |
2:30–2:45 pm | Wrap Up & Evaluation | |
6:00–7:00 pm | Reception – Colonnade Hotel | Saturday, October 11, 2025 |
8:15–8:45 am | Discussion Groups | |
8:45–9:00 am | Coffee Break | |
9:00–10:30 am | Understanding US Health Reform and the Affordable Care Act | |
10:15–10:45 am | Refreshment Break | |
10:30–10:45 am | Week Two Orientation | |
10:45–11:00 am | Week Two Discussion Group Leader's Meeting | |
10:45–11:00 am | Bag Lunch | Monday, October 13, 2025 |
8:15–8:45 am | Discussion Groups | |
8:45–9:00 am | Coffee Break | |
9:00–11:00 am | Leading Teams and Group Decision Making: The Value of Teams | |
11:00–11:30 am | Refreshment Break | |
11:30 am–12:30 pm | Leading Teams and Group Decision Making: The Value of Teams (Con't) | |
12:30–1:30 pm | Lunch | |
1:30–2:45 pm | Management Control Structure and Transfer Prices | |
2:45–3:00 pm | Wrap Up & Evaluation | Tuesday, October 14, 2025 |
8:15–9:00 am | Discussion Groups | |
9:00–9:15 am | Coffee Break | |
9:15–10:30 am | Strategy Formulation: Organizational Level | |
10:30–11:00 am | Refreshment Break | |
11:00 am–12:30 pm | Managing Others: Having Difficult Conversations | |
12:30–1:30 pm | Lunch | |
1:30–2:45 pm | Strategy Implementation: Organizational Level | |
2:45–3:00 pm | Wrap Up & Evaluation | Wednesday, October 15, 2025 |
8:15–8:45 am | Discussion Groups | |
8:45–9:00 am | Coffee Break | |
9:00 am–1:00 pm | You as Negotiator, Conflict Resolver, and Meta-Leader | |
1:00–2:00 pm | Lunch | |
2:00–3:15 pm | Quality of Care & Health Delivery Reform in the US | |
3:15–3:30 pm | Wrap Up & Evaluation | Thursday, October 16, 2025 |
8:15–9:00 am | Discussion Groups | |
9:00–9:15 am | Coffee Break | |
9:15–10:30 am | Integrating the Management Control System with Strategy & Ops | |
10:30–11:00 am | Refreshment Break | |
11:00 am–12:15 pm | Disruptive Innovation | |
12:15–1:15 pm | Lunch | |
1:15–2:30 pm | Equity In Healthcare | |
2:30–2:45 pm | Wrap Up & Evaluation | |
6:30–9:15 pm | Reception and Dinner | Friday, October 17, 2025 |
8:15–8:45 am | Discussion Groups | |
8:45–9:00 am | Coffee Break | |
9:00–10:00 am | What's in Your Leadership Toolbox? | |
10:00–10:15 am | Refreshment Break | |
10:15–11:30 am | Bringing the Learning Home | |
12:30–12:45 pm | Program Adjournment/Bag Lunch |
This agenda is subject to change.
Classes and discussion groups are scheduled for Monday to Saturday. Preparation for classes averages four hours a day. Registration is scheduled for 3-4PM EST on the first Sunday. The following Sunday is free.
Participants are asked to free themselves of professional and family responsibilities for the period of the program so that full attention can be devoted to the immersive experience.
Current faculty, subject to change
Bonnie Blanchfield
Assistant Professor
Department of Health Policy and Management
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Renee Crichlow
Chief Medical Officer
Codman Square Health Center
Jose F. Figueroa
Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management
Health Policy and Management
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Ted Fleming
Retired from CVS Health / Currently Serve as Business Advisor
Leonard J. Marcus
Director
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
John E. McDonough
Director, Center for Executive and Continuing Professional Education
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Laurie Samuels Pascal
Senior Lecturer on Health Management
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Jordan S. Peck
Vice President, Practice Operations and Interim Vice President of Hospital Operations
Southern Maine Healthcare
Theodore J. Witherell
Primary Faculty
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Potential participants include individuals in positions such as chief of a clinical division within a major clinical department, vice chair of a clinical department, medical director, and associate dean for clinical affairs.
Participants will be selected in a manner ensuring an appropriate mix and balance in the class.
Credits & Logistics
The priority deadline for completed applications is May 1, 2025.
Applications received after the deadline will be considered based on availability. Applicants who are admitted to the program are not guaranteed a space until the program fee has been paid and may be placed on a waitlist if the program reaches capacity.
Because this is a full-time, residential program and because of the cumulative and interactive nature of the educational experience, applicants who are accepted must plan and agree to attend and participate in all sessions of the program.
How to Apply
For your convenience you may review the list of application questions for the program. We advise applicants to prepare their answers in a word document and then cut and paste them into the online application in order to avoid losing their work in the unlikely event of a technical difficulty. Once your answers have been prepared and you are ready to continue with the application process please click the “apply now” button above. Thank you for your cooperation, we look forward to reviewing your application.
All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation upon completion of the program.
This program also contributes to the three-program Executive Leadership in Health Care Certificate of Specialization. Click here for more information.
October 2025
Please check back for updated information.
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 40.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health will grant 4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for this program, equivalent to 40.5 contact hours of education. Participants can apply these contact hours toward other professional education accrediting organizations.
All credits subject to final agenda.