Population Health

In Their Own Words

Penn, Harvard and Columbia All Chose Doctors To Lead Anxious Campuses

LDI Senior Fellow Guy David Has Taught Leadership To Over 2,000 Clinicians. He Lays Out Why Doctors Can Make Great Leaders In a Stat News Op-Ed

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The following excerpt is from an op-ed that first appeared in STAT News on August 26th, 2024.

Recently, Columbia University’s president resigned after months of chaos, following in the footsteps of Harvard and my own institution, Penn.

Besides struggling with encampments, building takeovers, and commencement challenges, the three universities have something else in common: They have all chosen MDs as president or interim president.

Some people might be surprised by that. But I’m not.

I’ve trained more than 2,000 clinicians in leadership positions over the last 15 years. I’ve seen firsthand how clinical decision-making and experience in the trenches of a hospital can prepare a clinician to be an effective leader in medical as well as non-medical business settings.

Those heading to medical or nursing school gravitate there because they inherently want to better the lives of others. They must be exceptional students, mastering science, math, and literature. The combination of problem-solving skills and empathy for others is rarely a requirement in other professions. Nevertheless, it is a crucial special sauce for thriving as a leader.

Read the entire op-ed here.

Author

Guy David

Guy David, PhD

Allen B. Miller Professor, Health Care Management and Chair, Health Care Management Department, Wharton School; Professor, Health Policy and Medical Ethics, Perelman School of Medicine

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