Using Twitter to Stay Informed - Dr. Physician, MD, MBA
May 9th, 2012 2 Min readIn light of CompHealth's new partnership with OPM Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating physicians on the business side of medicine, this article really stood out to me as I was browsing #physiciantrends on Twitter.
American Medical News (@amednews) recently reported on the increased trend in medical students pursuing dual advanced degrees such as MD/MBA, MD/JD, MD/PhD and MD/MPH. The author, Carolyne Krupa discusses a changing environment in which students are more aware than ever of the lack of business, legal and health policy education they receive in their technical training as physicians. Medical students are also more aware of patient outcome expectations that are the result of healthcare reform policies and want the skills that will enable them to be more productive, efficient and competitive.
While having an expanded skill set is never a bad idea (and a pile of letters after one's name can look pretty impressive!), weighing the cost vs. the benefit of pursuing these types of dual degrees is not only a good idea, It's one that can beg the question, "What are my other options?" In lieu of up to 9 years of additional schooling, what educational opportunities can be pursued that would give a physician the knowledge they need to succeed beyond the demands of their specialties?
Medical students and newly trained doctors are not the only constituency of physicians who should consider expanding their business knowledge and skills. Nearly every physician can benefit from know how to apply basics in finance, marketing, operations and even customer service.
Check back as we look forward to more blogs and information from OPM Education about the business side of medicine. While it won't help you earn your MBA, it will help you be more informed about things you didn't learn in medical school or in residency. Also, CompHealth's Career Resources section is full of helpful and informative white papers, articles and webinars.
Stay connected. Stay informed. And check back for updates from me on the most sizzling of healthcare topics.
Happy tweeting! @comphealth