Today is the day my classmates and I have been working toward for the past 21 months. It’s Graduation Day for the Physician Executive MBA (PEMBA) Class of 2018! (Sorry if you didn’t get an invitation – since it’s my fourth graduation ceremony, I thought sending out announcements might be overkill!).

I confess I am a bit ambivalent about graduating – I am relieved to be finished with all the work, but I am also sad to be saying goodbye to classmates with whom I have forged close friendships.

As I look back on my studies, I am grateful for all I have learned – especially the accounting, finance, and leadership skills. I will tell anyone who cares to listen that my MBA has been invaluable to my medical practice and that I would do it all again without hesitation. Furthermore, my network of business and healthcare connections has blossomed. My classmates include practicing physicians like myself, Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), and others working on their own startups as true entrepreneurs!

In truth, I would never have quit my practice to pursue an MBA as a full-time student, so the real strength of Auburn’s PEMBA program is its hybrid structure, offering a mix of classroom instruction and distance learning. I would even argue that working while earning an MBA actually gave me the opportunity to apply what I learned to real world situations immediately, an advantage that full-time programs lack. Details about the Auburn PEMBA curriculum can be found here: http://www.auburn.edu/academics/executive/physicians-executive-mba/the-program.php

I would be happy to answer any questions for anyone interested in the program – feel free to contact me on LinkedIn. Here’s a link to my profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-cooper-640396112/

War Eagle!