Physician CEOs remain rare, despite representing an underutilized leadership pipeline that’s uniquely positioned to balance mission and margin. Yet for physicians stepping into the CEO seat, success requires more than clinical excellence. Below is a selection of our most recent insights, informed by our proprietary research and in-depth interviews with healthcare and life sciences CEOs, executives, and board members, as well as executive recruiters, CEO coaches, and investors to uncover what sets high-performing physician CEOs apart.
Article
How physician CEOs hone the double-edged sword of clinical training
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The journey from physician to CEO has no prescribed path, but those who’ve reached the top reveal how they evolved the strengths and instincts forged in clinical training for enterprise leadership.
Podcast
Betsy Nabel on physicians and women in healthcare leadership roles
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Betsy Nabel, a leader and advocate for women in healthcare, reflects on the moves she’s made in her career to stay true to herself while creating lasting impact for medical students and patients.
Article
Physician perspectives on scaling impact from the CEO seat
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To unlock the full potential of physician leaders, we must first understand what drives them, what they strive for, and what stands in their way.
Article
The next specialty: The physician CEO
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Healthcare organizations face growing complexity, and physicians are eager to step in, drawing on their distinct expertise. Here’s how their CEO potential can be unlocked to achieve both mission and margin.
Media coverage
External Article
McKinsey’s Amit Shah, M.D., on the Keys to Grooming Physician CEOs
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Consulting firm interviewed 40 physician CEOs about how they developed the skill set to lead a health system.
External Article
How physicians can become excellent CEOs
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Physicians should explore CEO roles to merge clinical expertise with business acumen, aiming to enhance patient care and drive...
Our experts
Dr. Amit Shah, MD
Senior PartnerWashington DC
Partners with healthcare leaders to transform mission impact and margin performance
Dr. Laura Medford-Davis, MD
PartnerHouston
Leads McKinsey’s patient access work in North America and globally, with a focus on growth and performance improvement through...
Sanjiv Baxi, MD
PartnerBay Area - San Francisco
A practicing physician who advises health systems and healthcare services entities on strategy, holistic revenue excellence,...
Kurt Strovink
Senior PartnerNew York
Leads our CEO services globally and serves on our Shareholders Council, McKinsey’s board of directors; advises life- and wealth-management,...
Ramesh Srinivasan
Senior PartnerNew York
Helps clients implement lasting change; leads leadership learning programs for CEOs and partners