Chief Medical Officer Program
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Lead at the intersection of care and strategy with the Chief Medical Officer Program from Emory Executive Education
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Program from Emory Executive Education equips experienced physicians and senior healthcare leaders to bridge clinical expertise with business strategy and lead transformation across health systems. In today’s technology-enabled, value-driven healthcare environment, CMOs are expected to shape vision, integrate innovation in care models, and align healthcare management, clinical operations, and organizational performance with patient outcomes, regulatory priorities, and strategic growth.
Led by distinguished Emory faculty, this nine- to twelve-month program combines strategic leadership, business strategy, financial acumen, and organizational influence to help you navigate complexity with confidence. You will gain the frameworks, tools, and perspectives to make high-stakes decisions, unite diverse teams around a shared mission, and drive transformative change across healthcare systems and business models.
Continuing Education Credits
The Emory University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Emory University School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 185 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Disclosure: The content of this activity is not related to products or services of an ACCME-defined ineligible company, also known as a commercial interest; therefore, no one in control of content has a relevant financial relationship to disclose. Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. No grant support was received for this course.
Faculty Insights and Learner Experiences
Who is the Chief Medical Officer Program for?
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Program from Emory Executive Education is designed for accomplished physicians and senior healthcare leaders seeking to strengthen their healthcare leadership, refine their business acumen, and develop strategic insight to lead at the intersection of clinical operations and organizational performance. It is ideal for:
Physician leaders in management roles preparing for a CMO position and seeking a deeper understanding of business strategy, healthcare leadership, and medical leadership within healthcare organizations
CMOs who have served in the position for five years or less wishing to deepen their knowledge of management and organizational performance to be successful leaders in the healthcare industry
Participants are expected to have:
A medical degree from an accredited medical school
Fluency in written and spoken English
International exposure (preferred)
Hear from a past participant
Designed for Success
Structured with the needs of busy executives in mind, you will learn through online sessions, including guest lectures from top executives in healthcare administration who have successfully navigated today’s complex challenges and healthcare challenges. The flexible nature of the Chief Medical Officer Program allows you to customize your learning journey around key critical success factors in leadership, strategy, and patient safety — enabling maximum career and organizational impact.
Customize
Take charge of your learning journey. Complete the program in 9 to 12 months at your own pace by accommodating program learning around your work schedule with a weekly commitment of three to five hours.
Interact
Grow your network by interacting with a cohort of global executives. Learn from world-renowned faculty and glean insights from global industry experts with extensive experience in the business of healthcare.
Grow
Gain in-depth knowledge and skills fundamental to advancing your healthcare career. Develop insights into medical leadership practices that help you thrive as a healthcare leader and inspire colleagues around a shared vision that aligns patient care priorities with strategic business goals.
Learning Outcomes
The program will help you:
Gain in-depth knowledge and skills that are fundamental to advancing your career as a chief medical officer
Understand the competing priorities in healthcare at the business unit, organization, industry, and community levels
Lead and inspire colleagues across a shared vision that reflects the diversity and unique needs of patient care delivery, team members, and the strategic business needs of your healthcare organization
Hone your communication, negotiation, and influence skills to empower decision making and better handle people, teams, and organizational conflicts
Develop your financial acumen to understand the levers under your control that influence the strategic and financial well-being of your healthcare system
Expand your ability to drive strategic change, develop innovative approaches to care, and implement a culture of excellence and well-being for staff, patients, and healthcare professionals
Develop and foster relationships and expand your professional network
Program Highlights
Continuing Education Credits
The Emory University School of Medicine designates this blended learning activity for a maximum of 185 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.
Core Curriculum
Kick-start your journey with 18 weeks of core sessions exploring healthcare leadership and business administration, turning strategy into action, and honing effective communication skills.
Flexible Learning Journey
Customize your program experience with a choice of two topical electives that allow you to focus your learning on relevant skill sets specific to your career goals or the needs of your healthcare organization.
Self-Paced Learning
Access recorded sessions that provide you with the flexibility to experience the in-depth curriculum at your own pace while maintaining your busy day-to-day work commitments.
Success Coach
Craft your learning journey in line with your career goals with a success coach assigned to your cohort.
Expert Faculty
Learn from leading experts in the fields of business, leadership, healthcare management, and patient care who are renowned thought leaders and bring deep experience as practitioners.
Capstone Project
Apply program insights to a capstone project that refines the skills you have gained and provides an opportunity to develop a detailed business plan and drive immediate on-the-job impact in your organization.
Annual CMO Forum
Connect with peers, faculty, and industry leaders during an optional one-and-a-half-day Annual CMO Forum, an academic experience focused on healthcare innovation and strategic priorities, at the Goizueta Business School, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Pathway to a Graduate Degree Program
Earn six academic credits upon completing this program, which are applicable to specific degree programs from Emory Goizueta Business School *
*See more information below
Curriculum
The Chief Medical Officer Program is built for physician leaders preparing to take on enterprise-wide executive responsibilities. The program curriculum addresses the challenges most critical to this transition — through engaging core modules and the combination of strategic leadership, stakeholder influence, and business performance, the program bridges clinical expertise with executive insight to enhance operational efficiency and operational excellence, supporting continuous professional development and measurable impact across the healthcare system.
Note: Session topics and final list of electives are subject to change.
Capstone Project
As a key part of the program, you will work on a capstone project that applies the knowledge you have gained to address a real-world business challenge. You will work individually or in small groups to ideate, make strategic decisions, and deliver a business plan you can apply immediately to your organization.
Meet the Faculty
The Chief Medical Officer Program is designed and taught by distinguished faculty and industry experts who bring deep expertise in healthcare leadership, business strategy, and organizational management. They bring to the curriculum cutting-edge scholarship, extensive experience in the healthcare industry, and insights into the organizational culture, strategic thinking, and frameworks that define sophisticated medical leadership. With a strong focus on improving patient outcomes, the program faculty prepare participants with the tools needed to succeed as modern CMOs.
Faculty Director, Professor in the Practice of Organization & Management, Goizueta Business School, Emory University; Faculty Director, Woodruff Leadership Academy, Emory Woodruff Health Sciences Center
Michael Sacks’ work focuses on strategic leadership and aligning leadership skills with organizational culture to drive successful execution. His teaching spans leadership dev...
Program Director, Focus Area for Compassion and Ethics, Task Force for Global Health; Former Vice President of Practice and Innovation, Emory Healthcare; Adjunct Associate Professor, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University
Tim Cunningham’s work explores how compassion, resilience, and structural well-being can transform health care systems and support frontline professionals. His research and pr...
Professor Emerita in the Practice of Organization & Management, Goizueta Business School, Emory University
Molly Ryan Epstein’s work explores how strategic communication influences leadership effectiveness, focusing on change communication, intergenerational collaboration, and gend...
Associate Professor of Organization & Management; Faculty Advisor, Business & Society Institute, Goizueta Business School, Emory University
Erika V. Hall’s research examines how race-, gender-, and class-based stereotypes shape workplace dynamics and impact leadership outcomes. Her work explores how implicit biase...
Chief Executive Officer, University of Iowa Health Care Clinical Enterprise
Bradley Haws, MBA, is the Chief Financial Officer at Emory Healthcare, bringing over 30 years of leadership experience in health care finance and strategy. He has held senior ...
Associate Professor of Organization & Management, Goizueta Business School, Emory University
Özgecan Koçak’s research explores how shared cultural codes, including organizational identities, categorization systems, and communication norms, influence decision making, c...
President, Global Immunization at Sabin Vaccine Institute; Former Director, Center for Global Health, Emory University
Rebecca Martin’s work focuses on global health leadership, policy, and public health system strengthening across international settings. Her career spans over 30 years in glob...
Founder and Chief Catalyst, Accelerance Group International; Former Associate Professor in the Practice of Organization & Management, Goizueta Business School
Rod McCowan’s work centers on strategic change leadership and executive development, exploring how leadership alignment, organizational culture shifts, and neuro‑leadership fr...
President and Chief Executive Officer, Regenstrief Institute Inc.
Rachel Patzer’s research centers on health services and disparities in care, particularly in access to kidney transplantation and health care quality. Her work designs and tes...
Chief Operating Officer at Children's Health; Former President and Chief Operating Officer, Emory Healthcare; Former Chief Financial Officer, Emory Healthcare
Dane Peterson’s leadership focuses on health care operations, organizational strategy, and performance improvement in complex academic medical systems. His work explores how e...
Professor of Urology, Emory University School of Medicine; Vice Chair of Education and Faculty Affairs, Department of Urology; Former Co-Chief Well-Being Officer, Emory University
Chad Ritenour’s work focuses on physician well-being, academic leadership, and innovation in urologic care delivery. His efforts explore how faculty development and efficient ...
Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Accounting, Goizueta Business School, Emory University
Karen Sedatole’s work investigates how performance measurement systems, executive compensation structures, and forecasting shape organizational trust, motivation, and strategi...
Professor in the Practice of Finance, Goizueta Business School, Emory University
Thomas Smith’s research explores how macroeconomic trends, labor dynamics, and industry structures influence leadership decisions and organizational performance. His work span...
Professor Emeritus in the Practice of Organization & Management, Goizueta Business School, Emory University
Peter Topping’s research examines how leaders navigate paradox, conflict, and change to build high-performance teams across organizational boundaries. His work explores why le...
Pathway to a Graduate Degree Program
The Chief Medical Officer Program serves as a pathway toward an academic degree from Emory Goizueta Business School. Participants who successfully complete the program and fulfil further qualification criteria, including an evaluation of the capstone project and submission of a degree application within 12 months of completing the Chief Medical Officer Program, earn six academic credits. These credits are applicable upon successful enrollment in one of the following degree programs: Executive MBA, Evening MBA, and Masters in Business for Veterans.
Note: The received credits are not transferable to any other degree program not mentioned here or to another school or college. There is also a required fee of US$495 to cover the faculty grading of the capstone project. Successful applicants will benefit from a 5% reduction in the degree tuition fee.
Certificate
Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be awarded a badge and a verified digital certificate by Emory Executive Education. The certificate is a recognition of your achievement and the investment you and your organization have made in your education and development. The program is also eligible for 185 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™*.
*See accreditation information above.
FAQs
Connect with a Program Advisor for a 1:1 Session
Our program advisors have helped senior executives around the world choose the right program for their career goals. Schedule a 1:1 to get a deeper understanding why the Chief Medical Officer Program is the right fit for you.
Email: emory_cmo@emeritus.org
Phone: +1 567 350 1214 (U.S.) / +44 1174 633354 (U.K.) / +971 80 0035703747 (U.A.E.) / +52 55965 34231 (LATAM)
The program will observe a scheduled holiday break from December 24, 2025 through January 1, 2026.
Early applications are encouraged. Admissions are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Flexible payment options are available.
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