Master's Degree Program
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ACPE Master's Degree program?
ACPE's Master's Degree Program is a flexible and proven program designed exclusively for busy physicians who want a medical management degree that will prepare them for any role in health care leadership. Earn your degree at your own pace and in the format (live and/or distance learning) you prefer.
ACPE's program includes either the Master of Medical Management (MMM) from Carnegie Mellon University or the University of Southern California, or and the online MBA with a concentration in Medical Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
You can complete the degree in 2-4 years, depending on your choice of formats and university options. There is no application required to begin the prerequisite courses and many courses in the curriculum are available to begin today. Once a university is chosen, no GMAT is required.
Since 1997, over 800 physicians from nine countries have received their master's degrees from one of the ACPE partnering universities — Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Southern California, and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
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When and where are program courses held?
The curriculum for ACPE's master's degrees is divided into two parts: 125 CME credits (6-8 classes) of ACPE prerequisites, and the university degree curriculum.
The flexibility of ACPE's program lies in the different formats in which educational courses are available. Prerequisite courses are offered in two formats – live conferences held several times a year across the country or online courses, either self-study/self-paced or with scheduled 3-6 week online sessions (see the list of courses). The Prerequisite Completion Chart lists all of the courses and the formats available. All prerequisite courses carry category 1 CME credit.
Both the ACPE Prerequisites and the Online MBA from the University of Massachusetts can be completed 100% online. Or, you may choose a more face to face learning format for the ACPE Prerequisites combined with the Master of Medical Management degree which includes intensive on-campus sessions mixed with distance education and independent study.
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How long does the program take to complete?
Start to finish, both parts of the program can be completed in as few as 2 years or spread out for up to 10 years. The ACPE Prerequisites can be completed in as few as 6 months or spread out over 7 years (from the year of your first qualifying test). A schedule can be customized to suit your needs so you can go at your own pace.
Once you begin the university part of the program, you’ll spend one year to eighteen months completing the Master of Medical Management degree or an average of 2 1/2 years to complete the Online Part Time MBA (minimum of 22 months, maximum 4 years in the MBA).
To work out your own customized schedule, plan an Advising Session today.
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What are the program's requirements?
The ACPE Master’s Degree Program is designed for MDs and DOs only*. No GMAT is required and no application is necessary to begin the prerequisites. You may start any time as ACPE prerequisites are offered year round. ACPE membership is not required of master’s degree participants, however those who join ACPE receive substantial discounts on tuition for prerequisite courses, along with the full range of benefits available to members of the College.
* The Online Part Time MBA is available to non-physician clinical leaders as well but has additional requirements at the point of application. Contact the University of Massachusetts Amherst for details.
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How much does the program cost?
There is no charge to enroll in the program or to take tests. The only fees are the tuition charges for prerequisite courses and the travel expenses incurred for live courses. You can pay in advance or pay as you go. The estimated tuition cost for the ACPE Prerequisites begins at $6,500. See the University Comparison Chart for current tuitions available at the partnering universities.
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How do I begin participating in the Master's Degree Program?
Begin by registering for your first ACPE Prerequisite course – call ACPE at 800-562-8088 or select a program from the Course Listing and register online. Most physicians start with the Physician in Management Seminar but you can start with any course in the Prerequisite curriculum.
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Can I get credit for other management courses I've taken?
Candidates with graduate level coursework from other universities and/or executive training programs that have been graded and awarded within the past ten years are eligible to transfer up to 60 hours as transfer credits toward your Prerequisite Courses. Acceptance of transfer credit is pending review of the course content and candidate's transcript. Content must be similar in breadth and depth to the ACPE curriculum. Transfer credit for the university portion of the program is not generally available.
Email us if you are interested in transferring credit.
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There are four main differences between the MMM degree offered by Carnegie Mellon University & University of Southern California and the Online Part-Time MBA with a focus in Medical Management from University of Massachusetts, Amherst:
Content
The Master of Medical Management (MMM) was designed by senior physician executives and nationally recognized faculty within ACPE. The MMM takes some aspects of general MBA educational programming and adds content unique to the issues and concerns of medical management. It integrates health care research with business, policy and systems research in order to teach relevant management and leadership competencies in a doctors-only classroom.
By contrast, the Online Part-Time MBA with a focus in Medical Management from University of Massachusetts Amherst teaches practical business knowledge with an emphasis on best practices which is easily applied to health care – all Online Part-Time MBA classes have both physicians and professionals from across industry.
Format/Duration
The MMM includes several intensive on-campus sessions together with independent study and distance learning courses taking 15-18 months to complete. The MBA is 100% distance learning (independent study & online learning) completed in 2-4 years. The distance learning assignments for both programs allow you to fit your studies into the time of day/week that works best for you.
Cost
Those pursuing the MMM will need to factor the travel expenses required to attend the intensive on-campus sessions into the tuition expenses. Those in the Online Part Time MBA have only the tuition, fees and books/resources to factor into the cost equation.
Credential
The MBA is a widely recognized credential and can be especially effective if you need to gain quick respect with business leaders who have little clinical background and may also share the MBA credential themselves. The MMM credential has gained recognition over time but understandably lags behind the MBA – we do have some alumni who say the MMM was a specific advantage in getting their job because their employer was already familiar with the niche degree and credibility of the training.
In most cases, it probably doesn’t matter which degree you get, simply getting the training and the credential will help guarantee that you will be skilled and competitive in the marketplace. What matters most is what you are able to do with that training.
For additional direction about which program to complete, talk to alumni from each program. For information on how to connect with ACPE Alumni or for other questions about the degree program, please call Charisse Jimenez at 800-562-8088 or email cjimenez@acpe.org.
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If I took courses years ago but never took the test for credit, am I still eligible to take the test or do I need to retake the course?
Tests can be completed in any order and at any time – the only restriction is that no more than 7 years elapses between the date of the first test and the date of the last test. We encourage testing soon after each course even if you are unsure that you will complete the program, simply to keep your options open and to avoid having to catch up on material from years past. Remember, there is no charge for testing.
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What about the next step – board certification?
For the physician executive, board certification in medical management can be the key to success in today's competitive health care environment. CPE (Certified Physician Executive) certification can be a valuable credential that can help you advance your career, enhance your credibility, and attain the satisfaction of reaching a major achievement. The ACPE Master's Degree prerequisite curriculum meets most of the educational requirements (25 additional credits are required) for application for the CPE (see CPE Completion Chart).
The Certified Physician Executive (CPE) differs both in how you become one and in what it signifies. To become a CPE you must apply to be accepted into the Certifying Commission in Medical Management's CPE Certification Program. The week-long skill development and assessment program culminates with an oral presentation before a panel of health care leaders.
After a final assessment by the Credentials Committee of the Certifying Commission, you will receive the CPE certification. The CPE attests not only to your knowledge and experience in the field, but also in your ability to share that with others, be it a hiring committee for a future position or with your current staff or peer group. You are also able to put the CPE initials after your name. You then become a Diplomate in ACPE, which is the path to fellowship in the College. Over 1,400 physicians have become board certified in medical management since the Certifying Commission was started in 1997.
To apply for the CPE Certification Program call 800-562-8088 or visit their website www.ccmm.org
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What kind of management position can I expect to receive once I complete my master's degree?
First of all, if you do get a master's degree, keep in mind that it will definitely help you do a management job, but it will not be an automatic guarantee that you will get a management job. When you finished your MD, you could go somewhere and immediately be a doctor. The same is not true for the master's degree programs in medical management. You will still need proven experience and credibility in the marketplace.
With that said, perhaps the best way to answer this question is to refer to the specific jobs our current MMM and MBA graduates are working in today. Here are the top five categories of positions held by our ACPE graduates:
- Medical Director
- Department Chief or Department Chair
- Department or Program Director
- President
- Vice President, Medical Affairs
Email us to request our most recent ACPE Alumni Survey Results to learn more about salaries, job titles and career advancement paths of graduates.
Or if you have career advancement questions in general, contact our Director of Career Development, Barbara Linney at 800-562-8088 or blinney@acpe.org.
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I know without actual management experience, I won’t get a shot at a management job. How do I acquire opportunities to get this experience while advancing my education and credentials?
- Here are a few tips from the hundreds of physicians we work with who have succeeded in their leadership advancement:
- See chaos as an opportunity to step up to the plate. Be available to assume more responsibility, especially during difficult times for the organization, i.e. mergers, changes in leadership, implementation of organization-wide technology solutions.
- Be willing to slowly advance from voluntary, unpaid leadership positions to larger, reimbursed management roles.
- Volunteer to serve on Task Forces, Committees, Ad Hoc Initiatives. Participate enthusiastically and be vocal about your willingness to serve and even lead these efforts.
- Consistently attend and actively participate in meetings, especially meetings that others view negatively.
- Be open and vocal about your interest in positions such as Department Chair, Chief of Service, etc.
- Volunteer to handle often-avoided tasks like conflict resolution, coding, compliance, scheduling, and finances.
- During times of transition when leadership unexpectedly departs, you could make an offer and say, “I’m willing to assume whatever responsibilities you need me to.”
- Be tuned into opportunities to re-engineer processes or innovate systems like patient flow or turn around times. Start a team and collaboratively establish new methods. Then widely report on the improved outcomes, focusing first on the financial improvements and then on items like increased patient satisfaction.
- Look for building projects and expansions of new service lines in your health care community and find ways to get involved in these new initiatives.
- Let others see you managing people and information.
- Run short, efficient meetings that begin and end on time using an agenda that has been prepared in advance and distributed to the participants.
- Make compelling public presentations.
- If you are visible, energetic, and efficient, people will think of you when they have management tasks that need to be done.
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