Jyothi Kulkarni, MD, MA, MHCDS
MHCDS has been a rewarding experience which opens up your world, broadens your perspective, builds your confidence levels, and fundamentally transforms the way you think of the current health care system and how it can be changed for the better in the future.
I am the Chair of Hospitalist Services at the Valley Medical Group, a part of the Valley Health System in Ridgewood, New Jersey. I was the founding Medical Director of the hospitalist program. We started in 2006 with 5 providers and the program has grown to currently include 48 providers. The hospitalist service provides care for 60% of the Medical/Surgical patient population in our 450-bed hospital.
Why did you decide to take the MHCDS program?
To augment the practical experience that I have gained as the leader of a successful hospitalist service for the past 17 years with cutting edge knowledge on healthcare delivery in the current healthcare environment.
For several reasons:
1. Unique hybrid program with courses taught by faculty from both the Geisel School of Medicine and the Tuck School of Business who are actively engaged in research in the field
2. Relevance of the curriculum to what I do every day
3. Novel approach that emphasizes active involvement in class and projects, is thought provoking, and goes beyond the traditional MBA/MHA programs to focus on devising practical interventions that are urgently needed to transform health care delivery.
What has been the best part of the program for you – so far?
All aspects and experiences have been very rewarding. The highlights are my classmates who are a very engaged group and bring such a wide array of expertise and perspectives as well as the faculty who make learning an enjoyable experience.