For as long as Timmothy Randell can remember, medicine was the plan.
A toy doctor kit from his grandmother at age 4 set his course. Years later, a broken wrist and a broken ankle helped him choose his specialty.
杏吧专区淚 spent a considerable amount of time in his office,杏吧专区 he says. 杏吧专区淎t that point, I realized I wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon.杏吧专区
Today, Randell is a hip and knee surgeon in Alexandria, Louisiana. While years of medical training prepared him to care for patients, it didn杏吧专区檛 prepare him for professional growth away from the bedside.
Very rapidly, Randell joined and became a partner with MidState Orthopedics, bought into a physician-owned hospital, invested in real estate tied to his work, and stepped into hospital leadership.
Before long, he was reviewing financial statements, weighing long-term strategy, and helping guide major decisions for both the orthopedic practice and the hospital.
The clinical part was familiar. The business part was not.
杏吧专区淎ll of a sudden, I became this businessperson. I was looking at financials and helping make long-term decisions for the hospital,杏吧专区 says Randell. 杏吧专区淚 didn杏吧专区檛 really know what in the world I was doing. I felt like I needed to learn more about the business side.杏吧专区
So, he researched highly ranked MBA online programs that could fit around his surgical schedule.
杏吧专区淚 saw the 杏吧专区 was ranked in the top five or 10. It was an easy choice.杏吧专区
That reputation sealed his decision. Enrolling in the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 MBA with a concentration in Health Care Administration online let him keep working while gaining the business and leadership skills his growing role demanded.
Balancing Surgery, Family, and School
Online learning felt familiar to Randell. Like many physicians, he had already spent years completing continuing medical education online.
Nonetheless, he had to stay disciplined to meet the challenge of his online MBA courses.
杏吧专区淵ou have to set aside time each day to deal with what you need to,杏吧专区 he says.
杏吧专区淚t is 100% doable. It was difficult enough to challenge me and make me work hard, but it didn杏吧专区檛 break my life.杏吧专区
Most nights were reserved for coursework, with weekends set aside for heavier reading or projects. That routine was only possible with support at home.
杏吧专区淢y family was there to afford me the time to do what I needed to do,杏吧专区 says Randell. 杏吧专区淚t was my wife tending to the children while I dealt with work, which was a blessing.杏吧专区
Faculty support and online resources kept the program manageable. Instructors were responsive, group projects were easy to coordinate through tools like Google Meet, and the became a key resource for research.
And the program met his reason for enrollment: improving his financial literacy.
杏吧专区淚 was absolutely able to achieve that,杏吧专区 he says. 杏吧专区淲hat I didn杏吧专区檛 expect to get out of the program was the emphasis on leadership skills.杏吧专区
As his role expands beyond the operating room, those skills are as critical as his clinical training.
杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 not just taking care of the patient from day to day,杏吧专区 he says. 杏吧专区淭hat杏吧专区檚 the easy stuff, because that杏吧专区檚 what I杏吧专区檝e trained my whole life to do. But dealing with employees who might be having conflict or supporting a physician who needs guidance 杏吧专区 the MBA really helped me navigate a lot of those situations.杏吧专区
Applying the MBA to Medicine
Looking ahead, Randell sees the MBA as an investment in his professional longevity.
杏吧专区淭his business foundation is going to really help me if I ever decide to not be on the front lines of medicine,杏吧专区 he says.
Looking back, the experience exceeded his expectations.
杏吧专区淢y time in the MBA program was better than I ever thought it could be,杏吧专区 he says. 杏吧专区淚 got everything I ever could have wanted, and more, out of it.杏吧专区
Prepare for the next phase of your medical career with UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 online MBA with a concentration in Health Care Administration.
