Throughout his career as a physician, Dr. Anup Singh (MBA, MS ‘23) has navigated numerous changes in the health care landscape. Having worked at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s accustomed to facing unprecedented obstacles and is passionate about leading teams through challenges. As a graduate of the Executive MBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership program, he strives to improve the relationships that drive patient care.
His interest in the medical field initially stemmed from his time growing up in India, where his grandfather suffered from lung problems and died at an early age, mainly due to the lack of clinical facilities in their village. Motivated to provide accessible care, he became a pulmonologist and worked in critical care.
As he progressed to a role as director of the Center of Excellence for Bronchiectasis at Lenox Hill Hospital, he became increasingly aware of the communication gap between physicians and administration and its impact on their workflow. “Post-COVID, physicians were not adequately celebrated for their work, and I noticed their disappointment with the administration. I knew that someone with a physician’s experience had to step in and bridge the gap between them,” said Dr. Singh.
In seeking out opportunities for higher education, his goal was to grow his knowledge of the health care industry and become a better leader in his personal and professional life. The dual degree offered at Cornell stood out because of its specific focus on health care leadership and its in-person instruction.
“You learn so much from meeting your cohort [in person],” Dr. Singh explained. “All of the students are in health care, but not all of them are physicians or nurses or working in hospitals. They’re in pharmacy, insurance, value-based care; they have such a range of experience. One of the best things you can get out of the program is networking.”
The coursework further strengthens the program’s sense of community. He explains that team building and creating trust were an integral focus in classes on management. Finance courses provided him with fundamental concepts to effectively engage in business settings, while leadership-focused classes encouraged him to better understand himself as an individual.
While the program was transformative, Dr. Singh emphasizes that a support system is crucial to balancing the workload. Being in person and experiencing residential weeks while making time for family life comes with challenges. He advises clear communication at work and home about program expectations to ensure that everyone remains on the same page.
In his current role as chief medical executive at a Sutter Health hospital, one of his primary goals is building physician trust in the hospital’s vision, mission, and values. When he joined in 2023, a survey indicated that only 35.2 percent of physicians would recommend the hospital as a place of work. Through his efforts to improve the quality of their experience, that number has risen to 91 percent.
“If you’re seeking a program that fosters a strong desire to learn,” he concluded, “this is the one for you. It offers real expertise through team-based learning and a solid foundation in business skills and health care applications.”
In the future, Dr. Singh hopes to advance further within the hospital system, ideally working in a quaternary center in another C-suite role. He aims to continue improving operational efficiency for patients and providing high-quality care that meets national benchmarks.