Are some specialties more suited to C-suite jobs?

[bngli]

I'm curious about physicians who move on to jobs like CMO or CMIO. At the three hospitals I've worked at so far, 2 of the CMIOs were EM docs and 1 was IM. But I wonder if that is because older EM docs want to have an exit strategy due to the nature of the job. Have you guys noticed specialties that are more common among CMO/CMIOs and specialties you never see represented on the business side? I'm guessing surgical specialties won't be common, and probably not derm or ophtho because the C-suite job would probably be a major step down. But what about something like radiology, PM&R, or psych?

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[Osteoth]

EM and IM also inherently work with all the specialties in the hospital so they know them on a personal basis.

Radiology you would lose $. Psych mostly operated as an outpatient so they have less involvement in the hospital overall. Not sure about pmr.

 

[pedsguy2002]

Hi,

I have an MD/MBA and work in managed care. I'd say it doesn't really matter what specialty you are if you want to be a hospital CMO. In any sort of managed care job it probably is best to be a family doc or ER doc so you have a broad base of knowledge, but I'm a NICU doc by trade which made it somewhat challenging given I've had to relearn a lot of adult medicine, but it was doable. Of interest, psychiatrists have a lot of options, either to review behavioral health cases for an MCO, or really anything within the hospital. I would go into what you like and go from there. Kind of like picking your major in college if you're applying to med school (sort of lol).

 

[Osteoth]

Hi,

I have an MD/MBA and work in managed care. I'd say it doesn't really matter what specialty you are if you want to be a hospital CMO. In any sort of managed care job it probably is best to be a family doc or ER doc so you have a broad base of knowledge, but I'm a NICU doc by trade which made it somewhat challenging given I've had to relearn a lot of adult medicine, but it was doable. Of interest, psychiatrists have a lot of options, either to review behavioral health cases for an MCO, or really anything within the hospital. I would go into what you like and go from there. Kind of like picking your major in college if you're applying to med school (sort of lol).

What’s the salary look like? Room for growth?

 

[pedsguy2002]

What’s the salary look like? Room for growth?

For which job?

 

[Iamnew2]

I'm curious about physicians who move on to jobs like CMO or CMIO. At the three hospitals I've worked at so far, 2 of the CMIOs were EM docs and 1 was IM. But I wonder if that is because older EM docs want to have an exit strategy due to the nature of the job. Have you guys noticed specialties that are more common among CMO/CMIOs and specialties you never see represented on the business side? I'm guessing surgical specialties won't be common, and probably not derm or ophtho because the C-suite job would probably be a major step down. But what about something like radiology, PM&R, or psych?

Why would it be a step down? C - suite jobs are a massive $$$ maker. You will make far more than in this type of job than you will as a physician.

 

[Osteoth]

For which job?

I guess my question would be at what point does your salary equate to about what you would make clinically?

It’s my understanding for an internist it’s around the CMO level and before that it’s a money loser.

 

[pedsguy2002]

I guess my question would be at what point does your salary equate to about what you would make clinically?

It’s my understanding for an internist it’s around the CMO level and before that it’s a money loser.

Well, a job for CMO has a certain salary level that won't be changed significantly based on what specialty you're coming from. Based on what I've seen and heard the salary in the Northeast tends to be in the $300s plus bonus (which can be 25-50% of your base), Those websites with salary info seem pretty accurate, so you could compare that way.

 

[FlowRate]

Where I trained (northeast) there were a number of psychiatrists in the C-suite roles including president/CEO. Not every psychiatrist channels their interpersonal skills training in that somewhat covert/opaque way that a lot of high level business folks interact with others but those who do are certainly good at it. Also gives an understanding of team/interpersonal dynamics of the organization.