Rotman’s Global Executive MBA for Healthcare and the Life Sciences

Driving excellence in healthcare and the life sciences

Gain the leadership edge you need for an industry where the frontiers are always advancing. Designed for working professionals, and offered by one of the world’s pre-eminent universities, the program will transform the way you think, lead and drive innovation internationally. It is an intensive 18-month journey that immerses you in key healthcare clusters around the world.

By learning from leading faculty and experienced sector leaders, you will gain the knowledge and skills you and your organization need to succeed. And while you explore current and future best practices globally, we’ll guide you through an in-depth assessment of your own capabilities, with the goal of helping you become a more impactful leader.

Key features

• Earn a top-tier MBA education especially tailored for healthcare and life sciences providers, payers, scientists, regulatory professionals, and suppliers
• Focus on global best practices in health systems, healthcare, and life sciences 
• Learn on-site in multiple countries
• Accelerate your career while accommodating your demanding schedule
• Integrate on-site learning from innovative firms and organizations in multiple countries
• Drive strategic change within and across healthcare and life sciences organizations and systems
• Learn leading edge tools for making effective decisions with available data
• Design innovative solutions at Rotman's Creative Destruction Lab

Who should consider the program

Candidates are mid-to-senior level professionals from industry, providers and service delivery organizations, consulting firms, public agencies, science, and payers in the healthcare and life sciences sector around the world who seek to advance their leadership careers.

Centred on the full sector

The program is designed to link the traditional silos in which healthcare providers, payers, scientists, suppliers, agencies, and other stakeholders typically interact only at arm’s length. The program brings together participants from across the full sector and teach why and how you can create patient value and system strength by integrating more effectively across boundaries, both within and across organizations, regions and countries.

An international perspective

Classes take place onsite in Toronto, the San Francisco Bay Area, Singapore, London, UK and area, and online. The curriculum is designed for you to examine what’s possible ‘at home’ — wherever your home is — by learning from other systems. Site visits and networking events introduce you to senior executives who are experts in doing business in the region. You will hear first-hand about their paths to leadership, gaining a real-world perspective that will have an extraordinary impact on your learning experience. 

Toronto: innovation and entrepreneurship hub

Toronto is ranked as one of the world’s top start-up ecosystems. The University of Toronto’s ONRamp is a 15,000-sq.ft. collaboration and community space dedicated to supporting student entrepreneurs. Steps away from the University, the medical Discovery District hosts and supports entrepreneurial development, while  U of T invests over $1 billion per year in healthcare-related innovation alone.

University of Toronto

Enjoy a full-campus experience at the downtown St. George campus of   U of T, just blocks from the local business community. Established in 1827, U of T is a global centre of research and academic excellence and is recognized worldwide as Canada’s leading university — a reputation that adds tremendous value to your Rotman MBA.

San Francisco Bay area, Singapore, London, UK and area: vital leaders in the field

The San Francisco Bay Area is a hub of entrepreneurial activity and the base for many established healthcare and life sciences firms. Likewise, Singapore is a global hub for healthcare services and life sciences commerce. London, UK and area offers the opportunity to explore the UK's dynamic universal healthcare system - the world's first - as well as the advanced life sciences industries in the region.

What we look for

• High aspirations
• Leadership experience
• History of impact
• Communication and presence

We look for mid- to senior-level experienced professionals from industry, providers and service delivery organizations, consulting firms, public agencies, the sciences, and payers in the healthcare and life sciences sector around the world who seek to advance their leadership careers.

Admission criteria

Typical entry requirements are:

• 8+ years of full-time work experience 
• 3+ years in a mid-to-senior leadership, management, or administrative role (or equivalent)
• Base of knowledge of healthcare or life sciences organizations 
• Evidence of academic achievement 
• Demonstrated teamwork and leadership skills
• English language proficiency: TOEFL or IELTS score required for non-English language degrees
• Successful completion of the GMAT/GRE or the Rotman Executive Diagnostic Test (EDT) is required as part of the application process.
• Current employment in the healthcare or life sciences sectors preferred.

Tuition fees and financing

$113,775 CAD (for 2019 entry year)

The fee includes:

• Tuition
• Program materials
• Class-day meals
• Accommodation for the Toronto residential modules 

Students are responsible for travel and accommodation for the London, UK, San Francisco Bay Area and Singapore modules. Please note that all fees are set annually and are subject to change.

Entrance awards

The Rotman School is invested in attracting strong candidates. You will be automatically considered for entrance awards as soon as you apply for the Global Executive MBA for Healthcare and  the Life Sciences. These awards are based on the overall strength of your application. 

Some of the things we look for during this assessment are leadership qualities demonstrated through professional and academic experiences. Candidates who are selected to receive an entrance award will be notified when they receive an offer of admission. 

Apply now to start fall 2020. The earlier you apply the better your chances of receiving a tuition discount. You will be automatically considered for tuition discounts, awards, and fellowships when you apply. 

Application process

Our personalized approach aims to streamline your application process, and ensure that the program is the right fit for your career and personal goals. All complete applications are presented to the Admissions Committee on a weekly basis. A member of our admissions team will get back to you as soon as a decision on your application is made. Apply early as space is limited.

1. Submit your resume to gemba-hls@rotman.utoronto.ca

2. We will contact you to discuss your experience, career goals and next steps

3. In-person or Skype meeting with a member of the admission team

4. Online application

• current resume
• two professional reference forms
• official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended
• employer consent form
• application fee

5. Successful completion of the Rotman Executive Diagnostic Test (EDT), or GMAT/GRE equivalent if required

Classes begin Fall 2020.

The world: your classroom

The 18-month Global Executive MBA in Healthcare and the Life Sciences offers an innovative curriculum that combines core management skills and practical engagement with deep self-development insights and strategic know-how, all designed for the healthcare and life sciences sector.

The globally-oriented program emphasizes the best of health systems and business, leading strategic change, data-driven decision-making, and entrepreneurship and innovation. Faculty draw on research, industry examples, case studies, and guests from Canada and around the world to enhance the learning experience. Each module of the program involves on-site experiences with firms and organizations that are leading healthcare and life sciences innovation in multiple countries.

Class sessions provide meaningful opportunities for leaders from across the healthcare and life sciences sector to learn about each other’s organizations, to develop networks, and to explore new ways to create the healthcare organizations and health systems of the future.

Program topics and courses

You’ll earn a top-tier MBA from one of the world’s leading business schools, with courses customized and designed for the healthcare and life sciences professional. The program’s 23 courses are structured in six modules. These include 14 core MBA curriculum courses (contextualized to the healthcare and life sciences sector) and nine sector-specific courses.

The program is delivered in a blended model, primarily face-to-face, supplemented with online learning. Online learning includes pre- and post-module work for the residency courses. Students also work on assignments, group deliverables and exams.

• Accounting for Healthcare and the Life Sciences (HLS)
• Business Design Practicum
• The Business Environment: Ethics in HLS
• Business Operations for HLS
• Capstone Project
• Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance for HLS
• Data Analytics and Strategic Decision-Making in HLS
• Decision-Making with Models and Data Digital Health Economics for HLS
• Finance for HLS
• Health Sector Strategy and Organization International Business in HLS
• Leadership Development Practicum Marketing and Behavioural Economics in HLS
• Marketing for HLS
• Negotiations in HLS
• Personal Leadership Quantitative Reasoning for Management in HLS
• Rotman Study Tour
• Special Topics in Strategic Management (Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Health Care)
• Strategic Change and Implementation for HLS Organizations Strategy for HLS

18 months | 6 terms *

The schedule has been designed for personal and professional flexibility. The content will be delivered using a blended delivery model that weaves together in-class and on-site learning, with online support . Approximately 75 percent of sessions will be conducted face-to-face -- in the classroom and in the field.

* Locations and dates subject to change

Creative Destruction Lab: build something massive

Since its launch in 2012, the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) has become one of the world's fastest-growing venture labs, creating over $1 billion of equity value in under five years. Early-stage ventures from all over the world apply to work with the CDL, with many coming out of the research programs of leading global universities. Selected MBA students, along with some of Canada's most successful entrepreneurs, play a vital role by providing strategic insights and business development support.

Career services

Rotman offers comprehensive support services to assist you in reaching your learning and career goals, and to help you make the most of your Global EMBA for Healthcare and the Life Sciences experience. We offer such support as:

• Executive leadership coaching
• One-on-one coaching, career planning and job search strategies
• Executive career workshops and conferences
• Career transition coaching
• 24/7 online career resources
• Networking events and speakers
• Branding, advanced resume support and online presence
• Interview preparations and salary negotiations
• Career assessments

Rotman for life

The benefits of earning a Rotman MBA extend far beyond graduation, As a graduate of the Rotman Executive MBA program, you will have lifelong career support throughout your entire professional career.

Leadership: the Rotman difference

The Rotman School focuses on developing healthcare and life sciences professionals and managers into powerful executives and leaders. Through a personal leadership development plan, one-on-one coaching and experiential learning, discover and achieve your true career potential.

Personal leadership development plan

Create a personal leadership development plan and follow it throughout the program in a process of learning, applying and reflecting. How you define success, and your path to success, are the key factors in building your plan.

Leadership assessment and coaching conversations

Receiving valuable feedback from a variety of sources is the cornerstone of personal development. Multiple assessments will help you understand your skills and develop better self-awareness. Your executive leadership coach will help you explore key areas of your personal leadership development plan and focus your attention on what is working well and what needs to change, based on your assessment and team feedback.

Team effectiveness

Gain critical knowledge of team dynamics and the actions you can take to achieve success as a high-performing team.

Leadership retreat

The leadership retreat helps you see yourself and your world through new lenses, recognizing that complexity, ambiguity and challenges are opportunities for innovation, reinvention and renewal.

HLS Leadership Network

Gain access to a wide network of leaders from different parts of the healthcare and life sciences sector through the HLS Leadership Network, an exclusive network of senior executives who have been carefully selected to reflect a variety of career and life experiences. The advisors will assist students with first-hand knowledge about specific industries, functions, business problems and most importantly, provide advice on their career options. Engage both in person and remotely with a variety of advisors, and tailor your studies to your own business and career learning objectives.

Rotman speaker series

The Rotman School is deeply engaged with the business community, creating innovative partnerships in key sectors from life sciences to high tech and financial services. We share insights and ideas with a wider audience through special events, publications and speaker series.

Each year, Rotman hosts over 100 public talks by bestselling authors, senior management executives, award-winning journalists, and other business thought leaders. The real-world perspectives, insights and inspiring stories shared by our speakers have an extraordinary impact on our students.

Mastery sessions

Mastery workshops focus on leadership skills and competencies to enhance the core leadership curriculum.  Topics include:

• The Psychology of Self-Management
• Resilience and the Neuroscience of Leadership  Leadership Presence
• Presentation Skills: Customized Coaching and Feedback
• Global Leadership and Cultural Fluency
• Integrative Dialogues (Difficult Interpersonal Communications)

Learn from the world’s leading business thinkers

The Rotman faculty is renowned for its thought leadership. Their groundbreaking insights travel from the classroom and research centres to the boardrooms of organizations that are shaping the future of business. 

Academic directors

 Brian R. Golden, Vice-Dean, MBA Programs | Sandra Rotman Chair in Health Sector Strategy at The University of Toronto and The University Health Network | Executive Director, Sandra Rotman Centre for Health Sector Strategy | Professor of Strategic Management

“The biggest challenge in healthcare right now is getting  as much high quality care as possible for the dollars we're spending. Healthcare is the world’s biggest industry, and with advances in science and technology and a global appetite for better, more accessible and sustainable healthcare, the opportunities for health system leaders are limitless.”

Will Mitchell, Anthony S. Fell Chair in New Technologies and Commercialization | Professor of Strategic Management

“This is a truly global sector that will continue to grow and change, making it a dynamic environment for ambitious professionals who are looking to demonstrate leadership  and make an impact on their organizations and their health systems. Whether you are working in government, science, healthcare delivery or for a company, you have the satisfaction of knowing that the products and services you’re creating and delivering are helping to genuinely improve people’s lives.”

Professor Will Mitchell has extensive experience with health and life sciences research, teaching, and business in multiple countries. He has an appointment at Duke University, including engagements with the Duke Medical School and Business School. Will is a board member of Neuland Laboratories, Inc., a pharmaceutical company based in Hyderabad, India.

A selection of our world-class faculty

Marlys Christianson, Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour and HR Management

Her research interests include the coordination of complex and interdependent work, sense-making in high-risk environments, and resilient organizing, particularly as it relates to error detection and correction.

Alexander Dyck, Manulife Financial Chair in Financial Services | Professor of Finance and Economic Analysis and Policy

Academic director of theDirector's Education Program, a board member of the Rotman international Centre for Pension Management, and a fellow of the Michael Lee-Chin Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship.

Jennifer Gibson, Director, University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics | Sun life Financial Chair in Bioethics

Leads the World Health Organization's Collaborating Centre for Bioethics at the University of Toronto and has advised on government advisory committees on health system integration and other topics.

Avi Goldfarb, Ellison Professor of Marketing

Has published over 50 articles in economics, artificial intelligence, marketing, statistics, and law.

Kristina McElheran, Assistant Professor of Strategy, University of Toronto | Digital Fellow, Initiative on the Digital Economy at MIT

Research focuses on the use of IT and data on organizational design and strategy, and she has worked for two start-up technology companies in Silicon Valley. 

Dilip Soman, Corus Chair in Communication Strategy | Professor of Marketing | Member of the Behavioural Economics in Action Research Cluster

Studies and research

Healthy business? Managerial education and management in healthcare, by Nicholas Bloom, Renata Lemos, Raffaella Sadun, John Van Reenen

Hospitals that are closer to universities in offering both medical and business education with higher management quality. Supplying joint MBA-healthcare courses may be a way for universities to increase medical business skills and raise clinical performance.

In the news

New Rotman healthcare EMBA: ‘Global Context’ for pros, Poets and Quants for executives

Business schools have been attempting to meet a need for physicians and scientists seeking to combine their technical backgrounds with a deeper understanding of the business side of healthcare. The Rotman School feels there’s more to be done.

Designing for hospital physician alignment by Brian Golden OHA Magazine

Leaders in healthcare know to align the interests of their employees and staff with those of the organization: to make them partners. The most robust health systems bring physicians into the process and align their interests with those of the hospitals.

Videos

Leadership in Healthcare and the Life Sciences

"It takes a really brave leader to challenge the status quo, to challenge the inertia of the status quo, the safety of the status quo, to drive real innovation in the healthcare system."

A global approach to healthcare and the life sciences

"One of the greatest opportunities in programs like this is the opportunity to get information-- intelligence, ways of thinking-- that are way beyond our borders."

Healthcare, pharma, medical devices and the MBA

"People are moving around, but they're finding positions and they're excited about those positions. It's a very dynamic industry. "

Global Executive MBA for Healthcare and the Life Sciences class profile

Admission and next steps

The University of Toronto Global Executive MBA for Healthcare and the Life Sciences program uses a rigorous set of admission criteria, based on a combination of academic abilities, interpersonal skills, and employment credentials. We look for high achievers who can already demonstrate significant professional success and potential for advancement.

Application deadlines

Round 1: January 22, 2020
Round 2: April 22, 2020
Round 3: June 24, 2020
Round 4: August 19, 2020

We're now accepting applications to start fall 2020. We encourage you to start the process by sending us your resume for pre-assessment to see if the program is a right fit for you. Offers of admission are made on a rolling basis, and the class may fill at any time.

Application process

Apply now to start fall 2020. Please send us your resume. We will review your qualifications and credentials and contact you to advise you on your suitability for the program and to discuss next steps.

Start Your Application Today