Michael Perry MD, CPE
Exec Vice President & Chief Phys Officer
Freeport Health Network
Freeport, IL

I thought ACPE and Roger would like to know that FHN (our IDS in Freeport, Ill) has named me to replace our current CEO at the end of 2005 when the current CEO retires after 19 years.

It was because of the courses and attaining CPE status that I developed into a physician that the board trusts to lead the organization.

Marc Wooten MD, MBA, CPE
Chief of Staff
No. Indiana VA Health Care System
Fort Wayne, IN

I came to this position knowing the emphasis that my organization places upon its upper level management to become members of one of the major health care organizations such as the American College of Physician Executives. So I didn't wait to join. The benefits of membership in ACPE made everything that followed worthwhile.

I was informed shortly thereafter that I was eligible for Certified Physician Executive (CPE) status based on my MBA. I registered for the certification in medical management. Soon I was booking my reservations to travel to Tampa in February (not an altogether bad time to go) for the tutorial. I was there with the largest class in the tutorial's history, a true credit to those who coordinated the program. For a long week my colleagues and I sweated, moaned, and labored at the daily assignments given to us. A vacation it was not. (We only saw the beautiful beaches flying into and out of the airport.)

I wish I had known how valuable CPE training would have been earlier in my career. I had become certified primarily because of my current job. I would now encourage anyone who has any interest in healthcare administration to pursue this opportunity, as you will learn many pertinent things that will be helpful later.

The week culminated in the five-minute, videotaped interview. Truly this was something that we all dreaded, and as a result practiced countless times. Could I indeed sell myself? It was a matter of sharing what had happened, by the grace of God, in my life and feeling confident in that process. Weeks later, I was truly excited to open the letter from ACPE and find out that I had become a CPE. I look at this as a milestone in my professional development that is every bit as significant as being board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties. I look forward to a fruitful experience in ACPE with those I met there that I now count as special friends for the future.

William Cors MD, CPE
Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs
Somerset Medical Center
Somerville, NJ
The CPE is a badge of honor, a recognition of being "Board Certified" in the specialty of Medical Management. It is a tangible recognition of the mastery of a new set of knowledge and skills. Personally, it earned me promotion from VPMA to Senior Vice President Medical Affairs. Our Board also was looking for succession planning and a plan "B" in the event of the absence/illness/vacation of the CEO. I was designated to be acting CEO in the absence/illness/vacation of the CEO.

The Tutorial brought together the multitude of tools, skills and new knowledge sets gleaned from ACPE course work and on the job experience in management. It was a chance to reflect and sharpen those skills into a critical final presentation before examiner and camera for all the world to see that, yes, I have arrived.

J. Douglas Knoop, MD, MHA, FACS, CPE
Senior Medical Director
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
The CPE Tutorial was not only enjoyable, it was a terrific learning experience. It's a great opportunity to reevaluate one's physician executive skills. It's virtually impossible to come out of the week without a better "feel" for your strengths and weaknesses as a physician executive, including learning how to effectively use one's management strengths while developing or enhancing other skill sets. It was a very productive week.

Ray Fernandez, M.D., CPE
Chief Exec Officer & Chief Med Officer
Piedmont Clinic
Atlanta, GA
Achieving recognition of one's educational accomplishments thru "Board
certification" is a process well known to physicians. The CPE identification
takes it one step further. Not only does it identify you as one who has
broad and extensive "education", but it also means that you have had
practical experience. This experience "through fire" by working on the front
line is something that no MBA program can provide. So any CPE who seeks an
advanced position can point with great pride to his/her certificate that
immediately tells a prospective employer that this candidate has proved
themselves over and over in the "real world."

Rice C. Leach, M.D.
Commissioner,
Kentucky Department for Public Health
The part of the CPE that meant the most to me occurred long before receiving
the certification. The course work, seminars, and meetings required to be a
diplomat of the American Board of Medical Management exposed me to new ideas
on how to improve personal and organizational performance. Attendance at
ACPE courses and meetings presented many opportunities to discuss ideas and
be challenged by peers and world class thinkers in our field. Can I give
you quantitative evidence of the benefit? Probably not but remember, the
Certification as a Physician Executive is a document. The personal
transformation that occured as I acquired it was the valuable part.

Lloyd E. Dodd, Jr.
Brig Gen, USAF, MC, CFS
Commander, 311 Human Systems Wing, Brooks AFB, TX
Earning the CPE and the subsequent MMM was an effort in serious
personal and professional growth. I could feel my thinking evolving out of
the ruts so easily slipped into. But the power of the certification and
education is not in the having, but the using of the tools. The military
medical environment is in flux and confounded with uncertainty just as is
the civilian community, and we are struggling with improving our efficiency
and demonstrating our immediate and long-term relevance (sound familiar?).
The CPE and MMM programs clearly improved my ability to deal with the
tactical, every day challenges as well as the strategic needs of my system.

I would recommend these opportunities to anyone who truly wants to
be better tomorrow than they are now.


Christian Jensen, MD, FACPE
Associate Medical Director
Delmarva Foundation for Medical Care
Easton, MD
Since earning my CPE, I have continued to experience numerous professionally challenging opportunities. I was on Active Duty as a Captain, USN, Director of Occupational and Environmental Health at The Naval Academy, when I was certified. I retired, and went to The MD & DC Peer Review Organization (PRO) as Medical Director for Review. Subsequently, I was hired by Computer Sciences Corporation, and served as The Medical Director for The Y2K Contract, the first Program Safeguard Contract let by HCFA/CMS. I am now Medical Director of The Western Integrity Center, Program Safeguard Contractor for Medicare, for 12 Western States. In these latter two assignments, for which there was no incumbent, no job description, or
precedent, I found that the rich background I had in medical management (MA
in Economics, MPH, Certificate in Medical Management, service command experience etc.) was invaluable. The CPE, for me, provided official recognition of those qualifications. It was just at the right stage of my career.

Frank Horrigan M.D., F.A.C.P., CPE
Medical Director
Noble Hospital
Westfield, MA
After twenty three years of practice, I found I needed a whole new skill set to deal with issues from the viewpoint of a medical director. The courses through the ACPE fit the bill exactly. I learned to have some sense ( and respect ) for how organizations work. I learned how to understand and deal effectively with many types of communication styles. Frequently on completing a course, I was able to apply the lessons almost immediately on return to work. The courses themselves were presented in a lovely
comfortable atmosphere with a very attentive staff. The Certification
program is well worth doing.

Laddie L. Tackett, MD, CPE
Medical Director
Bluegrass Family Health
Lexington, KY
I really enjoyed it. Not only from the standpoint of what you are learning in the lectures, but it was helpful to see yourself on video in this group of peers and have their constructive feedback. On the last day you have five minutes to get your point across powerfully and concisely to a panel of health care executives. As an executive you often have to make your point quickly. The presentation at the end is more useful than another written test. Some people may say they don't feel comfortable with that, but if you are going to be a physician executive, you better get comfortable with it. The week of the Tutorial also helped me understand that once we have made it through this program we do have a lot of skills to offer to an employer.

Virginia M. Moore, MD, CPE
Medical Director, Regional Quality Management, Cap Reg
Aetna US Healthcare
Largo, MD
It was a little more stressful than I needed at that point in my life. I knew there would be homework and exercises but that big build up to the end I found stressful. Partly that goes back to my history of being one of those terrified public speakers. However, it was very good for me because the only way you get much better with public speaking is to be put to the fire over and over again until it becomes old hat. Last week I had to talk to 400 so the timing of the Tutorial was very helpful even though it was stressful that week.

Daniel S. Ferguson, MD, MS, CPE
Regional Senior VP,Chief Medical Officer
Mercy Healthcare Sacramento
Rancho Cordova, CA
I really enjoyed meeting folks from all over the country, getting to know them and seeing what challenges they're faced with back home. In the cohort of eight you get to know those folks pretty well over a week. I was skeptical about using video tape, and I think other people were uneasy about it, but by the end of the week, I think everyone thought it was very helpful. The sessions on communication skills were useful because we are sales people for new ideas-also business planning skills, dealing with the difficult physicians, interviewing. The session on the marketplace helped me understand what is out there and where I am going.

Ed Palank, MD, CPE, FACC
President
Edward A. Palank, MD, Inc
Naples, FL
It was excellent to get positive and negative feedback from fellow physicians in the cohorts. It also helped to have the Teaching Fellow in the cohorts as a mentor who gave feedback when we were practicing confronting a disruptive physician. The session by Larry Tyler on networking and interviewing helped me know what potential employers are looking for.