What to Expect

Continuing Education Credits

Through the Physician's Executive MBA at the Harbert College of Business, you gain access to membership with the Southern Medical Association (SMA). Learn more below.

• More About the SMA

  Auburn University is proud to partner with the Southern Medical Association (SMA) to offer healthcare-focused education. The Washington, D.C., residency focuses on emerging issues in U.S. health care policy, and the international residency focuses on comparative healthcare systems. 

  Accreditation Statement

  These activities have been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Southern Medical Association and Auburn University.  The Southern Medical Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education.

  The SMA mission is to improve quality of patient care through multidisciplinary, interprofessional education. This involves physician-directed educational and leadership activities that include diverse teams of healthcare professionals interacting, collaborating, and learning for the purpose of improving the quality of patient care.

  PEMBA students receive a one-year membership to the SMA. This allows students to register for AirMed travel for the trip. It also provides a subscription to the Southern Medical Journal, free online CME, discounts on Dell® computer equipment as well as other member benefits. Membership is also in place for their Washington, D.C., policy trip.

  Please visit sma.org for more information about the SMA.

Travel Experiences

The PEMBA program includes two travel residencies built into the curriculum to enrich students’ perspectives on future alternatives for healthcare delivery and practice. You will journey to Washington, D.C., to focus on emerging issues in U.S. healthcare policy. Our international residency provides an in-depth look at comparative healthcare systems. These activities have been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Southern Medical Association (SMA) and Auburn University.  

During the travel residencies, lodging and some meals are covered by a portion of your tuition.

• Comparative Healthcare Systems - Sample Itinerary

  Sample International Experience Itinerary

  The following itinerary is a sample from previous cohort trip to London. 

  Monday 

  • 7:00-7:50 am
    Breakfast Service
  • 7:50-8:00 am
    Welcome and Introductory Announcements
  • 8:00-9:00 am
    National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
  • 9:00-10:00 am
    Operational & Strategic Issues Facing the English NHS Part 1
  • 10:00-10:15 am
    Break
  • 10:15-11:15 am
    Operational & Strategic Issues Facing the English NHS Part 2
  • 11:15 am-12:15 pm
    A "Day in the Life": The Role of the General Practitioner"
  • 12:15-1:30 pm
    Lunch with the Faculty at the Hotel and Adjourn

   

  Tuesday

  • 7:00-7:45 am
    Breakfast Service
  • 7:45 am
    Depart for King's College
  • 9:00-9:30 am
    Arrive and Introductions
  • 9:30 am
    "A Day in the Life": The Role of a Specialist
  • 10:30 am
    Q&A Session: The Role of the Assistant Medical Director
  • 11:15 am
    Break
  • 11:15-11:30 am
    Leadership and Transformation in the NHS
  • 11:30-11:45 am
    Managing Operations in an NHS Trust
  • 11:45 am-12:00 pm
    Finance in the NHS
  • 12:00-12:30 pm
    Clinical Governance in the NHS/Q&A
  • 12:30-1:15 pm
    Lunch
  • 1:15-2:30 pm
    Tours
  • 2:45 pm
    Load Bus and Depart for the Hotel

   

  Wednesday

  • 7:00-9:00 am
    Breakfast Service
  • 10:00 am
    Depart London for Surrey
  • 11:30 am
    Arrive in Surrey
  • 11:30 am-12:30 pm
    Lunch
  • 1:00-1:45 pm
    Introductions and Integrated Care--Surrey Heartlands
  • 1:45 2:15 pm
    Primary Care in Surrey Heartlands
  • 2:15-2:25 pm
    Wider Determinants of Health
  • 2:25-2:50 pm
    Quality Improvement: Redesigning Outpatient Care
  • 2:50 pm
    Q&A
  • 3:15-4:15 pm
    Tours
  • 4:15-4:30 pm
    Final Questions and Closing
  • 4:30 pm
    Load Bus and Depart for London
  • 6:00 pm
    Arrive in London

   

  Thursday

  • 7:15-8:00 am
    Breakfast Service
  • 8:00-9:00 am
    Depart for London Imperial College
  • 8:20 am
    Arrive at London Imperial College
  • 8:30-11:00 am
    Presentation and Tour
  • 11:00 am
    Return to the Hotel
  • 11:30am-12:45 pm
    Lunch at the Hotel
  • 12:45 pm
    Load Bus and Depart for the Wellington Hospital
  • 1:30-4:30 pm
    Wellington Hospital: Presentation and Tour
  • 4:30 pm
    Return to the Hotel

   

  Friday

  • 7:15-8:00 am
    Breakfast Service
  • 8:00-9:00 am
    Private Insurance
  • 9:00-10:00 am
    British Medical Association
  • 10:00-10:15 am
    Break
  • 10:15-11:00 am
    Governmental Perspective on Health Care
  • 11:00 am -12:00 pm
    Wrap Up
  • 12:00-12:45 pm
    Lunch at the Hotel
    
    

   

Cohort at a Glance

With a blended program that combines distance-learning and a series of on-campus residencies, you will be able to make connections with a group of peers and create networking opportunities that will go well beyond graduation.

Get a sense of the people you’ll connect with by exploring the titles, specialties, and locations of our 2022 graduating class!

• 2022 Cohort

  Company	Title	City	State	Medical Specialty
  Mercy Care	Staff Physician	Atlanta	GA	Family Medicine
  Northeast Georgia Health System	Vice President	Gainesville	GA	Family Medicine
  UPMC Williamsport	Chief, Acute Care Surgery	Williamsport	PA	Acute Care Surgery
  Memorial Healthcare	Hospitalist Medical Director	Owosso	MI	Internal Medicine- Hospitalist
  Emergency Medical Specialists of Jacksonville	Physician	Atlantic Beach	FL	Emergency Medicine
  University of Utah	Professor of Surgery	Holladay	UT	General Surgery (Transplantation)
  Shelby OB/Gyn	Physician/President	Alabaster	AL	Urogynecology
  University of Alabama at Birmingham	Physician	Birmingham	AL	Physician Medicine and Rehab
  OhioHealth	System Medical Chief, Epilepsy	Columbus	OH	Neurology/Epilepsy
  Alabama Medical Group	Physician	Mobile	AL	Internal Medicine
  Vituity Healthcare	Vice Chairman	Emeryville	CA	Emergency Medicine
  Wellstar Medical Group	Physician	Alpharetta	GA	Pediatrics
  Anesthesia Management Solutions	Chief of Department of Anesthesia-Memorial Satilla Health	Waycross	GA	Anesthesia
  Columbia Nephrology	President	Columbia	SC	Nephrology
  Wellstar Medical Group	Lead Pediatric Hospitalist	Marietta	GA	Pediatric Hospital Medicine
  Independent Anesthesia Consultants of Riverside	Physician	Temecula	CA	Pediatric Anesthesiology
  Pediatric Associates	Pediatrician	Milwaukee	WI	Pediatrics
  Baylor Scott & White Health	Medical Director	Georgetown	TX	Pathology
  Las Cruces Cardiology	MD	Las Cruces	NM	Cardiology