advanced leadership program in health sector

Lead Growth, Drive Innovation, Deliver Impact.

The Duke Advanced Leadership Program in Health Sector (Duke ALPH) is an 8-month multi-modular program designed for senior leaders in the health sector who aspire to lead and innovate in the ever-evolving industry. Offered by Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business in collaboration with Duke University School of Medicine, this program is led by renowned faculty from both prestigious schools. This program provides an intensive, hands-on learning experience and will equip you with comprehensive knowledge, advanced leadership skills, and profound insights on crucial topics like digital health, competitive market strategies, and growth through innovation in order to effectively navigate the challenges and capitalize on opportunities across this dynamic industry.

With this program, you will gain the tools to manage risks, navigate health sector finance, and understand the complexities of biomedical and pharmaceutical innovation and value-based care. You will develop the strategic foresight needed at the C-suite level to drive meaningful change and not only embrace but also redefine the future of leadership in the health sector.

Duration

8 Months

Format

Blended (Live Online + Classroom Sessions)

Location

Duke University School of Medicine & Duke University Campus (Durham, N.C., USA)

Download Brochure

By submitting the form, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy.

79%

or more health system executives prioritize generative AI and agentic AI as top innovations for 2026.

Source: Deloitte 2026 US Health Care Outlook

USD 115.6 bn

is the projected population health management solutions market size by 2032.

Source: GMI Population Health Management Solutions Market Report, 2032

USD 5.7 bn

is the projected global healthcare workforce management system market size in 2031.

Source: Healthcare Workforce Management System Global Market Briefing 2022

Program Benefits

Upon completion of the Duke ALPH, apart from becoming part of the Duke ALPH community, you will become an integral part of the global Duke Executive Education network. Additionally, you will receive select premier benefits as part of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and Duke University School of Medicine

The Duke ALPH Program certificate from Duke Executive Education, Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, and Duke University School of Medicine.
Inclusion in The Fuqua School of Business alumni LinkedIn network – a private group with 15,000+ alumni members.
Inclusion in The Fuqua School of Business alumni directory with access to online searching for networking opportunities.
Access to CareerBridge, Fuqua’s Job Board, an exclusive resource for Fuqua degree students and alumni job seekers with the ability to search across several criteria, including region, function, geographical location, and work authorization.
Receive monthly alumni e-newsletter, Team Fuqua Flash, from Fuqua’s Alumni Relations team.
Access to The Fuqua School of Business alumni events and webinars.
Access to The Fuqua School of Business Ford Library while on campus.
Ability to post targeted career opportunities for your organization through the Fuqua School of Business’ Career Management Center job portal – accessible by Fuqua students and alumni only.
Inclusion in the Duke University alumni directory and the ability to join Duke’s affinity, industry, and regional groups.
Access to create a Duke lifetime email address.
30% discount on future Duke Executive Education program registrations (global partner programs excluded)

*All benefits are subject to change.

The Advantage of Duke Fuqua and Duke University School of Medicine

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business was founded in 1969 and, since then, has come to be known for attracting and nurturing a new kind of leader. One who has the power to bring out the strength in others and move teams forward toward a common purpose. We foster a leadership style that inspires entire organizations to do better while doing what’s best. As a business school, we don’t just teach societal leadership, which is a core function of business; we live it through our own business practices.

With internationally renowned thought leaders on our faculty, research centers, and a collaborative culture, Duke Fuqua has quickly risen to become one of the world’s premier business schools.

Duke University School of Medicine was established in 1930 and is one of the nation’s leading institutions for health professions and biomedical education, clinical care, biomedical research, and community partnership. The school comprises more than 2,600 regular rank faculty physicians and researchers. A vibrant home for the next generation of discovery, the combined efforts of the school’s faculty make Duke one of the largest biomedical research enterprises in the country with over $1.1 billion in sponsored research expenditures annually.

Duke University School of Medicine is mission driven with a focus on education, research, patient care, and community partnership.

Rankings

Executive MBA
(US News 2025)

Best Colleges for Public Health in USA
(Niche College Rankings 2024)

Medicine
(BRIMR Ranking 2023)

Biomedical
(US News 2024)

Key Takeaways

Develop a strategic vision for gaining competitive advantage in the health sector
Nurture a digital health mindset and deploy disruptive technologies such as AI/ML, Big Data and Generative AI to reshape health sector organizations in various aspects such as value-based care, precision medicine, etc.
Harness strategic, C-Suite leadership skills to drive organizational change and growth
Build a world-class healthcare organization by driving innovations in healthcare delivery while implementing risk mitigation strategies.
Delve into health sector strategies such as build, borrow, buy decisions, value chain integration, and acquisition opportunities
Develop growth strategies by leveraging health care value drivers and a strong focus on innovation through opportunity recognition, strategic alliances and partnerships
Leverage strategic finance acumen to drive innovation and value creation
Develop and execute pharma and biomedical innovation strategy for the next-gen health sector leader
Formulate a roadmap to explore insurance and payment strategy in a competitive marketplace
Understand and identify market opportunities related to how social determinants of health influence health outcomes
Critically analyze and navigate the complex intersection of health sector disruptions & innovations, policy developments, and ethical considerations for global health sector organizations

Who Should Attend

The Duke ALPH is designed for senior health sector leaders across various industries, including health systems, pharmaceuticals and biotech, telemedicine, digital health, health IT, medical devices, diagnostics, health consulting, insurance, policy and regulatory affairs, government health, public health, and life sciences.

The program is suitable for professionals with:

Significant experience and demonstrated career progression and success across levels, including CXOs, Directors, Presidents, VPs, etc.
Senior functional managers and business heads
Individuals with outstanding careers and leadership roles in a variety of settings
A strong drive to succeed and aspirations for reaching beyond the obvious career milestones.
Demonstrated ability to adapt, learn, and apply new knowledge in varied situations.

Participants are required to have:

A minimum of 10 years of work experience
Experience in leading teams and managing projects, products, or people is preferred but not required
Fluency in written and spoken English

Faculty

The program is delivered by distinguished faculty from The Fuqua School of Business and Duke University School of Medicine, as well as industry experts and thought leaders. All members of the faculty are among renowned leaders and innovators in their respective health care disciplines. Together they bring their experience, expertise, and a passion to facilitate a transformative educational experience to shape tomorrow’s health care leaders.

Prof. Barak D. Richman

Professor of Business Administration and Law

Professor Barak Richman is a health sector management faculty at Duke's Fuqua School of Business and Senior Fellow at the Kenan Institute for Ethics. He is also the Alexander Hamilton Professor of Business Law and Co-Director of the Health Law & Policy Program at George Washington University School of Law. Additionally, he serves as a faculty instructor with Duke Executive Education, and was formerly the Katharine T. Bartlett Distinguished Professor of Law at Duke University School of Law.

Professor Richman is a distinguished scholar in health policy and law, renowned for his research on healthcare markets, antitrust policy, and the economics of healthcare delivery. As a professor at Duke University’s School of Law and a faculty affiliate with Duke’s Health Sector Management program, Richman combines legal insight with economic analysis to address critical issues in healthcare reform, market competition and strategy, and policy innovation. His work has shaped discussions on healthcare access, system efficiency, and regulatory impact, making him a prominent voice in shaping the future of health policy.

He won Duke Law School’s Blueprint Award in 2005 and was named Teacher of the Year in 2010. He has had visiting appointments at Columbia, Harvard, and Stanford.

Richman has an A.B., magna cum laude, from Brown University, a J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied under Nobel Laureate in Economics Oliver Williamson.

Ashleigh Shelby Rosette

James Vincent Professor of Leadership

David Ridley

Professor of the Practice of Business, Economics, and Public Policy and Dr. and Mrs. Frank A. Riddick, Jr. Research Fellow

R. Alta Charo

Emerita Professor of Law and Bioethics

Laura Smart Richman

Associate Professor of Social Science and Health Law

Joseph Blake Long

Adjunct Professor of Business Administration

Matthew (Matt) Eyles

Former President and CEO; America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)

Henry Eyring

Assistant Professor of Accounting

Ismat Aziz

Executive-in-Residence and Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company in Global Transformation

Brian James Caveney

Medical Asst. Professor, Family Medicine & Community Health and Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, LabCorp

Greg Davis

Adjunct Professor of Business Administration

Manuel Adelino

Professor of Finance

Sam Hanna

Instructor; Strategy and Growth Advisor

Benjamin Goldstein

Professor of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, and Director of Data Science for Duke AI Health

Armando Bedoya

Associate Professor of Medicine and Chief Data Officer for Quality - Duke University Health System

Kevin Shah

Associate Professor of Medicine and Chief Medical Officer, Duke Primary Care and Vice President of Duke University Health System

Shep Moyle

Senior Lecturing Fellow, Duke Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Adrian Hernandez

Professor of Medicine, Vice Dean and Executive Director of Duke Clinical Research Institute

Svati H. Shah

Ursula Geller Distinguished Professor of Research in Cardiovascular Diseases, Associate Dean for Translational Research, and Director of the Duke Center for Precision Health and the Precision Genomics Collaboratory

Devdutta Sangvai

Professor Emeritus in Family Medicine and Community Health, and Secretary of Health, North Carolina

Richard Freishtat

Associate Dean and Instructor, Executive Education

*Program faculty is subject to change

Curriculum

The program brings together the unique business insights and nuances of the health sector to offer a curriculum that will ensure that participants refine their health sector leadership capabilities and lead organizational success. Signature experiences that include industry guest speakers and a capstone strategy project will give participants the opportunity to directly apply classroom learnings to practice and engage with topics at multiple levels of inquiry.

Health Sector Strategy For The Next-Gen Leader

Strategic Vision, Competitive Strategy & Advantage, and Risk Mitigation Strategies in the Health Sector
Acquisitions, Build, Borrow, Buy (BBB) Decisions, and Value Chain Integration (VCI)
Insurance & Payment Strategy in a Competitive Marketplace: Choice, Quality, & Innovation
Developing a Pipeline Strategy
Business Creation, Network Markets, and Effective Commercialization & Go-To-Market Strategies

Unleashing The New Era Of Digital Health

Digital Health: AI/ML, Big Data, and Analytics
Precision Medicine
Understanding How Digital Health is Disrupting the Global Health Sector
Medical Device Strategy
Generative AI Applications in the Health Sector

Innovative Problem Solving In Health Sector Organizations

Innovations in Health Care Delivery to Build a World-Class Health Sector Organization
Systems of Innovation & Opportunity Recognition in Health Sector
Growth Strategies: Leveraging Health Care Value Drivers
Pharma & Biotech Innovation Strategy

New Frontiers In Health Sector Leadership

Executive Presence & Influence
Essential Tools for Modern Leadership
Leading Change and Managing High-performing Teams
Agile Leadership through Ambiguity and Uncertainty
Building Your Personal Executive Brand

Ethics And Health Sector Policy

Biomedical Ethics & Regulators
Basic Science, Ethics, Value-Based Care and Innovation Policy
Navigating Regulatory and FDA Approvals: Devices & Drugs
Health Equity & Access Initiatives: Improving Access, Promoting Health Education, & Addressing Socio-Economic Barriers to Health

Future-Driven Financial Models For Health Sector

Strategic Finance for Health Sector Leaders
Financing Innovation in Life/BioSciences
Pharmacy Benefit Managers & Pharmaceutical Financial Model

*These topics are illustrative and subject to change.

Throughout the course of the program, participants will work on a self-directed capstone project that is a product of the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program. This helps to emphasize the practical application in real-world business scenarios. It provides a scaffolding across the program experience ensuring learning does not happen in a vacuum and is instead in direct service of the participants’ professional goals. The project is designed to enhance problem-solving abilities, strategic foresight, and innovative thinking while solidifying advanced health sector-related business acumen.

This capstone project serves as a comprehensive platform for senior executives to apply their expertise, and drive impactful change within their organizations or pursue innovative ventures in the health sector landscape. The program will close with participants presenting their comprehensive plans and findings to a group of peers. A select few top presentations will then be featured in a showcase with program faculty.

With this capstone project, participants will address a specific business challenge within their organization or develop a comprehensive business plan for a new initiative or opportunity.

The capstone project will unfold in five distinct phases:

Identify the Opportunity – Methodically analyze the chosen area to identify a topic.
Develop a Plan – Design a plan for capturing and realizing the opportunity identified in Phase I.
Stakeholder Communication – Develop an effective communication strategy to convey the strategy to internal and external stakeholders.
Implementation Roadmap – Create a detailed roadmap to implement the proposed strategy, including key milestones, resource allocation, etc.
Continuous Monitoring and Adaptation – Establish a methodology to continuously monitor the execution of the plan and adapt dynamically in real-time as needed.

Program Experience

The Duke ALPH is designed for seasoned professionals and visionary leaders in the health sector. This enriching program provides a transformational learning experience by incorporating classroom modules and live online modules. Sought-after faculty and industry experts will lead participants through this targeted program to foster a collaborative, industry-oriented learning experience that includes a capstone project, which will seamlessly integrate theoretical insights with practical applications. Through this program you will develop leadership skills in the health sector, as well as foster meaningful connections with like-minded professionals to establish an unmatched network around the globe.

Program Highlights

Blended Format

Immersive live-online sessions and classroom sessions at Duke University to enhance learning and networking.

Exclusive Network

Be included in the exclusive Fuqua, Duke University School of Medicine, and Duke Executive Education networks.

Elite Credentials

Receive credentials from globally acclaimed schools.

World-Renowned Faculty

Gain insights from distinguished faculty and industry experts.

Leading-Edge Curriculum

A holistic curriculum focused on vital areas in the health sector.

Real-World Application

The carefully designed learning approach promotes the immediate application of key concepts in health sector strategic leadership.

Admissions

The program follows a simple 3-step application process. The step-by-step process is outlined below.

Submit Application

Candidates can apply to the program online and attach all required materials as outlined in the requirements below.

Rolling Admission

The Admissions team will assess your application as soon as it is received.

Interview

Candidates might be required to give an interview before being accepted into the program. Once all the requirements are completed, the Admissions team will notify the candidate with a decision.

Applicants for the program are required to have:

A resume in Word or PDF format
Two professional references to discuss your candidacy in detail

About Duke University

Duke University traces its origins to a small school that opened in 1838 in Randolph County, North Carolina. The university has changed in many ways since its founding, and today, the ever evolving Duke University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, doctorate, and professional degrees.

Our vision for the next decade is “to grow, connect, and empower diverse and inclusive communities of excellence to enhance the creation, delivery, and translation of knowledge for a rapidly changing world.”

Duke is ranked fifth in the nation in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for all grants and contracts, including R&D, and seventh in the nation in NIH sponsored research grant funding, according to the 2023 Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research report. It was designated as one of the nation’s first Comprehensive Cancer Centers by the National Cancer Institute to reflect its commitment to cancer care, research, prevention, education, outreach, and training.

About Great Learning

Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business is collaborating with online education provider Great Learning to offer the duke management program. Great Learning is a professional learning company with a global footprint in 170+ countries. Its mission is to make professionals around the globe proficient and future-ready. This program leverages Duke Fuqua's leadership in innovation, science, engineering, and technical disciplines developed over years of research, teaching, and practice. Great Learning manages the enrollments and provides industry experts, student counselors, course support and guidance to ensure students get hands-on training and live personalized mentorship on the application of concepts taught by the Duke Fuqua's faculty.

Connect with a Program Advisor

Please provide us with some information so that our team can help you decide whether the Duke ALPH is the right program for you.

Email: alph@fuqua.duke.edu

Call: +1 919 502 4051 (USA)

Get More Information

PROGRAM PARTNER: