Freeman launches four-year Accelerated MD/MBA

Beginning this fall, Tulane University medical students will be able to pursue a Freeman School of Business MBA concurrently with their medical degrees — earning both credentials in four years and eliminating the additional year traditionally required for dual-degree completion.

The Accelerated MD/MBA, a joint initiative of the Freeman School and the School of Medicine, addresses the evolving demands of modern health care leadership. As medicine increasingly intersects with complex business systems, physicians who understand financial strategy, operations management and organizational leadership are positioned to drive meaningful change — whether leading clinical departments, shaping health policy or transforming care delivery models.

With this launch, Tulane joins an elite cohort of about a dozen U.S. universities that offer four-year MD/MBA pathways.

"Whether you're building a private practice, directing a department or leading a health system, business acumen has become indispensable to medical practice," said Paulo Goes, dean of the Freeman School. "The four-year Accelerated MD/MBA provides highly motivated students an expedited pathway to leadership without postponing residency. Combined with our established five-year MD/MBA, we now offer unparalleled flexibility for students to align their education with their career trajectories."

Program Structure and Curriculum

The 48-credit-hour business curriculum integrates daytime, evening, online and winter intersession courses throughout the four-year Doctor of Medicine program. Students launch their business education with four courses the summer before medical school begins, then complete remaining requirements alongside their clinical training.

The curriculum balances foundational MBA coursework — including managerial finance, strategy, negotiations, organizational behavior, supply chain management and business analytics — with specialized courses addressing health care's unique challenges, such as Health Care Policy and Reform and The Long Fix: Health System Improvement.

Flexible Pathways for Diverse Goals

For students seeking a more traditional MBA experience, the Freeman School continues to offer its five-year joint MD/MBA program, which delivers an identical curriculum in a less compressed format. In addition, for physicians who have already earned their MD and are in practice, the Freeman School offers flexible MBA programs designed for working professionals including the Professional MBA (evening format for local professionals), the Executive MBA (weekend format for senior leaders), and the Online MBA (fully virtual for maximum flexibility). Each delivers a rigorous Freeman curriculum while accommodating the diverse schedules of today's health care professionals.

For more information about the Accelerated MD/MBA, visit the Freeman School's Graduate Business Degrees page.