Education Enhances Leadership For President Of Hospital In Baltimore

Baltimore is home to many leading hospitals where patients receive care from world-renowned physicians making continuous strides to improve health care. John B. Chessare MD, MPH, FACHE is the president and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Medical Center Health System (GBMC).

As overseer of a prominent hospital in Baltimore, Dr. Chessare has an immense responsibility to the public to ensure patients receive the best care possible. His patient-focused perspective is demonstrated by a commitment to regularly connecting with the community served. Dr. Chessare's career exemplifies how personal success can have an exponential effect, improving the lives of many others as well.

What are your greatest educational achievements to date?

"I guess my greatest educational achievement is having graduated from medical school at the University of Rome, Italy and the second is graduating with a degree in public health from the Department of Medical Care Organization from the University of Michigan. The third would be completing my pediatrics residency at the University of Massachusetts and my fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School."

How have your degrees helped you achieve your career goals?

"My initial career goal was to be a pediatrician and to help children and families. I practiced Pediatrics until 2005. My subsequent career goal was to work to improve the quality of health care delivery. My degree in medical care organization has helped me to become the president and CEO of a community health system where we work everyday to make the care better through the eyes of the patient."

Do you have any advice for new managers or business graduates who would like to follow in your footsteps?

"Yes, get well grounded in logic and evidence. Learn to manage scientifically and don't fall into the trap of managing by intuition when the data would point you in a different direction. Study the work of W. Edwards Deming and Walter Shewhart and learn about the Toyota Production System."

Keisha Oduor is a professional writer and entrepreneur who resides in Baltimore, Maryland. She has a degree in Communications and French from New York University with work experience in publishing, nonprofits, healthcare administration and program management. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.