Bernard P. Chang
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Age: 47
“Emergency Physician and Psychologist. Digital Health Enthusiast. Upright Bass Purist. Perpetually Curious.”
Hometown: New York, New York City
Family Members: Wife (Anisa), 2 boys (Teddy, Oliver), 3rd baby on the way!
Fun fact about yourself: I worked as a sailboat captain before becoming a doctor and can speak 6 languages (handy when coming to port to clear customs!).
Undergraduate School and Degree:
Undergraduate:
School: Cornell University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
Graduate
School: Harvard University
Degree: Ph.D., Psychology
School: Stanford University
Degree: M.D., Doctor of Medicine
School: Harvard Medical School
Degree: Emergency Medicine Residency
Where are you currently working?
Associate Dean, Columbia University Medical Center
Medical Co-Founder Mighty Health
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles: Professionally, I serve on the Board of Directors for the American College of Emergency Physicians, representing physicians from the State of New York. I have been fortunate to be among the Top 10 highest funded scientists in Emergency Medicine (by federal NIH dollars) in the United States and serve on several state and federal government review committees regarding the healthcare workforce.
I am passionate about paying things forward and igniting the curiosity of the next generation of leaders. I have served as an instructor at Hudson River Community Sailing, working with a diverse group of high school students developing their math/engineering skills through on the water activities and ship building. I have also previously served on the Alumni Board of Governors at Stanford University Medical Center, focusing on community outreach and broadening university educational opportunities for all.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of the Healthcare Innovator Network that I helped create during my time at Oxford. We have sought to help introduce fellow physicians and scientists interested in entrepreneurship and industry-academic collaborations with a series of lectures, informal networking sessions, and panel discussions. The overall aim is to critically examine the bridges between industry, academia, and entrepreneurship with a lens towards collaboration, partnerships and synergies across these distinct universes.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I constantly reflect on how I was extraordinarily fortunate to have a wonderful network of people who believed in me and supported me. They include my parents who nurtured my early curiosity in the arts and sciences; my mentors during my professional development; and now my bedrock, my wife Anisa. I have been surrounded by folks who push me to pursue my dreams, while also picking me up when I stumble. I am most proud of having created and led a novel mentorship program at Columbia that provides a structured roadmap for professional and career development for young physicians and research scientists in medicine. The nascent program has graduated a few scholars, and I have watched with pride how many of these scientists have developed strong national and even international reputations as leaders in medicine.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? I came to business school with a mindset of being ready to absorb topics such as finance and accounting that I was very unfamiliar with. Oxford did not disappoint, and I learned from the proverbial firehose of knowledge from several wonderful professors. Among my greatest influences was Prof Eric Thun, our professor who introduced us to the “Global Rules of the Game”, and was our faculty lead during our international trip to Vietnam. His grasp of market and nonmarket factors – as well as engaging and thought-provoking discussions on framing business (and social) strategies at the local, regional, and global level – left a profound impact on my understanding of the interconnectedness of society from the individual to market level.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? Prior to applying to business school, I was at the proverbial “comfortable” crossroads. I was fortunate enough to have a great work position and strong personal and professional ties. With business school, I hoped to develop a fresh new skillset and new way of thinking about leadership and actualizing my dream of positively impacting healthcare. Oxford was the ideal place to take this next step.
I was drawn to the ingrained global nature of the program. Like many EMBA programs, the cohort hails from many regions and countries. But what was unique about Oxford was that the vast majority of students did not live in the UK, but rather came from all corners of the globe – many travelling 10+ hours every few weeks to come together as a global family. The dynamism of such an international cohort was immeasurable in terms of giving me new perspectives and opinions divergent from my own. Oxford was also truly an immersive experience. You were not just part of the business school but part of the university and its 900-year-old traditions! During my time there, I stayed in our university dormitories, broke bread in the ancient dining halls with scholars from all disciplines, and fully embedded myself into the university ecosystem. During our time there, there was nothing “part-time” about our Oxonian life on campus.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? Perhaps not a best story for juggling but more surviving! I remember in January of my 2nd year of the program just before my flight to the United Kingdom for an Oxford module. I had just gotten the news with my wife that we were expecting our 3rd child (due toward the end of my school program). The panic and anxiety I felt, alongside guilt, for leaving my family during that time, was tremendous. It also helped me realize how fortunate I was to have such a deep breadth of friends and colleagues at Oxford as well as at home. With the help of several of my friends at school (and a supportive administrative team), I was able to start navigating the planning and schedule for my later spring/summer course blocks, while also blocking off focused time for my family. It’s not easy, but I keep reminding myself that this is GOOD stress…the type of stress where I am trying to juggle new professional opportunities with exciting personal news. I am so appreciative of having this type of stress, as I recognize that some of my other friends and colleagues have had to navigate much trickier and more stressful situations with regards to health and personal and professional crises.
What was your biggest regret in business school? I only regret that we didn’t have more time together with my classmates! Going into the executive MBA program, I had lofty dreams of getting the most out of the coursework and sessions, being full engaged 100% Unfortunately, other professional and personal responsibilities arise and at times I had to navigate some of these issues in real time while in class. I still felt I got a tremendous amount out of my time at Oxford, but I only wish I had more time and perhaps a better sense of really adhering to clearing my schedule to be fully present during our modules.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I have been awed by the breadth and talent of my classmates that I struggle to answer this, particularly for just one person. For me, one of my classmates, Waqar Aziz, has stood out to me as an exemplar case of what the Oxford EMBA culture is about. An extraordinarily successful executive at one of the largest global technology companies in the world, Waqar had “made it”. Yet he was driven by a passion to not just define success by financial or prestige, but rather framed his hope to leave an imprint in a positive way for society and his family. For him, success was measured by one’s positive impact to their family and society. In the middle of our program, he took the courageous step to step away from the golden escalator that had been laid out for him and start out his own company. This courage, to truly take a risk, knowing the stakes, illustrated to me a level of commitment and passion that was really inspiring to me.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? For me, while the core content of the business school program was critical to my growth as a leader. I believe the hidden curriculum of one’s school is the social interactions and organic conversations that occur in the hallways and restaurants bars, and cafes between sessions and during modules. This hidden curriculum, the immersive aspect of the program was my main draw, particularly to be amongst peers at the executive level.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I hope to merge my passion for healthcare, digital health, and psychology and grow as an advocate for the healthcare workforce. For me, the greatest professional privilege remains being able to help people during their greatest time of need. No matter what future role I play within the healthcare executive landscape, I still want to continue have a clinical role in the Emergency Department serving patients from all walks of life.
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