Healthcare leaders have long emphasized the need for stronger management and leadership training in medical education, yet only one-third of medical schools offer formal leadership training. To address this gap, we developed a four-week Mini-MBA elective for fourth-year medical students focused on emotional intelligence, performance management, operations management, project management, and data analytics. An exploratory survey study assessed both the external need for such a curriculum and internal outcomes among course participants.

Surveys from physicians and medical students confirmed strong interest in business training within medical education, with most respondents agreeing that Mini-MBA content would benefit students’ future careers. Many physicians also reported that these skills would have been valuable in their own professional development.

Among the 23 students who have completed the course, pre- and post-course surveys demonstrated clear perceived growth in understanding across all core business principles. Student feedback was consistently positive, emphasizing the relevance and practicality of the material and its importance in preparing for leadership roles in healthcare.

The feedback of the Mini-MBA elective has informed ongoing course refinement and supports continued implementation. Future goals include expanding the program to larger and multi-institutional cohorts and incorporating more objective measures of knowledge acquisition to further evaluate impact.