There is no one educational background that prepares the leaders of health systems. CEOs from the "50 Great Health Systems to Know | 2015" sat in classes at Ivy League schools, small liberal arts colleges, Big Ten universities, law schools, medical schools and more.
The following list includes the alma maters of 50 CEOs of health systems across the country, in alphabetical order by health system.
Donald L. Jernigan, PhD, President and CEO, Adventist Health System (Altamonte Springs, Fla.).
Baylor University (Waco, Texas): Doctor of Philosophy, Physical Chemistry
University of Texas–Arlington: Bachelor of Science, Chemistry
James H. Skogsbergh, President and CEO, Advocate Health Care (Downers Grove, Ill.).
University of Iowa (Iowa City): Master of Arts, Health Administration
Iowa State University (Ames): Bachelor of Science
Roy Vinyard, President and CEO, Asante (Medford, Ore.).
Washington University in St. Louis: Master of Health Administration
St. Louis College of Pharmacy: Bachelor of Science, Pharmacy
Anthony R. Tersigni, EdD, President and CEO, Ascension (St. Louis).
Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo): Doctor of Education
Penny Wheeler, MD, President and CEO, Allina Health (Minneapolis).
University of Minnesota Medical School (Minneapolis): Doctor of Medicine
University of Minnesota (Minneapolis): Bachelor of Arts, Physiology
Nick Turkal, MD, President and CEO, Aurora Health Care (Milwaukee).
Creighton University School of Medicine (Omaha, Neb.): Doctor of Medicine
Peter S. Fine, President and CEO, Banner Health (Phoenix).
George Washington University (Washington, D.C.): Master of Arts, Healthcare Administration
Ohio University (Athens): Bachelor of Arts, General Studies
Joel Allison, CEO, Baylor Scott & White Health (Dallas).
Dallas Baptist University: Honorary Doctor of Humanities
Trinity University (San Antonio, Texas): Master's degree, Healthcare Administration
Baylor University (Waco, Texas): Bachelor's degree, Journalism and Religion
Steven H. Lipstein, President and CEO, BJC HealthCare (St. Louis).
Duke University (Durham, N.C.): Master's degree, Health Administration
Emory University (Atlanta): Bachelor's degree, Economics and Psychology
Nancy Howell Agee, President and CEO, Carilion Clinic (Roanoke, Va.).
Emory University (Atlanta): Master's degree
University of Virginia (Charlottesville): Bachelor's degree
Roanoke (Va.) Memorial School of Nursing
Michael Tarwater, CEO, Carolinas HealthCare System (Charlotte, N.C.).
University of Alabama–Birmingham: Master of Science, Hospital and Health Administration
University of West Florida (Pensacola): Bachelor of Science, Business Administration
Kevin Lofton, President and CEO, Catholic Health Initiatives (Englewood, Colo.).
Georgia State University (Atlanta): Master of Health Administration
Boston University: Bachelor of Science, Management
Delos "Toby" Cosgrove, MD, President and CEO, Cleveland Clinic.
University of Virginia School of Medicine (Charlottesville): Doctor of Medicine
Williams College (Williamstown, Mass.): Bachelor's degree, History
Lloyd H. Dean, President and CEO, Dignity Health (San Francisco).
University of San Francisco: Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo): Master of Education
Western Michigan University: Bachelor of Science, Sociology
Catherine Jacobson, CPA, President and CEO, Froedtert Health (Milwaukee).
Bradley University (Peoria, Ill.): Bachelor of Science, Accounting
David T. Feinberg, MD, President and CEO, Geisinger Health System (Danville, Pa.).
Chicago Medical School: Doctor of Medicine
Pepperdine University (Malibu, Calif.): Master of Business Administration
University of California, Berkeley: Bachelor's degree, Economics
Jeffrey E. Thompson, MD, Chairman and CEO, Gundersen Health System (La Crosse, Wis.).
University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School: Doctor of Medicine
Nancy M. Schlichting, CEO, Henry Ford Health System (Detroit).
Cornell University (Ithaca, N.Y.): Master of Business Administration
Duke University (Durham, N.C.): Bachelor of Arts, Public Policy Studies
Marc L. Boom, MD, President and CEO, Houston Methodist.
Baylor College of Medicine (Houston): Doctor of Medicine
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia): Master of Business Administration
University of Texas at Austin: Bachelor of Science, Biology
Charles W. Sorenson, MD, President and CEO, Intermountain Healthcare (Salt Lake City).
Cornell University Medical College (Ithaca, N.Y.): Doctor of Medicine
University of Utah (Salt Lake City): Bachelor of Arts
Paul B. Rothman, MD, CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Dean of Medical Faculty, vice president for medicine, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore).
Yale University School of Medicine (New Haven, Conn.): Doctor of Medicine
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge): Bachelor of Science, Biology
Bernard Tyson, Chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif.).
Golden Gate University (San Francisco): Master of Business Administration, Health Services Administration
Golden Gate University: Bachelor of Science, Health Service Management
John H. Noseworthy, MD, President and CEO, Mayo Clinic System (Rochester, Minn.).
Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada): Doctor of Medicine
University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada): Honorary Doctor of Science
Dalhousie University: Bachelor's degree
Kenneth A. Samet, President and CEO, MedStar Health (Columbia, Md.).
Old Dominion University (Norfolk, Va.): Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
University of Michigan (Ann Arbor): Master of Science, Health Services Administration
Old Dominion University: Bachelor of Science, Business Administration
Barry S. Arbuckle, PhD, President and CEO, MemorialCare Health System (Fountain Valley, Calif.).
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Doctor of Philosophy
Arizona State University (Tempe): Master of Science
Missouri State University (Springfield): Bachelor of Science
Lynn Britton, President and CEO, Mercy (Chesterfield, Mo.).
Oklahoma City (Okla.) University: Master of Business Administration
Abilene (Texas) Christian University: Bachelor of Science, Accounting
Stephen L. Mansfield, PhD, President and CEO, Methodist Health System (Dallas).
Regent University (Virginia Beach, Va.): Doctor of Philosophy, Organizational Leadership
University of Tennessee (Martin): Master of Business Administration
Ottawa (Kan.) University: Bachelor's degree, Healthcare Administration
Ronald A. Paulus, MD, President and CEO, Mission Health (Asheville, N.C.).
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (Philadelphia): Doctor of Medicine
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (Philadephia): Master of Business Administration, Healthcare Management
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania: Bachelor of Science, Economics
Kenneth L. Davis, MD, President and CEO, Mount Sinai Health System (New York City).
Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York City): Doctor of Medicine
Yale College (New Haven, Conn.): Bachelor of Arts
Michael J. Dowling, President and CEO, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System (Great Neck, N.Y.).
Hofstra University (Hempstead, N.Y.): Honorary Doctorate
Dowling College Long Island (Oakdale, N.Y.): Honorary Doctorate
Fordham University (Bronx, N.Y.): Master's degree, Social Policy
University College Cork (Ireland): Undergraduate degree
Mark R. Neaman, President and CEO, NorthShore University HealthSystem (Evanston, Ill.).
Ohio State University (Columbus): Master of Science, Business & Healthcare
Ohio State University: Bachelor of Science
Dean M. Harrison, President and CEO, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (Chicago).
St. Francis College (Ft. Wayne, Ind.): Master of Business Administration
Indiana University (Bloomington): Bachelor of Science
Carl S. Armato, President and CEO, Novant Health (Winston-Salem, N.C.).
Norwich University (Northfield, Vt.): Master of Business Administration
University of Southwestern Louisiana (Lafayette): Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting
Warner L. Thomas, President and CEO, Ochsner Health System (New Orleans, La.).
Boston University Graduate School of Management: Master of Business Administration
New Hampshire College (Manchester): Bachelor of Science, Accounting and Computer Information Systems
David Blom, President and CEO, OhioHealth (Columbus).
George Washington University (Washington, D.C.): Master in Healthcare Administration
Ohio State University (Columbus): Bachelor's degree
David Torchiana, MD, President and CEO, Partners HealthCare (Boston).
Harvard Medical School (Boston): Doctor of Medicine
Yale College (New Haven, Conn.): Bachelor's degree
James R. Pancoast, CPA, President and CEO, Premier Health Partners (Dayton, Ohio).
Michigan State University (East Lansing): Master of Business Administration
Ohio State University (Columbus): Bachelor of Science
Randy Oostra, President and CEO, ProMedica (Toledo, Ohio).
Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland): Doctor of Management
University of Minnesota (Minneapolis): Master of Healthcare Administration
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire: Master of Science, Management
Northwestern College (Orange City, Iowa): Bachelor of Science, Biology
Rodney F. Hochman, MD, President and CEO, Providence Health & Services (Renton, Wash.).
Boston University School of Medicine: Doctor of Medicine
Boston University: Bachelor of Arts
Michael Slubowski, President and CEO, SCL Health (Denver, Colo.).
Wayne State University (Detroit): Master of Business Administration
Wayne State University: Bachelor of Business Administration
Chris Van Gorder, President and CEO, Scripps Health (San Diego).
University of Southern California (Los Angeles): Master of Public Administration, Health Services Administration
California State University (Los Angeles): Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and Public Administration
David L. Bernd, CEO, Sentara Healthcare (Norfolk, Va.).
Medical College of Virginia (Richmond, Va.): Master of Science, Hospital and Health Administration
College of William & Mary (Williamsburg, Va.). Bachelor's degree
Richard C. Breon, President and CEO, Spectrum Health (Grand Rapids, Mich.).
University of Iowa (Iowa City): Master of Arts
Iowa State University (Ames): Bachelor of Science
David C. Pate, MD, President and CEO, St. Luke's Health System (Boise, Idaho).
University of Houston Law Center: Juris Doctor, Health Law
Baylor College of Medicine (Houston): Doctor of Medicine
Rice University (Houston): Bachelor of Arts, Biochemistry
Patrick Fry, President and CEO, Sutter Health (Sacramento).
George Washington University (Washington, D.C.): Master's degree, Health Services Administration
University of California, Davis: Bachelor's degree, Public Health Administration
Loy M. Howard, CPA, President and CEO, Tanner Health System (Carrollton, Ga.).
University of South Carolina (Columbia): Master of Business Administration
University of West Florida College of Business (Pensacola): Bachelor of Arts, Accounting
Richard J. Gilfillan, MD, President and CEO, Trinity Health (Livonia, Mich.).
Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.): Doctor of Medicine
Georgetown University: Honorary Doctor of Science
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia): Master of Business Administration
Georgetown University: Bachelor's degree
Bill Leaver, President and CEO, UnityPoint Health (Des Moines, Iowa).
University of Michigan (Ann Arbor): Master of Health Services Administration
Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo): Bachelor of Science, Public Administration
Mark B. Taubman, MD, CEO, University of Rochester (N.Y.) Medical Center, Dean, School of Medicine & Dentistry.
New York University School of Medicine (New York City): Doctor of Medicine
Columbia University (New York City): Bachelor of Arts, Biochemistry
Jeffrey A. Romoff, President and CEO, UPMC (Pittsburgh).
Chatham College (Pittsburgh): Honorary Doctorate, Public Service
Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh): Honorary Doctorate, Science and Technology
Yale University (New Haven, Conn.): Master's degree, Philosophy and Political Science
City University of New York (New York City): Bachelor of Science
Note: If you have any additional information to supplement this list, please contact Emily Rappleye at erappleye@beckershealthcare.com.