Cardiothoracic surgeon obtains master's degree in healthcare administration

by Roxanna Van Norman

Elan Burton, MD, MHA, practices at Stanford Health Care (SHC), the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC), where she primarily focuses on cardiac surgeries and helping patients get the care and treatment they need. She specializes in coronary bypass grafting, valve surgery, aortic surgery, and minimally invasive coronary bypass grafting.

Before coming to Stanford, Dr. Burton earned her medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine and performed her residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - Mercy. She then completed her fellowships at the University of Minnesota and the University of Maryland.  

A few years ago, she became interested in expanding her knowledge in healthcare delivery systems and operational management within medical institutions. She decided to pursue a two-year master's in healthcare administration (MHA) from the University of Minnesota (UMN).

"I felt this [graduate education] would enhance my quality improvement work within the hospitals," Dr. Burton said. Having worked in several hospital environments, she has received broad and specialized training working with diverse patient populations and in various operational settings. She hoped the master's program through UMN would further her learning experience to improve healthcare delivery systems, especially in the realm of direct patient care.

While enrolled in her master's program as a full-time graduate student and practicing as a full-time surgeon, Dr. Burton's typical day started around 5:30am. She would conduct patient rounds and prepare for scheduled operations. When she was not on call, her day would generally end between 10:00pm to 11:00pm.

She further noted that support from the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery was important to her professional development. They ensured Dr. Burton had protected time to travel for her master's program campus visits.

In addition, the Stanford Staff Tuition Reimbursement Program (STRP) provided financial support for eligible employees like Dr. Burton to help cover tuition and covered fees for a graduate degree program.

Since obtaining her MHA from UMN in 2019, Dr. Burton said she has helped with several quality improvement projects in the operating rooms and clinical settings.

She recently finished a manuscript on an operating room quality improvement project. She presented the abstract at the 2021 Advances in Quality & Outcomes: A Data Managers Meeting for the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Dr. Burton encourages those thinking about furthering their career with an advanced degree to communicate their needs, such as time away from clinical duties or scheduling protected time for professional development. The Department provided that critical resource to Dr. Burton to succeed in her academic endeavor.  

"I have a better understanding of how healthcare systems function, which will aid in developing successful interventions [to improve patient outcomes]," said Dr. Burton.