As a child, Kerri Woodberry spent countless hours putting together puzzles. Today, as a Johns Hopkins-trained plastic surgeon, specializing in hand reconstruction, she helps piece together disfigured bodies and lives.

After establishing a successful practice, she realized that one piece was still missing. To obtain the business knowledge that would help her operations reach the next level, she decided to pursue a Vanderbilt Executive MBA.

Along with the knowledge she gained, what particularly impressed Dr. Woodberry was the way "Vanderbilt prepares you for a leadership position by emphasizing leadership skills, human relations skills, group projects and teamwork."

The team dynamic paid fast dividends. During a Transforming Operations class, Kerri's peers chose to study her medical practice. She was able immediately to implement a number of the recommendations they made. "The changes improved efficiency and provided better patient flow," she says. "I was thrilled to see such major benefits from small changes in my organization."