Graduate Student Spotlight: Dr. Kimberly Darey

Dr. Kim Darey, president of Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital in Elmhurst, Ill., is completing her Online MBA at Isenberg. She shares strategies and tips for balancing online studies with work, career development, family, and life in general.

Tell us about your work and career.

I am a board-certified OB/Gyn. I transitioned in my career from private practice to chief medical officer at Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital, where I serve as president. I am a wife and have a teenage son. Most working mothers must juggle responsibilities in the workplace and, as I call it, being a CEO at home. Since transitioning into hospital administration and leadership, there are different types of time demands than when I worked 24-hour, on-call shifts as a physician. Evening dinners, early morning breakfast meetings, leadership retreats, and traveling for training sessions and conferences are mainstays in my current role.

Why did you decide to take on studying for an online MBA? 

When I was medical director of OB/Gyn, I realized I wanted to learn all I could about healthcare. As a practicing physician, I saw healthcare on the front line, but it was a narrow scope. I desired to see things through a different lens. I had been a longtime member of AAPL (American Association of Physician Leadership) and attended many conferences, which provided courses in leadership. I decided to pursue a CPE (Certified Physician Executive) certification that offered prerequisites for an MBA program. I researched many MBA programs and decided that an online MBA would give me the flexibility to work full-time, provide a maximum amount of time to my family, and not burnout. I began in 2021 and am finishing my final class. It has been rewarding. I have met wonderful people along the way. I am grateful for the flexible online program, which is the best of all worlds.

Before you started, did you have any concerns about being able to fit in studies with your work, career, and home life? 

I was concerned about my work-life balance. I took one course at a time so that I could continue to have some free time. I am very organized, and I have a strict schedule in which I am unplugged after work. I spend time with my family, help my son with homework, and cook dinner. After my family settles down for the night, 10 p.m.-on is my primetime. I read, take notes, review videos from my instructors, take quizzes, and write essays with minimal interruption. I power through this schedule on weekdays so I can enjoy my weekends. I’ll complete an occasional quiz on the weekend but primarily keep these days open for downtime. My motto: Work hard and play hard.

Please share your tips for fitting in studies with work, life, and family.

Be organized. Once you stick to a schedule, you will benefit from the free time you have carved out for yourself. Also, enjoy life. Find the things that make you happy and do those things, but not to the detriment of your studies. With a well-thought-out schedule, all things are possible.