Nearly 6 in 10 U.S. physician leaders are interested in becoming CEOs, according to a June 27 McKinsey article.
The findings come from McKinsey’s 2025 physician leadership survey, which gathered responses from 296 U.S. physician leaders between March 14 and May 16, along with interviews with 27 physician and nonphysician executives across hospitals, health systems, health insurers and life sciences companies.
Four key takeaways:
1. Although nearly 60% of physician leaders expressed interest in the CEO role, only about 15% of current CEOs across healthcare organizations — including health systems and pharmaceutical companies — have clinical backgrounds, according to McKinsey.
2. The top challenges cited in transitioning to executive roles were experience and skills gaps (60%) and negative perceptions of physicians’ leadership or business capabilities (52%).
3. Respondents reported high confidence in their strategic expertise, operational excellence and ability to lead large teams — skills executive recruiters and current CEOs also view as essential. However, misalignment in perception may discourage physicians from pursuing leadership roles.
4. McKinsey recommends that aspiring physician leaders seek feedback from both supporters and skeptics to better understand their strengths and development areas. The firm also suggests that organizations foster the next generation of physician CEOs through structured development programs and clear pathways to enterprise leadership.
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