Ken Carow

Professor of Finance

Kelley Venture Fellow

When physicians gain a greater understanding of financial management, they are able to both understand and influence the financial direction of their organizations. This is the goal behind finance courses taught by Ken Carow in the Physician MBA Program at the Kelley School of Business.

“An MBA allows physicians to understand why various decisions are being made at their companies,” he said. “It allows you to understand your company and also allows you to understand how to speak in the language of those in healthcare administration. If you can’t speak that language, you’re less likely to accomplish your goals. This degree helps you add value to your organization.”

Carow holds a chartered financial analysis (CFA) designation and a PhD, bringing both academic and professional experience to the classroom. His research primarily focuses on financial institutions and capital structure, and he serves on the board of Fortune 500 company Thrivent Financial.

“I have the opportunity to see how financial decisions play out in large companies with unique structures, such as non-for-profits,” he said. “This certainly highlights the differences between for-profit and non-for-profit companies. In the medical field there are many hospitals that fall within both categories, so understanding those differentials is important to anyone in healthcare management.”

Understanding how the capital structure and organizational structure interrelate with each other helps physician leaders understand the capital decisions being made at their companies and prepare them to influence those top-level decisions.