Two Weeks in the Life

TWO WEEKS IN THE LIFE OF MADHU MURPHY

Everyone’s busy. Here’s an example of how one of our Executive MBA students fits it all in. Meet Madhu Murphy.

As a pediatric intensivist and an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and also as a wife, mother, and grandparent, Dr. Madhu Murphy wore many hats during her time in the Executive MBA program.

How did she manage to add school on top of an already busy schedule? Here’s a glimpse at a typical 2 weeks.

WEEK ONE

Sunday

A good day to relax and be with family. My husband and I pick up my mother-in-law, attend church, and enjoy lunch.

WEEK TWO

Sunday–Monday

Week 2 is dedicated to less work at the hospital, more time for school. Sundays are similar to week one. After church and lunch, I spend the afternoon doing school work, then join my husband for dinner. Monday, we have our grandson all day. He makes an occasional appearance on my C-Team evening calls, and he likes to say hi. Monday

I get to the hospital at 7:00AM and leave at 6:45PM. I communicate with my C-Team throughout the day using Slack to keep in touch and keep projects moving. On my commute home, I make sure to speak with my mom, friends, and family. In the evening, I carve out an hour for readings and work on assignments for the following week.

Tuesday–Thursday

I work 2 night shifts 5:00PM to 7:00AM at VUMC. This week, we have a big strategy assignment due, and we are meeting more frequently in the evenings, either in person or on the phone. Tuesday–Thursday

Starting at 7:00AM, I am at the hospital all day. If I have an hour or 2 of down time at the hospital, I make sure to read or complete small assignments. My husband is a firefighter, so our schedules don’t always align. When our 24-hour work schedules collide, our dog stays with my mother-in-law, so I may run over to get the dog and check on her after leaving the hospital. On one of those nights, I work with my C-Team. We meet for dinner or have a conference call to work on projects due the following week. We typically work from 7:00PM until 10:00PM.

Friday–Saturday

Friday I have an extended shift, starting at 7:00AM and finishing about 30 hours later on Saturday morning. Once home, I eat and nap until 2:30PM. My husband and I usually try to do an activity together—like going to Costco, running errands, or grabbing coffee at Starbucks. Something to get me upright and out of the house after the overnight shift! Saturday evenings we spend time quietly at home with family.

“The program has literally changed my life—given me confidence to redirect my career and helped me to feel valuable again. It has made me more resilient at work and better at my job, while exposing me to new ideas, places, and people.”

MADHU MURPHY

Sr Medical Advisor, Accelerated R&D Leadership Program Eli Lilly and Company VANDERBILT EXECUTIVE MBA (EXECUTIVE EDGE TRACK)

Friday–Saturday

During the weeks I have class, I make sure I’m off from the hospital on Friday and spend most of my time at home finishing assignments and preparing for class. On Saturdays, I arrive to class at 7:00AM. The long day in class has a completely different rhythm than the long days at the hospital; I learn so much from my professors and classmates that the time flies by. When class ends at 6:30PM, my husband and I head downtown to the Monster Truck Jam. It’s a great way to connect and reset for the next 2 weeks.

Note: Madhu shared her experience while she was in the Executive MBA program and working as a pediatric intensivist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.