Are You Ready?
ANNUAL CERTIFIED PHYSICIAN EXECUTIVE (CPE) COHORT PROGRAM
A structured 18-month path to the Certified Physician Executive credential. There's no guessing what's next, just one cohort of physician colleagues moving through it with you.
STARTS:
January 2027
(Group Zoom Session Kick-off — Live Virtual)
COHORT DURATION:
18 Months
187 Total CME
AAPL Member Price:
$18,499
REQUIREMENT:
A licensed M.D. or D.O.
2+ years of experience in a healthcare leadership role.
3 years’ experience in a clinical practice.
Board-certified in a clinical specialty.
Prefer structure over self-direction?
AAPL's standard CPE path is self-paced, where you choose your own courses, on your own timeline. The CPE Annual Cohort is the other way to get there: one fixed 18-month schedule, one price, and one group of physician colleagues moving through the same curriculum together, from kickoff to Capstone.
Either path leads to the same CPE credential and the same eligibility requirements. The Annual Cohort adds the structure and the built-in network.
Among physicians who've completed the program, 90.3% agree it empowered them to achieve their leadership goals, and 70% say the organizational changes they made were largely a result of the knowledge and skills gained through the CPE.
Want to set your own pace instead? See the self-paced CPE certification path.
Learn alongside physician colleagues who understand the job
The Annual Cohort pairs you with a group of physician leaders who move through the same curriculum, at the same pace, for the full 18 months. That shared timeline does double duty: it keeps you accountable to a schedule, and it builds a standing network of peers across specialties who've faced the same leadership challenges you have, gaining a network that doesn't end when the program does.
Huddles connect coursework to your real leadership challenges
Each Virtual Huddle is led by a CPE. These sessions take what you just learned in your coursework and work it against real situations you're facing in your own leadership role, from budget conversations, performance management, quality initiatives. The material sticks because you've already applied it before you ever reach Capstone.
Every action plan and project builds toward Capstone
Along the way, you'll complete a series of action plans and projects that build your Capstone Leadership Summary Presentation piece by piece:
1 Micro-Credential Action Plan — from the Fundamentals of Physician Leadership coursework
3 Hybrid Projects — one from each hybrid course in the program
1 Program Action Plan — your capstone-level synthesis, completed during Wrap-Up
By the time you reach Capstone, you're not starting from scratch, rather you're refining work you've already built.
Advisor Check-ins keep you moving forward
Your Education Advisor checks in with you at set points throughout the program, from choosing your electives to reviewing your progress. If you hit a scheduling conflict or fall behind, your Advisor works with you on next steps, so the 18-month commitment never feels like it's on you to manage alone.
What the CPE credential does for you:
Highlights your business acumen to colleagues, current and future employers, and recruiters
Indicates your ability to transition into diverse healthcare leadership roles
Demonstrates your capacity to manage budgets and address HR challenges
Validates your strategic business insights
Where it can take you
CPE holders have gone on to roles including:
Chief Medical Officer
Chief Quality Officer
Chief Population Health Officer
Chief Medical Information Officer
VP of Medical Affairs
Residency Program Director
All of these across specialties from cardiothoracic surgery to anesthesiology to pediatric surgery.
Your 18-Month Path: CPE Annual Cohort Schedule
Getting Started — Begins in January 2027
Live Virtual: Group Zoom Session Kick-off
Includes: CPI 260®, Pre-Technical Skills Assessment, Pre-Competency Assessment, and an Online Community Discussion Intro.
Foundations — Feb–April 2027 | 35 CME
Fundamentals of Physician Leadership Micro-Credential: the 5 base courses of your program, which includes an Action Plan upon completion.
Fundamentals of Physician Leadership: Communication
Fundamentals of Physician Leadership: Influence
Fundamentals of Physician Leadership: Negotiation
Fundamentals of Physician Leadership: Quality
Fundamentals of Physician Leadership: Finance
This includes a virtual huddle led by an experienced CPE helps clarify how the course work applies to current leadership challenges.
Core — May–October 2027 | 48 CME total
May–June (21 CME):
Resolving Conflict
Managing Physician Performance
Virtual Huddle #2
July–Aug (15 CME)
Practical Principles of Change Management
Science of High Reliability
Virtual Huddle #3
Sept–Oct (12 CME)
Essentials of Health Law
Finance: Budgeting and Forecasting
Virtual Huddle #4
Advisor Check-in: Choose Electives
Electives — Nov–Jan | 30 CME
Select and complete 30 elective credits from a list of 45+ electives offered by AAPL.
Virtual Huddle #5
Advisor Check-in
Hybrids — Feb–April 2028 | 42 CME
Transforming Healthcare Thru Quality Improvement
Financial Skills for Executive Decision Making
Building a Path to Leadership Excellence.
Virtual Huddle
Advisor Check-in
Wrap-Up — May 2028
Program Action Plan
Post-Technical Skills Assessment
Post Competency Assessment.
Capstone — June 2028 | 32 CME
Capstone is 3.5 days set aside exclusively for your cohort. This is your final step toward the CPE credential, where you'll prepare and deliver your CPE Leadership Summary Presentation. Celebrate your achievement at the 2028 AAPL Annual Leadership Conference, October 12-14, 2028, in Scottsdale, AZ, where your registration is included.* From there you're invited to Convocation, AAPL's annual ceremony where new CPEs are recognized and Fellowship is awarded. You'll also receive an invitation to the Vanguard Meeting and gain entry to the Vanguard Program, AAPL's network for its most seasoned physician leaders.
*Travel and lodging not included.
“A lot of what a CPE knows is how to talk ‘administration.’ Most health systems and hospitals have no clue how to talk ‘doctor.’
...The CPE credential tells everyone you are prepared.”
Michael Torres, MD, MBA, CPE, CHCQM, FAAPL
VP and CMO, Florida Hospital Tampa
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Annual Cohort different from the current CPE program?
The Annual Cohort guides you through your CPE coursework in a set, logical order over a fixed 18-month timeline. Most coursework is asynchronous, aside from three hybrid courses with live virtual components and the 3.5-day, fully virtual Capstone. You'll also move through the program alongside a cohort of peers, with sessions led by current CPEs to help connect coursework to your own leadership role.
How much time per week should I expect to dedicate to the program?
Plan on roughly 1–2 hours per week. The 18-month timeline is built to fit around a full clinical and leadership schedule.
What are my options for how I move through the program?
The cohort model is sequential. Each course opens on a set schedule, and you can't move to the next one until the previous course is complete. This keeps the whole cohort moving together.
Can I work ahead in the program?
Not in the cohort model. Courses release on a set schedule with limited ability to work ahead. The individualized structured program allows a bit more flexibility to move at your own pace; your Education Advisor can help you weigh the two.
What happens if I fall behind or need to take a break?
Talk with your Education Advisor. Depending on your situation, you may be able to pause your current cohort and join a future one, or transfer into the individualized program.
What if I don't finish within the 18-month window?
Your Education Advisor checks in with you several times throughout the program to help you stay on pace, and will work with you if you fall behind.
I previously started the CPE under the old model. Can I transition to the new cohort model?
You won't be able to join a cohort that's already underway, since the cohort is built as a peer group that moves through the program together from the start.
What format are the courses?
Most courses are online and asynchronous. Three courses are hybrid, combining live virtual sessions with faculty and asynchronous coursework. The Capstone is delivered fully online and virtually over 3.5 days.
TERMINOLOGY
Self-paced (asynchronous): Work through the material entirely on your own schedule, with no set meeting times.
Hybrid: Combines that self-paced coursework with scheduled live sessions, so you'll complete some material independently and also meet with your instructor and peers at set times.
Live Online: A session held in real time over the internet, usually via video conferencing (Zoom, Teams, etc.), where the instructor and participants interact simultaneously, even though everyone is remote.
Virtual Huddle: These are led by current CPEs to work through real leadership challenges alongside your cohort
Advisor Check-in: Not a delivery format like the others; this refers to a scheduled touchpoint (call, meeting, or email exchange) between an education advisor and a participant, typically to review progress, answer questions, or offer guidance..
What's the difference between a hybrid course and a self-paced course?
Self-paced (asynchronous): Work through the material entirely on your own schedule, with no set meeting times.
Hybrid: Combines that self-paced coursework with scheduled live sessions, so you'll complete some material independently and also meet with your instructor and peers at set times.
Are there any in-person components required to complete the program?
No. The program is fully virtual, including the 3.5-day Capstone. After Capstone, you're invited to celebrate your achievement at the 2028 AAPL Annual Leadership Conference, October 12-14, in Scottsdale, AZ, where your registration is included.
While there, you will participate in Convocation, AAPL's annual ceremony recognizing new CPEs, and the Vanguard Meeting, which marks your entry into the Vanguard Program, AAPL's network for its most seasoned physician leaders. These events are optional and not required to earn your credential. Travel and lodging are not included.
Are live sessions required or optional?
Course-related live sessions are required. Huddles are optional, though highly encouraged.
What happens if I miss a live session?
Attendance is expected. If an unavoidable conflict comes up, let your instructor know in advance. They can point you to the recording to catch up, but it doesn't replace attending live.
What is a Huddle?
A one-hour session led by a practicing CPE, where you and your cohort discuss key takeaways from the coursework and how they apply to real leadership roles. It's also a time you get to ask questions of both your peers and the facilitating CPE.
Will I have access to faculty or guides throughout the program?
You'll have two ongoing touchpoints. Current CPEs serve as faculty, leading your group sessions and sharing real-world insight from the credential you're pursuing.
You'll also have scheduled check-ins with your Education Advisor, who guides your progress through the program, in both the cohort and individualized tracks.
Are courses released all at once or on a rolling schedule?
It depends on the program. In the individualized CPE program, courses are available as soon as you purchase them, with one exception: the Fundamentals Micro-Credential is sequential, so each course in that credential opens once you finish the one before it. In the CPE Cohort model, courses release on a set schedule shared by the whole cohort, so everyone stays on pace together.
How do I enroll?
Enrollment starts with expressing your interest in the program via the form at the top of this page or you may reach out to our Customer Service Team. Our team will confirm you meet the program's eligibility requirements and talk through payment options with you.
What is the application or registration deadline?
December 15, 2026, or as space allows.
What are the requirements to complete the program and earn the CPE?
You'll need to complete two steps for a total of 187 CME credits:
Step 1: Complete the required course work | 155 hours
Step 2: Complete Capstone | 32 CME, which is the 3.5-day program that culminates in your CPE Leadership Summary Presentation
