UF doctor couple shares their Executive MBA journey

A staged photo of a female giving an eye exam to a male patient. — Inspired by their children, Sonal and Sanjeev Tuli are enhancing their business and leadership skills with MBAs from the UF Warrington College of Business.

In his final year of medical school, Sanjeev Tuli (MBA ’25) was as dedicated outside of the classroom as he was inside the classroom. Sanjeev was passionate about playing sports and serving as Grant Medical College’s cultural secretary, which gave him the opportunity to plan the school’s annual fundraiser.

At the same time, Sonal Tuli (MBA ’25) was beginning her medical school journey at the Mumbai-based institution. Eager to get involved, Sonal volunteered to assist at the event.

Upon meeting Sonal, Sanjeev was instantly smitten, and he did all he could to win her affection. Sanjeev’s efforts paid off after he presented Sonal with his student-athlete of the year trophy. He may have won the award for his play on the field, but the trophy helped Sanjeev win what he truly desired – Sonal’s heart.

The rest, as they say, is history. The Tulis have since been married for 32 years and have consistently supported each other’s ambitions, which led them both to their current positions as physicians in leadership roles at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Sonal leads the Department of Ophthalmology as Chair, and Sanjeev serves as the Associate Chair and Chief of General Academic Pediatrics.

As physicians, the Tulis have years of medical training under their belts, which has well prepared them for their individual practices. But their leadership roles require a different layer of education.

“We were doing significant amounts of operational management and budgeting in our leadership roles despite not having any formal training in those areas,” Sonal explained.

Seeing the opportunity to further their business education, the Tulis made the decision to simultaneously pursue their Executive MBA degrees in the University of Florida Warrington College of Business. Having already both earned their Master in Education from the University of Florida, they recognized they’d have a great learning experience.

“Choosing UF was a no-brainer,” Sanjeev noted. “It is highly ranked and a great value for money; the fact that it is right here in Gainesville was the icing on the cake.”