Saturday, February 14, 2015

Oh, Atlanta

Hello everyone. It seems there is still a bit of confusion in the family about what the heck I am going to be doing after graduation, which makes sense, since I haven't talked to everyone about it and haven't officially posted anything on here or social media about it yet. (I think Nancy put up an Instagram or something)

So... let me explain what's goin' on. All of you are aware that I did my internship down in Atlanta this summer at Emory Healthcare. Well, I loved my experience there and decided that I would apply to their Management Development Program when I got back to school this past fall.

Now, a little background on placement. Typically, MHA students will choose from two different options after graduating:

  1. Get a traditional job. This is a less common thing to do for students in top MHA programs. Doesn't mean it's a bad option though. You can get a project manager position or other managerial positions straight out of school, which will be competitive in salary and provide good experience. The hesitation to just getting a job right out of school is that you can get lost in the organization more easily and don't typically get exposure to senior executives on a regular basis. One area that this exposure doesn't matter as much, is in consulting. This can be an extremely lucrative career choice, and we have two guys that are headed to Deloitte in Chicago for consulting gigs. The lifestyle is awful though (for a married person). Lots of hours and a ton of traveling and time away from loved ones. This did not appeal to me.
  2. Get a fellowship. This is the most common route for students graduating from top programs. A fellowship is a one or two year commitment that is kind of an extension of your educational journey (isn't everything though?). You are typically placed with a preceptor who is a senior executive in the organization. Sometimes this is the CEO, sometimes the VP of whatever, or senior executive of a particular service line, it just depends on how each fellowship is organized. Many fellowships are similar in that you spend your time doing a combination of shadowing in the administrative and clinical settings and get assigned project work. The real benefit of doing a fellowship-type program is the regular exposure you get to senior executives. Having the opportunity to learn directly from seasoned, successful professionals in a somewhat protected environment can be very valuable. Networking in this environment can really help you too, as you can imagine.
Wait, but I'm not doing either. So where does that leave me?! Well, the Management Development Program is really a combination of both! Yes, Emory Healthcare has a traditional fellowship program for their hospitals, but I am more interested in ambulatory care right now, which is where this program is focused. Why? Well, if you want to know why, you can call me and we can talk policy and the future of healthcare. In short, ambulatory care is playing a huge role in shaping delivery care models moving forward, so it's an exciting place to be. Who knows where I'll be in 10 years. I could very well be in the hospital setting. I am keeping an open mind and plan on taking the best opportunities as they come.

Oh, but back to the Management Development Program. It's a 3-5 year program that is designed to prepare me for a senior leadership position upon completion. Not a CEO after 3 years, but more like an administrator over a program or I know one guy who became an assistant director after he finished. There are lots of different roles that could be offered. Basically, if I finish the program, I'll likely be able to land a great position within the organization. Unlike a fellowship, this program leans toward being more of a traditional job. I'll be placed with a preceptor and work in that department to start, then move to different areas and roles as needed. Along the way, I have to meet core competencies to advance through the program. This will give me exposure to many different areas and help develop practical experience, setting a solid base for future opportunities. Similar to a fellowship, I will have the opportunity to meet with senior leaders on a regular basis too; in fact one of them will be my sponsor who is responsible for giving me guidance throughout the process.

Because I'll technically be working in one department or area at a time, I will have to take on extra project work outside of regular duties to meet competencies I'm not exposed to in my day-to-day job. It's about to get a bit cray-cray in a few months. Some of you have asked, "Is this a paid position?" Of course! In fact, it is a competitive starting salary (especially compared to fellowships) with great opportunity for growth.

I love the culture of Emory, the people, the quality of care they deliver, and the opportunity I have to make an impact on the community. We are excited to be close to family!!! Adrianne is only about 3 hours away, Nancy's parents are 7 hours away, and Dave is about 9-10 hours away. Not bad!

Now...sit back and enjoy these classics to get excited about our move!





5 comments:

Jess Clark said...

Two observations / comments:

1. One of the guitarists in Union Station is a spitting image of Joel Galbraith, a guy Adam, Jen, and I all worked with at BYU. He was a complete goofball, and the kind of guy who wore short-sleeve dress shirts with ties, ala NASA employees in 1969.

2. I didn't see a date for your move. When is your schooling complete and when do you anticipate moving? I have college buddy from Atlanta who lives there now if you need any local info/hookups. Lemme know.

LanceandNance said...

Ah, I did forget that. I graduate May 15th and my anticipated start date is June 15th. We will be moving down there sometime between those dates. Don't know where yet.

Also, I forgot to mention that I haven't been placed yet. I'll be meeting with leadership again probably in April to determine where I start. Could be doing clinic operations, patient access, financial services, strategy, etc. not sure yet.

Jess, if you have a hookup, I'd be happy to reach out to him.

The Duke said...

I am so excited for you! I wish you were closer this way to family, but glad you will have any kind of family somewhat close. I'm excited to watch what you do and see where you are in 5 years.
Thanks for posting all this great information. I found it to be most interesting.

adamhclark said...

Lance, Jess and I have a good friend, Lisa Dutton, who lives there as well - she is a lifer there and will go out of her way for you - she would be amazing to talk to as well. let me know and I'll get you her number. She'd be thrilled to know you were moving there.

LanceandNance said...

Adam, sure I'll reach out to her. The more information I get the better! Thanks.