EMORY HEALTHCARE Administrative Fellowship Program
EMORY HEALTHCARE Overview
EMORY HEALTHCARE (EHC) is an integrated academic health-care system committed to caring for our patients and their families, educating health-care professionals for the future, pursuing discovery research and clinical innovation, and serving our community. As the clinical enterprise of the Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center (WHSC) of Emory University, EHC is dedicated to the unifying core purpose, core values and strategic direction of the WHSC. The core purpose and core values of the WHSC including the academic,research and clinical organizations are: EHC’s vision is “to be recognized as the leading health-care system in Atlanta and the Southeast, differentiated by discovery, innovation and compassionate, patient-focused care.” As the largest, most comprehensive health-care system in Georgia, EHC includes The Emory Clinic, Emory Children’s Center, Emory University Hospital, Emory Crawford Long Hospital, Emory’s Midtown hospital, and WesleyWoods Center. EHC has more than 9,000 employees, $1.5 billion in net patient service revenue and 1,184 licensed patient beds.
Fellowship Introduction
The EHC Administrative Fellowship Program is a two-year operationally focused program. During the program, fellows gain an in-depth understanding of hospital and clinic based health-care operations. They are given the opportunity to take part in hands-on, operationally focused projects and participate in various leadership activities that nurture professional growth. Furthermore, fellows are exposed to high-level strategic planning and other health-system functions such as, marketing, human resources and information technology. The advantages of participating in the Administrative Fellowship Program are many. Most importantly, the fellowship provides:
- Direct reporting relationship to the Chief Executive Officer,Chief Operating Officer(s) or another member of the senior leadership team who in collaboration with the fellow will develop career and fellowship plans.
- Opportunities to observe executive leadership at the highest level of the organization throughout the fellowship.
- Leadership skills development and/or enhancement.
- Exposure to and opportunities for developing skills in personnel and project management in specific areas and at various levels of the organization.
Fellowship Objectives
The primary objectives of the Administrative Fellowship Program are to:
- Develop strong leaders for EHC and the health-care industry.
- Expose individuals to EHC’s philosophy, mission, vision and operation.
- Provide the opportunity for fellows to obtain coaching, learning and mentoring from senior level executives.
- Provide the opportunity for fellows to initiate and shape fellowship goals.
Fellowship Structure
The EHC Administrative Fellowship is a two-year, project-based program that targets master’s candidates
and recent master’s-level graduates in health-care administration, business administration, public
health and nursing administration.
During the first year of the fellowship program, each fellow is assigned to a senior-level executive who serves as his/her preceptor. In the second year of the program, the fellow is more involved in selecting the senior-level executive who serves as his/her preceptor. This selection is based on the fellows’ needs and the interest and availability of the executives. Preceptors are chosen based on demonstrated commitment to the fellowship and mutual interests of the fellow and senior-level executive. The preceptor serves as the fellow’s direct supervisor and provides professional guidance, mentorship and support during
the 12-month rotation period.
Program Components
- Orientation – During the first month of the Administrative Fellowship Program, fellows will have one-on-one informational interviews with members of EHC senior leadership, and they will have clinical rotations and shadowing experiences throughout EHC.
- Committee Meeting Rotations – Fellows rotate among key committees to gain a broad background and understanding of EHC and the WHSC. In addition to observing leaders, fellows gain an awareness of various decision-making processes and challenges facing today’s executives.
- Administrator On-Call – Following the first six months of the program, the first-year administrative fellows will be included in the Administrator On-Call schedule and paired with the regularly scheduled Emory Hospital Associate Administrator who acts as a shadow administrator.
- Call for Projects – Fellows have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of system-wide projects senior leaders submit to the fellowship coordinator. Assignments are based on the fellows’ interests.
- Lunch-n-Learns – Fellows organize and facilitate informational sessions, referred to as Lunch-n-Learns. These monthly, one-hour sessions are intended to introduce the fellows to various members of EHC andWHSC leadership as well as to discuss topics that affect the health-care industry.
Project Management/Evaluation
Project work comprises a major portion of the EHC Administrative Fellowship Program. Potential project content may include: (1) operations improvement, (2) project management, (3) interim management opportunities, (4) system-wide/strategic initiatives and (5) leadership development. The fellow and his/her preceptor select assignments that are mutually beneficial to the fellow, the specific health-care unit and the health system. Fellows will be officially evaluated by their preceptors on a semi-annual basis in November and April of both their first and second years using Performance Advantage. Performance Advantage is a system-wide process of planning, developing, coaching, providing feedback and evaluating contributions and performance.
Past projects include leading a major human resources and payroll systems conversion, creating a business plan for a service-line expansion and participating in developing a departmental strategic plan. Fellows also have participated in the design of new clinical operations models in an outpatient physician practice setting and coordinated EHC’s American Heart Association fund-raising initiative. Managing projects such as operating room inventory, cultural competency initiative, contract negotiations with outsourcing companies, impact analysis of a physician order-entry system on operations, referral analyses and stepping into interim supervisory roles are other examples.
Application Process
To be considered for the EHC Administrative Fellowship Program, applicants must submit the following (see Web site for details):
• Current resume.
• Cover Letter.
• Essay Questions.
• Three Letters of Recommendation.
• Official Graduate School Transcript.
Important Dates
• Application Acceptance Period: Sept. 1 – Nov. 1.
• Interview Process: November and December.
• Final Selection: Mid to Late December.
• Fellowship Start Date: Late June.
Applications and all supporting documentation must be submitted in one envelope and received between September 1 and November 1. Incomplete applications and/or those received after the November 1 deadline will not be accepted (please confirm receipt of materials).
Please send all application materials to:
EMORY HEALTHCARE
Administrative Fellowship Manager
WHSC Strategic Planning Office
1365 Clifton Road, Building A, Suite A5000
Atlanta, Georgia 30322
After review of all submitted materials, a select number of applicants will be called for telephone interviews. Upon completion of telephone interviews, top applicants will be invited on site for second interviews and case study completion. There are two available EHC Administrative Fellowship Program positions each year. Final selections will be announced no later than December 31.
