Felicia Steele

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Paul Grant, MD, SFHM, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Dr. Grant is the chair of SHM’s Membership Committee and an active member of SHM’s Michigan Chapter.

Why did you choose a career in hospital medicine, and how did you become an SHM member?

After residency, I completed a hospital medicine fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. During my fellowship, I joined SHM. At that time, I knew nothing about the society, but that soon changed. My fellowship required me to attend the annual meeting and submit an abstract in the RIV competition, which was an extremely valuable experience for me. Not only was I blown away by the meeting, but my poster won the clinical vignette competition, as well! Needless to say, I’ve been an SHM member ever since.

What prompted you to join the Membership Committee? Can you discuss some of the projects the committee is currently working on?

Because SHM has done so much for my career as a hospitalist, I’ve tried to give back by volunteering on committees. After spending several years on the Early Career Hospitalist Committee, I felt the transition to the Membership Committee was a natural fit. Because SHM membership had been growing every year, our committee felt some pressure to keep this trend going. Thankfully, we have continued to see growth each year in every membership category.

Our committee has been working on several projects. One of the key demographics we have been targeting is the resident member. Residents play a significant role in the future of hospital medicine, as well as SHM membership. We are developing ways to reach out to residency program directors – particularly those running a hospital medicine track – to find ways they can benefit from SHM’s educational offerings. Additionally, our committee has been discussing ways to attract international members to SHM. Because hospital medicine is quite developed in the United States, we believe we have much to offer to hospitalists around the world.

Tell TH about your involvement with SHM’s Michigan Chapter. What does a typical chapter meeting entail?

A few years ago, at the end of SHM’s annual meeting, several of my hospital medicine colleagues in southeast Michigan happened to be on the same flight home. At the departure gate in the airport, we all agreed we should start an SHM chapter. After drawing straws, it was decided that I would be chapter president for our inaugural year. In a few short years, our chapter has grown into one of the largest in the country.

As for a typical meeting, each starts with a cocktail hour to encourage our members to network. We have a guest speaker, who presents on a hospital medicine topic, and then, we end the evening with a business meeting. We encourage students and residents to attend. More recently, we’ve been using interactive technology to broadcast our meetings to large hospital medicine groups in the western and northern parts of the state. Our chapter was thrilled to learn that we’d won the Outstanding Chapter award this year!

What value do you find in connecting with hospital medicine professionals at the local level?

Whether it’s a hospitalist working at a large, tertiary care center or one working in a small rural setting, it seems we all face similar challenges.

As a chapter, we can pull together our resources to address these issues. Furthermore, we have the ability to reach out to more trainees and show them what hospital medicine is all about. Our chapter has been able to partially fund both medical students and residents so they could attend SHM’s annual meeting. I’m always amazed at what I can learn from other hospitalists – in the state of Michigan and beyond.
 

Find a chapter near you and get involved at the local level at hospitalmedicine.org/chapters .

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Paul Grant, MD, SFHM, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Dr. Grant is the chair of SHM’s Membership Committee and an active member of SHM’s Michigan Chapter.

Why did you choose a career in hospital medicine, and how did you become an SHM member?

After residency, I completed a hospital medicine fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. During my fellowship, I joined SHM. At that time, I knew nothing about the society, but that soon changed. My fellowship required me to attend the annual meeting and submit an abstract in the RIV competition, which was an extremely valuable experience for me. Not only was I blown away by the meeting, but my poster won the clinical vignette competition, as well! Needless to say, I’ve been an SHM member ever since.

What prompted you to join the Membership Committee? Can you discuss some of the projects the committee is currently working on?

Because SHM has done so much for my career as a hospitalist, I’ve tried to give back by volunteering on committees. After spending several years on the Early Career Hospitalist Committee, I felt the transition to the Membership Committee was a natural fit. Because SHM membership had been growing every year, our committee felt some pressure to keep this trend going. Thankfully, we have continued to see growth each year in every membership category.

Our committee has been working on several projects. One of the key demographics we have been targeting is the resident member. Residents play a significant role in the future of hospital medicine, as well as SHM membership. We are developing ways to reach out to residency program directors – particularly those running a hospital medicine track – to find ways they can benefit from SHM’s educational offerings. Additionally, our committee has been discussing ways to attract international members to SHM. Because hospital medicine is quite developed in the United States, we believe we have much to offer to hospitalists around the world.

Tell TH about your involvement with SHM’s Michigan Chapter. What does a typical chapter meeting entail?

A few years ago, at the end of SHM’s annual meeting, several of my hospital medicine colleagues in southeast Michigan happened to be on the same flight home. At the departure gate in the airport, we all agreed we should start an SHM chapter. After drawing straws, it was decided that I would be chapter president for our inaugural year. In a few short years, our chapter has grown into one of the largest in the country.

As for a typical meeting, each starts with a cocktail hour to encourage our members to network. We have a guest speaker, who presents on a hospital medicine topic, and then, we end the evening with a business meeting. We encourage students and residents to attend. More recently, we’ve been using interactive technology to broadcast our meetings to large hospital medicine groups in the western and northern parts of the state. Our chapter was thrilled to learn that we’d won the Outstanding Chapter award this year!

What value do you find in connecting with hospital medicine professionals at the local level?

Whether it’s a hospitalist working at a large, tertiary care center or one working in a small rural setting, it seems we all face similar challenges.

As a chapter, we can pull together our resources to address these issues. Furthermore, we have the ability to reach out to more trainees and show them what hospital medicine is all about. Our chapter has been able to partially fund both medical students and residents so they could attend SHM’s annual meeting. I’m always amazed at what I can learn from other hospitalists – in the state of Michigan and beyond.
 

Find a chapter near you and get involved at the local level at hospitalmedicine.org/chapters .

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Paul Grant, MD, SFHM, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Dr. Grant is the chair of SHM’s Membership Committee and an active member of SHM’s Michigan Chapter.

Why did you choose a career in hospital medicine, and how did you become an SHM member?

After residency, I completed a hospital medicine fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. During my fellowship, I joined SHM. At that time, I knew nothing about the society, but that soon changed. My fellowship required me to attend the annual meeting and submit an abstract in the RIV competition, which was an extremely valuable experience for me. Not only was I blown away by the meeting, but my poster won the clinical vignette competition, as well! Needless to say, I’ve been an SHM member ever since.

What prompted you to join the Membership Committee? Can you discuss some of the projects the committee is currently working on?

Because SHM has done so much for my career as a hospitalist, I’ve tried to give back by volunteering on committees. After spending several years on the Early Career Hospitalist Committee, I felt the transition to the Membership Committee was a natural fit. Because SHM membership had been growing every year, our committee felt some pressure to keep this trend going. Thankfully, we have continued to see growth each year in every membership category.

Our committee has been working on several projects. One of the key demographics we have been targeting is the resident member. Residents play a significant role in the future of hospital medicine, as well as SHM membership. We are developing ways to reach out to residency program directors – particularly those running a hospital medicine track – to find ways they can benefit from SHM’s educational offerings. Additionally, our committee has been discussing ways to attract international members to SHM. Because hospital medicine is quite developed in the United States, we believe we have much to offer to hospitalists around the world.

Tell TH about your involvement with SHM’s Michigan Chapter. What does a typical chapter meeting entail?

A few years ago, at the end of SHM’s annual meeting, several of my hospital medicine colleagues in southeast Michigan happened to be on the same flight home. At the departure gate in the airport, we all agreed we should start an SHM chapter. After drawing straws, it was decided that I would be chapter president for our inaugural year. In a few short years, our chapter has grown into one of the largest in the country.

As for a typical meeting, each starts with a cocktail hour to encourage our members to network. We have a guest speaker, who presents on a hospital medicine topic, and then, we end the evening with a business meeting. We encourage students and residents to attend. More recently, we’ve been using interactive technology to broadcast our meetings to large hospital medicine groups in the western and northern parts of the state. Our chapter was thrilled to learn that we’d won the Outstanding Chapter award this year!

What value do you find in connecting with hospital medicine professionals at the local level?

Whether it’s a hospitalist working at a large, tertiary care center or one working in a small rural setting, it seems we all face similar challenges.

As a chapter, we can pull together our resources to address these issues. Furthermore, we have the ability to reach out to more trainees and show them what hospital medicine is all about. Our chapter has been able to partially fund both medical students and residents so they could attend SHM’s annual meeting. I’m always amazed at what I can learn from other hospitalists – in the state of Michigan and beyond.
 

Find a chapter near you and get involved at the local level at hospitalmedicine.org/chapters .

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Ryan Gamlin, a nontraditional student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Ryan was chosen to present his scientific abstract at SHM’s annual meeting in 2016, and encourages medical students to utilize SHM’s resources.
 

Tell TH about your unique pathway to medical school. How did you become an SHM member?

After 10 years working for and consulting to large health insurance companies, I was increasingly disillusioned with my work and the insurance industry and began feeling restless. When I considered possible avenues to help improve health and the health care delivery system, nothing held more intellectual or professional appeal than working on problems from the inside as a physician.

Describe your experience at your first annual meeting. Why would you encourage medical students to attend?

Hospital Medicine 2016 inspired me. As someone interested in the intersection of clinical care and the care system itself, I was amazed at the depth and breadth of forward-looking programming and the amount of similarly-inclined people!

I wish that every medical student – irrespective of their intended specialty – could attend an SHM meeting to witness firsthand how a progressive, thriving professional society integrates members at all levels (student, resident, early-career faculty, and beyond) into their work of improving health care.
 

As a medical student, why is SHM beneficial to your professional growth as a future physician?

I see SHM as a “big tent” professional society that values insights and expertise from all types of physicians, with tangible commitments to support them in the types of system-improving work that are important to me in my career. SHM’s member resources and commitment to students’ and residents’ professional development are incomparable.

What are the biggest opportunities you see for yourself and other future physicians in the changing health care landscape?

The days when a physician’s job was limited to doctoring are over. Our generation of physicians must be great clinicians and work to heal a sick health care system. Now more than ever, physicians must be systems thinkers, designers, and fixers, equipped with the tools of quality improvement, design thinking, finance, and health policy.

Opportunities for meaningful improvement exist at every level, from care teams to health systems, the health care industry, and policy at every level. I would encourage those at any stage of their careers to find an area that they’re excited about or interested in. Seek out information and mentors in that area at their institutions or within SHM, and just start working on something.

There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty in health care; reimbursement paradigms are changing, clinical expectations only grow, and the forces competing for every doctor’s limited time seem unlimited. Uncertainty is uncomfortable, but it also means opportunity. I’m excited to see the commitment to leadership from SHM and so many of its members. It has never been more necessary.
 

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Ryan Gamlin, a nontraditional student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Ryan was chosen to present his scientific abstract at SHM’s annual meeting in 2016, and encourages medical students to utilize SHM’s resources.
 

Tell TH about your unique pathway to medical school. How did you become an SHM member?

After 10 years working for and consulting to large health insurance companies, I was increasingly disillusioned with my work and the insurance industry and began feeling restless. When I considered possible avenues to help improve health and the health care delivery system, nothing held more intellectual or professional appeal than working on problems from the inside as a physician.

Describe your experience at your first annual meeting. Why would you encourage medical students to attend?

Hospital Medicine 2016 inspired me. As someone interested in the intersection of clinical care and the care system itself, I was amazed at the depth and breadth of forward-looking programming and the amount of similarly-inclined people!

I wish that every medical student – irrespective of their intended specialty – could attend an SHM meeting to witness firsthand how a progressive, thriving professional society integrates members at all levels (student, resident, early-career faculty, and beyond) into their work of improving health care.
 

As a medical student, why is SHM beneficial to your professional growth as a future physician?

I see SHM as a “big tent” professional society that values insights and expertise from all types of physicians, with tangible commitments to support them in the types of system-improving work that are important to me in my career. SHM’s member resources and commitment to students’ and residents’ professional development are incomparable.

What are the biggest opportunities you see for yourself and other future physicians in the changing health care landscape?

The days when a physician’s job was limited to doctoring are over. Our generation of physicians must be great clinicians and work to heal a sick health care system. Now more than ever, physicians must be systems thinkers, designers, and fixers, equipped with the tools of quality improvement, design thinking, finance, and health policy.

Opportunities for meaningful improvement exist at every level, from care teams to health systems, the health care industry, and policy at every level. I would encourage those at any stage of their careers to find an area that they’re excited about or interested in. Seek out information and mentors in that area at their institutions or within SHM, and just start working on something.

There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty in health care; reimbursement paradigms are changing, clinical expectations only grow, and the forces competing for every doctor’s limited time seem unlimited. Uncertainty is uncomfortable, but it also means opportunity. I’m excited to see the commitment to leadership from SHM and so many of its members. It has never been more necessary.
 

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Ryan Gamlin, a nontraditional student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Ryan was chosen to present his scientific abstract at SHM’s annual meeting in 2016, and encourages medical students to utilize SHM’s resources.
 

Tell TH about your unique pathway to medical school. How did you become an SHM member?

After 10 years working for and consulting to large health insurance companies, I was increasingly disillusioned with my work and the insurance industry and began feeling restless. When I considered possible avenues to help improve health and the health care delivery system, nothing held more intellectual or professional appeal than working on problems from the inside as a physician.

Describe your experience at your first annual meeting. Why would you encourage medical students to attend?

Hospital Medicine 2016 inspired me. As someone interested in the intersection of clinical care and the care system itself, I was amazed at the depth and breadth of forward-looking programming and the amount of similarly-inclined people!

I wish that every medical student – irrespective of their intended specialty – could attend an SHM meeting to witness firsthand how a progressive, thriving professional society integrates members at all levels (student, resident, early-career faculty, and beyond) into their work of improving health care.
 

As a medical student, why is SHM beneficial to your professional growth as a future physician?

I see SHM as a “big tent” professional society that values insights and expertise from all types of physicians, with tangible commitments to support them in the types of system-improving work that are important to me in my career. SHM’s member resources and commitment to students’ and residents’ professional development are incomparable.

What are the biggest opportunities you see for yourself and other future physicians in the changing health care landscape?

The days when a physician’s job was limited to doctoring are over. Our generation of physicians must be great clinicians and work to heal a sick health care system. Now more than ever, physicians must be systems thinkers, designers, and fixers, equipped with the tools of quality improvement, design thinking, finance, and health policy.

Opportunities for meaningful improvement exist at every level, from care teams to health systems, the health care industry, and policy at every level. I would encourage those at any stage of their careers to find an area that they’re excited about or interested in. Seek out information and mentors in that area at their institutions or within SHM, and just start working on something.

There is a tremendous amount of uncertainty in health care; reimbursement paradigms are changing, clinical expectations only grow, and the forces competing for every doctor’s limited time seem unlimited. Uncertainty is uncomfortable, but it also means opportunity. I’m excited to see the commitment to leadership from SHM and so many of its members. It has never been more necessary.
 

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Umesh Sharma, MD, MBA, FHM, chair of the division of community hospital medicine at Mayo Clinic. Umesh became a Fellow in Hospital Medicine in 2016 and has found great value in attending the annual meeting each year.

What inspired you to join SHM, and what prompted you to apply for the Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation?

How did you use SHM resources to help you in your pathway to Fellowship in Hospital Medicine?

There are specific eligibility requirements for the Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation, including a minimum of 5 years as a practicing hospitalist and 3 years as an SHM member, endorsements from two active members, regular meeting attendance and more. SHM provides a checklist for Fellow applicants online and an FAQ page to make the application process as user-friendly as possible. A friend of mine, Dr. Deepak Pahuja, is a Fellow, and he mentored me throughout the process.
 

How else has SHM contributed to your professional growth and provided you with tools you need to lead hospitalists at Mayo Clinic?

There are many resources that SHM provides to help with professional growth both online and at in-person meetings. I referenced the Key Principles and Characteristics of an Effective Hospital Medicine Group, an online assessment guide, in my role as department chair in La Crosse, Wisc., to resurrect a hospital medicine group, secure resources, hire career hospitalists, and create a well-functioning, well-managed, efficient, effective group with zero turnover during a span of 4 years.

By focusing on the leadership track at annual meetings, I have been able to gain knowledge on proven leadership strategies and enhance my skills, which I have applied on many occasions in my practice. Being able to talk to multisite hospital medicine group colleagues in person helped me to learn best practices in how to successfully manage the integration of 14 hospital medicine community hospital sites across Mayo Midwest. I was able to get ideas on effectively understanding and managing challenges, like recruitment retention, staffing to workloads, and scope of practice, among others. SHM promotes peer-to-peer learning and has helped me share and learn best practices as it relates to the clinical and nonclinical aspect of the practice of hospital medicine.
 

What one piece of advice would you give fellow hospitalists during this transformational time in health care?

This is an exciting time in health care, especially for hospital medicine professionals, who are at the forefront of providing value-based care. Every change is an opportunity to improve and innovate; the best way to handle change is to embrace and lead it.

Ms. Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

To apply for the Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation, visit www.hospitalmedicine.org/fellows.




 

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Umesh Sharma, MD, MBA, FHM, chair of the division of community hospital medicine at Mayo Clinic. Umesh became a Fellow in Hospital Medicine in 2016 and has found great value in attending the annual meeting each year.

What inspired you to join SHM, and what prompted you to apply for the Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation?

How did you use SHM resources to help you in your pathway to Fellowship in Hospital Medicine?

There are specific eligibility requirements for the Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation, including a minimum of 5 years as a practicing hospitalist and 3 years as an SHM member, endorsements from two active members, regular meeting attendance and more. SHM provides a checklist for Fellow applicants online and an FAQ page to make the application process as user-friendly as possible. A friend of mine, Dr. Deepak Pahuja, is a Fellow, and he mentored me throughout the process.
 

How else has SHM contributed to your professional growth and provided you with tools you need to lead hospitalists at Mayo Clinic?

There are many resources that SHM provides to help with professional growth both online and at in-person meetings. I referenced the Key Principles and Characteristics of an Effective Hospital Medicine Group, an online assessment guide, in my role as department chair in La Crosse, Wisc., to resurrect a hospital medicine group, secure resources, hire career hospitalists, and create a well-functioning, well-managed, efficient, effective group with zero turnover during a span of 4 years.

By focusing on the leadership track at annual meetings, I have been able to gain knowledge on proven leadership strategies and enhance my skills, which I have applied on many occasions in my practice. Being able to talk to multisite hospital medicine group colleagues in person helped me to learn best practices in how to successfully manage the integration of 14 hospital medicine community hospital sites across Mayo Midwest. I was able to get ideas on effectively understanding and managing challenges, like recruitment retention, staffing to workloads, and scope of practice, among others. SHM promotes peer-to-peer learning and has helped me share and learn best practices as it relates to the clinical and nonclinical aspect of the practice of hospital medicine.
 

What one piece of advice would you give fellow hospitalists during this transformational time in health care?

This is an exciting time in health care, especially for hospital medicine professionals, who are at the forefront of providing value-based care. Every change is an opportunity to improve and innovate; the best way to handle change is to embrace and lead it.

Ms. Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

To apply for the Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation, visit www.hospitalmedicine.org/fellows.




 

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Umesh Sharma, MD, MBA, FHM, chair of the division of community hospital medicine at Mayo Clinic. Umesh became a Fellow in Hospital Medicine in 2016 and has found great value in attending the annual meeting each year.

What inspired you to join SHM, and what prompted you to apply for the Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation?

How did you use SHM resources to help you in your pathway to Fellowship in Hospital Medicine?

There are specific eligibility requirements for the Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation, including a minimum of 5 years as a practicing hospitalist and 3 years as an SHM member, endorsements from two active members, regular meeting attendance and more. SHM provides a checklist for Fellow applicants online and an FAQ page to make the application process as user-friendly as possible. A friend of mine, Dr. Deepak Pahuja, is a Fellow, and he mentored me throughout the process.
 

How else has SHM contributed to your professional growth and provided you with tools you need to lead hospitalists at Mayo Clinic?

There are many resources that SHM provides to help with professional growth both online and at in-person meetings. I referenced the Key Principles and Characteristics of an Effective Hospital Medicine Group, an online assessment guide, in my role as department chair in La Crosse, Wisc., to resurrect a hospital medicine group, secure resources, hire career hospitalists, and create a well-functioning, well-managed, efficient, effective group with zero turnover during a span of 4 years.

By focusing on the leadership track at annual meetings, I have been able to gain knowledge on proven leadership strategies and enhance my skills, which I have applied on many occasions in my practice. Being able to talk to multisite hospital medicine group colleagues in person helped me to learn best practices in how to successfully manage the integration of 14 hospital medicine community hospital sites across Mayo Midwest. I was able to get ideas on effectively understanding and managing challenges, like recruitment retention, staffing to workloads, and scope of practice, among others. SHM promotes peer-to-peer learning and has helped me share and learn best practices as it relates to the clinical and nonclinical aspect of the practice of hospital medicine.
 

What one piece of advice would you give fellow hospitalists during this transformational time in health care?

This is an exciting time in health care, especially for hospital medicine professionals, who are at the forefront of providing value-based care. Every change is an opportunity to improve and innovate; the best way to handle change is to embrace and lead it.

Ms. Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

To apply for the Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation, visit www.hospitalmedicine.org/fellows.




 

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Ernie L. Esquivel, MD, FACP, FHM, the clerkship director, medicine, and assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Esquivel is involved with SHM’s Physicians in Training Committee, and has spearheaded the creation of the Student Hospitalist Scholar Grant program.

What inspired you to become a hospitalist?

I became a hospitalist serendipitously. At a critical juncture in my life about 8 years ago (when a change in career direction became necessary), I chanced upon a locum tenens position in a small community hospital in Lansdale, Pa., as a hospitalist. Having been a primary care track resident who subsequently chose to specialize in nephrology, I rediscovered my generalist inclinations during this job. I fell in love with the fast pace of the hospitalist’s work, the complexity of delivering care and the diversity of diseases, and of personal life stories on the general medicine wards and the ICU.

Subsequently, I worked as an intensivist in Philadelphia for a year before joining the Academic Hospital Medicine Division at Weill Cornell in New York City. At Cornell, I have managed to cultivate my passion for medical education, especially for working with and mentoring students and residents, while continuing to care for patients on the general medicine wards. As the medicine clerkship director, I have had the privilege of creating an innovative curriculum that I hope prepares medical students for the challenges in, and the richness of, encounters in the practice of inpatient medicine.
 

How and why did you become a member of SHM and the Physicians in Training Committee (PIT)?

I joined SHM 6 years ago as I started to explore my career options more deeply. In 2010, I attended the Academic Hospitalist Academy, and that really offered me a closer look at the different ways in which SHM could help me advance. I went to my first SHM annual meeting 5 years ago; it motivated me to become involved in committee work. Because of my interest in medical education, I volunteered for the PIT Committee and it has given me the opportunity to work closely with other hospitalists around the country, and develop programming specifically targeted toward future hospitalists.

What is the PIT Committee working on?

The committee has continued to find ways for increased engagement of residents and students in SHM. Dr. Brian Kwan, an academic hospitalist at UC San Diego, and I have been developing a travel grant program for resident trainees and hospital medicine fellows to attend the annual meeting. By offering them a stipend to defray the costs of travel if their quality improvement innovation or research project is accepted, we hope that the annual meeting can become a venue for them to highlight their work, while becoming exposed to the many activities and opportunities offered by our society. In addition, it could be a way for them to network with other future hospitalists and established future mentors.

What prompted you to lead the creation of the Student Hospitalist Scholar Grant summer program?

Before I became a hospitalist, I spent about 7 years in research, studying renal genetics. I have always been fascinated by science and asked how I can help to advance our knowledge. As a hospitalist, it became clear to me early on that there are many questions that one can pose about the clinical work we do, the way we practice medicine, or ways to innovate education, and that there are many academic hospitalists who engage in advancing the field. I spearheaded this program because I would like students to see the field of hospital medicine as one in which they can develop a future career in academic medicine, not only by caring for patients, but also by involving themselves in research questions or QI projects.

Do you have any specific advice for students and residents interested in hospital medicine? In what ways can early-career hospitalists utilize SHM resources to leverage their careers?

The decision to pursue a career as a hospitalist will open up many more questions in the future, because there are so many opportunities available. I would suggest that trainees ask in which ways they see themselves growing in the future – clinical research, medical education, QI/patient safety, operations, and hospital leadership are the main avenues. When I interview future faculty, I always pose the same question to each of them: “Every year you are allocated X amount of money that you can use for CME, etc. How are you going to use this money to improve your skills in any particular area?” The ability of candidates to answer this question reflects for me their preparedness to develop themselves as career hospitalists and their willingness to contribute to their group or division in an innovative manner.

The reality is that as one gets older, most will find it difficult to sustain a 26-week/year schedule. So find ways for your energies, in whichever area, to be noticed and developed toward a position of leadership in the hospital or medical school.

As you take care of patients in the hospital or consider your education and training, identify ways in which things can be done better. Invariably, someone in the Society of Hospital Medicine is interested in the same issue(s). Explore your ideas, share them at the meeting, talk to people, go to the SHM website and identify what resources are already available.

If SHM will be your future academic home, volunteer to engage in activities at the chapter or national levels. Our society is really dedicated to identifying ways to welcome you into our exciting and continually evolving field.

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Ernie L. Esquivel, MD, FACP, FHM, the clerkship director, medicine, and assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Esquivel is involved with SHM’s Physicians in Training Committee, and has spearheaded the creation of the Student Hospitalist Scholar Grant program.

What inspired you to become a hospitalist?

I became a hospitalist serendipitously. At a critical juncture in my life about 8 years ago (when a change in career direction became necessary), I chanced upon a locum tenens position in a small community hospital in Lansdale, Pa., as a hospitalist. Having been a primary care track resident who subsequently chose to specialize in nephrology, I rediscovered my generalist inclinations during this job. I fell in love with the fast pace of the hospitalist’s work, the complexity of delivering care and the diversity of diseases, and of personal life stories on the general medicine wards and the ICU.

Subsequently, I worked as an intensivist in Philadelphia for a year before joining the Academic Hospital Medicine Division at Weill Cornell in New York City. At Cornell, I have managed to cultivate my passion for medical education, especially for working with and mentoring students and residents, while continuing to care for patients on the general medicine wards. As the medicine clerkship director, I have had the privilege of creating an innovative curriculum that I hope prepares medical students for the challenges in, and the richness of, encounters in the practice of inpatient medicine.
 

How and why did you become a member of SHM and the Physicians in Training Committee (PIT)?

I joined SHM 6 years ago as I started to explore my career options more deeply. In 2010, I attended the Academic Hospitalist Academy, and that really offered me a closer look at the different ways in which SHM could help me advance. I went to my first SHM annual meeting 5 years ago; it motivated me to become involved in committee work. Because of my interest in medical education, I volunteered for the PIT Committee and it has given me the opportunity to work closely with other hospitalists around the country, and develop programming specifically targeted toward future hospitalists.

What is the PIT Committee working on?

The committee has continued to find ways for increased engagement of residents and students in SHM. Dr. Brian Kwan, an academic hospitalist at UC San Diego, and I have been developing a travel grant program for resident trainees and hospital medicine fellows to attend the annual meeting. By offering them a stipend to defray the costs of travel if their quality improvement innovation or research project is accepted, we hope that the annual meeting can become a venue for them to highlight their work, while becoming exposed to the many activities and opportunities offered by our society. In addition, it could be a way for them to network with other future hospitalists and established future mentors.

What prompted you to lead the creation of the Student Hospitalist Scholar Grant summer program?

Before I became a hospitalist, I spent about 7 years in research, studying renal genetics. I have always been fascinated by science and asked how I can help to advance our knowledge. As a hospitalist, it became clear to me early on that there are many questions that one can pose about the clinical work we do, the way we practice medicine, or ways to innovate education, and that there are many academic hospitalists who engage in advancing the field. I spearheaded this program because I would like students to see the field of hospital medicine as one in which they can develop a future career in academic medicine, not only by caring for patients, but also by involving themselves in research questions or QI projects.

Do you have any specific advice for students and residents interested in hospital medicine? In what ways can early-career hospitalists utilize SHM resources to leverage their careers?

The decision to pursue a career as a hospitalist will open up many more questions in the future, because there are so many opportunities available. I would suggest that trainees ask in which ways they see themselves growing in the future – clinical research, medical education, QI/patient safety, operations, and hospital leadership are the main avenues. When I interview future faculty, I always pose the same question to each of them: “Every year you are allocated X amount of money that you can use for CME, etc. How are you going to use this money to improve your skills in any particular area?” The ability of candidates to answer this question reflects for me their preparedness to develop themselves as career hospitalists and their willingness to contribute to their group or division in an innovative manner.

The reality is that as one gets older, most will find it difficult to sustain a 26-week/year schedule. So find ways for your energies, in whichever area, to be noticed and developed toward a position of leadership in the hospital or medical school.

As you take care of patients in the hospital or consider your education and training, identify ways in which things can be done better. Invariably, someone in the Society of Hospital Medicine is interested in the same issue(s). Explore your ideas, share them at the meeting, talk to people, go to the SHM website and identify what resources are already available.

If SHM will be your future academic home, volunteer to engage in activities at the chapter or national levels. Our society is really dedicated to identifying ways to welcome you into our exciting and continually evolving field.

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on some of our most active members who are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Log on to www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise to help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Ernie L. Esquivel, MD, FACP, FHM, the clerkship director, medicine, and assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Esquivel is involved with SHM’s Physicians in Training Committee, and has spearheaded the creation of the Student Hospitalist Scholar Grant program.

What inspired you to become a hospitalist?

I became a hospitalist serendipitously. At a critical juncture in my life about 8 years ago (when a change in career direction became necessary), I chanced upon a locum tenens position in a small community hospital in Lansdale, Pa., as a hospitalist. Having been a primary care track resident who subsequently chose to specialize in nephrology, I rediscovered my generalist inclinations during this job. I fell in love with the fast pace of the hospitalist’s work, the complexity of delivering care and the diversity of diseases, and of personal life stories on the general medicine wards and the ICU.

Subsequently, I worked as an intensivist in Philadelphia for a year before joining the Academic Hospital Medicine Division at Weill Cornell in New York City. At Cornell, I have managed to cultivate my passion for medical education, especially for working with and mentoring students and residents, while continuing to care for patients on the general medicine wards. As the medicine clerkship director, I have had the privilege of creating an innovative curriculum that I hope prepares medical students for the challenges in, and the richness of, encounters in the practice of inpatient medicine.
 

How and why did you become a member of SHM and the Physicians in Training Committee (PIT)?

I joined SHM 6 years ago as I started to explore my career options more deeply. In 2010, I attended the Academic Hospitalist Academy, and that really offered me a closer look at the different ways in which SHM could help me advance. I went to my first SHM annual meeting 5 years ago; it motivated me to become involved in committee work. Because of my interest in medical education, I volunteered for the PIT Committee and it has given me the opportunity to work closely with other hospitalists around the country, and develop programming specifically targeted toward future hospitalists.

What is the PIT Committee working on?

The committee has continued to find ways for increased engagement of residents and students in SHM. Dr. Brian Kwan, an academic hospitalist at UC San Diego, and I have been developing a travel grant program for resident trainees and hospital medicine fellows to attend the annual meeting. By offering them a stipend to defray the costs of travel if their quality improvement innovation or research project is accepted, we hope that the annual meeting can become a venue for them to highlight their work, while becoming exposed to the many activities and opportunities offered by our society. In addition, it could be a way for them to network with other future hospitalists and established future mentors.

What prompted you to lead the creation of the Student Hospitalist Scholar Grant summer program?

Before I became a hospitalist, I spent about 7 years in research, studying renal genetics. I have always been fascinated by science and asked how I can help to advance our knowledge. As a hospitalist, it became clear to me early on that there are many questions that one can pose about the clinical work we do, the way we practice medicine, or ways to innovate education, and that there are many academic hospitalists who engage in advancing the field. I spearheaded this program because I would like students to see the field of hospital medicine as one in which they can develop a future career in academic medicine, not only by caring for patients, but also by involving themselves in research questions or QI projects.

Do you have any specific advice for students and residents interested in hospital medicine? In what ways can early-career hospitalists utilize SHM resources to leverage their careers?

The decision to pursue a career as a hospitalist will open up many more questions in the future, because there are so many opportunities available. I would suggest that trainees ask in which ways they see themselves growing in the future – clinical research, medical education, QI/patient safety, operations, and hospital leadership are the main avenues. When I interview future faculty, I always pose the same question to each of them: “Every year you are allocated X amount of money that you can use for CME, etc. How are you going to use this money to improve your skills in any particular area?” The ability of candidates to answer this question reflects for me their preparedness to develop themselves as career hospitalists and their willingness to contribute to their group or division in an innovative manner.

The reality is that as one gets older, most will find it difficult to sustain a 26-week/year schedule. So find ways for your energies, in whichever area, to be noticed and developed toward a position of leadership in the hospital or medical school.

As you take care of patients in the hospital or consider your education and training, identify ways in which things can be done better. Invariably, someone in the Society of Hospital Medicine is interested in the same issue(s). Explore your ideas, share them at the meeting, talk to people, go to the SHM website and identify what resources are already available.

If SHM will be your future academic home, volunteer to engage in activities at the chapter or national levels. Our society is really dedicated to identifying ways to welcome you into our exciting and continually evolving field.

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on our most active members and explores how they are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Visit www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise and help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Alessandra G. Cornelio, MPH, the acquisition manager at Hartford Healthcare Medical Group in Connecticut. Ms. Cornelio is an active member of SHM’s Practice Administrators Committee. She developed and now directs the Practice Administrators’ Mentor Program.

To complement my career goals, SHM helped my professional growth by exposing me to the variety of topics and issues that practice administrators deal with regularly in their practices. I was also able to review and learn from the many resources available on the SHM website, such as white papers and articles, which were extremely useful for a new administrator.
 

Q: What prompted you to join the Practice Administrators Committee? What are some of the most impactful projects the committee is currently working on?

A: Within my first year of being a practice administrator, I attended a practice administrators’ forum at the SHM annual meeting in Washington. I found that the information was relevant to my daily functions as an administrator, and I was also able to meet and share ideas with other practice administrators from throughout the country. Down the line, I learned that SHM needed new members for the Practice Administrators Committee. I wanted to become more involved in a meaningful way, so I decided to apply.

The Practice Administrators Committee is a hardworking committee that takes on many meaningful projects. Most recently, the team has been working on developing a more user-friendly website for practice administrators, and a subgroup of the committee has cross-referenced “The Key Principles and Characteristics of an Effective Hospital Medicine Group” with existing resources, which will prove valuable to all administrators in the final product.
 

Q: Can you discuss how you began leading the work group for the Practice Administrators’ Mentor Program and how it has evolved since its inception?

A: As part of the committee’s initiative to help fellow practice administrators, we formed a subcommittee to begin developing a mentor program. (Former SHM staffer) Joseph Miller and I worked together to create an appropriate program model through research and brainstorming. We also utilized the HMX Practice Administrators Community to ask fellow practice administrators what they would expect from a mentor program and if they would participate. There was a strong favorable response rate, and we were able to implement a pilot program.

We implemented two different tracks for the program – the buddy system track and the career development track. The buddy system track is for those of any level of expertise or experience who are more interested in short-term assistance or in need of a sounding board. The career development track is a more traditional approach, matching a seasoned practice administrator with a less experienced practice administrator.

The program was designed to have annual cohorts, with the Practice Administrators Committee members as mentors. There is a detailed application process to ensure that each mentee is matched with an appropriate mentor, based on their interests and needs. We provide an orientation webinar to both parties before kicking off the relationship to present program expectations. The pilot program used this model, and comments from 6-month and annual evaluations showed tremendous satisfaction with the structure and value of this program.

There were approximately 16 pairs during the pilot year, and the following year, we grew to almost 20 pairs. Our goal as a committee is to maintain this program year after year, and in order to expand, we’ll need more than just the committee members to volunteer as mentors. There are so many talented practice administrators, and it would be wonderful to fold them into this gratifying program to pay it forward.

Many mentors, including myself, found value in acting as a mentor. I learned from my mentees as well as made connections and friendships with other professionals in the field.
 

Q: Given your intimate involvement, how have you seen the Practice Administrators’ Mentor Program benefit both the mentors and the mentees? Can you provide any specific examples?

A: Mentees are able to connect with seasoned mentors and can ask specific questions about career development and any issues they may be experiencing. Mentors are able to share their experiences and pass along important and valuable lessons learned to mentees. I served as a mentor, even though I did not yet consider myself a qualified candidate. However, I found that I was more equipped than I had realized, and I was able to assist my mentee with many aspects of career development (i.e., resume building, discussions with the C-suite, etc.).

My mentee was a practice coordinator who had only been in hospital medicine for 1 year. She had little experience hiring hospitalists, so this was a major area that we worked on together during our yearlong connection. I introduced her to collaborating with her HR department when posting positions, as well as working with permanent placement agencies. Her service was also undergoing a change in leadership, which can be difficult for any service line to experience. We discussed ways in which she could present important information to the new medical director that would produce a meaningful conversation.

In turn, my mentee introduced me to new online resources and was able to connect me with the manager of her practice, who assisted me with streamlining the payroll structure in my practice. I truly enjoyed my experience developing and participating in the program.

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Learn more about how you can benefit from the Practice Administrators’ Mentor program via the SHM website.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on our most active members and explores how they are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Visit www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise and help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Alessandra G. Cornelio, MPH, the acquisition manager at Hartford Healthcare Medical Group in Connecticut. Ms. Cornelio is an active member of SHM’s Practice Administrators Committee. She developed and now directs the Practice Administrators’ Mentor Program.

To complement my career goals, SHM helped my professional growth by exposing me to the variety of topics and issues that practice administrators deal with regularly in their practices. I was also able to review and learn from the many resources available on the SHM website, such as white papers and articles, which were extremely useful for a new administrator.
 

Q: What prompted you to join the Practice Administrators Committee? What are some of the most impactful projects the committee is currently working on?

A: Within my first year of being a practice administrator, I attended a practice administrators’ forum at the SHM annual meeting in Washington. I found that the information was relevant to my daily functions as an administrator, and I was also able to meet and share ideas with other practice administrators from throughout the country. Down the line, I learned that SHM needed new members for the Practice Administrators Committee. I wanted to become more involved in a meaningful way, so I decided to apply.

The Practice Administrators Committee is a hardworking committee that takes on many meaningful projects. Most recently, the team has been working on developing a more user-friendly website for practice administrators, and a subgroup of the committee has cross-referenced “The Key Principles and Characteristics of an Effective Hospital Medicine Group” with existing resources, which will prove valuable to all administrators in the final product.
 

Q: Can you discuss how you began leading the work group for the Practice Administrators’ Mentor Program and how it has evolved since its inception?

A: As part of the committee’s initiative to help fellow practice administrators, we formed a subcommittee to begin developing a mentor program. (Former SHM staffer) Joseph Miller and I worked together to create an appropriate program model through research and brainstorming. We also utilized the HMX Practice Administrators Community to ask fellow practice administrators what they would expect from a mentor program and if they would participate. There was a strong favorable response rate, and we were able to implement a pilot program.

We implemented two different tracks for the program – the buddy system track and the career development track. The buddy system track is for those of any level of expertise or experience who are more interested in short-term assistance or in need of a sounding board. The career development track is a more traditional approach, matching a seasoned practice administrator with a less experienced practice administrator.

The program was designed to have annual cohorts, with the Practice Administrators Committee members as mentors. There is a detailed application process to ensure that each mentee is matched with an appropriate mentor, based on their interests and needs. We provide an orientation webinar to both parties before kicking off the relationship to present program expectations. The pilot program used this model, and comments from 6-month and annual evaluations showed tremendous satisfaction with the structure and value of this program.

There were approximately 16 pairs during the pilot year, and the following year, we grew to almost 20 pairs. Our goal as a committee is to maintain this program year after year, and in order to expand, we’ll need more than just the committee members to volunteer as mentors. There are so many talented practice administrators, and it would be wonderful to fold them into this gratifying program to pay it forward.

Many mentors, including myself, found value in acting as a mentor. I learned from my mentees as well as made connections and friendships with other professionals in the field.
 

Q: Given your intimate involvement, how have you seen the Practice Administrators’ Mentor Program benefit both the mentors and the mentees? Can you provide any specific examples?

A: Mentees are able to connect with seasoned mentors and can ask specific questions about career development and any issues they may be experiencing. Mentors are able to share their experiences and pass along important and valuable lessons learned to mentees. I served as a mentor, even though I did not yet consider myself a qualified candidate. However, I found that I was more equipped than I had realized, and I was able to assist my mentee with many aspects of career development (i.e., resume building, discussions with the C-suite, etc.).

My mentee was a practice coordinator who had only been in hospital medicine for 1 year. She had little experience hiring hospitalists, so this was a major area that we worked on together during our yearlong connection. I introduced her to collaborating with her HR department when posting positions, as well as working with permanent placement agencies. Her service was also undergoing a change in leadership, which can be difficult for any service line to experience. We discussed ways in which she could present important information to the new medical director that would produce a meaningful conversation.

In turn, my mentee introduced me to new online resources and was able to connect me with the manager of her practice, who assisted me with streamlining the payroll structure in my practice. I truly enjoyed my experience developing and participating in the program.

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Learn more about how you can benefit from the Practice Administrators’ Mentor program via the SHM website.

Editor’s note: Each month, SHM puts the spotlight on our most active members and explores how they are making substantial contributions to hospital medicine. Visit www.hospitalmedicine.org/getinvolved for more information on how you can lend your expertise and help SHM improve the care of hospitalized patients.

This month, The Hospitalist spotlights Alessandra G. Cornelio, MPH, the acquisition manager at Hartford Healthcare Medical Group in Connecticut. Ms. Cornelio is an active member of SHM’s Practice Administrators Committee. She developed and now directs the Practice Administrators’ Mentor Program.

To complement my career goals, SHM helped my professional growth by exposing me to the variety of topics and issues that practice administrators deal with regularly in their practices. I was also able to review and learn from the many resources available on the SHM website, such as white papers and articles, which were extremely useful for a new administrator.
 

Q: What prompted you to join the Practice Administrators Committee? What are some of the most impactful projects the committee is currently working on?

A: Within my first year of being a practice administrator, I attended a practice administrators’ forum at the SHM annual meeting in Washington. I found that the information was relevant to my daily functions as an administrator, and I was also able to meet and share ideas with other practice administrators from throughout the country. Down the line, I learned that SHM needed new members for the Practice Administrators Committee. I wanted to become more involved in a meaningful way, so I decided to apply.

The Practice Administrators Committee is a hardworking committee that takes on many meaningful projects. Most recently, the team has been working on developing a more user-friendly website for practice administrators, and a subgroup of the committee has cross-referenced “The Key Principles and Characteristics of an Effective Hospital Medicine Group” with existing resources, which will prove valuable to all administrators in the final product.
 

Q: Can you discuss how you began leading the work group for the Practice Administrators’ Mentor Program and how it has evolved since its inception?

A: As part of the committee’s initiative to help fellow practice administrators, we formed a subcommittee to begin developing a mentor program. (Former SHM staffer) Joseph Miller and I worked together to create an appropriate program model through research and brainstorming. We also utilized the HMX Practice Administrators Community to ask fellow practice administrators what they would expect from a mentor program and if they would participate. There was a strong favorable response rate, and we were able to implement a pilot program.

We implemented two different tracks for the program – the buddy system track and the career development track. The buddy system track is for those of any level of expertise or experience who are more interested in short-term assistance or in need of a sounding board. The career development track is a more traditional approach, matching a seasoned practice administrator with a less experienced practice administrator.

The program was designed to have annual cohorts, with the Practice Administrators Committee members as mentors. There is a detailed application process to ensure that each mentee is matched with an appropriate mentor, based on their interests and needs. We provide an orientation webinar to both parties before kicking off the relationship to present program expectations. The pilot program used this model, and comments from 6-month and annual evaluations showed tremendous satisfaction with the structure and value of this program.

There were approximately 16 pairs during the pilot year, and the following year, we grew to almost 20 pairs. Our goal as a committee is to maintain this program year after year, and in order to expand, we’ll need more than just the committee members to volunteer as mentors. There are so many talented practice administrators, and it would be wonderful to fold them into this gratifying program to pay it forward.

Many mentors, including myself, found value in acting as a mentor. I learned from my mentees as well as made connections and friendships with other professionals in the field.
 

Q: Given your intimate involvement, how have you seen the Practice Administrators’ Mentor Program benefit both the mentors and the mentees? Can you provide any specific examples?

A: Mentees are able to connect with seasoned mentors and can ask specific questions about career development and any issues they may be experiencing. Mentors are able to share their experiences and pass along important and valuable lessons learned to mentees. I served as a mentor, even though I did not yet consider myself a qualified candidate. However, I found that I was more equipped than I had realized, and I was able to assist my mentee with many aspects of career development (i.e., resume building, discussions with the C-suite, etc.).

My mentee was a practice coordinator who had only been in hospital medicine for 1 year. She had little experience hiring hospitalists, so this was a major area that we worked on together during our yearlong connection. I introduced her to collaborating with her HR department when posting positions, as well as working with permanent placement agencies. Her service was also undergoing a change in leadership, which can be difficult for any service line to experience. We discussed ways in which she could present important information to the new medical director that would produce a meaningful conversation.

In turn, my mentee introduced me to new online resources and was able to connect me with the manager of her practice, who assisted me with streamlining the payroll structure in my practice. I truly enjoyed my experience developing and participating in the program.

Felicia Steele is SHM’s communications coordinator.

Learn more about how you can benefit from the Practice Administrators’ Mentor program via the SHM website.