Central Michigan University’s College of Medicine (CMED) is a newly formed medical school achieving preliminary accreditation in February of 2012. CMED’s mission is to prepare physicians focused on improving access to high quality health care in Michigan with an emphasis on rural and medically underserved regions. The Administrative Fellowship at CMED will assist with this endeavor by providing a high-level, comprehensive educational experience to talented individuals interested in pursuing a career in health care administration. The fellow is primarily precepted/mentored by the Associate Dean/Administration & Finance and precepted/mentored by the entire senior leadership team through a rotational experience. During the fellow’s rotation, each area will include an assigned individual who values the opportunity to precept/mentor the fellow and demonstrates this through the time and energy they dedicate holding one on one meetings with, seeking candid input from, and providing continuous feedback to the fellow. The program is two years in length.

The CMED fellowship program offers a tiered educational approach that 1) fosters a broad understanding of operations management and leadership in a complex health care environment, 2) allows the fellow to lead specific projects to improve the organization, and 3) integrates the fellow as a member of the senior leadership team. The components of the fellowship include:

• Rotational Experiences – The fellow is exposed to all aspects of health care administration in a complex system through rotations within Central Administration including Human Resources and Finance & Accounting, the Faculty Group Practice, and Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education to name a few. Senior leaders within each of these departments serve as the preceptor/mentor for the designated rotation period. Actual rotations included in the fellowship may vary and will be determined by the Associate Dean/Administration & Finance and Fellow based upon the fellow’s areas of interest.
• Project Work – A key component of the fellowship is active participation and management of important initiatives. Project work will involve data extraction, analysis and presentation, business planning, generation of financial pro formas, operations flow analysis and interaction with staff at all levels of the organization. The Fellow is expected to address complex issues and propose recommendations for consideration and implementation.
• Leadership Support and Interaction– The fellow serves as an integral part of the senior leadership team and supports the work of the Dean of the College of Medicine and the senior leadership. The fellow will be invited to sit on the Dean’s Advisory Council, Faculty Group Practice Executive Committee and CMU Partners Board. This work advances the success of the organization and exposes the Fellow to current challenges faced by leadership and the processes through which these challenges are addressed.
• Career Planning - Fellows are encouraged to continuously evaluate their performance and actively seek feedback as a means to gaining insight about their strengths. Preceptors and mentors provide guidance and advice about the various career options that fellows may want to pursue after the fellowship concludes.

What kind of interaction will I have with my preceptor? CMED is committed to the Administrative Fellowship Program. Preceptors/mentors are chosen not just on the basis of achievement in their field, but also on their ability and willingness to mentor. The one-on-one interaction between fellows and preceptors is dependent upon personalities and needs but is consistent throughout the fellowship year.

Will I have access to all levels of the organization? CMED is dedicated to providing its fellows with a breadth and depth of exposure to all facets of the organization. Therefore, fellows have the opportunity to attend and contribute to senior staff meetings, strategic planning retreats, and will have ample opportunities to interact with individuals from all levels of the organization.

What are the salary and benefits? Fellows receive a competitive salary and benefits package. Additionally, fellows receive a stipend to be applied toward educational activities including skills training, conferences, etc.

How do I obtain project work? Fellows work closely with preceptors/mentors to identify project work. Significant opportunities are available given the nature of CMED’s organizational structure. As the fellowship progresses, workload increases as the fellow integrates into the organization and takes on additional responsibilities.

What can I expect from the interviewing process? Completed applications are reviewed by a selection committee made up of senior leadership, who evaluate applicant materials. After an initial review, identified candidates are selected for a telephone interview. A final group of individuals are invited to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan for on-site interviews. At the on-site interviews, candidates learn more about CMED while having the opportunity to speak with several members of the senior leadership team. An offer will be made to selected candidates shortly thereafter.

Current Application Status: Closed

Eligibility

• Qualified applicants have received, or have completed coursework and are in process to receive a Masters degree by July of the Fellowship year in the following fields: Health Care Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, Nursing, or a related field such as a J.D. with an interest in health care law/policy.

When there is an opening applications are accepted on-line at cmedadminfellow@cmich.edu with your name and graduate school in the subject line. Interested applicants will need to submit the following materials:

• Current resume
• Cover letter with statement of career objectives
• 3 letters of recommendation (at least 1 academic and 1 professional)
• Official Graduate Transcripts, sent separately to:
  Central Michigan University
  College of Medicine
  Attn: Shannon Browne
  Rowe Hall 208
  Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859