Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Healthcare Professionals
Lisa from Jevan Consulting suggests considering administrative fellowships, roles overseeing support service departments, or positions in finance, quality, or project management to break into the healthcare field; however, the key is to "take whatever entry level position you can get into" and focus on developing leadership and communication skills to leverage the numerous opportunities for growth and lateral moves within large healthcare organizations. A CPA background helped Lisa move from finance to operations, highlighting the value of diverse skill sets and internal networking for career advancement.
Entry-Level Positions, Healthcare Management, Career Growth, Professional Development, Leadership Skills
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Lisa Risser
Founder & CEO
Jevan Consulting, LLC
University of Washington
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
Business Management & Admin
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Consulting
Honors Student, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Consider administrative fellowships or roles overseeing support service departments, finance, quality, or project management as entry points.
2. Prioritize getting into a healthcare organization, even in an entry-level position, as opportunities for growth and lateral moves abound within large healthcare systems.
3. Focus on developing leadership, communication, and professional skills once inside the organization to unlock future opportunities, viewing your career as a marathon, not a race.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider?
I think if you can get an administrative fellowship, some of them will do that, which is great. Otherwise, you can go into any role that allows you to oversee support service departments.
If you go into a finance role, you have a lot more ability. I'm a CPA, and that really helped me to move from finance into operations by understanding the financial pieces.
Some people go into quality or project management, which is also good. These kinds of areas can really help give you opportunities to get in.
If you really want to work in healthcare, especially on the provider side, the most important thing is to take whatever entry-level position you can get. Once you're in, you can make it your own.
You can then look around for different opportunities and different departments. You can grow and get involved in various things. These organizations, hospitals, and health systems are very large.
There are so many places for you to go and make lateral moves for growth, which is important, or pursue promotional opportunities. I think people too often want the money and title as fast as they can.
They might not take an entry-level position because they want that title or money. But your career is a marathon, not a race. If you just get into an organization, especially a large one, you can figure it out from there.
There's a lot you can do once you get in. So, I would be less concerned about that first entry-level job and more concerned about what you do when you get in there. Focus on developing your leadership, communication, and professional skills in a way that gives you opportunities going forward.