Summer Internship: UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital

By: Joe Kim

Hello, everyone! This summer, I’m interning at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, a Top 100 Hospital with 532 licensed beds right at the edge of downtown. I’m working under Joe Linn, Vice President of Operations, forming a powerful Joe & Joe duo. St. Luke’s is a top 3 US News & World Report hospital in Iowa, Truven Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital, and holds the first rehab program in the state to be CARF accredited.

All of these awards and accolades would not be made possible without a strong culture within the organization. I’m starting my fifth week here and it already feels like home. Everyone is welcoming, and it has been fun getting to know the hard workers around me. A big project that is ongoing throughout this summer is in regards to culture and values. There will be a launch in the middle of July for training staff members on the new values of the organization, across all of the UnityPoint affiliates. Logistically speaking, it is a lot to coordinate for the 3,500+ associates here at St. Luke’s. 

Another project I’m working on is reducing patient wait times at the Wound and Hyperbaric Center in Hiawatha. To help alleviate this issue, I’m in the process of creating a scheduling template, as well as suggesting other strategies. I had the opportunity to present on this topic to the physicians of this clinic, which went smoothly thanks to the great education and work the Iowa MHA program provides to prepare students with strong presentation skills. Lastly, much of my time is spent shadowing Joe Linn at different meetings and events, along with meeting directors one-on-one. Learning the language used between the various levels of the hospital, as well as gaining insight on the operations of each service line across the continuum of care, has been an extremely valuable experience for me.

Outside of work, I’ve been able to take advantage of a summer in Iowa City, which has much to offer, such as outdoor concerts, various festivals and fine dining on patios. I had the pleasure of spending time with my fellow classmates at an ACHE networking event and am currently working on my golf game. Thankful for a fantastic first five weeks here and am looking forward to seeing my classmates back in Iowa City for the fall!

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