The UIowa Executive MHA Year in Review: Once the Newness Wears Off

By: Todd Patterson, EMHA Candidate 2017

The first 18 weeks is a shock to the system. Many of us have to re-learn how to study, write, and articulate our views into academic statements. Everyone and everything is new. By the time the second semester of the program starts we have all settled into a rhythm. I lovingly call it the “Grind.” The “Grind” sounds ominous but turns out to be a key component to your success with the EMHA program.

The “Grind” is what happens when you run from work, to class, to reading, to family obligations, to meetings, back to reading, maybe some writing, and an occasional group project. In addition there have been weddings, and babies, state tournaments, school concerts, career changes and all of the other stuff that makes life messy and exhilarating at the same time. It is during this past year that something unexpected came out of the “Grind,” the formation of and access to an entire team of healthcare management professionals. We all have our own area of expertise that can be tapped for any work or class challenges we may face. Where else can you get the opinion and knowledge of a cardiologist, CFO, multiple IT specialists, clinical specialists, managers and pharmacists all in the same room for four hours each and every Tuesday for two years? This unanticipated outcome of the “Grind” is its best kept secret.

Now you tell me, who would not want a group of trusted advisors that has no agenda, what so ever, with your current organization? You would always get what I refer to as the "Industry Standard" answer to any problems. In addition you will always get an "outside the box" answer. Your teammates then discuss and argue the merits of the issues at hand. If it happened to be "your" problem this week you get to add and take away variables to drive the discussion to see how different groups would react. Those four hours helped us devise strategies to move our organizations forward. Sometimes the conversation turned towards our individual goals, how we would move ourselves forward. We discussed opportunities, got opinions and ideas, and much needed resources. We listened to all viewpoints, anticipated bottle necks, or discovered new angles to pursue. I can attest that you may not get your problem completely solved, but I certainly knew where to start on Wednesday morning when I was back to work.

The “Grind” became something we all began to look forward to. Every Tuesday evening we were able to meet, discuss, learn, and sometimes blow off steam. The "Grind" allowed us to take in vast amounts of information, using all team members as a sounding board, and in many cases apply what we learned the very next day.

Recharged after our Tuesday night vigil and armed with our own personal healthcare management team, our cohort was able to begin leveraging all of the pertinent knowledge being thrown at us on a weekly basis. I personally have been able to connect with and better direct our clinical staff due to the knowledge I gained in class, and more importantly the wisdom that was imparted on me by the provider in our cohort. Along the same lines I am able to seek counsel from our resident CFO, and trade management ideas with everyone. We each have our own area of expertise to be accessed by the team. The "Grind" spreads outside our professional lives, and we are fortunate enough to commiserate and celebrate all of life’s ups and downs together. If you are doing your EMHA correctly this is how it should operate and feel.

I equate the "Grind" to an internship that the traditional MHA student may attend between their first and second years. All of us are already working full time; we don’t have the opportunity to take on an additional internship. We created our own.

To the new cohort just starting, if you have not started the "Grind" as a group you are missing out and you should get started now. To the traditional MHA students the same goes for you, but in your case the pay off will be 5-7 years from now when you have a few years of experience under your belt and can access your "Grind" team for guidance.

Everyone enjoy the small break this winter; embrace your "Grind" and finish strong.