Featured Fellowship: Loyola Medicine

By: Garrett Danelz (MHA ’19)

Students pursuing administrative fellowships dedicate countless hours to researching prospective institutions, initiating informational phone calls, leveraging connections, and interview preparation. Throughout my fellowship search, I prioritized organizations that matched that level of dedication, demonstrating a truecommitment to recruit and develop future healthcare leaders. Loyola Medicine’s enthusiasm and devotion to me as an applicant was unrivaled and served as a keycontributor in my decision to complete my administrative fellowship at this institution. 

The Loyola Medicine Administrative Fellowship is a one-year program structured to develop robust leadership and management skills within a Chicago-based nationally ranked academic health system. The program promotes curiosity, innovation, and application of practical skills in operations, strategy, and front-line management to prepare fellows for dynamic careers in healthcare.

Loyola Medicine initially piqued my interest as it encompasses varying types of healthcare organizations: Loyola University Medical Center (academic medical center), Gottlieb Memorial Hospital (community hospital), and MacNeal Hospital (community teaching hospital). Thisprovides fellows with a unique challenge, learning the system from multiple lenses through high-level project ownership, departmental immersions, and participation in executive meetings across the differentlocations. The professional networking opportunities with other early careerists was also an exciting prospect. Loyola Medicine is part of Michigan-based Trinity Health. Thereforethe fellows at other Trinity institutions create their own broader fellowship cohort who collaborate throughout the fellowship year at many conferences and functions around the country.

Having gone through the recruitment process at numerous healthcare organizations, I believe Loyola Medicine’s is the gold standard for engaging applicants with key stakeholders within the organization. Current fellow Lauren Waggoner (MHA, 2018), her co-fellow, former fellows, and the executive leadership team take a hands-on approach in their recruitment efforts. What struck me the most was during my on-site visit; I no longer felt like my competence was being evaluated, “fit” was paramount in the final round interviews. Thismade way for open and collaborative conversations within a competitive healthcare environment. 

I feel privileged to have this unique opportunity to further my academic and professional training at Loyola Medicine. I am grateful to the University of Iowa MHA department, the Health Management & Policy staff, and our dedicated alumni for equipping me with the tools necessary to be successful in this role. Go Hawks!