Latest / Voices of Vital Care / Move Up in Healthcare Without Leaving Your Job | Online Education & Leadership

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Move Up in Healthcare Without Leaving Your Job | Online Education & Leadership · Voices of Vital Care

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: There is no just in healthcare, it is a team of individuals that help make things work for patients, and you are an integral part of that system.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: And so, if you're curious about, well, how do I do more or how could I have more of an impact?
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: That's where you look at taking that next step.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Voices of Vital Care.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_01: You've worked hard to get into healthcare, and now you're thinking about what comes next.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_01: Like maybe you're thinking, I want to lead a team, I want to help run a clinic, or even have a bigger voice in how healthcare gets delivered.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: But between the shifts you're probably already working, you've got family at home, everything else going on in your life, going back to school can feel like something that you might just have to put off, but you don't.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_01: Today we are talking about how to make that next step possible.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: And joining us is Michelle Polas, Director of Online Education at Pima Medical Institute, to explore learning while working and the careers in administration and leadership that help healthcare organizations serve their patients.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_01: Michelle, welcome to Voices of Vital Care.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for having me here today.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's an honor.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: So, first, like right off the bat, what would you say to someone who thinks that they have to choose between keeping their paycheck and continuing their education?
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Great question.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: I would say that it's actually very easy to do both.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: And that's actually what we encourage for our students.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: I think one of the biggest misconceptions about online learning or returning to school is that flexibility means that students are learning completely on their own.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: And that's actually not true.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: Flexibility really just means having more control over when and where you complete your work.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: So for those students that are working full-time, raising a family, balancing other responsibilities, it can make continuing education from a traditional standpoint feel like it's not a great fit.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: But most of our online students are already working professionals.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: So we recognize that balancing school and very full lives is completely possible.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_01: What do you find most often is the reason that is bringing someone to this point where they are working?
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: But what's going on in their life now that they are reaching out to go back to school?
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: I think the biggest reason is probably that our students aren't asking necessarily what degree should I get next, but they're asking themselves, where do I want to go next?
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: So for many of our students, they're already working in healthcare.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: They're building on their education, they're coming back to build on their clinical knowledge, their professional experience, and the perspectives that they already have.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: So the next step for them is really connecting those experiences to their long-term goals.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_01: Is there a student story that kind of sits with you that maybe you bring up to others who are feeling in the same spot, like they are working, they know they want to go back to school, but they just can't figure out like how on earth am I going to fit this into my life on top of everything else?
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: And they managed to make it work.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have one?
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: I do actually.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um, one just came through on our student surveys for a student that completed our Bachelor's of Science in Radiological Sciences degree, and it just said Pima Institute has changed my life for the better.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I will always be grateful for the role they played in my journey.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um the BSRS program has strengthened my confidence, helped me grow as a leader, and encouraged me to see greater possibilities in my future.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: What I've gained reaches far beyond my career.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: It has allowed me to show my children the value of perseverance, education, and believing in yourself.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: The instructors and staff who invest so much in their students certainly makes a lasting difference.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: I am very proud to be a Pima Medical Institute graduate and will carry the lessons of encouragement and opportunities that they have given to me and to my parents, um, into supporting my team and to mentor future technologists.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: So and I love that because it's also so real of, you know, they're not saying like, yeah, this was a walk in the park.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna take some work, but so worth it.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, maybe sometimes you just need to hear from somebody saying, it was absolutely worth it, I would do it again.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: And even if I had to take on even a third thing on top of it and do that.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_01: Do you do you find that you get that response in like when people look in the rear view often?
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: Often.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: Is oftentimes it's I don't know, I didn't believe in myself or I didn't know how I was going to do this.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but then when they get there, it's this sense of complete joy and pride that I've done this and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: And many of them do.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: We have pathways within our online offerings that start at the entry level, certificate level, and continue all the way on up to master's degrees.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: So we do have many students that even will return for an associate's or a bachelor's, and then once they've completed, say, I can do this and I want to even take the next step.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: That's amazing because we do talk a lot about being able to stack on top of it as well.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, it it is one thing though, Michelle, to say, like, this is flexible because we're offering it online, but when we're really being practical about it and somebody's working, and then they have to go home at night with their family, and you know, maybe they've got to take care of the kids or the pets or something like that.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_01: So kind of walk me through what a typical week of online learning typically might look like.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: So great question.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, although online learning is flexible, as I mentioned, uh, there are still expectations and assignments that need to be filled.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: So a typical week is set up where we have deadlines.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: There's assignments that need to be completed, discussion questions that typically need to be answered and engaging with our peers and our instructor.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: And so I would say the biggest critical piece to that is time management, is extremely important.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, the good news though is that students don't have to navigate that experience alone.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: We have faculty, program leadership, student support services, tutoring, and all kinds of other resources to help.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um, typically our due dates are set.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, faculty can be very flexible.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: I we've I've heard stories where a student says, I just got off of back-to-back 12s and you know, I just need a break.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's fine.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we've been there.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: We're clinicians, so we certainly understand the demands that come with those roles, um, but the expectations are established so that there is actually a framework each week to follow where you know when your readings are due, you know when your initial discussion posts are due, you know when your discussion responses are due, and you know when your assignments are due.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: So you can sort of work when it's most convenient for you as long as you're meeting those deadlines.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have kind of a tip that you give someone when they are first like trying to figure out whether to do this or not?
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: Of, you know, here's an idea of how to look at your schedule now to see if you do, in fact, have room for this.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: I would say uh that anyone has room for this.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: It's a matter of how they allocate their time.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: So we're all only given so much time.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's what we choose to fill it with.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: So when someone feels completely overwhelmed and says, My days are jam-packed, I don't have any time, I would challenge them and say, you do have time, but that might mean that there are other things that are currently a priority that may need to take a back seat.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: Or it's how we're utilizing and optimizing our time.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: For example, I have to take my kids to their sports practice.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm sitting there.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, well, we have our books, our audio books.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: So you can sit and listen to your readings and take notes while you're still sitting at your child's practice.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: So there is time.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's just how we intentionally build that into our existing schedule.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: So we, you know, talk about the people that you have encountered that like realize they want to do more and they're stacking.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: But of course, this is also an opportunity for people who maybe are doing a career pivot and it's, you know, later in life for them.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_01: So it's been years for them since they've written a paper, since they've used an online learning platform, or maybe they're this is their first time using an online learning platform.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_01: What kind of support do you have that helps them get comfortable with that?
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: Great question.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, there is an abundance of resources here at Pima Medical Institute, particularly for online students.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: We have 24-hour, seven-day-a-week tutoring that students can participate in.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: We have a robust student support system team.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: Those are like your academic coaches that are sort of cheering you on.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, when they notice if you may be falling behind in a class, they're the ones to help you look at your schedule, try to optimize it and get you back on track.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: We have extremely invested program leadership in our program directors, where they're doing one-on-one meet and greets with students, where they're really getting to intentionally know each of the students in the programs to know what support they might need.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we have uh all one health, which is for wellness resources, um, mental or physical situations that may arise for some of our online students.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we have financial services that helps with financial aid.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: So there is an enormous amount of resources to help students feel supported in their academic journey.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_01: And to be successful in this learning model while you're also working, what's one habit you should say every student should establish in like week one?
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: I would say, if nothing else, if you can check into your class daily.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um, the there's technical support to for accessing the LMS or if you have issues.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: But one tip I would recommend is if you could just check in daily, whether that's first thing in the morning, kids are rushing around, you're sipping your coffee, just log in, check for any important announcements or any emails.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: You can always come back to the work, but I feel like just getting in that habit and routine of being physically in the classroom daily helps ensure that students stay on track and that they're getting important communication and they're staying in communication with program leadership and with their faculty member.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: And I like that while you're having the coffee, probably while you're looking up at the calendar that's posted on the refrigerator for your family, also just add it into the list of the checklist for the morning.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_01: I love that.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: So let's talk a little bit more about some of the careers that we are able to get into this way.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because I think we often picture healthcare careers as the person providing treatment, but there are people coordinating everything around that also.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, if we followed a patient from making an appointment through their visit, they encounter several other people along the way.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: So, where do we see healthcare administration really making a difference?
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great question because I agree with you.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: When people think about healthcare, they think about the clinicians, the people at the bedside.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: But the reality is that a healthcare system can't function without the strong administrative professionals behind it supporting what's happening.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: So healthcare administration encompasses everything from scheduling, patient access to communication, compliance, staffing, finances, quality, and just the overall patient experience.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: So a degree in healthcare administration really connects the different pieces of the healthcare organization, and it makes sure that the clinicians have the systems and support that they need to actually focus on patient care.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think that's where the biggest value add comes in is you are still helping, and you are still part of the healthcare system.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: You are still providing a very important part of that system by allowing those clinicians to do what they do best, which is bedside care.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: Take some of the technicality out of a job in administration for me and you know, give me another clear example, easy for people to understand, of like how one administrative decision made care work better for patients or things move better for staff.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_00: So one example that I can think of where that would probably be the case would be if you have a scheduling system that is working to schedule patients.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say you're going to upgrade the system or the system completely goes down.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: This patient scheduling system is no longer available for you that day.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_00: Well, the people in healthcare administration have to understand the workings of the doctor blocks, this amount of time for these types of appointments, this amount of time for these types of appointments.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: They're going to be out on surgery between this time and this time.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: They have to look at the list of patients scheduled for the day and sort of play Tetris and figure out how is this all going to work.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: You have to have a working knowledge and understanding of that because from the clinician side, I can reschedule all these patients or shift things around and say, oh, we're running behind because our system fell.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: But now that just piles everything up on the clinician side.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: So now they have five patients back to back to back to back.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: They don't get a break.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: They don't, you know, they're they forgot that they had to take on-call calls during that time period, and that wasn't accounted for.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: And so now you have patients who aren't getting the level of care that they deserve because it stemmed from something that happened on the more administrative side that wasn't handled in the best way possible.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_01: And that helps paint a great picture for like a personality trait that this might fit for somebody.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_01: You're you're a big picture type person.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: You're able to solve problems.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_01: Like you said, anybody can make the checklist, but you know, you're the one who actually likes to build the list and then reshape them and change them around.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's really interesting for people to know.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um, someone listening might also, you know, maybe they're starting from scratch.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe another person already has their healthcare credential or degree, and now they're planning to stack, like you mentioned.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_01: So can you walk us through Pima Medical's administrative assistant certificate, the healthcare administration associate degree, the bachelor's in healthcare administration, and then there's the master's in organizational leadership.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_01: Like who is each one of those designed for, would you say?
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: Great question.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: So I would say the medical administrative assistant degree is our more entry-level direct access program.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: So this is a certificate program designed for those that are curious and interested about a degree in healthcare, not necessarily on the clinical side, but they're interested in insurance, billing and coding, um, scheduling, all of the things that would encompass that first entry access point for someone into a healthcare degree.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's shorter term, so it's a quicker degree for easier access and entry into the healthcare profession.
• 16:51
  unknown: Okay.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: From there, we have our associate's degree in healthcare administration, which builds upon what was started in the medical administrative assistant degree.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_00: Basically, the first part of our healthcare administration degree is the medical administrative assistant certificate.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: So they stack.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_00: So that's the first piece of the healthcare administration certificate.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then from there, it goes on to, I would say, probably more advanced administrative type of skills.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: This could be like, you know, overseeing uh a potentially a back office team or doing more with insurance or scheduling.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a step above a medical administrative assistant, but it's still within that back office administrative capacity.
• 17:46
  unknown: Okay.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: From there, we have our bachelor's of science in healthcare administration, and that is taking it one step further.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_00: The bachelor's degree is really designed for those that want to lead or manage a team of back office healthcare folks.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_00: So this would be the person who is managing a team of schedulers or a team that oversees insurance or a team that oversees billing and scheduling.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: This degree is really designed for those that are looking to move into a leadership type role within that administrative function.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: Our masters in organizational leadership is designed for those that really want to take it to the next level.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't just want to be a manager or a leader at one medical office.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: I want to do this for an entire hospital system.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_00: I want to do this for an entire, you know, um, gastro uh system.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: So we're looking at not just doing it within an individual office space, but doing it larger scale within an actual system.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of individuals that get their master's degree can move on to become directors of different types of divisions.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so they're really looking at a higher, more executive level position.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_01: Now, what if I have my associates in another area of healthcare, but now I'm interested in administration?
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_01: Can I just step into the bachelor's program next or do I need to start at the beginning?
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: Great question.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: You can, it depends.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: So if you do not have a degree in healthcare to enter into our bachelor's of science in healthcare administration program, there is a requirement that you have 30 credits of healthcare that you would be transferring or taking into the program.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so you would need to fulfill those requirements first prior to entry into the bachelor's program.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say, in your example, you are a clinician, so you have some certificate or some degree or in the field and you have 30 credits of healthcare-related coursework, then yes, absolutely you could transition into the administrative side at the bachelor's level without having to start over.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's wonderful.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_01: That that's really nice.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_01: Um, how how also do you evaluate credit transfers as well?
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: Our program directors, so our program leadership, are the ones that review credit transferability.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_00: And this is something that they do on an individual basis.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_00: So we're literally looking up course descriptions from colleges to see how well they match.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we do have some agreements with universities where we know, for instance, that this class, English 101 from this institution, is equivalent to our English class.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: So we know that that will transfer.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but it is done by program leadership and it's reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_00: We are looking for the equivalent of the outcomes of the course and the competencies covered to make sure that that would be a match before awarding credit.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: But the majority of our students, particularly in our bachelor's and master's programs, do come in with a lot of transfer credits, which is a good thing.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_01: So if you've got somebody who is in a clinic already, but they know ultimately they want to be able to lead the team, step into that bigger leadership role.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so they come to you, that's also then part of what you're evaluating is that this is the right pathway that fits your goals.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_01: It's not just an automatic of like, okay, yep, we'll sign you right on up.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of times, you know, we talked a lot about the pathways for leadership opportunities.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it's just for career advancement.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't necessarily mean leadership.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Per se, but we've had students come back because they're like, well, when I get my bachelor's, I get an increase in pay depending on where they're working.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: So there's lots of factors as to why students choose to return.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: And we're very mindful of that.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: We want to make sure that their ultimate reason aligns with the degree program and the path that they're in so that there is full alignment there.
• 22:25
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_01: And then if we're talking to a student and figuring out, like, okay, do you have what it takes?
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_01: Because knowing a job well and leading the people who do that same job require totally different skills.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_01: So, what does a healthcare professional need to learn when they do move from being a strong team member to being the person responsible for leading that same team?
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_00: I think one of the biggest things that they should be mindful of or that they need to focus on learning is at the clinical bedside, we focus a lot on technical skills, right?
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_00: I need to be able to perform this blood draw.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_00: I need to be able to take a temperature, like the skills that they need to perform.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: And there are certainly people skills that are involved in that and interacting with people.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: I think when we move into the administrative side or we're focused on leadership, one of the biggest things that we really need to focus on is understanding and effective communication.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_00: Because you're communicating with patients, but sometimes that communication can be very direct because it needs to be hold your arm still, I'm gonna prick you, right?
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: When we're dealing with more of the administrative side or you're leading a group of people, it's extremely important that you're able to listen, that you're able to take that information and critically evaluate it and think about it.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_00: And then that you're also able to effectively communicate processes, project management from start to finish, uh, larger ideas for implementation.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: You need to have more of a strategic mindset and you need to be able to communicate effectively with those on your team so that they can carry out the vision that you've set.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_01: Where would you say a new leader tends to struggle the most?
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_01: Is it that entrepreneur personal communication, or is it the overwhelm of having all these new tasks and responsibilities?
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: I would say, in my experience, I think that most new leaders struggle with the communication and the listening.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because most often you are promoted into a leadership position because you're really good at your job.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_00: But that doesn't, as you mentioned, always equate to knowing how to motivate and help others to be at their optimal and their job.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_00: And that's where it takes the interpersonal communication skills and effective listening skills to know what your team members need, how you can communicate with them effectively, and how you can help support them achieve the goals that you've all set out.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_00: And I think people tend to be very task-oriented in general.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_00: And so we can complete the tasks, it's the collaboration and the effective communication that is the steepest learning curve when you get into leadership.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I like that you pointed out the ability to motivate others because it's also very easy to be someone who is very vocal about their job and might have great ideas of how to improve, but it's different, that is different than also being able to implement and motivate others to follow you into it.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: That's correct.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_01: So, how can someone start showing a little bit of that leadership and leadership potential with their teammates before they move into the management role?
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_00: I would say I would encourage those that might be interested in moving into leadership, but they're not quite ready to take that leap yet, or they're not quite there.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I would say be the one that is like the sponge that absorbs the ideas.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: Have open ears and listen to those around you.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_00: I've often said in leadership, some of the best ideas that I've had have not come from me.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: They've come from other people.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: Because the reality is it's rarely one person that has this great idea that's implemented all by themselves with no support.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_00: The reality is you need other people bought into your ideas.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: And one way to do that is to listen to the ideas that others have, to collaborate with others, and then to be that vocal voice of saying, What if we did this?
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_00: How could we do this better?
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_00: I think the biggest thing with leadership, particularly in healthcare, is most organizations are looking for someone to lead where they can improve processes or improve team performance.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_00: And so I would say if you're interested in leadership, look for ways and opportunities to solicit ideas from others, to collaborate with others, and then for yourself to be able to think about how you can improve processes or make the patient experience better.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_00: That's what most healthcare systems are looking for.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_00: And when you have those ideas and you're able to vocalize them and say, I heard from so-and-so, they have this struggle in this department.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_00: I know we have this struggle in this department, they have this struggle in this department.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: So we were thinking, what if we could improve the process by doing X, Y, Z?
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_00: That's demonstrating leadership capabilities because you're demonstrating the ability to listen to others, you're demonstrating the ability to take those ideas and synthesize them, and to be able to provide a possible solution that ultimately ends up having a good revenue result for the healthcare system or better patient outcomes, which is really what they're going to be looking for.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_01: Certainly in a career that already has a high level of burnout, you don't want to be the manager who's adding to that layer of burnout for your employees and your team members.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_01: You want to be the one who helps spark their enjoyment of the job and their want to do more.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_01: So absolutely.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_01: You also mentioned if it's somebody like they're starting and they're thinking ahead, and these are the things that they can do for the person who does keep saying, maybe next year, maybe a little later.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what is the thing that you say to them right now, right here, that gets them to do this next week?
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: I would say now is time.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_00: You're never gonna have the perfect time if you're waiting and waiting and waiting and saying, when my kids are older, when I'm not working back-to-back 12s, when I get out of, you know, the clinical setting, whatever the when is, there will be something that it's replaced with.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_00: I would say if you're curious and it's something that's been on your mind, take the leap.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_00: And I can tell you from the thousands of students that have been positively impacted by advancing their careers, improving their careers because they took that first step, I would really just encourage you to say, What are you waiting for?
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now is time.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_01: So when someone thinks, and we'll we'll wrap it up here, when someone thinks, I'm just the person at the front desk, or I'm just a medical assistant, but there is something that is is pulling them.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_01: What do you want them to understand about the experience that they already bring that should motivate them into this next step?
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_00: I would say that for those individuals who are already in healthcare, but think to your example, I'm just, hopefully, we talked about this earlier.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_00: There is no just in healthcare, it is a team of individuals that help make things work for patients.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_00: And you are an integral part of that system.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_00: And so, if you're curious about, well, how do I do more or how could I have more of an impact?
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_00: That's where you look at taking that next step.
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, healthcare does not run with just clinicians or just doctors.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_00: It really does take everyone helping make the system work.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_00: And the experience that you bring and the knowledge that you bring is instrumental and will tremendously help you if you're transitioning into another area of healthcare.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I can say that uh myself because I'm actually an educator at heart, and I started as an elementary school teacher, and now I'm in higher ed, and I have worked secondary ed, higher ed, and I know that people told me way back, how could you possibly, you were just an elementary school teacher teaching itty biddies.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_00: The experiences that you're gaining now in the role that you're in will help you in ways that you cannot even comprehend.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_00: Problem solving, communication skills, just understanding how an office within a healthcare setting works, understanding patient interaction, all of that will be a tremendous asset to whatever that next step is for you.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_01: And there's the spark that you just gave to someone right there.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_01: That's why you're in administration at this point.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_01: Michelle, what a wonderful conversation.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much uh for the insight for helping people see what's possible next and how they could possibly fit this into their already busy lives.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: We really appreciated that conversation with you.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate it as well.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_01: Your next step starts with understanding your options, what you want to do, what you've already learned, what you can realistically make room for.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_01: Our thanks to Michelle Polas for helping us connect those pieces and see how education can support a growing healthcare career.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_01: And we want to thank all of you for joining us as always and choosing to make some time for voices of vital care.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Nohe Lani Graff on behalf of our entire team.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see you next time.
• 33:02
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.