Rush University Medical Center offers an administrative fellowship exploring the complex atmosphere of a leading academic medical center.

The application process for the 2008-2009 fellowship has concluded at this time. Please check back during summer 2008 for specific dates related to the 2009-2010 fellowship application timeline.

Introduction
About Rush University Medical Center
Fellowship Program Details
Current Fellows
Evaluation Opportunities
Eligibility Requirements and Skills Necessary
Program Compensation
Application Details and Timing
Application Process Timeline
Selection Process

Introduction
Rush University Medical Center is pleased to accept candidates for the 2008-2009 postgraduate administrative fellowship program. This 12-month fellowship will provide two graduate students completing an MHSA, MHA, MBA, or comparable degree with the opportunity for project-based work in a variety of functions and areas throughout the academic medical facility. This exposure will allow fellows to explore the complex and unique atmosphere of a leading academic medical center in the heart of Chicago.

It is an exciting time to be part of this leading institution. Rush is currently engaged in an overall campus transformation including a $50 million information systems upgrade with Epic Systems and an $800 million campus facilities plan. Our building project includes a new inpatient facility, a state-of-the art emergency preparedness center and an ambulatory building. The Office of Transformation has been formed to help guide this effort. Rush is also uniquely positioned as a “Most Wired” hospital, as one of the country’s top-ranked medical centers in U.S.News & World Report magazine’s 2007 “America’s Best Hospitals” issue, and as one of the few U.S. nursing programs to have achieved the prestigious Magnet designation twice. Administrative fellows will have many opportunities to experience first-hand this changing physical environment as well as initiatives focused on quality, patient safety, customer satisfaction and advanced medical care.

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About Rush University Medical Center
Rush University Medical Center is an academic medical center that comprises four operating divisions focusing on clinical care, research, and education. The hospital division includes a 613-bed hospital serving adults and children, the 61-bed Johnston R. Bowman Health Center, and a 216-bed community hospital, Rush Oak Park Hospital. Rush University Medical Group is a multispecialty faculty practice plan that includes more than 400 physicians. The research enterprise at Rush generates approximately $60 million in funding each year. Rush University includes four colleges with more than 1,400 students and 20 degree-granting programs. It is home to one of the first medical colleges in the Midwest and one of the nation’s top-ranked nursing colleges, as well as graduate programs in allied health, health systems management and biomedical research.

The mission of Rush University Medical Center is to provide the very best care for our patients. Our education and research endeavors, community service programs and relationships with other hospitals are dedicated to enhancing excellence in patient care for the diverse communities of the Chicago area now and in the future.

This mission is a natural progression to our vision of being recognized as the medical center of choice in the Chicago area and among the very best in the United States.

In addition to its mission in patient care, education and research, Rush maintains a strong commitment to the community. Rush reaches out to the Chicago community through many community service efforts across the university and hospital affairs.

Rush’s core values—innovation, collaboration, accountability, respect and excellence—are the roadmap to our mission and vision. These five values, known as our I CARE values, embody the philosophy behind the decisions Rush employees make and the actions they take on the job every day. Rush employees are also expected to execute these values with compassion.

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Fellowship Program Details
The Rush University Medical Center administrative fellowship program is a challenging and rewarding experience. Working in a nationally recognized academic medical center provides a unique perspective on the collaborative interaction between the clinical delivery, education and research enterprises. The fellowship is an interactive experience that contributes towards fellows’ skill development as well as their understanding of the healthcare delivery system and Rush University Medical Center. Fellows conclude their experience at Rush with marketable health care management skills.

While there are no prescribed rotations during the 12-month fellowship, the fellowship is project oriented and tailored to the goals of the fellow as well as the needs of the organization. Fellowship objectives include development of health care management skills, as well as personal and leadership development. Fellows will meet regularly with the executive vice president and chief operating officer, Peter Butler, to help them discover their areas of interest and focus in the health care environment. Fellows will work on projects involving many different departments, functions and divisions. This will allow for educational opportunities across a variety of areas, including finance, hospital operations, information systems, physician practice management, research, education, hospital affairs, strategic planning, marketing, quality improvement, service line administration, human resources, and the Office of Transformation. Each project will have a sponsor(s) who will work with the fellow towards the project understanding, completion and evaluation.

A key attribute of this fellowship is that it exposes fellows to governance and decision making at the most senior level. Particular attention is given to senior management forums, including selected Board of Trustee committee meetings. Access to senior level management is available throughout the fellowship, including regular mentoring meetings with senior leadership and project sponsors. Additional informal and formal exposure to staff occurs across the entire medical center through various meetings and project work.

As scheduling allows, Rush fellows also have opportunities to benefit from the academic community of health administration provided by the Department of Health Systems Management (HSM), housed within the College of Health Sciences of Rush University. Opportunities may include course auditing, “current topics” seminars, and other educational and networking events. With a focus on developing future health care professionals, the HSM graduate degree program is based on a teacher-practitioner model. This model exposes students to the research and current projects of faculty who practice in the medical center, creating a rich learning environment for students and practitioners. The executive vice president and chief operating officer serves as department chair, renewing the emphasis on research and education focused on patient care. The National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) has recently named Rush University’s HSM department a second-phase demonstration site for its Graduate Health Management Education Demonstration Project. Working closely with the program, fellows will have the opportunity to learn and develop competencies defined by NCHL as requirements for outstanding health care leadership for the future. This model is also used for mid-year and final evaluations.

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Evaluation Opportunities
Fellows have the opportunity to request feedback as needed on their performance from their mentors and from project sponsors. In addition to this informal feedback, each fellow receives a mid-point and final formal evaluation using the NCHL model and project. The final evaluation includes project evaluations by project sponsor(s) and other senior management members.

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Eligibility Requirements and Skills Necessary
The Rush University Medical Center Administrative Fellowship Program is geared towards individuals who classify themselves as leaders, self-starters and those who are interested in building a better understanding of management in an academic medical center. Prospective Rush fellows should embody the values of all Rush employees: innovation, collaboration, accountability, respect, and excellence.

Qualified applicants will have an MHA, MS, MHSA, MPH or MBA degree with a health care concentration or have completed similar coursework from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Management Education (CAHME). Analytical skills of interpretation and presentation, strong communication skills, both orally and written, professionalism and independence are all of utmost importance. Rush University Medical Center will accept applications from international students who currently hold an F1 visa and are eligible for optional practice training.

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Program Compensation
Rush University Medical Center will have a compensation package that is competitive with other fellowship programs. Fellows will receive the same benefits as other Rush employees.

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Application Details and Timing
To apply, please submit the following materials in one envelope postmarked by October 31, 2007:

• Application checklist (download PDF document using link at right under "Related Topics").
• Cover letter.
• Current resume or curriculum vitae.
• Personal statement. Applicants should write a one- to two-page summary of his or her professional goals within health care and reasons for pursuing a fellowship at Rush University Medical Center. Applicants should include a statement describing their interest in health care leadership and detailing the specific contributions he or she would make to Rush University Medical Center.
• Three letters of recommendation. At least one from faculty at current academic program and one from a professional contact are required.
• Official transcript of undergraduate and graduate coursework.

Please mail completed applications to:
Peter Butler, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Rush University Medical Center
1725 W. Harrison Street, Suite 364
Chicago, IL 60612

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Application Process Timeline

• Application Deadline: October 31, 2007
• Telephone Interviews: Early to Mid-November 2007
• On-site Interviews: Early December 2007
• Selection Date: Mid- to Late December 2007
• Fellowship Start Date: July 2008 (please note that we cannot provide an alternative start date)

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Selection Process
Upon application review, applicants will be invited for a phone interview at the beginning of November 2007. On-site interviews for selected applicants will take place at the beginning of December, with notification of exact interview details towards mid-November. Final decisions will be made before January 2008.

If you have additional questions or would like to find out more about the administrative fellowship program at Rush University Medical Center, please contact:

Lauren Brinkmeyer, MHSA, MBA
Director, Fellowship Program
Lauren_Brinkmeyer@rush.edu
(312) 563-3280

Discrimination or harassment against any member of the Rush University Medical Center community (i.e., employee, faculty, house staff, student, or patient) because of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital or parental status, disability as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, or any other category protected by federal or state law is prohibited and will not be tolerated, nor will any person for those reasons be excluded from the participation in or denied the benefits of any program or activity within Rush University Medical Center or Rush University.