CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN THE M.H.A. PROGRAM
Transition to the World of Practice

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH POLICY & MANAGEMENT

Professional Development
Students enrolled in the Department of Health Policy & Management are introduced to a series of activities designed to prepare them to be effective professionals in the field of health policy and management. Through an integrated set of orientation and professional development experiences, as well as workshops on resume preparation, interviewing skills, professional networking, human subjects’ protection in research and professional norms and ethics, students are able to develop their skills in preparation for their transition to the practice world. The series is currently titled “On the Road to Professional Practice”. Mr. Samuel A. Friede, FACHE is the Director of External Relations and Wesley Rohrer, Ph.D., Assistant Chair of Health Management Education guide the students in this series. In addition Mr. Friede guides each student through their summer residency and post-graduate placement processes.

Virtual Advisory Team
Virtual Advisory Team for each student is coordinated consisting of a Mentor, Preceptor, Executive-in-Residence, Faculty Advisor, Director of External Relations and other individuals as appropriate.

Building Blocks for Success
A Career Counselor for the Health Professions from the University of Pittsburgh Career Services Office presents a workshop for students in the Department of Health Policy & Management focusing on resume development and interviewing skills. The Office of Career Services provides a wide array of resources including job-search strategies, cover letter preparation, mock interviews, and mock interview videotaping, in addition to resume development and interviewing skills. Other resources include interest testing, corporate information, and general job-search references and publications.

Executive in Residence
THOMAS PRISELAC, Executive in Residence – Academic Year 2007-2008
Thomas M. Priselac is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cedars-Sinai Health System -- a position he has held since January 1994. Mr. Priselac has been associated with Cedars-Sinai since 1979. Prior to being named President and CEO, he was Executive Vice President from 1988 to 1993. Before joining Cedars-Sinai, he was on the executive staff of Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Mr. Priselac has served on many boards in the health care field and currently serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges. He also is a member of both the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Board, where he chairs the Health Care Committee, and the Charles R. Drew University Board. A past member of the American Hospital Association Board of Directors, he also formerly chaired the Hospital Association of Southern California, the California Healthcare Association, and the Association of American Medical Colleges Council of Teaching Hospitals. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the UCLA School of Public Health.
Mr. Priselac is an author and invited speaker on a variety of contemporary issues facing the health care field today, including policy issues related to the delivery and financing of health care, health care quality and safety and the adoption and implementation of information technology. He is the holder of the Warschaw/Law endowed Chair in Healthcare Leadership at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The Cedars-Sinai Health System is among the nation’s leading providers of health care services, medical education and research. Physician services are provided through the Cedars-Sinai Medical Care Foundation, a full-time academic faculty, and an active private attending staff. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, with revenues of over $1.7 billion, is the largest private hospital in the western United States and provides a full range of acute inpatient care services, rehabilitation medicine, and extensive outpatient diagnostic and treatment services. Cedars-Sinai conducts NIH and privately funded research, valued at approximately $65 million, on a broad range of research topics. The Medical Center also conducts graduate medical education in a broad range of specialties for over 310 residents and fellows.
A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Priselac obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania, and a master’s in Public Health, Health Services Administration and Planning, from the University of Pittsburgh.

Informal Job-Placement Service
Donna Schultz runs a job-placement service for alumni and graduating students. Job opportunities are received from Health Care Executives, Executive Search Firms, Boards of Directors, Alumni etc. Donna disseminates the opportunity to alumni and current students, and she facilitates communication/resumes with the hiring organization. Also, works closely with Judith McConnaha, GSPH Director of Development.

Professional Mentors
Every student is assigned a professional mentor. This mentor is a senior executive in the health care field who is willing to assist a student in their professional development.

Student Chapter
The student chapter at the University of Pittsburgh is committed to bridging the gap between academia and the practice world. Our Student Chapter hosts a number of educational seminars and professional speakers throughout the year.

Residency and Post-Graduate Meetings
The Residency Plan, for first-year Health Administration Program students, provides both an overview and specific activities for the Program and for each student in order to assist students in securing a Summer Residency. This plan guides students in the process and procedures with a timeline of expectations.

The Post-Graduate Plan is geared for second-year Health Administration Program students. This plan outlines the activities and processes in order to aid students in their job search or fellowship endeavors.

Resume Book
A detailed book that includes resumes of first and second-year HPM
students, brief description of our academic programs, and contact information for the Director of External Relations
is included. This book is widely distributed to over 300 executives and hiring managers.