Overview
Do you envision yourself working alongside healthcare providers at a hospital or private practice? Or maybe you want to work at a managed care or insurance company or get involved with health policy or advocacy.
Our alumni are executives, administrators, managers, accountants, product development specialists, marketing and sales specialists, policy analysts, legislative aides, and the list goes on. Career possibilities in healthcare are endless. If you can dream it, we can help you achieve it.
Take advantage of our Suffolk alumni connections at 40+ major health organizations, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Tufts Medical Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Pfizer, Public Health Commission, and Walgreens.
Careers
-
Executive, Medical and Marketing Operations
Abhinav Shah (MHA ’09) works at
Shraddha Hospital in Ahmedabad, India, a small multi-specialty hospital with an
Intensive Care Unit and Operation Theatre.
When
comparing his US and Indian experiences, he says, “The major difference is
cultural–in the way people think. I’m using what I observed in US hospitals and
what I learned at Suffolk to mold the hospital culture and make its management
model more decentralized.” In marketing a new surgery department, he adds, “My
Suffolk internships definitely helped me.”
-
Information Systems Audit Manager
John Schwartz (MHA ’11) is currently working as an IS Audit Manager at Partners HealthCare System, a network of healthcare providers and biomedical research groups led by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.
He has received four Partners in Excellence (PIE) awards, which he says he would not have been able to achieve without his Suffolk MHA degree.
-
Senior Project Specialist
Linda Akuamoah-Boateng (MHA '08) works for Massachusetts General Hospital in quality and patient safety.
She provides overall support for initiatives to improve work processes; guides and monitors performance; and collects, analyzes, and disseminates data to improve safety and quality and ensure regulatory compliance.
Her career advice to students is “Seek opportunities to showcase your skills.” Even applying for fellowships can introduce you to healthcare executives.
Experience is vital. “You have to prove you can survive in the US healthcare system,” she stresses. And, keep learning, as she does at Mass General and through ACHE, the National Patient Safety Foundation, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
-
Electronic Health Records Analyst
Jennifer Bendfeldt (MHA ’11) assesses,
implements, and supports eClinicalWorks in all Tufts Medical Center Ambulatory
clinics. She also leads initiatives to optimize the use of the electronic
health records within the hospital.
-
President and CEO
As President and CEO of Mount Auburn Hospital, a teaching hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School, Jeanette Clough (MHA ’96), oversees a $350-million annual budget and guides 2,800 staff and 850 physicians.
Clough transformed Mount Auburn from a fiscally ailing institution into one of financial stability, while improving patient safety, quality of care, and employee satisfaction. In 2009, Boston Business Journal named it a “best place to work” for the fourth consecutive year.
-
Administrative Director
Timothy Lynch (MBA/Health 2007) is responsible for the overall operations for six outpatient practices and works with more than 75 physicians and trainees in the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
“While I don’t provide care to patients, I do help make that care possible. And at the end of the day, I really feel good about what I’ve done,” says Lynch.
-
VP of Quality, Compliance & Regulatory Affairs
After a career in nursing, Karen Nelson (MPA/Health 1987) decided to pursue healthcare on a larger scale. She provides strategic direction, leadership and project management for all activities related to clinical issues, healthcare quality, patient safety, public health, professional practice, the healthcare workforce, and health information technology at Partners Continuing Care.
She is also the point person for the association’s innovative Patients First program, a sweeping, statewide quality-and-safety imitative aimed at strengthening the healthcare industry’s commitment to high-quality care.
Mentor Program
Mentors Develop Lasting Connections with Students
You’re more than just a number at Suffolk. You’ll receive one-on-one career counseling and support, even after you graduate.
With our Mentor Program, you’ll be paired up with an experienced healthcare professional who can help you plan your career.
Your mentor is selected based on your shared areas of interest and expertise. They work at major health centers, such as Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center, Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Mentors share their experience and knowledge to help you integrate what you learn in the classroom in the workplace.
From October until April, you’ll meet with your mentor at least once a month in person. But for many students, the mentorship connection endures long after the program formally ends.
Internships
Experience is key to your success. We help you land internships that are in sync with your career goals.
Our students have worked at major healthcare organizations, including Tufts Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Norwood Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Nantucket Cottage Hospital, North Shore Medical Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Partners HealthCare at Home.
As an intern, you’ll be matched with a supervisor and mentor. Under our internship guidelines, you’ll gain at least 300 hours of supervised onsite work experience and attend classes that provide an academic framework.
Interns Share their Experiences
Shaikha Abdulla learned the value of patient satisfaction at Tufts Medical Center. As an intern, she analyzed patient wait time and clinical workflow to ensure that patients were content.
She gained a big-picture perspective. “I was able to learn how the department was run from a business perspective,” she said, calling the experience was “eye opening.”
“I learned more about the United States healthcare system in general, which might one day be applicable to the Middle East and my home country, the Kingdom of Bahrain,” Abdulla said.
Mingying Liao’s internship confirmed her interest in hospital management, prepared her to apply for her first entry-level position, and helped her build her professional network in Tufts Medical Center. She helped streamline front-end revenue cycle processes and developed a 45-page training manual for new employees.
“It was an amazing experience to join the frontline staff to accomplish real work. It was a great opportunity to gain hands-on skills in the hospital and opened so many doors for my future career,” Liao said.
Interning at Tufts Medical Center was a game-changer for Antony Veloudakis. He thought he was interested in healthcare finance, but after working in the Radiology Department, he plans to pursue a career as a clinic manager.
He developed two customer service surveys, implemented electronic documentation with SMARTworks software, updated the ECW database, and helped develop a newsletter and improve signage throughout the hospital.
“Being a part of Tufts’ workforce helped me understand how a hospital operates and interacts with patients, insurance companies, and other parties. I met a lot of great people, including many Suffolk alumni. All of these people were great to work with and will be valuable resources when I start my job search,” Veloudakis said.
Networking
At Suffolk, you’re more than just a student. You’re part of a professional community.
You have access to an expansive network of healthcare leaders, and we help you build lasting connections with people who matter.
Professional Organizations
Join a professional organization and meet people who are making a difference in your field.
Suffolk has student chapters for the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) of Massachusetts and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
The ACHE has more than 30,000 members worldwide, ranging from experienced healthcare executives to students who are new to the field. As an ACHE member, you’ll be automatically enrolled in the Massachusetts chapter, which has over 700 members.
You’ll have access to scholarships, fellowships, internships, career-development resources, and industry events, including the Congress on Healthcare Leadership in Chicago. The ACHE Early Careerist Network also provides social, networking, educational, and mentoring opportunities geared specifically toward students and junior healthcare executives. Join online.
The IHI is a small organization with a big mission: to improve the quality of healthcare. Our student members have attended major conferences, including the IHI Annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care. The chapter has also organized guest talks from distinguished leaders, including former Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and IHI board member Vinod Sahney. Join online.
