Summer semester...

Well last week I finished my summer semester. It was a quick "band-aid" like semester, only 6 weeks long.

Here is a brief overview of the three classes I took:

Human Resources. Not my favorite topic, but let's face it...healthcare in any part of the industry is much more labor intensive than it is capital intensive. Because of this, every administrator needs to understand how to think in terms of human resources. We covered topics, such as, job design and analysis (the foundation for human resources), selection and recruitment, training and development, legal issues, and reward and recognition. We were required to read Hardwiring Excellence by Quint Studer, who is actually coming to speak to our program in October.

Information Technology. This course was a 30,000 foot view of information technology in healthcare (or the lack thereof). There was absolutely no programming involved, simply what type of technology is used, how to implement and maintain technology in an organization, and most importantly the implications of the latest HITECH legislation. We were very lucky to have multiple CIOs address the class, as well as, physicians who have served as advocates for IT in their respective organizations. This is a growing field and a part of me wants to get involved.

Health Law. By far the best class of the semester. This was a very information intense course. There is a lot to know when it comes to legal issues in healthcare. I was very luck to have a great professor, Sarah Fontenot, who is known in Texas and nationally as the "HIPAA Goddess". She kept us on our feet with her stories from her time as a nurse and her depth of knowledge of current events.

I really enjoyed the short, quick semester and continue to look forward to my fellowship starting in January. I am definitely going to enjoy the next 6 weeks until classes start up again.

Alumni Networking

One of the main reasons I chose Trinity for my MHA was the alumni network. I have been greatly impressed by the instant group of colleagues I have been connected with upon entering this program. It seems that in the past week, I have been on the phone with multiple Trinity alums, who after a simply email from me, were willing to answer questions about their career, help with projects, and even put in a good word come interview time for residencies. I do not want to say that Trinity is better than every other MHA program, but I will admit, I have access to a phenomenal network of professionals whenever I need them.

NIX Health Care System...

Yesterday, we went to Nix Medical Center in downtown San Antonio. It was built in 1930, and has been deemed a historical building in downtown. Their business model is unique especially because they are a free standing hospital and have to compete with giant hospitals in the city. I was most intrigued by the resident who is a Trinity grad. He wanted to get a good feel for the hospital when he first started his residency so he spent a night as a "secret shopper". He said he learned more than he could have just walking around. Definitely something I want to consider when I get into my residency.

Trinity Class of 2011 and 2012

This evening I had the opportunity to have dinner with first and second year students. It was a lot of fun and I am really impressed by the great people in the program. I feel lucky to be counted among them. I am excited to get started and get to class...call me a nerd! Also, if you are ever in San Antonio and need a good, inexpensive Mexican place, try Tito's on S. Alamo St. It was great food!

School Starts Next Week...

Well the "dream" summer is almost over. Since we moved to Texas, I have spent my days playing with my wife and daughter along with trips to see family and even one trip to graduation. Next Wednesday starts a new chapter of my life. As I have read one of my textbooks geared towards the American Health Care system, my passion for the field has dramatically increased. I used to look toward the start of school with despair and anxiety, but this year is different. I will be studying subject matter that is exciting for me to learn about because it effects so many people. I feel like the more I get involved with my studies and volunteering during my MHA program, the bigger impact I can have on others and the field when I graduate. Here goes nothing!

Scholarships...

So now that I have decided on where I want to go...the next step is financial aid. As part of my decision to Trinity I was guaranteed at minimum a graduate assistantship that pays half of my tuition. In addition to that I was also in the running for a full-tuition scholarship from CHS with a commitment of two years employment after graduation. I found out today that I will not be one of the two finalists for it. I was supposed to hear back on Monday or Tuesday, but didn't hear back until this morning, which I realize now was a good thing. Yesterday I finally realized that yes it would be nice to receive the scholarship, but it's not the end of the world if I don't receive it. I realized, on a spiritual note, the Lord may have other plans for me and He knows what my family and I need and where we need to be. I am truly grateful for that perspective. It made hearing the news today a lot easier. I am excited for my two fellow classmates who get to go interview for the scholarship. What an awesome opportunity from them. I am definitely excited to get to know my classmates and hear their experiences and learn about their backgrounds.

Countdown to San Antonio: 27 days

Trinity it is...

So this is a long overdue announcement. I will be attending Trinity this fall. My wife and I are really excited about moving to San Antonio and being close to my family in Houston. Looking back on my decision, I realize the biggest factor was not tuition, or ranking, but how I fit into the program. Like I mentioned in the previous post, there is a different feel at each of the universities. VCU has a more fast-paced east coast feel, and Trinity is the more Texas feel. Having grown up in Texas, I am definitely more accustomed to their way of thinking. During the decision process I contacted both admissions recruiters asking about financial aid offers since it would play a role in my decision. VCU was not able to make any offers until after I made a decision, but the admissions recruiter at Trinity approached the faculty about my question. She called back two days later and told me at the minimum they would offer me a graduate assistantship, which would include 12 hours of work per week in the department and cut my tuition in half. She said there is still opportunity for more scholarships, but that is my minimum offer. I was ecstatic. I knew I was going to go to Trinity, but half-tuition will save us over 14,000 dollars. That is a lot of money to save.

So now comes to moving. My wife and I decided since we both finish our Bachelor's degrees in June, it would be smarter to move to San Antonio sooner than later. Since it would be hard for me to find a job for 6 weeks here, we think it is better to get out there, find work and housing and then fly back for our graduation ceremony in August. Thanks to all the frequent flyer miles I accumulated as a child (thanks Dad!), we will fly for free. I have started looking for jobs, and am looking at a few banks, which has nothing to do with what I am studying, but they give benefits to part-time employees, which is what I think is most important for my family.

So the adventure starts...heat, cowboy hats, great Mexican food, and everything else San Antonio has to offer. Oh yeah, and an MHA degree with a residency.