MHSA Health Administrative Residency and Management Capstone

The summer administrative residency involves up to three (3) months of paid, full-time work in a health institution or agency and provides practical experience with the theories, concepts, and administrative skills learned in the first academic year (twenty-four (24) semester credit hours). The management project requires analysis of a major ongoing administrative problem defined by the chief executive officer of a health institution or agency. Both courses are held during the summer. Full-time students usually enroll in the residency, and part-time students and students with extensive health systems work experience usually choose to do the management project. The program is designed for completion in two (2) years full time or three-and-one-half (3.5) years part time.  

MHSA Management Capstone

Facilitates the application of policy and decision making processes in health institutions and agencies, uses case studies of health institutions and agencies. This is a culminating experience typically completed in last semester of the student’s course of studies; or permission of instructor. 

MHSA Residency Program Plan Guidelines 

GUIDELINES FOR THE SUMMER HEALTH ADMINISTRATIVE  RESIDENCY PROGRAM 

1.            Program of Study 

The Graduate Program in the Master of Health Services Administration in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences prepares graduate students for careers as administrators or staff in a variety of health institutions and agencies.  The two-year curriculum consists of fifty-one hours of graduate course work. 

2.            Objectives of the Summer Residency Program Curriculum Objectives: 

The summer administrative residency experience is designed to provide content on the following HSAD curriculum objectives: 

2.1.1       To identify administrative skills for managing the performance of health service organizations

2.1.2       To apply administrative skills to management challenges

2.1.3       To identify administrative skills for strategic positioning of health services organizations

2.1.4       To apply administrative skills for strategic positioning

2.2.3       To identify skills for the financial management of health services organizations

2.3.2       To apply leadership skills

2.3.4       To apply interpersonal and communication skills

2.3.6       To apply conflict management and negotiations skills

2.3.8       To apply human resources management skills

2.4.2        To analyze health information systems

2.6.4        To analyze ethical dilemmas associated with the delivery and administration of health services

2.9.1       To identify organizational forms for the delivery of health services

2.9.2       To identify issues of health service delivery

2.9.3       To identify performance indicators for a health service organization

2.10.1  To identify systems to assess the quality of care and service

2.10.2  To identify systems to improve the quality of care and services

2.11.1   To provide experiential opportunities to apply administrative skills in health organizations

2.12.1 To incorporate experiences that provides opportunities to integrate      the      curriculum content

        Course Objectives:

The administrative residency has five general objectives:

1.       To provide a “real world” experience against which a student can compare knowledge learned in the classroom.

2.       To provide an appreciation for the complexity of health organizations and the individuals which comprise these organizations.

3.       To provide an opportunity for students to observe and assess leadership skills.

4.       To provide an opportunity for students to observe and assess communications skills.

5.       To provide insights for further development of skills and knowledge acquired during the academic program.

3.         Student Preparation for the Residency

All students will have completed at least the first twenty-four hours of the academic program in Health Services Administration before the summer residency.  The preparation includes a series of courses and activities designed to provide a basic understanding of and exposure to administrative processes and management in health services organizations. 

4.         Suggested Content of Residency

The summer administrative residency experience is a three month opportunity to interact with an operating health institution.  While each residency experience will be different, the objective and format are generally similar whether for institutions or agencies.  The student should receive an orientation to the organization, meet the key members of the staff, become acquainted with the environment in which the organization functions, have an opportunity to observe the leadership behavior and communications skills of the administrative staff, and be assigned projects. 

The residency should expose the student to the internal environment of the organization.  An orientation to the organization’s mission, goals and objectives, technologies, task environments, people, organizational structure and performance criteria should be provided.  This involves becoming acquainted with the physical aspects of the settings and receiving an introduction to the key people in the organization including board members, department heads, and physicians.  The resident should have an opportunity to observe the leadership and communication skills of the administrators.  In institutions, this orientation should include a brief departmental rotation.  The depth of the rotation will be dependent upon the student’s previous experience, needs and interests.  Where projects will bring the student back to a department, less time can be allocated.  It is not necessary that the student spend time in every department; rather, adequate time in unique areas that provide good learning experiences should be selected. 

A second aspect of the residency should be an exposure to those factors imposed upon the organization by its relevant external environment.  The student should gain some appreciation for the technological, economic, political/legal and social/cultural forces likely to impact upon the organization. 

A third aspect of the residency experience will be the assignment of specific projects selected for their educational value.  Assignments will vary according to the student’s background and interests.  The level of administrative responsibility given to the student will vary, though as the student’s tenure within the institution or agency increases, so should the amount of project responsibility.  Some students will be able to handle assignments early in the residency, while students with limited experience may need time to become acquainted with the setting before they are assigned a project. 

The Preceptor may assign the student one major project, a series of projects or several tasks simultaneously.  The tasks should be projects the student can complete during the three month residency.  The projects should require the student to clarify the problem, undertake a search for information, formulate a plan for action, examine alternatives, make a recommendation and present it to the decision group. 

5.         Relationship of the Preceptor and Resident

1.           The relationship between the preceptor and the student is critical.  The motivation of the preceptor to provide an environment conducive to a creative and constructive learning experience is very important.

2.          The Program recommends that the preceptor schedule a regular meeting with the resident, perhaps on a weekly basis, to discuss the progress of the resident and the management decisions facing the organization.

3.           The Program encourages the participation of members of the administrative staff, in varying degrees, in the training of the resident.  To accelerate these relationships, the resident should have an opportunity to attend as many meetings of the administrative staff as time permits during the summer.

6.         Relationship of the Preceptor and the University

1.            The preceptor will be requested to submit a written evaluation of the resident’s performance on forms provided by the Graduate Program in Health Services Administration.

2.           A member of the faculty of the Program will be in contact with each preceptor regarding the progress of the administrative resident.  The faculty member will make a site visits during the residency.

7.         Arrangements for the Residency

1.           The summer residency will normally be scheduled for three months.  The starting and ending dates will be determined by the Preceptor and the Director of the Graduate Program.

2.           The resident is usually paid a stipend.  The present range for stipends is from $2,000 to $2,500 a month.  The Director of the Graduate Program in Health Services Administration will recommend an appropriate amount if requested.

3.          Each resident is expected to contact his/her preceptor regarding arrangements for reporting to work.  Other prerequisites are at the discretion of the preceptor.

8.                  Selection of the Participating Organizations

The selection of the participating organizations is made by the faculty of the Graduate Program in Health Services Administration based on:

1.            A willingness of the governing authority to permit its administrator and organization to undertake such an educational program, as well as to grant the preceptor enough time to fulfill his/her responsibilities to the student, with full appreciation that administrative responsibilities are his/her primary obligation.

2.          The availability of either a hospital, medical group managed care organization, health insurance organization or public health agency of sufficient size to have an organized professional staff and a well-defined administrative organization, including department heads, or other type organizations engaged in the provision, financing or regulation of health care which can provide a summer educational experience beneficial to the student.

3.          A commitment by the administrative staff to design and monitor an educational program which will enable the resident to develop administrative skills and insights.

9.         Placement of Administrative Residents:

            The placement process will include the following six steps:

1.           A faculty member in the Program will be responsible for defining institutions and agencies willing to provide a summer administrative residency.

2.            Each student will submit the Residency and Job Placement form, as well as a current resume to the faculty member coordinating residencies.

3.            The faculty coordinator will do an initial screening and match the participating organizations with the students needs. 

4.            The Program will mail an official letter to health institutions requesting a summer residency.  Each letter will include resumes for all students who have expressed an interest in that organization.

5.           If an organization is interested in a candidate, a personal interview between the preceptor and potential resident will be arranged.  A preceptor is under no obligation to accept any student he/she may interview.

6.           The final selection decision will be made by the Preceptor with the concurrence of the Director of the Graduate Program in Health Services Administration.

10.       Resident’s Administrative Diary

The resident will submit a detailed diary which he/she has maintained during the residency.  The diary should contain a weekly summary of activities in which the student was involved including but not limited to; an assessment of ethical problems facing administrators, meetings, attended, discussions with various department heads during rotations, projects assigned and project outcomes. At the conclusion of the Residency the student will submit a detailed paper concerning the residency experiences as it relates to their proposed summer plan and the Objectives specified in item 2 above using the Diary as a guide. This Diary and subsequent paper will be used in providing a grade for the summer experience. It is expected that the weekly summations will be detailed and thorough.

11.        Evaluation of the Residency

The faculty of the Graduate Program in Health Services Administration will work with each preceptor and student to insure a quality summer residency experience.  The components of the residency evaluation should include the following:

1.      A prospective review by the faculty coordinator of the residency plan.  A written tentative outline of the plan should be submitted by the preceptor to the Program at the beginning of the residency.

2.        A concurrent review of activities during the residency via faculty site visits.

3.        A retrospective review by the preceptor and the student using the Program evaluation forms.

4.        A diary maintained by the student throughout the course of the residency, with the accompanying residency paper.

5.        A post residency interview.

A faculty member of the Program will be assigned to assist preceptors in the development of their residency plans. The individual plans may include other specific evaluation components defined by the preceptor.

HSAD 5083

SUMMER HEALTH ADMINISTRATIVE RESIDENCY PLAN

Student :____________________________________________________________

Preceptor(s) :________________________________________________________

            Organization: _______________________________________________________

Area Assignments or

Rotation Schedule:

Potential Projects:

Meetings to Attend:

Date Prepared:______________________________________________________

Preceptor:__________________________________________________________          

MHSA Management Project Proposal Form

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES

Department of Health Policy and Management

Graduate Program in Health Services Administration

HSAD 5093 – Management Project Proposal (use additional pages as needed)

SEMESTER________________

1.       Problem Statement:

2.       Project related Literature:

3.       Method(s):

4.       Data and Methods of Data Collection:

5.       Project Schedule:

6.       Resource Requirements:

APPROVED BY:

Student______________________________________________________Date______________

Faculty Supervisor_____________________________________________Date______________

Sponsor/Preceptor_____________________________________________Date______________