Christopher J. Durovich Administrative Fellowship
Fellowship Overview
Developing aspiring leaders is essential to Children’s Health’s mission to make life better for children. The Administrative Fellowship program provides motivated health care professionals with Executive mentorship and unique exposure to Children’s Health’s rapid growth and strategic innovation. North Texas is among the nations of largest growing regions, leading Children’s Health to expand to meet the demand of our increasing patient population.
The Fellowship is a 12-month system-level overview for aspiring health care professionals. Fellows gain comprehensive exposure to hospital leadership and operations through project work and observational rotations.
Administrative Fellows complete Department rotations in clinical and non-clinical areas, followed by a 6-month elective rotation based on their areas of interest. Department rotations include but are not limited to the Plano and Dallas hospitals, Ambulatory, Finance, Strategy, Physician Operations, Nursing, Legal and Compliance, Human Resources, the Foundation, Planning Design & Construction, and Corporate Services.
Administrative Fellows are full-time Children’s Health employees who receive competitive annual compensation and a relocation stipend. Additionally, Fellows can attend local professional networking events and national conferences (e.g., ACHE, NAHSE) and pursue professional development opportunities (e.g., Six Sigma training, CAPM).
Children’s Health offers industry-leading benefits:
- Employee portion of medical plan premiums are covered after 3 years.
- 100% match on employee savings contributions beginning at 4% on day one, increasing to 10% at 15 years.
- Paid Parental Leave (up to 12 weeks)
- Caregiver Leave
- Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement
Mentorship
Administrative Fellows are mentored by the Chief Operating Officer, Dane Peterson in both group settings and 1:1 meetings. Additionally, Fellows are matched with Executive and past Fellow mentors based on their interests. This includes accomplished leaders such as the Dallas Market President, Northern Market President, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services and Chief Health Equity Officer. Previous Fellow mentors guide current Fellows through the program and help the transition from Fellowship to their careers. They work in various Departments including the Dallas Emergency Department, Plano Operations, Mother-Child Program, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Leadership
Fellows and leaders from across the system convene for a monthly luncheon to discuss relevant topics to the healthcare industry. Fellows also have the opportunity to meet with system leaders to discuss MODEL Leadership, which are the competencies required for leadership success at Children’s Health.
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Application Information and Timeline
We host three annual webinars to outline the details of the Administrative Fellowship. Previous and current Fellows discuss their Fellowship experiences and will answer interested applicants’ questions. The webinar is highly recommended for those interested in applying for the Administrative Fellowship at Children’s Health.
Internal Candidates: Please refer to the Children’s Health internal website for more information - SharePoint - Administrative Fellowship Program
Click on the upcoming webinar dates below to register:
- Friday, June 14th, 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CST
- Friday, July 12th, 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CST
- Friday, August 9th , 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CST
Application for the Administrative Fellowship Program
- Application Opens 6/3/2024
- Current resume
- Unofficial graduate school transcripts of completed courses from a program accredited by one of the following:
- M.H.A. / M.S.H.A / M.H.S.A – Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
- M.B.A. – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- M.P.H. – Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Two letters of recommendation (encouraged to provide one professional and one academic)
- Applicants should address their two letters of recommendation to the Administrative Fellowship Selection Committee
- Personal Statement (500-word max)
- Why do you want to pursue a career in pediatric health care administration?
- What attracted you to apply to the Children’s Health’s Administrative Fellowship?
Administrative Fellowship 2024-2025 application timeline:
- Webinars:
- Friday, June 14th, 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CST
- Friday, July 12th, 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CST
- Friday, August 9th, 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CST
- Applications open: June 3rd, 2024
- Applications close: August 30th, 2024
- Zoom interviews: Early September 2024
- Onsite interviews: Late September 2024
- Offers: October 2024
- Start date: July 2025
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Administrative Fellowship FAQs
Application Process
Am I eligible?
- Eligible candidates must be currently enrolled or have completed their M.H.A., M.H.S.A., M.S.H.A., M.B.A., or M.P.H. from an accredited institution (i.e. CAHME, AACSB, CEPH). We do not currently accept Executive Graduate Degree programs for external candidates.
What application materials are required for External Candidates?
- Current Resume
- Unofficial Graduate School Transcripts
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Personal Statement (500-word max)
- Why do you want to pursue a career in pediatric health care administration?
- What attracted you to apply to the Children’s Health Administrative Fellowship
- Please submit all application materials to the online application portal.
What application materials are required for Internal Candidates?
- Current resume
- Unofficial graduate school transcripts of completed courses from a M.H.A., M.S.H.A, M.H.S.A, M.B.A. or M.P.H. program
- One letter of recommendation (encouraged to provide one from Children's Health Employer).
- Applicants should address their one letter of recommendation to the Administrative Fellowship Selection Committee.
- Personal Statement (500-word max)
- Why do you want to pursue a career in pediatric health care administration?
- What attracted you to apply to Children’s Health’s Administrative Fellowship?
How many Fellows are selected?
- For the July 2024 cohort, we offered the Admin Fellowship position to four candidates.
What qualities are you looking for?
- Administrative Fellows are eager, committed, and motivated individuals passionate about pediatrics. Other qualities include relationship-building skills, the ability to navigate ambiguity, being a self-starter, and a professional demeanor in both writing and interprofessional engagements.
Fellowship Structure/Details
Where do Fellows rotate throughout the program?
- Fellows have the opportunity to rotate through a system-level view of a rapidly growing pediatric health system. Department rotations include:
- Inpatient – Children’s Medical Center Dallas
- Inpatient – Children’s Medical Center Plano
- Office of the Chief Medical Officer
- Strategy
- Corporate Services
- Additional Support Services (e.g., Foundation, HR, Finance, Marketing and Communications)
How long is the Administrative Fellowship?
- The Administrative Fellowship is a 12-month full-time position (July to June) typically working regular business hours depending on rotations and project assignments.
Where is the Fellowship located?
- Fellows are based in Dallas and travel to the Plano hospital and ambulatory locations for rotations, shadowing and project assignments.
What compensation/benefits are included in the Fellowship Program?
- Fellows receive a market-competitive salary and benefits package. Some candidates are eligible for a relocation stipend based on mileage moved. Children’s does not provide housing assistance for Fellows. The program covers the registration, travel, and dining expenses for two professional conferences.
- Children’s Health offers industry leading benefits -
- Employee portion of medical plan premiums are covered after 3 years.
- 4%-10% employee savings plan match based on tenure
- Paid Parental Leave (up to 12 weeks)
- Caregiver Leave
- Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement
Does the program sponsor visas for Administrative Fellows?
- The program does not provide visa sponsorship for Administrative Fellows. Fellows must reside within the state of Texas for the program’s duration.
What opportunities are available after the Fellowship?
- Fellows earn their post-Fellowship positions based on their Elective Rotations and project work throughout the program. This can include positions throughout the system, as the opportunities are not specific to one department.
What is it like living in the Dallas area?
- The Dallas Metroplex is a vibrant place to live. As the most populous metropolitan area in Texas, it serves as a top economic and cultural hub for the state. Dallas houses 6 national sports teams, 19 museums, 23 fine art facilities and more than 30 parks, nature centers, and outdoor trails.
- The Best Things to Do in Dallas, Texas | Visit Dallas
- Dallas Neighborhoods - Best Places to Live, Things to Do and Restaurants in Dallas Neighborhoods (dmagazine.com)
- City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture - (dallasculture.org)
- Dallas Farmers Market | Fun Things To Do in Dallas TX | Cultivating Life!
- White Rock Lake | Dallas Parks, TX - Official Website
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Fellows
Current Fellows:
Jaelyn Cooper, 2023 July Administrative Fellow
Jaelyn Cooper serves as an Administrative Fellow in the 2023 cohort at Children’s Health.
Before joining Children’s, Jaelyn interned for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation where she worked on developing a program for patient families with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) to share their stories to raise awareness, reduce implicit bias, and prevent misdiagnosis. She has also served as a grant reviewer for CF care delivery tools and studies.Jaelyn is a proud native of Little Rock, Arkansas. She earned her B.S. in Health Services Administration from the University of Central Arkansas and her MHA from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). At UAMS, she served on the MHA Student Association and was a member of several other professional organizations.
Dylan Bodie, 2023 July Administrative Fellow
Dylan Bodie serves as an Administrative Fellow in the 2023 cohort at Children’s Health.
Prior to joining Children’s, Dylan served as a Patient Coordinator for a private practice in Bryan, Texas where she led many initiatives such as digitizing patient records and creating a robust patient education action plan. In 2022, she was selected to be one of Children’s Health’s first Graduate Interns, where she completed projects for leaders at CMC Dallas and Plano. Driven by her passion to make positive changes in her community, she gained administrative experience by serving in multiple leadership positions at her graduate university while earning her MHA.
Dylan grew up in San Antonio, Texas and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Allied Health from Texas A&M in College Station, Texas. She then earned her Master’s in Health Administration at the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) in Fort Worth, Texas.
Thomas Dillard, 2023 July Administrative Fellow
Thomas Dillard serves as an Administrative Fellow in the 2023 cohort at Children’s Health.
Before joining Children’s, Thomas served as a Student Associate within UAB’s Department of Neurosurgery and as an Administrative Intern within UAB Hospital’s Administration team. His project experience includes the development of an escalation and review process to combat workplace violence, cost analyses and proposals, and a comprehensive space and financial analysis of the UAB parking and transit system.
Thomas was adopted from Guatemala and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. He attended the University of Montevallo to earn his Bachelor's in Business Administration. He now attends the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to obtain his Master of Science in Health Administration.
Summer Jaber, 2023 July Administrative Fellow
Summer serves as an Administrative Fellow in the 2023 cohort at Children’s Health.
Prior to joining Children’s, Summer supported med-tech and billing companies with innovative business development and market expansion strategies under UnitedHealthcare’s Accelerator Startup Program as a Strategy Consultant. Summer also served in various roles nationally serving and educating young people in health and wellness where she developed a passion for pediatric care.
Summer attended the University of Texas in Arlington, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Health and her Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota.
Shafeeq Virani, 2023 July Administrative Fellow
Shafeeq Virani serves as an Administrative Fellow in the 2023 cohort at Children’s Health.
Prior to joining the Children's Health team, Shafeeq served as a Financial Analyst at HCA Healthcare - Gulf Coast Division. In this role, he engaged with financial data to assist in making informed decisions. Shafeeq brings a vast range of working experience from retail to research. Shafeeq first joined Children’s Health in the Summer of 2022 as a Graduate Intern. During his internship, he worked alongside organizational leaders to gain in-depth knowledge of various departments and leadership styles.
Shafeeq grew up in Houston, Texas and earned his B.S in Health Promotion from The University of Houston. He then went on to complete his Master’s in Health Administration from the University of The Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas.
Previous Fellows:
January-December 2023
- Eustolia Dorado, RN: Program Manager, Absence Management
- Nathan Jones: Program Coordinator, Operations and Strategic Planning, Business Development and Planning Office
- Trey Jackson: Manager, Patient Access, Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Plano
- Marissa Smith, RN: Senior Data Analyst, Office of the Chief Medical Officer
July 2022-June 2023
- U.D. Igwe: Program Coordinator, Operations and Strategic Planning, Performance Improvement Office
- Jabari Robinson: Program Coordinator, Operations and Strategic Planning, Northern Market Operations
- Laura Catherine (LC) Vaughn: Program Coordinator, Operations and Strategic Planning, Behavioral Health
- Brittney Ward: Program Coordinator, Operations and Strategic Planning, Consumer Experience
January-December 2022
- Jordan Pitts: Program Coordinator, Operations and Strategic Planning, Dallas Emergency Department
- Katie Kuri: Program Coordinator, Operations and Strategic Planning, Maternal Child Program Development
- Vianey Romo: Program Manager, New Pediatric Campus Planning
July 2021-June 2022
- Timia Acklin: Program Manager, Workforce Development
- Dillan Brewer: Manager, Clinical Program Operations
January-December 2020
- Andi Fernandez: Manager, Enterprise Patient Experience
- Kiante Blakely: Project Manager, Enterprise Transformation Office
July 2016-June 2017
- Austin Campbell: Sr. Director, Enterprise Patient Experience
January-December 2019
- Nathan Hozer: Business Continuity Specialist
July 2011-June 2012
- Carlie Cohen: Vice President, Outpatient Operations
July 2010-June 2011
- Graham Torres: Vice President, Facilities Operations
Previous Featured Fellows:
Vianey Romo, 2022 Administrative Fellow, serves as a Program Manager for the New Pediatric Campus Planning and Design team
Vianey’s responsibilities include planning, programming, and implementing cross-functional enterprise initiatives.
Vianey began her career at Children’s Health as an Administrative Fellow in 2022 where she devoted her time to Ambulatory and Outpatient Operations. Her projects focused on operational and strategic analysis, patient and employee experience, and program development. In 2023, Vianey was featured in the “Leaders of the Year” magazine for the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives.
Prior to joining Children’s Health, Vianey spent almost five years working as the Workforce Coordinator at the Medical Center of the Americas Foundation (MCA), a not-for-profit organization in the Paso del Norte Region. She led the STEM Innovation Lab and other outreach efforts to foster the awareness of the life sciences industry to the K-12 education pipeline.
Vianey earned her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with a Biomedical concentration from the University of Texas at El Paso and her Master of Science in Healthcare Management from Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business.
Graham Torres, 2012 Administrative Fellow, serves as Vice President for Facilities Operations
In this role, Graham oversees Security, Concierge, Engineering, Environmental Services, and is the operational lead for the Children’s Medical Center Plano expansion project.
He played a pivotal role in the design process for the Plano expansion facilitating timely operational decisions and ensuring the expansion tower supported both a superior patient family experience and the campus’ strategic clinical program growth initiatives.
Graham joined Children’s Health in 2012 as an Administrative Fellow and has since served in various operations and business roles within the organization.
Graham received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Mississippi State University. He earned his Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Carlie Cohen, 2010 Administrative Fellow, serves as a Vice President of Outpatient Operations
Carlie's responsibilities include overseeing the planning, development and implementation of innovative business initiatives and tactics for both practices associated with UT Southwestern and those within the Children's Health Medical Group.
Carlie has been with Children’s Health since 2011 and has held numerous leadership roles throughout her career. She has an extensive background in process improvement projects, facilities development, strategic planning projects, patient satisfaction efforts, clinical quality and efficiency, and employee and provider engagement.
Carlie graduated from Vanderbilt University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Human and Organizational Development. She earned her Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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The John and Susie Adams Excellence Endowment
The John and Susie Adams Excellence Endowment was graciously established in 2020 to support the Administrative Fellowship program in honor of their beloved friend and Children’s Health System Chief Executive Officer, Christopher J. Durovich.
Established in 2005, the Fellowship program was created to provide in-depth and hands on experience for students pursuing a Master of Business Administration or Master of Healthcare Administration degree. This endowment will strengthen the ongoing training and development of future healthcare administrative leaders. The Adams’ generosity will positively impact the lives of children for generations to come.
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