Administrative Fellowships

Appreciating the importance of dynamic and diverse leadership, Durham Regional Hospital is proud to sponsor a Post Graduate Administrative Fellowship. With Durham Regional Hospital’s Fellowship program, young leaders in healthcare are afforded an exceptional opportunity to glean the knowledge and experience necessary to meet the challenges and demands facing not only today’s health care industry, but tomorrow’s as well. At Durham Regional, fellows develop a unique understanding of the demands placed on the administrators of a community hospital that is simultaneously governed by both a local hospital board – the Durham County Hospital Corporation – and a leading academic health system – the Duke University Health System.

Applicants to the Post Graduate Administrative Fellowship program must have an MHA, MPH, MBA (must be with a healthcare concentration or with healthcare related experience), or equivalent from a U.S. accredited graduate program. The program is intended for students who plan to begin a career in health services administration.

About the Fellowship

The fellowship is a 12-month program at Durham Regional Hospital, a 369-bed community facility that is one of three acute care hospitals in the Duke University Health System. It is designed to expose the participant to leadership development, and to provide experiences that will prepare the fellow to be responsive to the complex issues facing the health care industry. The Chief Executive Officer serves as the primary preceptor for the program, yet the fellow will work closely with all members of the Executive Leadership Team. The preceptor’s intent is to allow recent graduates of programs in health services administration and related disciplines to become involved with all levels of the organization. In doing so, the preceptor offers the opportunity to translate academic theory into practice, and to attempt to reconcile the two where differences exist, in a supportive environment. The fellow will gain insight into issues facing not only a community hospital, but also those facing a world-renowned academic medical center and health system.

While this fellowship is not rotational in concept, the fellow will have the opportunity to interact and participate with Durham Regional Hospital’s senior management team to address challenges in as many departments and in as much depth as he/she desires. The structure of this fellowship is purposefully flexible in order to allow the fellow to tailor his/her experiences and projects around specific interests in accordance with the current needs of the organization. In addition to gaining experience in administration, the fellow benefits from extensive mentorship and leadership training provided by the preceptor and other members of the management team, thus allowing the fellow to further develop or test his/her professional values and leadership skills.

To ensure a quality experience, the preceptor meets with the fellow, at a minimum, on a bi-weekly basis. Primary areas of discussion often pertain to:

  • Work and project related experiences
  • Professional development
  • History and insight into Durham Regional Hospital and Duke University Health System
  • Intellectual discussions on interesting and challenging topics

Over the course of the year, the fellow becomes knowledgeable about Durham Regional's internal operations, as well as its relationship with its key stakeholders:

  • Patients
  • Employees
  • Physicians and other clinicians
  • Payors
  • The community
  • Watts School of Nursing
  • Lincoln Community Health Center
  • Duke University Health System

Through a variety of assignments and through the various fellowship components mentioned above, the fellow will gain a comprehensive vision of the healthcare profession.

Participation Requirements

Applicants to the Administrative Fellowship program must have an MHA, MPH, MBA (must be with a healthcare concentration or with healthcare related experience), or equivalent from a U.S. accredited graduate program. They must also have demonstrated leadership ability as well as an expressed interest in continuous leadership training and learning. Lastly, applicants must plan to pursue a career in health services administration. Documents necessary for application are listed below:

  • Application Form
  • Current Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • Graduate School Transcript (first year only)
  • Academic Recommendation
  • Professional Recommendation
  • Two One-Page Essays
  • Statement of goals and objectives

The application deadline for the 2011-2012 Post Graduate Administrative Fellowship beginning in July 2011 is October 15, 2010. Application packets must be received by October 15, 2010. Completed applications will be reviewed immediately after the deadline, and select applicants will be invited to on-site interviews in late November to early December. A final decision will be made by mid-December.