Health Care Administration Job Search Tips for New Graduates Pima Medical Institute Online Education Health Care Administration Program Newsletter December 2011 | Volume 1 | Issue 2 Inside This Issue 1 Message from the Program Director 1 Industry News 1 Job Search Tips 2 Student Learning Testimonial 2 Online Learning Do’s & Don’ts 2 Job Search Tips Continued Message from the Program Director By Shanel Oliver, MBA, Health Care Administration Program Director The title “Health Care Administrator” does not come close to describing the important role that a Health Care Administrator (HCA) plays in the health care delivery system. As an administrator you are the eyes, ears, and mind behind your managing office finances, “As an administrator, you are the eyes, ears, and mind behind your health care facility.” health care facility. Typical responsibilities often include creating office budgets and managing staff. The HCA program prepares students through an applied learning approach. The program exposes students to leadership and employee motivation, law and ethics, and health care finance principles in order to develop the skills needed to meet the challenges of being an administrative health care worker. UPCOMING DATES 12/12 – 1/3 Winter Break Wed 1/4 Classes begin Industry News Job Search Tips for New Graduates More than one in 10 parents of young kids follow an alternative schedule of vaccinations that doesn't fit with the recommendations of doctors and public health officials. Don’t let the high unemployment rate discourage you. Recent college graduates can find opportunities in today’s job market. If you are experiencing difficulty, try modifying your approach or expectations by doing the following:   Think Broadly Don’t limit your career opportunity by narrowing your job search. If you are looking for a job in health care administration, think of jobs that are related to health care administration including: medical receptionist, health care unit coordinator, insurance verification specialist, and medical records clerk. Do Your Research Do not blindly submit your resume without researching the organization. To make your resume stand out, customize your resume to the organization’s job posting. Most job postings have a list of desired qualifications so adjust your resume to demonstrate that you have the skills needed to do the job. Visit the website of potential employers. Do not rely solely on job boards. You may find jobs listed on the company’s own site that are not found on external job boards. Be Productive If you are not currently employed, use this time to volunteer or intern. In doing so, you will gain valuable experience and show employers that you are actively engaged in your field of study. Researchers found that parents who delay their child’s immunizations do so for safety concerns. An NPR Thomson Reuters Health Poll conducted in August 2011 indicated that more than 25% of U.S. households had concerns about the safety and value of vaccines with another 21% of respondents reporting they believe vaccines are linked to autism, despite evidence to the contrary. As a Health Care Administrator, you will work with diverse populations that may have beliefs that are different than yours. continued on page 2 Source: National Public Radio Pima Medical Institute, 40 N. Swan Road, Suite 100-A, Tucson, AZ 85711 Phone: 800-477-7462 www.pmi.edu 

Contact the Program Director page | 2 Student Spotlight Job Search Tips By Mary Aikins, MA Graduate, Tucson Campus continued from page 1  Get Help The Career Services department is a great place to start for job leads. Career Services offers assistance with creating a resume and interview techniques. Employment agencies are another great source of job search assistance. Look for agencies that specialize in medical occupations.   Stay Positive During your job search, remember to stay positive. The economy may be in worse shape than in previous years, but there are still plenty of opportunities for new graduates. Limit the amount of news that you watch and devote time to writing customized resumes, cover letters, and putting energy into a solid job-search. For more recession job search tips visit: Source: Monster.com  My name is Mary Aikins and I am currently a student in the HCA online program. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in furthering their medical education. In 2009, I graduated from the MA program, and I believe attending PMI is the best decision I have made in securing a future for myself and family. After completing this degree, I plan to work towards a RN career through this school as well. So far this program has taught me a great deal. The English course gave me a much needed refresher, not only on writing a paper, but on writing a proper sentence. Having proper sentence. Having this ability has helped me in all my other classes. I am just finishing Health Care Management and can honestly say that this was a very insightful course. It took my writing capabilities one step further by teaching which format and style is best used in certain business situations. The class also introduced the importance of communication in the workplace. This program has brought to attention how we, as healthcare workers, need to be aware of cultural differences, and how to handle diversity in a professional way. The healthcare courses have really opened my eyes to how the system functions and how many variables are involved in management. Knowing the underlying foundation of the field has helped me understand how success is achieved. There will always be a need for health care, and there are many diverse avenues in the field to discover. I believe success is driven by a positive attitude and the ability to have an open mind. The future is in the eyes of the beholder. Contact the Program Director Shanel D. Oliver, MBA HCA Program Director 40 N Swan Road Suite 100-A, Tucson, AZ 85711 Phone: (520) 437-1577 | Fax: (520) 202-5831 E-mail: soliver@pmi.edu Online Learning Do’s and Don’ts DO utilize all course learning resources. Every online class has a student course map that lists all assignments, discussions, quizzes, and readings for the course. Fill in the space next to each item with its due date. Use the course map for each class to help you stay organized. DO check your MyPMI Email every day. Your instructor’s primary method of communicating with you is through email. You must check your MyPMI email every day, preferably two to three times per day to ensure that you do not miss any important announcements from your instructor. DO communicate with your instructor. Instructors at PMI understand that sometimes life happens. To help you stay on track with your studies, please communicate with your instructor about events that will keep you offline such as internet outages or medical emergencies. DO NOT disappear from class without notice. Students are required to actively participate in their classes throughout the term. Active participation includes posting to a discussion, completing a quiz, or submitting an assignment. Students who do not actively participate in their course(s) for 14 consecutive days will be terminated from the program. To prevent this from happening, communicate with your instructor if you are unable to log into your classes for more than three days. DO NOT wait until the last minute to submit assignments. Throughout your program you will take more than one course at a time. All classes will have preset due dates and you will be able to see assignments at least one week in advance to enable you to plan accordingly. The “due date” posted in your classes does not mean “do date.” Do not wait until the day it is due to start and complete the assignment. Pima Medical Institute, 40 N. Swan Road, Suite 100-A, Tucson, AZ 85711 Phone: 800-477-7462 www.pmi.edu