Health Careers Guide

INTERVIEWS WITH ALUMNI

Sara Yagan '17

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What was your major as an undergraduate? Did you ever switch your major? What made you decide to choose your particular major?
I started Ithaca as a Pre- Professional Student, unsure exactly where in the healthcare field I wanted to end up. This program really allowed me to explore multiple health avenues that I would have no idea existed without this program. It also was very nice to be able to take classes from all different concentrations to narrow down what I was passionate about and what I wasn't. Both Bioethics with Tatianna Patrone and Critical Health Issues with Karen Edwards really confirmed that I want to work in health policy administration and the overall system in which healthcare is fun.

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What led to your current career? Was it due to past professional experiences? Past successes/failures? Opportunities that IC presented you with such as clubs/activities/volunteer work?

As a recent graduate, I had an amazing time at Ithaca College, each experience whether in the classroom or not has shaped me on the journey I am currently on. As a HCM major you have to complete an internship, I was lucky enough to have an amazing internship where I was able to work on innovative healthcare initiatives. The people at Cayuga Area Preferred trusted me to handle projects and always encouraged me to keep learning and exploring. That really helped me narrow down what field in HCM I wanted to be in. Additionally, being the VP of the student organization Ithaca College Health Professionals allowed me to build on my leadership skills in this field and plan a major networking trip down to DC where we got to learn from people who are changing the way we deliver healthcare in America. 

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On top of academics, at IC, I grew so much by being an RA and a Student Athlete (swam all 4 years at Ithaca). This experience taught me time management, teamwork, leadership skills, and so many other lessons that I carry with me everyday. 

What does a typical day look like for you?

My days are usually pretty much the same, I work in Graduate Medical Education where my department oversees every Resident and Fellow at SUNY Upstate. 

What do you like/dislike about your career? About the field?

This is currently my first job after graduation and prior to grad school. I think the thing I dislike the most is the routine of it all, I have a very mundane job in an important department, so currently I feel like I am under utilized and not challenged in thought or creativity. 

What have you learned being in your particular field?

This is a very broad question that could not be answered properly through e-mail. This field has taught me so much about equality, human rights, communities, creativity, leadership.

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Emily Laino '17

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What was your major as an undergraduate? Did you ever switch your major? What made you decide to choose your particular major?

Major: Health Care Management Minors: Business and Aging Studies
I never switched my major.
I chose this major because I was originally interested in the Aging Studies major due to my interest in Long Term Care and Senior Living. However, I was feeling uncertain about a degree in Aging Studies because I wanted a very clear career path immediately after graduation. I really loved IC so when I was looking at other majors, Health Care Management stood out to me. I met Professor Stewart Auyash on Accepted Students Day and spoke about the major and knew it was the right choice for me! 

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What led to your current career? Was it due to past professional experiences? Past successes/failures? Opportunities that IC presented you with such as clubs/activities/volunteer work?

I currently work at a health plan called Commonwealth Care Alliance. We serve the dual eligible population (those on Medicare and Medicaid) in the state of MA. We have two main programs, One Care which are for adults under the age of 65 and Senior Care Options which are for adults over the age of 65. The Senior Care Options program is what drew me to the organization because of my interest in working with and for older adults. There are a few paths that led me to Commonwealth Care Alliance. During my junior year, I attended a senior leadership project that was a networking trip to Boston. During that trip we stopped at Commonwealth Care Alliance and listened to a presentation by the President and CEO Chris Palmieri. That trip was funded by a student organization called the Ithaca College Association of Health Professionals (ICAHP). The following year my adviser, Professor Karen Edwards, connected me with Chris Palmieri because there were several job openings that I was interested in. Her recommendation was certainly an opportunity that Ithaca College presented. Finally, at that point in my senior year, a fellow IC student who had graduated the year before, Krista Vrabel, was working at CCA for almost a full year. I reached out to her to learn more about the organization and get advice from her on my application and the interview process. Overall, Ithaca College was quite instrumental in landing my first job as a program coordinator at CCA and I am very grateful for the opportunities I was able to take advantage of. 

What does a typical day look like for you?

I generally work 9 am- 5 pm. When I arrive at work I check my e-mails and answer anything that is pressing ASAP. I also check my calendar to see what meetings I have for the day. On days that are very meeting heavy I often spend 15-20 minutes preparing for a meeting and then have some amount of follow-up to do post meeting. On days that I don't have many meetings I am able to spend more time doing things like: completing literature reviews on a specific topic, collaborating with colleagues on challenges that we are facing in a project, managing relationships with vendors that we use, as well as other smaller tasks.

What do you like/dislike about your career? About the field?

I like that CCA as an organization serves a vulnerable population. At the end of the day I know that the work I do is connected to a greater purpose and that makes me feel really good about my job. I enjoy collaborating with colleagues and learning as I go. I have some really great mentors at the organization.

 

I spend most of my day sitting whether it is at my desk or in meetings which I'm not a huge fan of. There are some days that I feel like I'm doing a lot of administrative work, but I know from others at the organization that it is just a stepping stone and will not last forever. As a whole I do enjoy my job and learn a lot from the tasks that I enjoy and don't enjoy which is really important when you're just a few years out of college.

What have you learned being in your particular field?

Being in this particular field I have learned that there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to providing high quality care. As someone who is interested in the health and well-being of others it is easy to focus on that as a goal. However, in my time at CCA I have learned that there are a lot of steps along the way that have to be successful in order for quality care to be provided. CCA has been a great starting point to learn more about health care delivery and payment.