MHLP Alumni Panel: How Graduates Have Found Success

In February of 2022, Master of Health Leadership and Policy (MHLP) students were pleased to have had the opportunity to connect with Mihaela Rozor (Senior Project and Change Management Lead-Clinical at Providence Health Carev), Jackie Reiners (Executive Director at Augustine House), and Laura Frisby (Regional Palliative Lead at Vancouver Coastal Health).

Michaela, Jackie, and Laura are all graduates of the MHLP programs. Michaela completed the Clinical Education stream in 2019 while Jackie and Laura are alumni of the Senior’s Care stream, having both graduated in 2018.

Transitioning to a leadership role in health care

What healthcare certifications are important to acquire? How was the transition from a union-supported to a management role in healthcare? What role did networking play in their career success?

During the hour-long panel session, the healthcare professionals shared their respective experiences in the MHLP program and answered the various questions from the audience.

Alumni highlighted how the business classes provided them with foundational project management and leadership skills. As a result, they gained the confidence to move into roles of increased responsibility and management in health care services.

Laura spoke of the way the MHLP program allowed her to move directly into a leadership role as an external applicant, bypassing the typical steps one usually has to go through to move up in an organization.

Prepared to lead change

As the conversation shifted to key trends in healthcare, the impacts of the COVID pandemic were at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Alumni discussed how the pandemic has highlighted the need for change, and effective leaders with the know-how to do so.

In British Columbia, there are increasing advancements in Virtual Health and continuous redevelopments. Now more than ever there is a need for clinical expertise, project management, and effective leadership abilities. The MHLP students fulfil many of these requirements and, equipped with their professional master degree and relevant work experiences, are at the perfect apex to fill these roles.

Attendees left this panel feeling inspired and hopeful for the path ahead of them. Many commented on the usefulness in learning about different opportunities outside of the nursing role.

“It’s encouraging to hear about how the MHLP alumni were able to make that career change within the health care system”.

The MHLP program provides students with advanced clinical knowledge, key business insight, and pragmatic leadership skills to drive innovation in their fields. With its unique combination of graduate-level courses through the UBC School of Nursing and business and leadership courses through UBC Sauder’s Robert H. Lee Graduate School, students gain skills and confidence to transform their career and lead change. What sets MHLP apart is not simply the world-class education, but also the continued success and achievements of alumni, as exemplified through the experiences of great leaders like Michaela, Jackie, Laura, and many other Clinical Education and Seniors Care graduates alike.