What happens when students aren’t just learners—but co-pilots? Anthony co-hosts this session with Cole Lyons, President and COO of The American Journal of Healthcare Strategy and host of The Strategy of Health Podcast. In this episode, we learn from Johns Hopkins Master of Health Administration Program Director Dr. Mark Bittle, along with MHA students Angelina Haw and Riya Patel, how students collaborate, innovate, and build a network that serve to enhance their future success.
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Anthony Stanowski (00:00):
Well, melissa , thank you very much for that
introduction and really a warmwelcome today to our guests.
This is a different type ofpodcast for us.
We are doing it in partnershipwith the American Journal of
Healthcare Strategy, and I wantto first welcome my co-hosts for
this podcast, cole Lyons.
So, cole, would you introduceyourself a little bit and tell a
(00:22):
little bit about what theAmerican Journal of Healthcare
Strategy is all about?
Cole Lyons (00:26):
Well, hello everyone , and thank you so much, anthony
, for coming up with this ideaand bringing us together.
You know I'm a huge fan of whatCAHME does and you've been a
mentor to me as well, for, youknow, quite a few years now, and
you've been very helpful, andso I was really thrilled to do
this.
You know, the American Journalof Healthcare Strategy is really
trying to.
You know, one of the kind ofbuzzwords is democratize.
(00:48):
You know we're trying todemocratize strategic knowledge,
but what that really means iswe just want to make information
more accessible.
We want to make it available tostudents and executives alike,
and one of the biggest wayswe've been doing that is through
these podcast interviews withstudents and leaders, like we're
about to today.
So that's where we've beendoing.
That is through these podcastinterviews with students and
leaders, like we're about totoday.
So that's where we've beendoing, and it's been an awesome
(01:09):
journey so far.
Anthony Stanowski (01:10):
And Cole thank you.
And I really want to say thisidea was Cole's and he said hey,
anthony, do you know auniversity that's out there
that's really doing somethingspecial with the students to
kind of help get the students tounderstand what the impact of
that university is to themselvesand what they can do to kind of
give back?
And at that point Mark sent mean email.
(01:30):
I want to introduce Mark Bittlefrom Johns Hopkins University.
He sent me an email about thenewsletter that was being
prepared by students and whatthey were doing.
So with that, mark, let me turnit over to you.
Tell a little background on theJohns Hopkins program.
Maybe a little background onyourself I know you've served in
(01:51):
the field of practice for awhile but then a little about
the wonderful students that areattracted to Hopkins and the
type of careers they typicallygo to.
Mark Bittle (02:02):
Yeah, well, thanks, anthony and Cole.
So nice to be here with you andrepresenting the program.
I have been in healthcare foralmost 40 years or so.
I spent the first 38 inpractice, as you mentioned,
working my way through a numberof different academic medical
centers, not the least of whichwas University of Pennsylvania,
(02:23):
as we were just talking about.
And then about 10 years ago, Iwas apt to put my hat in the
ring for taking a facultyposition here at the Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School ofPublic Health in the MHA program
, and I thought long and hardabout it.
I knew the program, I knew itsreputation and it just seemed
(02:44):
like a great opportunity for meto join the faculty.
So I've been with the schoolnow for 10 years.
I'm a teaching professor andprogram director for the MHA
program.
Bloomberg School of PublicHealth's had a health care
management program really since1972, so a little over 50 years.
Our MHA program is a two-yearfull-time residential program
(03:08):
and it's really designed for theearly careerist.
Roughly 60% of our admittedstudents are right out of
undergrad from any number ofdifferent disciplines.
It doesn't have to be justhealthcare administration, but a
number from public health andother disciplines as well.
The other 40% have been out forabout two to three years, so
have some working experience inhealthcare and are coming back
(03:30):
to get their master's degree, insome cases a second master's
degree.
One of the interesting partsabout our program is that we
have an accelerated first yearand it's partly because of the
term system that our school usesand then that's followed in the
second year by an 11-month paidresidency administrative
(03:51):
residency.
Unlike many of the otherprograms, our MHA students
really don't have to dofellowships in the third year
because we've essentially builtthat fellowship into the second
year of our program.
So we're really proud topartner with about 40 different
organizations throughout thecountry that host our students
during their administrativeresidency and most of them, upon
(04:14):
graduation, go into eitherprovider organizations the you
know, healthcare systems,hospitals, healthcare systems or
into healthcare consulting.
Cole Lyons (04:24):
Wow, it's a very unique kind of dynamic right
population.
You have the early kind ofemerging leaders coming out and
you also have some that are moreexperienced.
And you know, mark, Iappreciate that you teach as
well as lead, you know it's kindof a powerful combination when
you're leading the organizationthat you're also taking an
active role in.
So that's really nice.
And we have two students herefrom your organization here,
(04:47):
angelina Ha and Rhea Patel.
Can you both please introduceyourself and just give a little
bit of tidbit about what you'restudying and what your future
hopes are?
Angelina Haw (04:57):
I can go first.
So hi, I'm Angelina Haw.
I am currently a second yearMHA student at Johns Hopkins
University, as well as amarketing chair for our MHSA,
and I'm currently doing myadministrative residency with
Johns Hopkins Medicine withtheir business development,
planning and analysis team.
Riya Patel (05:18):
And thank you, Angelina.
My name is Riya Patel.
I am also a second year student.
I'm the very proud president ofour MHA SA, our student
association, and I'm also doingmy residency at the University
of Maryland Medical System atone of their hospitals Baltimore
Washington Medical Center andCole I heard that you had
(05:39):
mentioned, you know, what aresome of my plans, you know, in
the future.
You know healthcare is very,very large.
You can go down many differentavenues, and so while I'm in my
residency I've been exposed toquite a few different roles and
opportunities, and so I'm reallyin this stage where I kind of
(05:59):
just want to see where the windtakes me.
You know you continue to learnin every stage of your career,
and so I think I'll continue tolearn and see what exactly I
want to grow in and develop as Igrow my career.
Cole Lyons (06:10):
That's a great mindset to have.
I think we've seen a lot ofstudents who go down one path
and then when you talk to them20 years later, they'll say I
never expected to end up doingwhat I'm doing now, so a great
perspective to take.
Anthony Stanowski (06:28):
You know I want to get back to the students
and talk about where you wantto go and what your future kind
of holds.
But, Mark, I want to go firstto you because I think one of
the interesting things for mewatching the Hopkins program
over the years is when COVID-19hit, Johns Hopkins really shot
into international recognitionand its exposure just exploded
(06:52):
across the globe.
I think part of that was due tothe fact that the statistics
that were coming out aboutCOVID-19 were coming from the
Bloomberg School and a lot ofthe faculty that are in the
program.
What have you seen as thelong-term ramifications of
(07:15):
COVID-19, both for you, for theHopkins program and also for the
students.
Mark Bittle (07:18):
Yeah, that's a great question.
It was obviously a veryinteresting time for all of us
in a lot of industries, but mostespecially in education.
For us as a residential programI mean, we had it's a full time
program we had to pivot, sortof on the fly, to going first to
just fully hybrid and doingthings all on Zoom and in a
(07:41):
synchronous format.
So we were doing it online, aswe're doing it right now is how
we had to teach all of ourcourses.
But then our second yearresidency, our students were out
in many cases were out in theorganizations that were battling
the impact from COVID-19.
So we were very fortunate thatduring that period none of our
(08:04):
students lost their residency.
In fact, they were reallyleaned upon to help set up COVID
testing facilities and reallythink about doing manpower plans
to deal with the impact ofCOVID.
A silver lining in everythingand I think in the case of COVID
(08:25):
, it really helped us to one seethe value of our residency
partners and just how much notonly we value them as being the
second year of our two-yearprogram, but also how much they
value our students and how muchthey trust our students.
So that was an importantreflection for us, I think.
The other, for me, was howcritical, how critically
(08:47):
important it is to really engagestudents, to be part of the
program.
And you know, I like to thinkthat our program has supported
our students just as much asthey've supported us throughout
the years, particularly in thelast five or so.
My students know I'm a pilotand that means I tend to use a
lot of aviation analogies and inany educational program,
(09:11):
obviously supporting students iscentral to the mission of what
we do.
But for me, the real questionis are students simply
passengers, you know, on thisjourney?
Are they just sitting in theback of the plane, you, the
plane, going along for the ride,or, as I like to believe in our
program, they're actuallysitting beside us in the cockpit
.
They're our co pilots, they'rehelping us to navigate.
(09:33):
And we really leaned on ourstudents heavily during COVID
and have really leaned into itsince COVID, to make sure that
our students are reallyintegrated into our program, not
just as passive participantsbut really intentionally woven
into everything that we do.
(09:54):
So you know, they're involvedin our program governance.
So Rhea and her vice presidentof the MHA Student Association
sit on our advisory board sothey have a formal voice in the
program.
Uh, we involve them inorientation and onboarding of
new students.
They mentor first-year students.
So our second-year studentsmentor first-year students.
(10:16):
They've helped us to reallythink about new ways to engage
our alumni.
So they actually interviewalumni and post that interview
on LinkedIn for others to see.
They help us in communicatingand even curriculum review and
course planning.
They've been integral toeverything that we do in the
program.
(10:36):
So the students and the MHAStudent Association are just
crucial to that role and I thinkthe MHA Student Association for
me just isn't a social groupfor the students.
It really is, I think, part ofour leadership through both.
You know smooth skies andturbulence alike and you know
(10:59):
you mentioned earlier that thedocument that I sent you MHA
Making Leaders in the Making andthe making is sort of a play on
the MHA, so it's MHA-ing makingand recently when I got that, I
was reading through it and Ithink that's when it really hit
(11:20):
me just how deeply embeddedstudents are in our program.
It's sort of a newsletter, butwhen I read it and I shared it
with you and some othercolleagues, I was again struck
by the pride that our studentshave in what we're doing and I
think part of that really isemphasizing the notion that this
(11:42):
is their program as much as itis.
You know our program as programleaders so you know I think
getting to share the cockpitwith these students has really
been the privilege of my career.
Cole Lyons (11:54):
That is incredible.
I mean, I'm a little jealous ina way.
You know, I kind of I envy thatexperience and it's really.
You know, we look at a lot ofprograms MHA, mph, et cetera and
it's nice to see that level ofstudent engagement in the
planning.
You know, I think I have a justa bit of questioning for you,
mark, on that.
Do you think and have just abit of questioning for you, mark
, on that.
Do you think and this is a bitoff script a little bit you can
(12:15):
say, but do you think it's thetradition of kind of the
university that's created thatenvironment, or have you and
your team put a lot of work intomaking it that way?
Mark Bittle (12:26):
I would say the latter Again.
I think every school is focusedon their students and I run
other programs, not the least ofwhich is our doctorate in
public health program at theschool.
So, yes, you know, obviouslyevery educational program and
Bloomberg not being anydifferent is focused on their
students and wanting to supporttheir students.
But I do think that in aprogram like ours and really I
(12:50):
think, any program it'simportant to really include the
student voice in what you'redoing, and I don't mean that
just in the sense of, you know,maybe having focus groups with
your students to, you know, talkabout the courses or the
program or doing surveys, whichwe all do of our students, but
rather really thinking aboutthem as a partner and not just,
(13:14):
again, someone who's payingtheir tuition to go through the
educational process.
But really that the success ofour program is due as much to
what we do as program leaders asit is to the students in it.
Anthony Stanowski (13:35):
And I think it's a mutual.
There's definitely a mutualbenefit to us working together.
And, Mark, you could see it.
I mean I do remember when yousent it and your sense of pride
did come through with the emailreferencing the MHA or in the
making, and it really camethrough.
Let me go to Angelina.
How did it start from yourperspective?
What, what kind of what wasyour impetus with kind of
(13:56):
creating that newsletter andkind of moving it forward?
Angelina Haw (14:00):
So, for the leaders in the making
specifically, I'm aware that itwas created a few years ago by,
like another alumni, but I think, as a marketing chair and like
getting a lot of influence andinspiration from that, I think,
just knowing that, I myself amvery proud of this program and
really happy to be part of aprogram and be with advisors who
(14:23):
really care about us, and Idon't think I've ever been
placed in a situation where Iwasn't afraid to kind of share
what I was thinking or be ableto ask for advice or share
exactly what I wanted to say,and I think that the leader in
the making really just describesthat, as students, there's so
(14:43):
much that this program offers uswhether it be the exposure to
being able to be a resident orit be through the ability to
participate in case competitionsor be able to network and
connect with leaders that toparticipate in case competitions
or be able to network andconnect with leaders that I
would never imagine I'd be ableto connect with.
And something I reallyappreciated from the program was
all these seminars that theyset up for us and being able to
(15:03):
hear so many differentperspectives and really being
able to build upon that as welland gain discussions from that
as well, and so I think justknowing that our program
provides all these resources tous only made me want to be able
to showcase our program more toother students and be able to
let them know that this is anamazing program.
(15:25):
I have no regrets being here,and I really wish you would have
the opportunity to be able tojoin this community that we've
created.
Anthony Stanowski (15:32):
Yeah and Angelina, those certainly come
through, but Riya I want to goto you would have the
opportunity to be able to jointhis community that we've
created.
Yeah and Angelina, thosecertainly come through, but Riya
, I want to go to you nextaround the newsletter because
one of the interesting things tome is it didn't just talk about
the program and the residenciesand all that stuff, but you
also included people's birthdaysor fun things to do in
Baltimore, which is an amazingcity to go and enjoy and explore
city to go and enjoy andexplore.
(15:55):
So talk a little bit about howthe newsletter kind of works,
both as a way to kind of promotethe advantages to going to the
Hopkins program for the peoplewithin the program, but how
you've created a community fromit as well.
Riya Patel (16:07):
Most definitely so.
We always start off MHASA thenew elected year, I would say
with a theme, and so our themethis year was strengthening
connection, right, so there areso many different ways that you
can connect in a program, notjust with the program, but you
know your local community, youralumni network, your professors,
(16:28):
other students in the school,and so that was really the
purpose of bringing thisnewsletter to life.
Right, it was to show ourstudents you know there's more
to the city, to the school, thanjust your student, your
co-students and the professorsyou work with.
And so the what's happening inBaltimore and you know what are
(16:51):
some community events you canget involved in, that was really
an attempt to show our students.
You know, these four walls arenot, they're not closing you in.
They should be a way for you toopen your horizons, to see what
else you could get involved in.
And so birthdays as well it's.
You know, we are students, butwe're also human, and so there's
(17:12):
always a reason to celebrate.
And, yes, you're learningreally great information, but
you should never forget you knowwho you are, your moral, your
values, and I think birthdaysare always just a way to you
know.
Hey, I know you're a studentand you may work with me on a
project, but you're also myfriend and you're an
acquaintance and you have a lifejust like me, and so the
(17:34):
newsletter is a way to keep usgrounded and down to earth in
some shape.
Anthony Stanowski (17:38):
It's a really good way to build a community,
and that's going to a programlike Hopkins is not just what
you learn, but it's the peoplethat you get to meet along the
way.
Cole Lyons (17:47):
Yeah, it's a big deal.
That network and thefriendships that you build are
so important.
I want to ask both of you aswell have you received any
feedback, or any you knowrumblings you could say, from
the students after putting outthis newsletter?
Riya Patel (18:03):
I think they're very , very grateful that it's there.
You know, sometimes when you'reso deep into the classes you're
taking, it's hard to sometimestake a look out and find these
community events or these socialevents that are happening, or
even like knowing which youngalumni to speak to.
So the newsletter has become aplace for them to not only hear
(18:23):
from young alumni that we'veinterviewed but also, you know,
keep in touch with birthdays,look at social events that they
may be interested in going whenthey just want to, you know,
relax and de-stress from a busyweek of courses.
And so the feedback has beenvery positive.
Just curious to the students doyou guys know about how many
(18:43):
people read your newsletter?
So we send it to both of theclasses.
So I know our class size isabout 34 and then 40.
But then we also send it to ourprogram advisors, our advisory
board, and then at times it canalso be forwarded by people to
young alumni or their preceptor.
Mark Bittle (19:02):
Yeah, it goes out to all the alumni, all the
faculty um, of course, all thestudents.
So students are 70, let's sayanother 20 between the faculty
um, mha faculty and our advisoryboard, and then our alumni are
a couple hundred.
Uh, and then again it gets like, like me, I forwarded out from.
(19:22):
There to other people.
Riya Patel (19:23):
It's very neat, Good job guys.
Yeah, and we um to me.
I forward it out from there toother people.
It's very neat, Good job guys.
And to make some type ofdistinction, we actually have
two newsletters.
We have a monthly and then anannual.
So we make the annual one a bitmore extensive, obviously, but
the monthly one is updated withthose community service events
and social events that arehappening each month.
Cole Lyons (19:43):
Wonderful.
That must be kind ofmotivational to see that.
I have a follow-up question aswell, since you both are the
second year, right?
So you have yourresponsibilities, and one of
those that Mark mentioned wasmentorship that the second year
is mentor.
The first years Were younervous at all?
Or you know what was thesupport like for becoming a
mentor?
Because I know, you know, evenin my MBA program, getting asked
(20:10):
to mentor someone in undergradwas even a bit nerve wracking,
so let alone someone who's kindof even a closer peer.
What was that experience like?
Angelina Haw (20:14):
I will definitely say I was a little nervous to
become a mentor, but I think, asI've continued to be a mentor
for my buddy, I think it's moreof a partnership than me being a
mentor and them being a mentee.
There's so much that they'reteaching me that I was not aware
of, and there's a lot that I'mteaching them as we continue on
this journey, and I thinkthere's just so much to be
(20:35):
learned throughout this program,and so, less than like a
mentor-mentee thing, I thinkit's really like you're my buddy
, let me learn from you.
How are you doing this program?
How can I just simply be aresource and offer you any sort
of advice that I've experiencedthroughout my first year and, in
return, like, tell me a littlebit about yourself, like who are
you and what have youexperienced throughout your
(20:56):
first year and how can I makeyou excited for the next one?
And so I think, yes, it wasreally nerve-wracking, but the
more I continue on with this, Ifeel more that this is a great
opportunity to createfriendships and be able to know
more about the first years,especially as second years when
we start our residency.
It's not as because most of usaren't on campus anymore.
I think it can feel a littlelike distance from the program
(21:19):
itself, but I think the buddysystem is a great way to still
feel really connected and feellike I'm making an impact and
also feel that they're making animpact on me.
Cole Lyons (21:28):
Wow, that's beautiful.
Riya Patel (21:29):
And if I could add on to what Angelina just said
you know I agree with everythingshe said.
I think the buddy relationshipsthat we've established have
been very successful.
And to Mark's point about thisanalogy of being the co-pilot
you know, being in the cockpitwith our professors and our
program advisors I think thatfirst year of didactic
(21:50):
coursework really trains you tostep up into leadership roles
and, you know, become leaders,and so picking up a buddy, as we
call them, and mentoring newstudents has become somewhat
familiar in some shape.
You know, we're taught to beleaders during that first year
and then in the second year wego into this residency where
we're expected to lead projects.
(22:11):
So this becomes more of aninformal leadership opportunity
as well for all of our students,which is a really great facet
of this program.
Anthony Stanowski (22:21):
Riya, it's a really good point program.
Yeah, it's a really good point.
But I want to say you know,when we began, cole was talking
about how I've been a mentor tohim.
But let me just kind of say Ithink I've learned more from
Cole than he has from me,including help on podcast and
where to kind of go with it, andhe's just been to me an
incredible font of informationand direction and kind of
(22:45):
keeping in touch with.
You know where we need to go asa community.
What I've said to Cole and Riaand I'm sure in Angelina this
applies to both of you as welltoo is that the healthcare
system is going to be in a lotof really good hands, kind of
going forward, with leaders likeyou kind of coming into the
place and thanks to people likeMark who really kind of serve in
(23:06):
an incredible way of bringingthat information across and
creating, modeling, incrediblebehaviors for you to kind of go
forward with.
Cole Lyons (23:17):
Well, thank you, andy, that's very kind.
I feel like I've learned somuch from you and also everyone
you've introduced me to, even inthis situation, is really
wonderful to see, because youknow, I do worry a bit right
about the future with AI andwith all these things that are
happening, you know, and so it'sactually really nice to meet
people who care so much abouttheir fellow students and about
(23:38):
their community, and that's oneof the other things I wanted to
ask about.
Baltimore has a lot of kind ofsystemic social issues right in
(24:06):
their health space, and it alsocan be nerve wracking.
Moving Johns Hopkins, of course, it's a great program, one of
the top in the country, whichmeans I'm sure you also got into
some other programs as well,given that you got into this
incredible one.
So how did that decision cometo be?
Riya Patel (24:18):
So I will say the residency is what drew me here.
The residency and the people.
You know my admitted studentsday tour and just meeting the
students and the program faculty, I could tell that I would be
supported here.
And you know, coming from anundergraduate career where you
know you're in these courseswith people in classes of
(24:42):
hundreds of people, you know Iwanted a program that was going
to focus on myself, help me growthe skills that they could see
I had opportunities in, and Ifound that in the people here.
And then the residency was just.
It was something unique that Ididn't see in a lot of other
programs and I knew that Ineeded real life exposure, field
(25:04):
knowledge, to really understandhow to translate my didactic
coursework knowledge into reallife application.
And so building that residencyinto my two year program really
gave me an opportunity to notjust learn it but apply it and
make an impact from my secondyear of the program.
Cole Lyons (25:24):
And thank you so much, rhea, that was wonderful.
And Angelina, you are actuallyworking as well at kind of in
that geographic area of as well,and so I wanted to kind of
bring up the question to you isdo you feel at home in Baltimore
now?
Have you started to reallyadapt to it and do you have any,
you know, kind of priorexperience there?
Angelina Haw (25:43):
And do you have any kind of prior experience
there?
No, so I think moving toBaltimore was actually the first
time I had ever left New Jersey, and so there was a lot of
moments of fear, a lot ofmoments of concern what do I do?
I'm so used to this one stateWill I have fun?
Will I meet friends?
And I think there's a lot ofconcern regarding that.
(26:03):
But I think the biggest thingI've learned while living in
Baltimore is that the peoplethere really make the city, and
I think I am so grateful for mycohort and every single one
that's there, because I thinkthey have contributed so much to
my experience, and I don'tthink I would have enjoyed my
Baltimore experience as much ifit wasn't for them, for my
(26:24):
fellow cohort members, who arealways friendly, always asking
hey, like let's go hang outafter class or let's go to this
cafe, let's explore the city.
You know, there's a lot of uswho came to Baltimore for the
first time, and I think it's alittle special knowing that
we're all experiencing this newcity together, which means we're
all going to be creating thesenew memories for each other, and
(26:46):
so I think I've really grownfond to Baltimore, and it's
really due to all the peoplethat have really made this city
like as great as it is, and somegreat food in Baltimore.
Anthony Stanowski (27:02):
Well, this has been an amazing discussion
and, I have to say, just one ofthe most fun ones that I've done
.
Cole, appreciate yourpartnership on this podcast.
Thank you very much for that.
And Angelina and Riya, goodluck in your careers and good
luck making a difference inhealthcare.
We really need that andappreciate your kind of
(27:24):
commitment.
And, mark, as always, thank youvery much for your partnership.
You've been a great friend tomyself and to CAHME over the
years and thank you for all youdo to help advance healthcare
management education.
Mark Bittle (27:37):
Anthony, it's a privilege, it's great to work
with such a great organization,and all my colleagues in this
field are just tremendouslycommitted to making sure that
we're able to, you know, helpfolks like Riya and Angelina
move ahead and take the reinsand take the controls back to my
analogy and really keep thishealthcare industry moving
(28:01):
forward.
Anthony Stanowski (28:02):
That's what it's all about.
Mark Bittle (28:03):
Thank you all so much.
Well, melissa , thank you very much for that
introduction and really a warmwelcome today to our guests.
This is a different type ofpodcast for us.
We are doing it in partnershipwith the American Journal of
Healthcare Strategy, and I wantto first welcome my co-hosts for
this podcast, cole Lyons.
So, cole, would you introduceyourself a little bit and tell a
(00:22):
little bit about what theAmerican Journal of Healthcare
Strategy is all about?
Cole Lyons (00:26):
Well, hello everyone , and thank you so much, anthony
, for coming up with this ideaand bringing us together.
You know I'm a huge fan of whatCAHME does and you've been a
mentor to me as well, for, youknow, quite a few years now, and
you've been very helpful, andso I was really thrilled to do
this.
You know, the American Journalof Healthcare Strategy is really
trying to.
You know, one of the kind ofbuzzwords is democratize.
(00:48):
You know we're trying todemocratize strategic knowledge,
but what that really means iswe just want to make information
more accessible.
We want to make it available tostudents and executives alike,
and one of the biggest wayswe've been doing that is through
these podcast interviews withstudents and leaders, like we're
about to today.
So that's where we've beendoing.
That is through these podcastinterviews with students and
leaders, like we're about totoday.
So that's where we've beendoing, and it's been an awesome
(01:09):
journey so far.
Anthony Stanowski (01:10):
And Cole thank you.
And I really want to say thisidea was Cole's and he said hey,
anthony, do you know auniversity that's out there
that's really doing somethingspecial with the students to
kind of help get the students tounderstand what the impact of
that university is to themselvesand what they can do to kind of
give back?
And at that point Mark sent mean email.
(01:30):
I want to introduce Mark Bittlefrom Johns Hopkins University.
He sent me an email about thenewsletter that was being
prepared by students and whatthey were doing.
So with that, mark, let me turnit over to you.
Tell a little background on theJohns Hopkins program.
Maybe a little background onyourself I know you've served in
(01:51):
the field of practice for awhile but then a little about
the wonderful students that areattracted to Hopkins and the
type of careers they typicallygo to.
Mark Bittle (02:02):
Yeah, well, thanks, anthony and Cole.
So nice to be here with you andrepresenting the program.
I have been in healthcare foralmost 40 years or so.
I spent the first 38 inpractice, as you mentioned,
working my way through a numberof different academic medical
centers, not the least of whichwas University of Pennsylvania,
(02:23):
as we were just talking about.
And then about 10 years ago, Iwas apt to put my hat in the
ring for taking a facultyposition here at the Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School ofPublic Health in the MHA program
, and I thought long and hardabout it.
I knew the program, I knew itsreputation and it just seemed
(02:44):
like a great opportunity for meto join the faculty.
So I've been with the schoolnow for 10 years.
I'm a teaching professor andprogram director for the MHA
program.
Bloomberg School of PublicHealth's had a health care
management program really since1972, so a little over 50 years.
Our MHA program is a two-yearfull-time residential program
(03:08):
and it's really designed for theearly careerist.
Roughly 60% of our admittedstudents are right out of
undergrad from any number ofdifferent disciplines.
It doesn't have to be justhealthcare administration, but a
number from public health andother disciplines as well.
The other 40% have been out forabout two to three years, so
have some working experience inhealthcare and are coming back
(03:30):
to get their master's degree, insome cases a second master's
degree.
One of the interesting partsabout our program is that we
have an accelerated first yearand it's partly because of the
term system that our school usesand then that's followed in the
second year by an 11-month paidresidency administrative
(03:51):
residency.
Unlike many of the otherprograms, our MHA students
really don't have to dofellowships in the third year
because we've essentially builtthat fellowship into the second
year of our program.
So we're really proud topartner with about 40 different
organizations throughout thecountry that host our students
during their administrativeresidency and most of them, upon
(04:14):
graduation, go into eitherprovider organizations the you
know, healthcare systems,hospitals, healthcare systems or
into healthcare consulting.
Cole Lyons (04:24):
Wow, it's a very unique kind of dynamic right
population.
You have the early kind ofemerging leaders coming out and
you also have some that are moreexperienced.
And you know, mark, Iappreciate that you teach as
well as lead, you know it's kindof a powerful combination when
you're leading the organizationthat you're also taking an
active role in.
So that's really nice.
And we have two students herefrom your organization here,
(04:47):
angelina Ha and Rhea Patel.
Can you both please introduceyourself and just give a little
bit of tidbit about what you'restudying and what your future
hopes are?
Angelina Haw (04:57):
I can go first.
So hi, I'm Angelina Haw.
I am currently a second yearMHA student at Johns Hopkins
University, as well as amarketing chair for our MHSA,
and I'm currently doing myadministrative residency with
Johns Hopkins Medicine withtheir business development,
planning and analysis team.
Riya Patel (05:18):
And thank you, Angelina.
My name is Riya Patel.
I am also a second year student.
I'm the very proud president ofour MHA SA, our student
association, and I'm also doingmy residency at the University
of Maryland Medical System atone of their hospitals Baltimore
Washington Medical Center andCole I heard that you had
(05:39):
mentioned, you know, what aresome of my plans, you know, in
the future.
You know healthcare is very,very large.
You can go down many differentavenues, and so while I'm in my
residency I've been exposed toquite a few different roles and
opportunities, and so I'm reallyin this stage where I kind of
(05:59):
just want to see where the windtakes me.
You know you continue to learnin every stage of your career,
and so I think I'll continue tolearn and see what exactly I
want to grow in and develop as Igrow my career.
Cole Lyons (06:10):
That's a great mindset to have.
I think we've seen a lot ofstudents who go down one path
and then when you talk to them20 years later, they'll say I
never expected to end up doingwhat I'm doing now, so a great
perspective to take.
Anthony Stanowski (06:28):
You know I want to get back to the students
and talk about where you wantto go and what your future kind
of holds.
But, Mark, I want to go firstto you because I think one of
the interesting things for mewatching the Hopkins program
over the years is when COVID-19hit, Johns Hopkins really shot
into international recognitionand its exposure just exploded
(06:52):
across the globe.
I think part of that was due tothe fact that the statistics
that were coming out aboutCOVID-19 were coming from the
Bloomberg School and a lot ofthe faculty that are in the
program.
What have you seen as thelong-term ramifications of
(07:15):
COVID-19, both for you, for theHopkins program and also for the
students.
Mark Bittle (07:18):
Yeah, that's a great question.
It was obviously a veryinteresting time for all of us
in a lot of industries, but mostespecially in education.
For us as a residential programI mean, we had it's a full time
program we had to pivot, sortof on the fly, to going first to
just fully hybrid and doingthings all on Zoom and in a
(07:41):
synchronous format.
So we were doing it online, aswe're doing it right now is how
we had to teach all of ourcourses.
But then our second yearresidency, our students were out
in many cases were out in theorganizations that were battling
the impact from COVID-19.
So we were very fortunate thatduring that period none of our
(08:04):
students lost their residency.
In fact, they were reallyleaned upon to help set up COVID
testing facilities and reallythink about doing manpower plans
to deal with the impact ofCOVID.
A silver lining in everythingand I think in the case of COVID
(08:25):
, it really helped us to one seethe value of our residency
partners and just how much notonly we value them as being the
second year of our two-yearprogram, but also how much they
value our students and how muchthey trust our students.
So that was an importantreflection for us, I think.
The other, for me, was howcritical, how critically
(08:47):
important it is to really engagestudents, to be part of the
program.
And you know, I like to thinkthat our program has supported
our students just as much asthey've supported us throughout
the years, particularly in thelast five or so.
My students know I'm a pilotand that means I tend to use a
lot of aviation analogies and inany educational program,
(09:11):
obviously supporting students iscentral to the mission of what
we do.
But for me, the real questionis are students simply
passengers, you know, on thisjourney?
Are they just sitting in theback of the plane, you, the
plane, going along for the ride,or, as I like to believe in our
program, they're actuallysitting beside us in the cockpit
.
They're our co pilots, they'rehelping us to navigate.
(09:33):
And we really leaned on ourstudents heavily during COVID
and have really leaned into itsince COVID, to make sure that
our students are reallyintegrated into our program, not
just as passive participantsbut really intentionally woven
into everything that we do.
(09:54):
So you know, they're involvedin our program governance.
So Rhea and her vice presidentof the MHA Student Association
sit on our advisory board sothey have a formal voice in the
program.
Uh, we involve them inorientation and onboarding of
new students.
They mentor first-year students.
So our second-year studentsmentor first-year students.
(10:16):
They've helped us to reallythink about new ways to engage
our alumni.
So they actually interviewalumni and post that interview
on LinkedIn for others to see.
They help us in communicatingand even curriculum review and
course planning.
They've been integral toeverything that we do in the
program.
(10:36):
So the students and the MHAStudent Association are just
crucial to that role and I thinkthe MHA Student Association for
me just isn't a social groupfor the students.
It really is, I think, part ofour leadership through both.
You know smooth skies andturbulence alike and you know
(10:59):
you mentioned earlier that thedocument that I sent you MHA
Making Leaders in the Making andthe making is sort of a play on
the MHA, so it's MHA-ing makingand recently when I got that, I
was reading through it and Ithink that's when it really hit
(11:20):
me just how deeply embeddedstudents are in our program.
It's sort of a newsletter, butwhen I read it and I shared it
with you and some othercolleagues, I was again struck
by the pride that our studentshave in what we're doing and I
think part of that really isemphasizing the notion that this
(11:42):
is their program as much as itis.
You know our program as programleaders so you know I think
getting to share the cockpitwith these students has really
been the privilege of my career.
Cole Lyons (11:54):
That is incredible.
I mean, I'm a little jealous ina way.
You know, I kind of I envy thatexperience and it's really.
You know, we look at a lot ofprograms MHA, mph, et cetera and
it's nice to see that level ofstudent engagement in the
planning.
You know, I think I have a justa bit of questioning for you,
mark, on that.
Do you think and have just abit of questioning for you, mark
, on that.
Do you think and this is a bitoff script a little bit you can
(12:15):
say, but do you think it's thetradition of kind of the
university that's created thatenvironment, or have you and
your team put a lot of work intomaking it that way?
Mark Bittle (12:26):
I would say the latter Again.
I think every school is focusedon their students and I run
other programs, not the least ofwhich is our doctorate in
public health program at theschool.
So, yes, you know, obviouslyevery educational program and
Bloomberg not being anydifferent is focused on their
students and wanting to supporttheir students.
But I do think that in aprogram like ours and really I
(12:50):
think, any program it'simportant to really include the
student voice in what you'redoing, and I don't mean that
just in the sense of, you know,maybe having focus groups with
your students to, you know, talkabout the courses or the
program or doing surveys, whichwe all do of our students, but
rather really thinking aboutthem as a partner and not just,
(13:14):
again, someone who's payingtheir tuition to go through the
educational process.
But really that the success ofour program is due as much to
what we do as program leaders asit is to the students in it.
Anthony Stanowski (13:35):
And I think it's a mutual.
There's definitely a mutualbenefit to us working together.
And, Mark, you could see it.
I mean I do remember when yousent it and your sense of pride
did come through with the emailreferencing the MHA or in the
making, and it really camethrough.
Let me go to Angelina.
How did it start from yourperspective?
What, what kind of what wasyour impetus with kind of
(13:56):
creating that newsletter andkind of moving it forward?
Angelina Haw (14:00):
So, for the leaders in the making
specifically, I'm aware that itwas created a few years ago by,
like another alumni, but I think, as a marketing chair and like
getting a lot of influence andinspiration from that, I think,
just knowing that, I myself amvery proud of this program and
really happy to be part of aprogram and be with advisors who
(14:23):
really care about us, and Idon't think I've ever been
placed in a situation where Iwasn't afraid to kind of share
what I was thinking or be ableto ask for advice or share
exactly what I wanted to say,and I think that the leader in
the making really just describesthat, as students, there's so
(14:43):
much that this program offers uswhether it be the exposure to
being able to be a resident orit be through the ability to
participate in case competitionsor be able to network and
connect with leaders that toparticipate in case competitions
or be able to network andconnect with leaders that I
would never imagine I'd be ableto connect with.
And something I reallyappreciated from the program was
all these seminars that theyset up for us and being able to
(15:03):
hear so many differentperspectives and really being
able to build upon that as welland gain discussions from that
as well, and so I think justknowing that our program
provides all these resources tous only made me want to be able
to showcase our program more toother students and be able to
let them know that this is anamazing program.
(15:25):
I have no regrets being here,and I really wish you would have
the opportunity to be able tojoin this community that we've
created.
Anthony Stanowski (15:32):
Yeah and Angelina, those certainly come
through, but Riya I want to goto you would have the
opportunity to be able to jointhis community that we've
created.
Yeah and Angelina, thosecertainly come through, but Riya
, I want to go to you nextaround the newsletter because
one of the interesting things tome is it didn't just talk about
the program and the residenciesand all that stuff, but you
also included people's birthdaysor fun things to do in
Baltimore, which is an amazingcity to go and enjoy and explore
city to go and enjoy andexplore.
(15:55):
So talk a little bit about howthe newsletter kind of works,
both as a way to kind of promotethe advantages to going to the
Hopkins program for the peoplewithin the program, but how
you've created a community fromit as well.
Riya Patel (16:07):
Most definitely so.
We always start off MHASA thenew elected year, I would say
with a theme, and so our themethis year was strengthening
connection, right, so there areso many different ways that you
can connect in a program, notjust with the program, but you
know your local community, youralumni network, your professors,
(16:28):
other students in the school,and so that was really the
purpose of bringing thisnewsletter to life.
Right, it was to show ourstudents you know there's more
to the city, to the school, thanjust your student, your
co-students and the professorsyou work with.
And so the what's happening inBaltimore and you know what are
(16:51):
some community events you canget involved in, that was really
an attempt to show our students.
You know, these four walls arenot, they're not closing you in.
They should be a way for you toopen your horizons, to see what
else you could get involved in.
And so birthdays as well it's.
You know, we are students, butwe're also human, and so there's
(17:12):
always a reason to celebrate.
And, yes, you're learningreally great information, but
you should never forget you knowwho you are, your moral, your
values, and I think birthdaysare always just a way to you
know.
Hey, I know you're a studentand you may work with me on a
project, but you're also myfriend and you're an
acquaintance and you have a lifejust like me, and so the
(17:34):
newsletter is a way to keep usgrounded and down to earth in
some shape.
Anthony Stanowski (17:38):
It's a really good way to build a community,
and that's going to a programlike Hopkins is not just what
you learn, but it's the peoplethat you get to meet along the
way.
Cole Lyons (17:47):
Yeah, it's a big deal.
That network and thefriendships that you build are
so important.
I want to ask both of you aswell have you received any
feedback, or any you knowrumblings you could say, from
the students after putting outthis newsletter?
Riya Patel (18:03):
I think they're very , very grateful that it's there.
You know, sometimes when you'reso deep into the classes you're
taking, it's hard to sometimestake a look out and find these
community events or these socialevents that are happening, or
even like knowing which youngalumni to speak to.
So the newsletter has become aplace for them to not only hear
(18:23):
from young alumni that we'veinterviewed but also, you know,
keep in touch with birthdays,look at social events that they
may be interested in going whenthey just want to, you know,
relax and de-stress from a busyweek of courses.
And so the feedback has beenvery positive.
Just curious to the students doyou guys know about how many
(18:43):
people read your newsletter?
So we send it to both of theclasses.
So I know our class size isabout 34 and then 40.
But then we also send it to ourprogram advisors, our advisory
board, and then at times it canalso be forwarded by people to
young alumni or their preceptor.
Mark Bittle (19:02):
Yeah, it goes out to all the alumni, all the
faculty um, of course, all thestudents.
So students are 70, let's sayanother 20 between the faculty
um, mha faculty and our advisoryboard, and then our alumni are
a couple hundred.
Uh, and then again it gets like, like me, I forwarded out from.
(19:22):
There to other people.
Riya Patel (19:23):
It's very neat, Good job guys.
Yeah, and we um to me.
I forward it out from there toother people.
It's very neat, Good job guys.
And to make some type ofdistinction, we actually have
two newsletters.
We have a monthly and then anannual.
So we make the annual one a bitmore extensive, obviously, but
the monthly one is updated withthose community service events
and social events that arehappening each month.
Cole Lyons (19:43):
Wonderful.
That must be kind ofmotivational to see that.
I have a follow-up question aswell, since you both are the
second year, right?
So you have yourresponsibilities, and one of
those that Mark mentioned wasmentorship that the second year
is mentor.
The first years Were younervous at all?
Or you know what was thesupport like for becoming a
mentor?
Because I know, you know, evenin my MBA program, getting asked
(20:10):
to mentor someone in undergradwas even a bit nerve wracking,
so let alone someone who's kindof even a closer peer.
What was that experience like?
Angelina Haw (20:14):
I will definitely say I was a little nervous to
become a mentor, but I think, asI've continued to be a mentor
for my buddy, I think it's moreof a partnership than me being a
mentor and them being a mentee.
There's so much that they'reteaching me that I was not aware
of, and there's a lot that I'mteaching them as we continue on
this journey, and I thinkthere's just so much to be
(20:35):
learned throughout this program,and so, less than like a
mentor-mentee thing, I thinkit's really like you're my buddy
, let me learn from you.
How are you doing this program?
How can I just simply be aresource and offer you any sort
of advice that I've experiencedthroughout my first year and, in
return, like, tell me a littlebit about yourself, like who are
you and what have youexperienced throughout your
(20:56):
first year and how can I makeyou excited for the next one?
And so I think, yes, it wasreally nerve-wracking, but the
more I continue on with this, Ifeel more that this is a great
opportunity to createfriendships and be able to know
more about the first years,especially as second years when
we start our residency.
It's not as because most of usaren't on campus anymore.
I think it can feel a littlelike distance from the program
(21:19):
itself, but I think the buddysystem is a great way to still
feel really connected and feellike I'm making an impact and
also feel that they're making animpact on me.
Cole Lyons (21:28):
Wow, that's beautiful.
Riya Patel (21:29):
And if I could add on to what Angelina just said
you know I agree with everythingshe said.
I think the buddy relationshipsthat we've established have
been very successful.
And to Mark's point about thisanalogy of being the co-pilot
you know, being in the cockpitwith our professors and our
program advisors I think thatfirst year of didactic
(21:50):
coursework really trains you tostep up into leadership roles
and, you know, become leaders,and so picking up a buddy, as we
call them, and mentoring newstudents has become somewhat
familiar in some shape.
You know, we're taught to beleaders during that first year
and then in the second year wego into this residency where
we're expected to lead projects.
(22:11):
So this becomes more of aninformal leadership opportunity
as well for all of our students,which is a really great facet
of this program.
Anthony Stanowski (22:21):
Riya, it's a really good point program.
Yeah, it's a really good point.
But I want to say you know,when we began, cole was talking
about how I've been a mentor tohim.
But let me just kind of say Ithink I've learned more from
Cole than he has from me,including help on podcast and
where to kind of go with it, andhe's just been to me an
incredible font of informationand direction and kind of
(22:45):
keeping in touch with.
You know where we need to go asa community.
What I've said to Cole and Riaand I'm sure in Angelina this
applies to both of you as welltoo is that the healthcare
system is going to be in a lotof really good hands, kind of
going forward, with leaders likeyou kind of coming into the
place and thanks to people likeMark who really kind of serve in
(23:06):
an incredible way of bringingthat information across and
creating, modeling, incrediblebehaviors for you to kind of go
forward with.
Cole Lyons (23:17):
Well, thank you, andy, that's very kind.
I feel like I've learned somuch from you and also everyone
you've introduced me to, even inthis situation, is really
wonderful to see, because youknow, I do worry a bit right
about the future with AI andwith all these things that are
happening, you know, and so it'sactually really nice to meet
people who care so much abouttheir fellow students and about
(23:38):
their community, and that's oneof the other things I wanted to
ask about.
Baltimore has a lot of kind ofsystemic social issues right in
(24:06):
their health space, and it alsocan be nerve wracking.
Moving Johns Hopkins, of course, it's a great program, one of
the top in the country, whichmeans I'm sure you also got into
some other programs as well,given that you got into this
incredible one.
So how did that decision cometo be?
Riya Patel (24:18):
So I will say the residency is what drew me here.
The residency and the people.
You know my admitted studentsday tour and just meeting the
students and the program faculty, I could tell that I would be
supported here.
And you know, coming from anundergraduate career where you
know you're in these courseswith people in classes of
(24:42):
hundreds of people, you know Iwanted a program that was going
to focus on myself, help me growthe skills that they could see
I had opportunities in, and Ifound that in the people here.
And then the residency was just.
It was something unique that Ididn't see in a lot of other
programs and I knew that Ineeded real life exposure, field
(25:04):
knowledge, to really understandhow to translate my didactic
coursework knowledge into reallife application.
And so building that residencyinto my two year program really
gave me an opportunity to notjust learn it but apply it and
make an impact from my secondyear of the program.
Cole Lyons (25:24):
And thank you so much, rhea, that was wonderful.
And Angelina, you are actuallyworking as well at kind of in
that geographic area of as well,and so I wanted to kind of
bring up the question to you isdo you feel at home in Baltimore
now?
Have you started to reallyadapt to it and do you have any,
you know, kind of priorexperience there?
Angelina Haw (25:43):
And do you have any kind of prior experience
there?
No, so I think moving toBaltimore was actually the first
time I had ever left New Jersey, and so there was a lot of
moments of fear, a lot ofmoments of concern what do I do?
I'm so used to this one stateWill I have fun?
Will I meet friends?
And I think there's a lot ofconcern regarding that.
(26:03):
But I think the biggest thingI've learned while living in
Baltimore is that the peoplethere really make the city, and
I think I am so grateful for mycohort and every single one
that's there, because I thinkthey have contributed so much to
my experience, and I don'tthink I would have enjoyed my
Baltimore experience as much ifit wasn't for them, for my
(26:24):
fellow cohort members, who arealways friendly, always asking
hey, like let's go hang outafter class or let's go to this
cafe, let's explore the city.
You know, there's a lot of uswho came to Baltimore for the
first time, and I think it's alittle special knowing that
we're all experiencing this newcity together, which means we're
all going to be creating thesenew memories for each other, and
(26:46):
so I think I've really grownfond to Baltimore, and it's
really due to all the peoplethat have really made this city
like as great as it is, and somegreat food in Baltimore.
Anthony Stanowski (27:02):
Well, this has been an amazing discussion
and, I have to say, just one ofthe most fun ones that I've done
.
Cole, appreciate yourpartnership on this podcast.
Thank you very much for that.
And Angelina and Riya, goodluck in your careers and good
luck making a difference inhealthcare.
We really need that andappreciate your kind of
(27:24):
commitment.
And, mark, as always, thank youvery much for your partnership.
You've been a great friend tomyself and to CAHME over the
years and thank you for all youdo to help advance healthcare
management education.
Mark Bittle (27:37):
Anthony, it's a privilege, it's great to work
with such a great organization,and all my colleagues in this
field are just tremendouslycommitted to making sure that
we're able to, you know, helpfolks like Riya and Angelina
move ahead and take the reinsand take the controls back to my
analogy and really keep thishealthcare industry moving
(28:01):
forward.
Anthony Stanowski (28:02):
That's what it's all about.
Mark Bittle (28:03):
Thank you all so much.
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