Administrative Fellowship Program FAQs

Will Mayo Clinic hire administrative fellows for the 2010 program year?

Mayo has suspended fellowship recruitment for 2009 and paused hiring of new fellows for 2010. As part of Mayo's current programmatic and strategic efforts for AFP, we are focused on supporting our six (6) new 2009 administrative fellows and broadening support for our five (5) second-year fellows.

Will Mayo Clinic hire administrative fellows for the 2011 program year?

Mayo is committed to the Administrative Fellowship Program and will continue to evaluate and assess Mayo's leadership and administrative staffing needs and strategies. We will provide an update in spring 2010 on the future recruitment and hiring of administrative fellows.

Do you need to be a current student/recent graduate to apply for the fellowship program or will Mayo accept fellows that obtained their graduate degree(s) in previous years?

Qualified candidates for the Administrative Fellowship Program are masters-prepared individuals who have completed the degree requirements or are degree candidates in one or more of the following fields of study or related degree programs: Health Services Administration, Hospital Administration, Public Administration, and Business Administration. Applications from candidates who have completed their degree or are on schedule to complete their degree before the fellowship start date will be accepted. Additional criteria can be found in the eligibility section of the fellowship program.

When the administrative fellowship begins hiring again will it have the same format/opportunities as in previous years?

Mayo fully supports the fellowship experience and leadership development. Any changes to the program or fellowship guidelines would continue to be aligned with Mayo values and leadership philosophy and appropriately communicated to prospective candidates, healthcare administration degree program and fellowship stakeholders and supporters. Interested individuals may visit our AFP Web site for updates. AFP program director, D.C. Mangum, 507-538-5847, and HR staffing specialist, Nikki Gushulak, 507-284-4636, are also available answer questions and provide additional information.

What other employment opportunities are currently available at Mayo Clinic for recent graduates with an MHA, MBA, and/or MPH?

Current job postings are found on the Mayo Clinic's job postings pages and are updated on a regular basis.

Are there other training programs or internships that will be hiring at Mayo Clinic in 2010?

Training programs and internships are generally not centralized but coordinated by individual departments, however all employment opportunities are posted on our Mayo Clinic Web site on the job postings pages. In addition to the Employment Web site, you can visit Mayo's internship web page or Mayo training programs web page for a listing of any available opportunities.

These opportunities are updated regularly, so frequent and ongoing visits are encouraged.

How are rotations and fellows matched?

The Administrative Fellowship Program is designed to meet long-term organizational staff needs. When setting up rotations, the primary consideration is the program goals; secondary are immediate organizational needs and opportunities at a given time. When these have been clearly identified, a match is made with an individual administrative fellow according to his or her capabilities, interests, and need for development.

Can administrative fellows influence the rotation decisions?

Each administrative fellow knows up front that some core experiences and competencies are part of the program expectations. Within those core experiences and in "elective" rotations, administrative fellows are encouraged to develop the diverse and individual strengths for which they were hired and to explore the many facets of administrative work at Mayo. If an administrative fellow has a strong interest in a given area, every effort is made to provide an experience in that area. At the same time, the administrative fellow is expected to be flexible and responsive to organizational needs and opportunities.

Administrative fellows are asked during rotation planning discussions to think about the "package" of experiences they would like to have at the end of two years to make them a viable and attractive candidate for positions that appeal to them.

What core experiences have been identified for administrative fellows?

Five rotations or exposures have been identified as "standard":

• Administrative Services
• Finance
• Human Resources
• Research or Education
• Systems and Procedures

In addition, an effort is made to give each administrative fellow an experience of Mayo from another perspective than their base site. This is typically achieved through a rotation in Florida, Arizona, or Rochester or a regional practice.

Since rotations are typically three months long, this leaves two or three "elective" rotations.

Through rotations over the two-year program, the following primary administrative exposures are sought:

• Operational planning
• Hospital operations
• Clinic operations
• Employment process
• Working with a secretary
• Working with physicians
• Committee work/attendance
• Minute taking/committee secretary
• Coaching employees for development
• Directing the work of others
• Role of Information Technology
• Mayo Model of Care

What are the job expectations of administrative fellows?

See job description (PDF) for administrative fellows. Administrative fellows should develop the same core competencies as other administrative staff.

Can an administrative area be "guaranteed" an administrative fellow when needed?

Sometimes. Although administrative fellows can't fill long-term staffing needs, they can fill short-term role assignments (e.g., covering for parenting and medical leaves) or critical project assignments, particularly when there is advance notice. It depends on the need, who is available during that time, and whether the available fellows has the minimum skills necessary to meet the need.

How do administrative work areas express interest in having a fellow assigned?

The administrative leader or group contacts the site coordinator with a written description of the need and/or the general experiences and opportunities available. These are then shared with the administrative fellow during rotation discussions. If there seems to be a good match, all three begin exploring how and when to set up a rotation.

What other elements are considered when setting up rotations?

Generally, it's important that two administrative fellows are not in a small area at the same time. Often that results in watered-down project challenges and space issues. It also can impede the individual identity-building efforts of an administrative fellow as he or she moves out of the "one of the AFP fellows" mode.

The most successful match occurs when both the administrative fellow and the work area are mutually interested in working together.