Administrative Fellowships.

Many people do not know they are interested in Administrative Fellowships until later in their MPH education, however this comprehensive timeline can still prove useful for when you should start preparing to land a fellowship.

*Make sure to research the actual deadlines and requirements for each fellowship and stay on top of dates for each program.

Fall semester – first year

• September – October
  • Resume and cover letter review with Career & Practicum Office (CPO)
  • Network with alumni in the healthcare administration field (does not necessarily need to be Fellows). The CPO can help you find good contacts
• October – December
  • Attend Information Sessions on Handshake and CPO professional development events
  • Continue networking
  • Start looking for “administrative internships” for the following summer on Handshake and apply (these are generally 10-week long programs); consulting internships are also great. Consider practicums that will offer you operations and  project management exposure alongside other avenues of exploration.
    • Explore hospital websites and LinkedIn. Some examples include:
      • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Administrative Internship
      • Intermountain Health Administrative Internship
      • UChicago Medicine Administrative Internship
      • UCLA Health Administrative Internship
      • Cleveland Clinic Administrative Internship>
      • Kaiser Permanente Internships

Spring semester – first year

• January – May
  • Prepare for interviews- link to interview page of CPO website
  • Complete mock interviews with the CPO
  • Continue to look for and apply to internship positions on Handshake
  • Attend career fairs
  • Sign up for NCAF newsletters and individual fellowship mailing lists to stay up to date on deadlines and information sessions
  • Attend administrative fellowship informational sessions – held by BUSPH, on Handshake, and individual programs

Summer 

• May – August
  • Complete practicum, get involved with project work
  • Applications for many administrative fellowships open in June/early July
  • Start reviewing case interview questions

*It’s important to note that some Admin Fellowship  programs have rolling admissions so is better to get your app in sooner rather than later

• July – August
  • Create NAFCAS profile
    • If interested in programs not on NAFCAS, make sure to jot down deadlines as they could be much earlier than NAFCAS fellowships
  • Identify list of hospitals (pick around 6-10)
  • Ask recommenders to write your letter of recommendation in early July
  • Compile list of past and current fellows at desired hospital
  • Start informational interviews
    • Reach out via email or LinkedIn if you don’t have direct connection
    • Use BUSPH alumni network, see if Dr. Chris Louis or CPO can connect you with any alumni
    • Try and speak with at least one current fellow and one past fellow from each program
    • Take copious notes and be sure to send personalized thank you notes
  • Write personal statement EARLY
    • Allow enough time for multiple reviews by Dr. Louis and the CPO (leaving about 2 weeks for each to review and provide feedback)
  • Submit applications to programs not on NAFCAS>
  • Start interviewing!>

Fall semester – final year

• Early September
  • Finalize personal statement
  • Upload all documents to NAFCAS
  • Submit all documents
    • Some programs have rolling admissions so is better to get your app in sooner rather than later
• Early October
  • Get ready for interview process
    • • Prep with Career & Practicum Office

    <li”>Practice case interviews on your own, with friends, and with case interview buddies

• Early – Mid October
  • First round and second round interviews
  • Might have assignments for the interviews like building a dashboard, preparing a case study and presentation, data analysis on an Excel file, etc.
• Late October – Early November
  • Third round interviews (if applicable)
  • Hear back from programs
  • Submit reimbursement forms (if you traveled)
• November
  • Accept/Decline offers
  • Write follow-up thank you notes to programs, even if you are rejected. It is not uncommon for programs to need to find another candidate. Show them that you would be a great option!
  • If it doesn’t work out, that’s okay! There are TONS of other opportunities and you can apply for NAFCAS round 2 in a couple of weeks. Jobs within healthcare systems are everywhere

• START EARLY
• Research Fellowships: Learn about as many different fellowships as possible, and about the application/interview process.
  • You can often find these contacts on their websites, via LinkedIn, or Google search
• Focus your search: Create a list of fellowship programs compiled around your interests,such as organization’s focus/values, location, and/or the structure of the program.
  • Narrow your search – We suggest you apply to no more than 10 fellowships — for your own sake as there is a lot of work for each application/program.
• Network with current fellows at organizations you are interested in. They are often involved in the applicant screening process, so be sure to be professional and meaningful (e.g. don’t ask questions you can easily find the answers to on their website).
  • Networking with and keeping track of BUSPH alumni who have done / are doing fellowships can be a great resource as you go through the process. They can help you understand what their experience was like, give you greater clarity on the fellowship process, and help you figure out what you want to get out of it.
• Manage your time: Tailored applications, recommendations, case interview prep, and interviews take up a lot of time. Not to mention Fall semester during your final year gets hectic. Know details of each fellowship you’re applying to and keep track of it. Their website is a good place for the additional information you may need and begin applications a few months in advance.
• Find & ask your recommenders ASAP: It is essential to identify your recommendation writers and contact them early to seek their participation – before August ideally.
  • Many fellowships require a “program director” letter and, at BUSPH, that person is your concentration faculty director.
  • Provide recommenders with: electronic versions of your resume, your draft personal statement, and a table listing the letters you need, with full address and salutation information, along with submission method, and due dates. Also include a bulleted list of any specific areas of your work with them that you would like the recommender to highlight. This will increase the likelihood of the recommenders being able to provide what you are requesting, when you need it.
• Tailor your applications! Each program is different and be sure to take the time to personalize and tailor each cover letter, application, and personal statement to address the interests of the program.
• Prepare for intense interview timelines: The interview process varies by fellowship and the timeline tends to be fast.
  <li”>Programs usually start with phone and/or Zoom interviews followed by an intensive onsite interview, it will likely be in mid-October to early November.
• Be prepared to travel with appropriate attire, hard copies of your resume, a portfolio to carry them in, etc.
• You may need to make some difficult decisions if you are invited for conflicting interviews.
• Seek consultation from a faculty advisor and/or the Career & Practicum Office.
• Communicate schedule changes that may affect your missing class time and group projects to your faculty and classmates.
• Utilizethe following Career & Practicum Office resources:
  • Administrative Fellowship program listing Google doc
  • Resume and cover letter review: Send your application in Word format to SPHCareerOffice@bu.edu or attend drop-in sessions during the academic year. You can expect a response within 2-3 business days.
  • Personal statement review: Send your personal statement in Word format via SPHCareerOffice@bu.edu. Allow at least 1-2 weeks before the deadline for review and revisions.
  • Online resources for preparing for your behavioral and case interviews.
  • In-person and phone mock interviews: Make an appointment via Handshake or email SPHCareerOffice@bu.edu