MHA Intern, Department of Surgery

About Surgery


The Department of Surgery at VCU is committed to the tripartite mission of excellent clinical care, education and innovation. We have an impressive history and the extent of its impact on modern surgery is immense. As a member of this incredible department, you will join a team of dedicated, passionate, and hardworking individuals who strive to drive our mission regardless of their role. Surgery is a fast-paced environment, with every day offering a new experience and challenge. If your goal is to learn, grow, and develop as an employee and as an individual while also supporting impactful clinical work, Surgery is the place for you!

Position Summary
The Department of Surgery at VCU is recruiting for our next MHA Intern. This position provides the opportunity to assist in gaining an understanding of the nature and complexities of management and direction in a healthcare setting. Through a combination of job shadowing, attending executive meetings with leaders throughout the health system, and completing various projects, the MHA Intern will gain familiarity with the operations of a surgical department. This position will also have responsibility for short-term projects, such as performance improvement, clinical transformation, service excellence, regulatory readiness, and business plans.

Typical Duties

• Administration: Incumbent will be able to lead and work alongside the department administrator(s) and clinical leaders on various strategic projects and assignments. They will attend meetings within the department and the medical center, develop agendas, learn how to manage timelines, and be exposed to and work on site planning, project management, process improvement, and business planning.
• Project Management: Incumbent will be assigned a variety of projects to manage and ultimately be responsible for. Standards of excellence, quality, and professionalism are necessary to properly engage with interdisciplinary teams and present findings to senior leaders.
• Human Resources: Incumbent will be exposed to a variety of HR activities including but not limited to: conducting interviews; recruiting and selecting candidates; developing job descriptions; and assisting the associate administrator with editing, writing, and updating policies and procedures.

Required Education & Experience

• Currently enrolled in a Master of Health Administration or Master of Business Administration Program
• Exceptional skills and knowledge in computer software packages, especially Microsoft Office
• Must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills in order to communicate effectively
• Basic knowledge of healthcare industry terms
• Flexible in time and job duties
• High level of professionalism, problem solving, and critical thinking
• Knowledge and experience in researching, analyzing, and compiling data

Duration & Work Expectations
Onboarding will take place in August unless other arrangements are specifically made. During the summer months, we would expect approximately 30 hours per week. During academic semesters, we would expect around 20 hours per week. The position extends roughly two years, from the start of the incumbent’s program in August through May two years later.

Additional Information

Please note that if you are employed as a university employee working in any of the health system's facilities, you will need to follow VCU Health System policies, which will include but will not be limited to, vaccination requirements.

The School of Medicine continuously strives for our workplace and learning environment to reflect the demographic and social milieu of the communities we serve. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.