New Healthcare Administration Seminar Course Brings Professionals to Campus

PUC’s department of business administration and economicshas debuted a new Topics in Healthcare Administration course for Winter Quarter2014 that brings health care professionals to speak to students about currentissues in their areas of expertise. Many of the visiting lecturers areemployees of Adventist Health, which operates nearby St. Helena Hospital NapaValley.

“There are over 900 students on campus who have expressed aninterest in a health care related profession,” shares Rodney Hardcastle, chairof the department of business administration and economics. “Since wehave a first class health care institution just five miles down the road wedecided to explore the possibility that the health care professionals therewould like to get involved with the education of our students. We foundthat they were more than happy to do so.”

Douglas Houghton, director of recruitment for the NorthernCalifornia Network of Adventist Health and an adjunct professor at PUC,coordinates the class and has arranged presenters from many aspects ofhealthcare management. While the class is comprised primarily of businessmajors, students from the health sciences and pre-professional programs arealso enthusiastically enrolled in the two-credit course. In addition, theseminars are open to any interested student or community member.

The January 14 installment of the series brought SteveHerber, MD, interim CEO of St. Helena Hospital and Chief Medical Officer forAdventist Health’s Northern California Network, and Sam Ocampo, executivedirector of orthopedics and cardiovascular services for Adventist Health’sNorthern California Network, to speak to over seventy students. Ocampo andHerber spoke on current issues facing healthcare nationally and locally beforetaking questions from the students for fifty minutes. Ocampo, att. ’75-’78, andHerber, ’82, are both alumni of Pacific Union College.

Herber described his trajectory from practicing physician toexecutive, a path especially relevant to the future healthcare practitioners inthe room. Learning about the administrative side of the profession interested manyof the pre-medicine and pre-dentistry students. “I am headed in to medicine,and want to learn more about the industry I’m headed in to,” said Adam Borecky,a senior chemistry major who has been accepted to Loma Linda University Schoolof Medicine for next fall.

“Healthcare is not going to be the same. We are at a pivotalcrossroads in the healthcare industry… and we need bright minds like yours tocome up with solutions,” concluded Ocampo.

Steven Felty, a junior business major also pursuing an associate’sdegree in health sciences, appreciated the expertise of Ocampo and Herber. “Mygoal is healthcare administration. It was fantastic getting a professionalinsight into the field,” Felty explained.

“We think this first hand interaction with these professionalsis providing our students an excellent opportunity that will open their eyes tothe opportunities and pitfalls inherent in the health care professions,” saysHardcastle. Sixty students are currently enrolled in the course, with othersattending the seminar for the enrichment alone.

The Topics in Healthcare Administration course meets Tuesdayevenings from 6-7:40 p.m. in Davidian Hall 205 and is open to Pacific UnionCollege students, staff, faculty, and any interested community members.

January 21: “Healthcare Entrepreneurship” 

Dr. Randy Bivens, Medical Director of Radiology at UkiahValley Medical Center and Tillamook Valley General Hospital

January 28: “Global Health, Humanitarian Work, andDisaster Relief “

Darcy De Leon, formerly Country Director with ADRA

February 4: “How To Start Assisted Living/MemoryCare Centers and Why?”

Mark Rockwell, Principal, Anthem Memory Care

February 11: “Why Am I Not Prepared For The Workforce?Residency and Internship Experiences”

Tyler Newton, HR Supervisor, Sonora Regional MedicalCenter, and Nithi Narasappa

February 18: “What To Do With Money: How HospitalDecisions Are Really Made”

Carlton Jacobson, CFO of St. Helena Region

February 25: “Human Resources and Recruitment”

Stacy Nelson II, HR Manager at St. Helena Hospital andDoug Houghton, Recruitment Director for Adventist Health Northern CaliforniaNetwork

March 11: “What Healthcare Needs From You As FutureLeaders”

Gwen Matthews, CEO of Ukiah Valley Medical Center