Students in the Sloan Program in Health Administration received an in-depth look at numerous facets of hospital administration during an Intersession Symposium Jan. 20-21 hosted by New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center (NYP/WCMC) in New York City. In a series of meetings with NYP/WCMC leadership, they learned about management of an academic medical center, physician practice management, hospital clinical information systems, programs for quality and patient safety, the implications of health care reform, board dynamics and the importance of patient-centered care. The topics covered hospital operations from a legal, information technology, physician and administrative perspective.

"I benefited from the concrete examples our speakers gave about New York Presbyterian's different strategies," said Liz McClure '11. "It helped me to truly understand what hospitals in this environment can and must do to remain financially viable and able to continue providing care."

The students also participated in networking events with NYP/WCMC leaders and Sloan alumni, and heard about internship opportunities at the hospital.

"It was a privilege and the highlight of my trip to witness accomplished Sloan alumni putting into practice the education that I am now receiving," said Emil Smith '12. "This experience has made more tangible the professional goals that have motivated me to enter into the field of health care administration. Beyond witnessing the application management concepts, the intersession trip, through meeting alumni and other administrative professionals, has provided me with several potential opportunities to take the next step in beginning my career."

While in New York City, Sloan Program leaders also met with Caren Heller, associate dean for intercampus and industry initiatives, to explore further opportunities for partnerships. Among recent efforts to connect Cornell's medical and Ithaca campuses, last spring Sloan and the College of Human Ecology sponsored a panel on the development and commercialization of new biomaterials that included faculty from both locations.

The visit was hosted and coordinated by Bill Greene '77 and Jeff Bokser '01, administrators at New York-Presbyterian.