The Children’s Hospital Wisconsin Administrative Fellowship with John Smith-We

Why Children’s Hospital Wisconsin? Defining Mission, Motivation, and Fit

What sets the Children’s Hospital Wisconsin Administrative Fellowship apart, and what drives candidates like John to pursue it?

Children’s Wisconsin is unique—it’s the only institution in the state entirely focused on the well-being of children. As John puts it, “Children’s Wisconsin is the only freestanding independent pediatric institution in Wisconsin, and we are the only organization fully dedicated to the health and well-being of kids.” That exclusivity isn’t just a selling point for parents; it’s a north star for fellows seeking purpose in their careers.

For John, the motivation to work in pediatric healthcare was deeply personal. “I was a kid in the hospital—I had a two-week NICU stay, a couple of surgeries before the age of five, and then some postsurgical implications that kept me in and out of the hospital even through elementary school.” Those experiences solidified his resolve: working with children, specifically in healthcare, wasn’t just a career option—it was a calling.

Key Takeaways:

• Children’s Wisconsin is the sole pediatric-exclusive health system in the state, making its fellowship especially attractive to mission-driven candidates.

• Lived experience as a patient can uniquely inform administrative leadership and empathy in pediatric care.

• The hospital’s independent status fosters a culture tightly focused on child and family-centric care, a differentiator in a healthcare landscape dominated by large systems.

Early Career: From Dance Marathons to Epic Systems

How do undergraduate experiences and early professional roles shape future healthcare leaders?

John’s journey into healthcare administration didn’t start with a straight line. During his undergraduate years, he co-chaired the Children’s Miracle Network Dance Marathon, a fundraising effort for children’s hospitals. “Myself and a friend of mine were the co-chairs of that while I was in undergrad…a 12-hour fundraising activity where folks pledged to stay on their feet, raise money at that time for Sandford Children’s in Fargo, North Dakota.” This formative experience anchored John’s dedication to children’s health.

After undergrad, John took a five-year detour into healthcare IT, working at Epic Systems as a project manager for the Cupid module, which supports procedural cardiology documentation. His role saw him collaborating with major systems like the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, Cleveland Clinic London, Mayo Clinic, and RWJ Barnabas. “Those are some of the big projects that really shaped my experience working there, and a lot of the relationships that I had and still have came from working on those projects.”

Key Experiences:

• Hands-on fundraising for children’s health set the foundation for mission alignment.

• Healthcare IT project management cultivated skills in system implementation, change management, and cross-functional teamwork.

• Building relationships across national and international health systems proved essential, both professionally and personally—“Quite a few of my friends now are still from there, and my wife’s friends that she made while she was working at Epic.”

Pivot Point: Leaving Epic for Graduate School and Administrative Leadership

Why would an established project manager leave a lucrative healthcare IT career to pursue an MHA and administrative fellowship?

For John, it wasn’t about chasing titles or short-term salary gains—it was about impact and alignment. “One of the goals of going to grad school and getting the MHA degree, then the fellowship, was to be able to build some of those longer-term relationships and have some of that longer impact in one specific focused organization.” The transient nature of vendor-client work in IT, where even deep connections last only a couple of years at most, left him craving continuity.

Importantly, he acknowledges the financial sacrifice. “Salary was a component of that…I did have the opportunity to work in grad school, did a little bit of consulting…just to have some income.” But the central motivator was, and remains, pediatric healthcare: “It was really the alignment with pediatric healthcare that was driving me to make that career change.”

Why Make the Leap?

• Desire for deeper, longer-term impact in a single organization, not just as a vendor.

• Mission alignment—the opportunity to focus on pediatric health, which has been a lifelong goal.

• Willingness to sacrifice short-term income for long-term career satisfaction and purpose.

Administrative Residencies: The Stepping Stone to Fellowship

How did John’s administrative residency at Intermountain Healthcare set him up for the Children’s Hospital Wisconsin Fellowship?

Not all residencies are created equal, and John’s experience at Intermountain Healthcare’s Primary Children’s Hospital was both competitive and transformative. “They take 14 administrative residents each year…you’re placed specifically in one of their hospitals or regions. I applied specifically to work with their children’s hospital, Primary Children’s, because of my interest in pediatric health.” The ability to work on high-impact projects—such as improving transitions of care from pediatric to adult health services—gave him firsthand exposure to complex, multidisciplinary challenges.

This project, he says, required “proposing a programmatic approach…with a lot of support from Intermountain as well as Primary Children’s—they partner with the University of Utah.” The residency not only sharpened his operational skills but also tested his personal resilience. “I wanted to see if I could hack it…It was so personal to me…I wanted to make sure I could go and that that emotion—that I was able to feel it and be connected to the work but also not let it overwhelm me.”

Residency Highlights:

• Competitive placement with specific focus on pediatric institutions.

• Cross-institutional collaboration with the University of Utah and Intermountain leadership.

• Project work centered on transitional care—a “pain point” in pediatric health systems nationally.

• Personal growth: “It gave me the confidence that yes, this is personal to me, but that’s not a bad thing—that can be a really good thing as well.”

Navigating the Fellowship Application: Process, Anxiety, and Strategy

What is the application process for the Children’s Hospital Wisconsin Administrative Fellowship, and what challenges do candidates face?

John was unequivocal: “Children’s Wisconsin was my top choice because it was the pediatric institution in Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is where we wanted to be for our life.” The application process was high stakes, not just professionally but personally—location and institutional mission mattered for both him and his wife. The anxiety wasn’t just about getting any fellowship, but about landing at the right institution: “If it’s not where I end up going, what am I going to do?”

He also highlighted a common dynamic in healthcare administration: competing with friends and peers from graduate programs. “That can be anxiety-inducing because you know them well through coursework or other components.” Fortunately, he avoided direct competition from within his own cohort for Children’s Wisconsin, though he acknowledges the complexity this can introduce for many applicants.

Application Realities:

• Mission and location alignment were decisive in program selection.

• The process can feel high-pressure given the limited number of fellowships and the personal stakes involved.

• Peer competition is real, especially among top graduate programs, but not always a disqualifier.

• John considered skipping the fellowship entirely, given his prior experience, but ultimately chose it for the breadth and depth of exposure: “I’ll advocate for people doing a fellowship—my experience has been great…I’ve been exposed to so many different projects.”

Is the Administrative Fellowship Worth It? Perspectives from Experience

Given prior healthcare industry experience, is the fellowship still valuable?

John’s verdict is clear: “I do because I wanted to change career paths…I didn’t want to be just in healthcare IT…The experiences I have gained through this have allowed me to pivot in different ways.” Even for seasoned professionals, the fellowship offers structured opportunities to develop relationships, broaden organizational understanding, and build skills not always accessible in vendor or siloed roles.

“The organization—Children’s Wisconsin—has been so supportive in me exploring different areas…Very frequently those skills are asked to be drawn on because they are unique or because the project management components are needed in any sort of work that you’re doing.”

Yet, he’s nuanced in his advice. For those who are deeply committed to a specific technical or clinical path—such as the lab or pharmacy—the fellowship may not be essential. “If somebody…wants to stay in the Toe Clinic, I think a fellowship is a great opportunity. But for those with a focused clinical path, it may not add as much value.”

Who Benefits Most?

• Professionals seeking a pivot into leadership or broader administrative roles.

• Those who value project management, organizational change, and cross-functional exposure.

• Early careerists or industry veterans wanting to build relationships and navigate healthcare complexity.

• Less critical for those committed to deep technical expertise within a single function.

Real Projects, Real Impact: Bridging Experience from IT to Healthcare Administration

How do fellows translate diverse professional backgrounds into impact at Children’s Hospital Wisconsin?

John’s story exemplifies the value of adaptable skills. Project management, change management, and stakeholder communication—all developed during his time at Epic—are indispensable in his fellowship. “The merch that I have is from a UWM campus improvement project—a project I worked on to help activate and transition into the new Skywalk building on campus. That has nothing to do with healthcare IT, but it is project management and change management and relationship building and staying organized and being tenacious.”

Children’s Wisconsin supports fellows in exploring new domains, and the skills developed in one context often prove essential in another. The takeaway: administrative fellowships reward those who bring a mix of expertise, flexibility, and curiosity.

The Pediatric Difference: Family-Centered Care and Organizational Culture

How is pediatric healthcare administration unique—and what should leaders know?

Pediatric care is not adult care “scaled down.” The focus on families, unique legal contexts, and specialized physiology all set children’s hospitals apart. John explains, “Kids are not just little adults—they’re kids. Their bodies are different, their anatomy is different, and how their physiology changes how we treat them as well.”

The family is central. “The parent is a huge component…patients are never just themselves—they exist within that larger infrastructure, and that really starts at the family level. We just see it a little bit more specifically, especially if you’re caring for a three-year-old because a three-year-old can’t care for themselves.”

Core Pediatric Administration Realities:

• Family involvement is fundamental—not just for support but as a legal and clinical necessity.

• Care transitions (from pediatric to adult services) are major pain points, requiring systemic solutions and cross-institutional partnerships.

• Communication and empathy are paramount, both for patient outcomes and staff cohesion.

Key Takeaways: Lessons for Aspiring Pediatric Leaders

In a competitive, mission-driven space like pediatric healthcare administration, the Children’s Hospital Wisconsin Administrative Fellowship is more than a resume line—it’s a launching pad for leaders who want to shape the future of children’s health. The program rewards those who combine personal motivation, relationship-building, and a willingness to pivot and learn. As John Smith-Wiehe demonstrates, drawing on diverse experiences—whether from IT, fundraising, or direct patient care—enables fellows to deliver real value in dynamic, high-stakes environments.