For many aspiring healthcare leaders, landing a hospital administrative fellowship can be a pivotal step in shaping their career trajectory. The American Journal of Healthcare Strategy recently featured an illuminating conversation between host Vrushangi Shah, MHA and guest Alisa Raju, MHA, a Luminis Health fellowship alum, who delved into her educational journey, healthcare administration fellowship experiences, and current role as a Project manager at Northwell Health. Alisa's story highlights the perseverance, adaptability, and passion required to thrive in healthcare management. Below are the key insights from her remarkable path.
Alisa's journey into healthcare administration was far from linear. During her undergraduate years at the University at Albany, she initially pursued a career as a physician assistant. Yet, as she advanced through her classes, she realized direct patient care was not exactly her calling. "I still wanted to help patients," she says, "but I had more of a mindset for leadership and business."
A timely suggestion from her sister introduced her to the realm of healthcare administration—an avenue that brought together her interests in business, leadership, and healthcare. Being a psychology major with minors in biology and business turned out to be fortuitous: "I was very confused," Alisa recalls with a laugh, "but it allowed me to be a well-rounded student. I could switch majors late and still graduate on time."
Seeking deeper insight into the administrative side of healthcare, she decided to pursue a Master of Health Administration (MHA) at Stony Brook University. There, she learned about critical topics such as the social determinants of health and community health—areas she personally resonated with, having seen family and friends encounter barriers to accessing quality healthcare.
Armed with her newfound direction, Alisa began looking for opportunities to gain hands-on experience. She accepted an entry-level job at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, a revered cancer center where she served as a care coordinator.
Initially, she worked at the front desk, handling patient registration and scheduling. Within six months, Alisa had been promoted to Care Coordinator II, where she managed clinic operations for a specific provider. "It gave me a lot of exposure to healthcare operations—everything from scheduling to working side by side with nurses and doctors," Alisa notes. This role laid a solid foundation, helping her understand the nuances of hospital workflows and patient management. It was also the perfect springboard for her future admin fellowship applications.
Securing a healthcare administrative fellowship can be surprisingly challenging, something Alisa learned firsthand. During her MHA program, she frequently asked healthcare leaders, "How did you get to where you are?" Many attributed their success to completing a post-graduate fellowship. Intrigued, Alisa applied to around ten healthcare administration fellowships in her first attempt—all in New York State.
She admits: "I love New York, and I wanted to stay close to home. I didn't realize how competitive these fellowships were." Despite a few first-round interviews, she didn't land a fellowship in her first cycle. While a setback for some might lead them to abandon the fellowship route, Alisa was determined to try again. "If doctors can apply for residencies multiple times, why can't I apply for an admin fellowship a second time?" she remembers thinking.
Over the next year, Alisa committed herself to becoming a more competitive candidate for healthcare admin fellowships. She took a full-time position at MSK, participated in an internship through her grad program, joined leadership boards at Stony Brook, and even worked as a wedding planner/event coordinator on the side—a role that, unbeknownst to her, translated into valuable leadership and organizational skills.
When she reapplied, she was far better prepared: "I focused on leveraging every transferable skill I had—from working in a hospital to planning events." This time, she secured not one but two offers. Ultimately, she chose the administrative fellowship program at Luminis Health in Annapolis, Maryland, a move that would prove transformative both professionally and personally.
The Luminis Health Fellowship was one year long and project-based, a structure Alisa found appealing. While some healthcare administration fellowships rotate participants through different departments, Luminis encouraged fellows to embed themselves in projects that could span several months. "Rotations can be great," Alisa notes, "but sometimes you don't get to see the full lifecycle of an initiative if you're only there for a few months. At Luminis, one of my projects lasted about six months, and I was able to see it through from beginning to end."
Working at a mid-sized health system also meant intimate access to executives. Alisa's fellowship director was the CEO of the hospital system, Victoria "Tori" Bayless, and her preceptor was a hospital president. She attended weekly leadership meetings, engaged with directors of various departments, and learned how decisions were made at the highest level. "They let us do whatever we wanted, in the best sense," she recalls. "We could take on as many projects as we could handle, which meant a wealth of learning opportunities in areas like finance, human resources, and strategic planning."
When reflecting on her mentorship, Alisa cannot emphasize enough how important her leadership team was. Beyond official mentors like the CEO and hospital president, she had an "unofficial mentor" in the hospital COO. Their open-door policies and genuine willingness to guide and educate her were invaluable. "They had a wealth of knowledge and had been through so much themselves. They always seemed to have just the right answer," she says.
One of Alisa's biggest lessons? Be open to relocating if a promising opportunity arises. For her, leaving New York—a place she had always called home—was daunting. Yet, this leap of faith exposed her to a new health system culture, expanded her professional network, and forged her independence.
"I had to balance my desire to grow professionally with having a life outside of work," she explains. Alisa advises prospective fellows to be intentional about where they apply, acknowledging that they will spend a great deal of time in the fellowship but also want to be in a city or region that suits their lifestyle. "Work-life balance matters," she says. "You want to enjoy the community where you live and potentially contribute to community health initiatives."
After an enriching year in Maryland, Alisa was ready to come back to New York. She credits her fellowship mentors for supporting this transition, noting how they reached out to their connections to help her secure a new role.
Today, Alisa is a Project Manager at Northwell Health Cohen Children's Medical Center, a prestigious children's hospital on Long Island. She divides her time between operational tasks—like budgeting, physician compensation, and contract work—and leading specific initiatives aimed at improving patient care. One notable project she's helping drive is a same-day sick initiative, designed to reduce emergency department (ED) congestion by offering timely, same-day appointments at primary care practices for sick children. "We're trying to get patients the care they need without overcrowding the ED," Alisa explains. "It's really about more efficient resource allocation and better patient access, which ties into population health management."
In her role, Alisa also engages with healthcare technology and healthcare innovation, constantly looking for ways to improve clinical operations and patient care services through data-driven insights and healthcare analytics.
Reflecting on her experiences, Alisa offers several key pieces of advice for those considering a health administration fellowship:
From her undergraduate switch to healthcare administration, to her MHA fellowship at Luminis Health, and now in her project management role at Northwell Health, Alisa Raju embodies the resilience and adaptability it takes to excel in healthcare leadership. Her story underscores the power of stepping outside one's comfort zone and the importance of finding mentorship in every phase of your career journey.
For early-careerists considering a healthcare administrative fellowship, Alisa's experiences demonstrate that while the process is competitive, it is also immensely rewarding. By cultivating meaningful relationships, embracing new environments, and showcasing the full breadth of their skills and passions, prospective fellows can open doors to life-changing opportunities—and ultimately help shape the future of healthcare for the better.
Whether you're interested in hospital management, organizational leadership, or driving healthcare policy changes, an administrative fellowship program can provide the foundation for a successful career in healthcare administration. As Alisa's journey shows, the path may not always be straightforward, but with determination and the right opportunities, it can lead to a fulfilling career in shaping the future of healthcare delivery and innovation.
