The journey from graduate student to healthcare executive is rarely a straight line. It’s a path paved with pivotal decisions, calculated risks, and the deliberate cultivation of a strong professional network. For aspiring leaders, navigating this landscape requires a blend of ambition, self-awareness, and a willingness to step outside one’s comfort zone. Mahee Patel, MSHA, MBA, an Administrative Fellow at Apex Health Solutions, embodies this modern trajectory. Her story, from leaving her home state of Wisconsin for the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) renowned MHA program to securing a coveted internship at the Mayo Clinic and ultimately landing in the dynamic world of value-based care in Houston, offers a masterclass in strategic career development. In a recent conversation on The Fellowship Review, Mahee shared the insights that shaped her path, offering actionable advice for the next generation of healthcare leaders.
The decision to attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham for graduate school was primarily driven by the program's culture and its emphasis on in-person connection. While many programs were still operating virtually in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, UAB’s decision to host an in-person interview weekend made all the difference for Mahee. This approach allowed her to experience the campus environment firsthand and assess her compatibility with the faculty and future classmates—a critical factor for a field as relationship-driven as healthcare administration.
She recalls the experience vividly, noting how it immediately set the program apart. “The MHA world as we know, is pretty small and culture means everything,” Mahee explains. “And I thought that if I was going to be spending upwards of every day with a group of around 30 people I'd really wanna fit in. And my interview at UAB was just so much fun, it didn't even feel like an interview.” This focus on cultural fit over pure prestige underscores a vital lesson for prospective students: the environment you learn in is just as important as the curriculum. The right program should not only challenge you academically but also provide a supportive community where you can build lasting professional and personal relationships.
Moving from Wisconsin to Alabama was a significant personal and cultural leap that required courage and a focus on the long-term career goal. Mahee admits the decision was daunting, especially as it meant leaving a close-knit family network for the first time. The fear of the unknown—making new friends, adapting to a different culture, and the simple "what if it's the wrong decision?"—was very real.
However, she didn't let those doubts dictate her future. “My future, my career was worth it,” she reflects. “I'm so glad that I didn't let those little doubts of what if I make no friends or what if I hate it...play too much importance on my decision making.” Her experience serves as a powerful reminder that career growth often demands stepping into uncomfortable territory. Ultimately, the people she met at UAB made the transition seamless. The strong bonds she formed with her classmates created a new "family," proving that the quality of the people around you can make any location feel like home. Her advice to others facing a similar move is to recognize that while regional differences exist (she confirms Southern charm is real), people are fundamentally the same everywhere.
Mahee secured her internship at the Mayo Clinic by strategically leveraging her university's alumni network and demonstrating a keen interest in innovative academic medical centers. While in her graduate program, she was drawn to high-acuity, research-driven organizations like the Cleveland Clinic and its peer, the Mayo Clinic. To transform this interest into an opportunity, she took a crucial step that every student should emulate: she connected with a UAB alum who had previously completed the Mayo internship.
This conversation provided an authentic, inside perspective that a website or job description could never offer. Hearing firsthand about the alum's positive experience solidified her decision to apply. This highlights the immense value of networking; alumni have walked the path you're on and can provide candid insights that demystify the application process and help you gauge cultural fit. The Mayo Clinic’s application process involves applying to the system as a whole, with location assignments made upon offer. By a stroke of luck, Mahee was placed at the health system in her home state of Wisconsin, allowing her to gain experience at a world-class institution while being close to home.
For Mahee, a first-generation American and first-generation student, the decision to pursue a fellowship was rooted in the unparalleled mentorship and accelerated career exposure it provides. A fellowship offers a structured pathway to gain high-level experiences that are often inaccessible through a traditional entry-level job. It’s an intensive, year-long immersion into the inner workings of a health system, designed to mold promising graduates into future leaders.
The core appeal was the guarantee of mentorship and guidance from seasoned executives. Mahee saw it as an invaluable opportunity to build a robust professional network and learn directly from leaders at the top of their field. “Build that professional and personal connection with a mentor that can not only guide you in your career, but propel you and…speak about you at tables that you know, you don't have a seat at yet, I think is invaluable,” she states. This sponsorship—having a champion who advocates for you in rooms you aren't in—is one of the most powerful career accelerators a young professional can have. For anyone who identifies as a lifelong learner, a fellowship extends the educational journey beyond the classroom, allowing you to explore curiosities and transition from student to leader under the guidance of experts.
A successful fellowship application cycle requires meticulous organization, intentionality, and a focus on quality over quantity. Mahee managed her applications with a master Excel spreadsheet that she updated almost daily, a practice many successful applicants swear by. Given that her UAB program required a fellowship, she had significant institutional support, including a "Preceptors Conference" where dozens of organizations came to recruit.
However, she didn't limit her search to the organizations that came to her. She proactively researched other programs to ensure she was casting a wide but deliberate net. Her strategy offers a clear blueprint for applicants:
Ultimately, overwhelming yourself with too many options can lead to decision fatigue. A focused, well-researched approach yields better results and ensures you land in a place where you can truly thrive.
The key to mastering the fellowship interview is to reframe it as a mutual assessment of cultural fit rather than a one-sided evaluation. Mahee’s experience demonstrates that by the time you reach the final, on-site interview, your qualifications are no longer in question. At that stage, the organization has already determined you have the technical skills and academic background to succeed. The real question becomes: Do your personality, values, and working style align with the organization’s culture?
This realization helped her approach the process with confidence and authenticity. “Once you make it to the onsite interview, you can believe that you're qualified for the job,” she advises. “At that point it is down to what's a cultural fit.” This mindset shift is empowering. It transforms the interview from a nerve-wracking test into a conversation where you are interviewing the organization just as much as they are interviewing you. By showing up as your most authentic self, you not only stand out but also ensure you land in an environment where you can be successful and happy.
The Administrative Fellowship at Apex Health Solutions offers a uniquely flexible and entrepreneurial experience tailored to the individual, set within a fast-growing value-based care organization. As a managed service organization (MSO) founded in 2019, Apex provides partners with the people, processes, and technology to succeed in value-based arrangements. This is a step beyond traditional consulting; it’s about hands-on implementation and partnership.
A key differentiator of the Apex fellowship is its adaptability. Fellows can choose whether their year-long experience will be rotational or project-based, a level of autonomy rarely seen in more established programs. “The previous fellow had a more project-based, uh, fellowship, but I think that's a unique opportunity and privilege of the fellowship is that you get to make it your experience,” Mahee notes. As the sole fellow, she has had the opportunity to rotate through each of the company's functional pillars, gaining a holistic understanding of the business while building deep relationships across the organization. This model is ideal for self-starters who want to customize their learning journey and make a tangible impact in a growth-stage company at the forefront of healthcare innovation.
A fellowship is designed to accelerate the transition from student to leader, and Mahee’s experience on a complex regulatory project exemplifies this perfectly. Tasked with helping build the clinical policy for Apex’s utilization management team, she was pushed far outside her comfort zone. The project required her to develop a project plan and delegate tasks to senior leaders, including Vice Presidents.
This experience was initially intimidating but proved to be a critical developmental milestone. It forced her to shift her mindset from being the "doer" to being the "delegator" and to cultivate her executive presence. Learning to manage up and guide team members who are more senior is a vital leadership skill. As she notes, while intimidating, it's a necessary step for anyone on a leadership track. Good fellowship programs create a safe space for this growth. As one of her own mentors advised, the goal is to be challenged but not allowed to drown. This project provided the perfect opportunity to develop high-level project management and communication skills while delivering significant value to the organization.
Effective mentorship is the cornerstone of a successful fellowship, and Apex provides a robust structure with both a preceptor and an executive sponsor. This dual-mentorship model ensures the fellow receives comprehensive support covering both day-to-day execution and long-term career strategy.
Beyond this formal structure, Mahee has found a wealth of informal mentors through her rotations. The learning-oriented culture at Apex means that leaders across the organization are invested in her success, not just as a fellow but as a person.
Reflecting on her journey, Mahee’s most resonant piece of advice is simple yet profound: relax and trust the process. The path through graduate school and the fellowship search is filled with uncertainty and "what if" scenarios that can generate significant anxiety. It’s easy to get caught up in worrying about outcomes you can’t control. However, looking back, it becomes clear that life often guides you in the right direction, even if the path isn’t what you originally envisioned. “Take a step back and look back at all you've accomplished thus far,” she advises. “This is just one more step...it's not gonna be easy, but it's not impossible.” By staying true to yourself, remaining confident in your abilities, and trusting that things will work out, you can navigate the challenges of an early career with greater calm and focus, ultimately landing right where you need to be.
