Healthcare is a vast and evolving field, filled with countless opportunities to shape patient outcomes, craft meaningful policy, and build a more equitable system. Few paths offer as comprehensive an immersion into hospital operations and leadership as healthcare administration fellowships. This is precisely the journey of Anjana Sreedhar, MPA (she/her/hers), whose dynamic background, passion for healthcare equity, and knack for storytelling have fueled her trajectory from aspiring diplomat to Administrative Fellow—and now Project Manager—at NYU Langone Health.
Below is an inside look at Anjana's story and the NYU Langone Administrative Fellowship Program experience, drawn from her conversation on The Fellowship Review with host Vrushangi Shah, MHA.
Anjana's path to healthcare administration was anything but linear. She completed her undergraduate studies in International Relations with a minor in Chinese at New York University (NYU). At the time, she had envisioned a career in diplomacy and global policy. Yet, even from the outset, she found herself drawn toward the complexities of healthcare as a sector that demands robust collaboration, critical thinking, and real-time problem-solving.
Before graduate school, she spent two years working in healthcare consulting in Washington, D.C. "Those conversations with healthcare executives opened my eyes," she notes. "One sentiment kept surfacing: if you are truly passionate about healthcare, you have to understand how a hospital functions from the inside." This pivotal observation led her to pursue an MPA in Health Policy and Management at NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service —returning her to a campus she already knew well.
While at NYU Wagner, Anjana secured two defining experiences:
These internships offered her a well-rounded perspective on the operational and theoretical facets of healthcare. They also solidified her conviction that immersing herself in hospital-based roles would be crucial for long-term success in healthcare administration.
With a background in consulting and research, Anjana questioned her next steps: Should she continue in consulting, or pivot to direct hospital operations?
"An Administrative Fellowship stood out because it combines exposure to senior-level administrators with high-impact projects," she explains. "It's a guided environment where you can truly witness how the 'wheels turn' in a hospital."
Having come to value mentorship, organizational culture, and structured training, Anjana saw a fellowship as the perfect opportunity to continue learning while also contributing to meaningful initiatives. The Administrative Fellowship Program offered a unique blend of on-the-job training and exposure to executive leadership.
NYU Langone Health is one of the leading medical centers in the country, known for its commitment to research, innovation, and data-driven decision making. The health system's fellowship program stands out for its adaptability and scope:
The NYU Langone benefits for fellows include not only the structured program but also access to a wide range of learning opportunities. Fellows can participate in hospital-wide initiatives, attend leadership meetings, and even explore other programs.
Each fellowship candidate typically navigates a rigorous interview process. For Anjana, NYU Langone's cycle was transparent, well-organized, and anchored by a multi-round approach that included individual leadership interviews and a case-based session. She recalls, "The entire time, I felt like it was a conversation. They were focused on who I was as a person, not just a candidate. That supportive environment spoke volumes about NYU Langone's culture."
Anjana urges prospective fellows to embrace their non-traditional experiences when applying: "If you come from a different background—whether it's international relations, journalism, or any other field—highlight the unique perspectives and skills that you bring. Data analysis, writing, storytelling, communication—all of these can be incredibly valuable in hospital operations."
For those interested in applying, it's worth noting that many healthcare administration fellowships, including NYU Langone's, participate in the National Administrative Fellowship Centralized Application Service (NAFCAS) from the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL). This centralized system streamlines the application process for candidates interested in multiple programs.
A hallmark of the NYU Langone fellowship is cross-site collaboration. One of Anjana's most memorable projects involved psychiatric patient transfers between the Manhattan ED and the Brooklyn facility. Tisch Hospital in Manhattan lacked the certification to admit involuntary psychiatric patients, so Anjana worked alongside the Brooklyn-based Administrative Fellow, the Transfer Center, and respective ED and psychiatry teams to streamline patient transfers.
"It was a logistical puzzle—everything from patient safety to bed capacity to workflow analysis was on the table," she explains. "That project underscored how we serve very diverse patient populations across multiple boroughs, but also how vital it is to ensure consistent quality of care at each site."
Additionally, fellows often assist with fellowship recruitment, reading applications, hosting webinars, and leading outreach efforts to prospective candidates. This involvement—right from the start—helps fellows develop strong leadership and communication skills while giving them a sense of ownership in shaping the program's future.
Throughout the fellowship, Anjana gained experience in various aspects of healthcare administration, including project management, business planning, budget review, and policy evaluation. She also had the opportunity to work on operational processes in ancillary services and participate in compliance assessment and regulatory assessment initiatives.
Upon completing her fellowship, Anjana transitioned seamlessly into a Project Manager role at NYU Langone's Cancer Center. In her new position, she leads a spectrum of operational and strategic initiatives:
Reflecting on her transition from fellow to full-time staff, Anjana credits the fellowship's comprehensive exposure and mentoring relationships. "I built credibility and trust with senior leaders," she says. "That helped me secure a role that merges my passion for health equity with the operational realities of running a complex clinical program."
In her current role, Anjana continues to apply the skills she developed during the fellowship, including project management, workflow analysis, and implementing High-Reliability processes to improve patient care and operational efficiency.
NYU Langone's central sites are mostly in Manhattan, with additional hospitals in Brooklyn and Long Island. Life in New York can be exciting and intense. For Anjana, having grown up and studied there, the city's "anything-is-possible" energy aligns perfectly with a career in hospital administration.
Yet, amidst the busy schedule of a fellow or new project manager, one inevitably clings to favorite local spots—be it the 24-hour bagel shop across the street from Tisch Hospital, or the seventh-floor pavilion that overlooks the East River, a peaceful nook for decompressing between shifts. "You really learn to appreciate the small havens of quiet," Anjana says with a laugh.
For anyone considering an Administrative Fellowship—at NYU Langone or elsewhere—Anjana underscores the importance of self-awareness and confidence in one's unique path.
She also advises reaching out to current and former fellows, setting up informational interviews, and thoroughly researching the organization's mission, culture, and patient populations.
Anjana notes that while many fellows come from traditional healthcare administration backgrounds with degrees like MBA, MHA, MPH, or MHSA, programs are increasingly valuing diverse educational and professional experiences. The key is to demonstrate how your unique background can contribute to solving complex healthcare challenges.
In addition to her full-time healthcare role, Anjana is also a published author. Her book, Healthcare of a Thousand Slights (2020), investigates the history of health disparities in the U.S. among marginalized populations. Motivated by her passion for health equity, Anjana set out to uncover the systemic causes behind poor health outcomes, working to show readers how policy, environment, and funding decisions converge to shape the care people receive.
The book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major online book retailers, with Anjana also striving to make it accessible through public libraries.
An Administrative Fellowship can be transformative, offering front-row exposure to hospital dynamics and leadership. For Anjana Sreedhar, this journey at NYU Langone Health helped crystallize her commitment to data-driven decision-making, operational excellence, and health equity. Now, as a Project Manager in the Cancer Center, she is leveraging those foundational experiences to navigate complex challenges and champion patient-centered innovation.
Her story is both a testament to the power of mentorship and intentional career pivots, and an inspiring reminder that one's background is not a limitation but a valuable lens. Whether you come from international relations, journalism, or any other seemingly unrelated field, your unique skill set can find its home in hospital administration—if you show how it contributes to a better, more inclusive healthcare system.
The Administrative Fellowship Program at NYU Langone Health, like many healthcare administration fellowships, offers a unique blend of project-based learning, exposure to senior-level administrators, and the opportunity to work on hospital-wide initiatives. It provides a solid foundation for those looking to make an impact in the complex and ever-evolving field of healthcare administration.
