About the Program

The Connecticut Children’s Administrative Fellowship Program is a one-year, post-graduate program designed to cultivate the next generation of healthcare leaders through exposure, practice and experience with the various functions of a growing pediatric health care system.

Connecticut Children’s is a non-profit, freestanding children’s hospital provide more than 30 pediatric specialty services with multiple locations across three states. Our continued growth and nationally ranked-services evidence our commitment to providing exceptional care that kids and parents not only deserve – but also love. We are One Team fueled by a collective pursuit to improve the physical and emotional health of children. Read more about our mission, vision and values.

What to Expect

As the only health system in Connecticut dedicated to children, we are eager to invest in the professional development of those who share our vision to transform children’s health and well-being. Our program is customized, based on the Fellow’s specific interests and the organization’s ongoing initiatives. Fellows have access to the variety of settings that our growing health system holds, as well as interaction and observation at Leadership, Community, and Board of Directors meetings. Executive- and leadership-level team members support the Fellow by serving as project sponsors, encouraging professional growth, and providing valuable mentorship. Our program offers a hands-on and tailored experience with opportunities in any of our health system’s key areas:

Fellows will report to and work directly under the guidance of our President and Chief Executive Officer James E. Shmerling,DHA, FACHE.

In addition to Dr. Shmerling’s mentorship, fellows will have ample opportunity to work with and learn from all members of Connecticut Children’s Executive Management Team.

Our application and selection process follows the National Administrative Fellowship Centralized Application Service (NAFCAS) minimum requirements and uniform dates. Applications may be submitted through NAFCAS or directly to Connecticut Children’s. Please review the instructions below to ensure that your application is complete. Connecticut Children’s will accept complete applications from all qualified candidates that are submitted by either method and received by September 27, 2024 at 11:59 pm CT. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Qualifications
Candidates must either:

  • be a recent graduate with a MSHA, MHSA, MHA, MPH, or MBA with an emphasis in healthcare management from a CAHME-accredited program; or
  • have successfully completed all course-work of a CAHME-accredited graduate program requiring a one-year residency or fellowship for graduation.

Instructions & Requirements
Applications to the Connecticut Children’s Administrative Fellowship may be submitted by either:

Whether submitting your application through NAFCAS or directly to us, complete applications must include all of following required material:

1. Cover Letter addressed to the Administrative Fellowship Selection Committee.

2. Resume

3. Three (3) Letters of Recommendation, including:

  • One (1) academic;
  • One (1) professional; and
  • One (1) other (academic, professional, or letter from your program director)

4. One-page Personal Statement (12-point font, single spaced) explaining your:

  • interest in Connecticut Children’s Administrative Fellowship Program specifically;
    • short and long term career goals in health care;
    • objectives you hope to achieve during the fellowship.

5. Graduate School Transcript(s), noting that:

  • if you are submitting your application through NAFCAS, the centralized service requires official graduate transcripts. Please refer to NAFCAS for more details.
  • if you are submitting your application directly to us via email, official graduate transcript(s) are not required. You may submit unofficial graduate transcript(s) as part of your consolidated PDF.

We are excited to host two Informational Webinars about the Connecticut Children’s Administrative Fellowship Program and invite you to attend! Hosted by our current fellow, these sessions will provide an overview of the organization, program structure and application process. Interested applicants will have an opportunity to ask questions about the fellowship experience, engage with current and former fellows, and learn how our variety of pediatric settings support a hands-on, tailored year of professional development.

Sessions will be held via Zoom at 1 pm ET on Thursday, July 11, 2024 and Thursday, August 8, 2024. If you would like to learn more about these sessions or how to attend, please visit here.

  • Application Opens – June 9, 2024
  • Informational Session I – July 11, 2024 at 1:00 pm ET
  • Informational Session II – August 8, 2024, at 1:00 pm ET
  • Application Closes – September 27, 2024 at 11:59 pm CT
  • Notice of Final Decisions – October 2024
  • Official Acceptance Date – October 25, 2024 at 12pm CT
  • Fellowship Begins – June 2025

Q: Is the Administrative Fellow a paid position?
A: Yes. Our program offers a full-time position with a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.

Q: How many Administrative Fellows does Connecticut Children's accept each year?
A: We select one fellow each year.

Q: Do you require that candidates have previous work experience?
A: No. Prior work experience is not required. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

Q: Can the fellowship be used as a residency placement in order to complete my master's degree?
A: Yes. Qualified applicants include those who have successfully completed all course-work of a CAHME accredited graduate program that requires a fellowship for graduation.

Q: How long is the fellowship?
A: Our program is structured to be one (1) year long.

  • 2024-2025 Alex Palavage, MHA, The George Washington University
  • 2023-2024: Julia Breitenbach, MHSA, Xavier University
  • 2022-2023: Daley Gay, JD-MHA, University of Oklahoma
  • 2021-2022: Laura Marin, DDS, MHA, University of North Florida
  • 2019-2020: Jessica Andry, MSHI, MSHA, University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • 2017-2018: Michael Salem, MSHA, MBA, University of Alabama at Birmingham