During the spring of 2020, health systems across the country experienced
significant financial losses due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic;
these led to widespread layoffs, furloughs, and hiring freezes. Recognizing
the potential impact this could have on the employment market for healthcare
management graduates, we conducted a national survey of administrative
fellowships, an important pathway for early careerists. We found that 73% of
organizations plan to continue their administrative fellowships in 2020–21,
citing their organizations’ commitment to fellowships as a pipeline for leadership
talent as a driving factor. Moreover, 92% of respondents indicated that
fellows played a significant, high-impact role in their COVID-19 responses,
supporting command center operations, setting up testing services, and supporting
telemedicine expansion. Though these findings are positive regarding
the future of fellowships, even a modest contraction could have a negative
impact given a perennial shortage of fellowships relative to eligible graduates.
Looking ahead, graduate programs should work collaboratively to expand the
availability of fellowships, collaborate with practitioners to expand the role of
fellowships as a pathway to increase diversity in leadership, and ensure that
our curricula support the development of competencies that will equip students
with adaptability and flexibility in increasingly complex environments.
