Administrative Fellow

UC San Diego Health; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Administrative Fellowship at UC San Diego Health is a one-year program that provides on-the-job training in the skills and responsibilities required of an administrator in a major academic health system. The Fellow reports directly to the Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer and the Chief Administrative Officer, Cardiovascular Institute, with executive sponsorship by the Chief Operating Officer.

The fellowship offers rotations across major departments, opportunities to lead projects,

Qualifications

• Graduate degree (MHA, MHSA, MBA, MPH, MSN or equivalent) completed between July 1, 2026 and July 1, 2027.
• Graduate GPA: 3.5 or higher.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Resume/CV and two letters of recommendation required.
• Personal statement addressing career goals and fit with UC San Diego Health.

Responsibilities

• Participate in rotations and committees across the system.
• Lead projects and strategic initiatives with senior leaders.
• Engage in executive meetings and board-level discussions.
• Develop skills in operations, budgeting, and value-based care.

Skills

Effective communication

Project management

Strategic thinking

Team collaboration

Education

MHA

MHSA

MBA

MPH

MSN

Tools

PowerPoint

Microsoft Office

Job description

This position is a contract/limited position with the possibility of extension/career conversion.

The Administrative Fellowship at UC San Diego Health is a one-year program that provides on-the-job training in the skills and responsibilities required of an administrator in a major academic health system. The Fellow reports directly to the Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer and the Chief Administrative Officer, Cardiovascular Institute, with executive sponsorship by the Chief Operating Officer. The Administrative Fellow assumes increasingly high levels of responsibility by working collaboratively with the Executive Team, administrators, staff, faculty, and other key stakeholders at all levels of the organization on strategic projects and initiatives. The Fellow will have the opportunity to participate in executive meetings, lead committees, participate in day-to-day health system operation, and jumpstart a career in healthcare administration. As a fellow, the individual will be a representative of UC San Diego Health and should exemplify our core values: quality, caring, integrity, creativity, and teamwork.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Participate in Rotations and Committees across the System

The first phase of the Fellowship consists of rotations through all major departments and service lines within the Health System to educate and orient the Fellow to the organization. The Fellow will rotate with each member of the executive team, meet with department managers and key faculty, participate in committee meetings and councils, shadow organizational leaders, and work on projects. The rotation experience allows the Fellow to experience and observe different managerial styles and develop a better understanding of challenges within an academic medical center.

Lead Projects and Strategic Initiatives

After rotations are complete, the Fellow is encouraged to use the remaining appointment time to focus on projects and management experience based on the priorities of the organization and the specific interests and growth opportunities for the Fellow. In the second half, the Fellow is required to manage higher-level projects with senior leaders and executives that may include:

• Ambulatory or inpatient operations


• Strategic planning


• Health equity, diversity and inclusion


• Program design and implementation


• Patient flow and capacity management


• Population health and value-based care initiatives


• Policy evaluation and procedure development


• Operational flow processes and workflow analysis


• Financial impact and budget review


• Compliance and regulatory assessment

Learn from Executive/Senior Mentors

The Fellow will report directly to executive level leaders and is expected to be organized, observant, engaged, and curious to learn the necessary skills and principles to succeed in a career in healthcare administration. The primary goal of these interactions is to develop strong relationships with leaders to help the Fellow succeed post-fellowship. Engage in Professional Development Opportunities and Skill-building

The Fellow is expected to embody integrity and embrace our high-reliability mission by engaging in professional development courses and training, including but not limited to ACHE Congress, Lean Six Sigma Training, HR Professional Development Courses, and Epic Training.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

• Obtained or will have obtained a graduate degree (MHA, MHSA, MBA, MPH, MSN, or equivalent) between July 1, 2026 and July 1, 2027.


• Graduate school GPA of 3.5 or higher.


• Excellent ability to communicate effectively in both written and verbal presentations.


• Resume/CV


• Two letters of recommendation, one from each of the following:


• Professional


• One-page, single-spaced personal statement which addresses career goals, why you are applying to UC San Diego Health, and what you hope to gain from the Administrative Fellowship program.


• Graduate School Transcript(s); must be official document(s), and must be uploaded to the UC San Diego Health portal at the time of application submission by Friday, September 4th 2026 at 11:59pm PDT.

For Submission Purposes:

Please follow these guidelines when submitting the above documents to our application portal:

• Consolidated PDF of a current resume and official graduate school transcript uploaded to the \"Resume\" section


• Consolidated PDF of personal statement and two letters of recommendation uploaded to the \"Cover Letter\" section

If you experience difficulties uploading your Graduate School Transcript and Letters of Recommendation, please email your documents to [e-mail], referencing #140939 Administrative Fellow.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Build effective relationships with stakeholders of all levels, including staff, Directors, Administrators, Executives, and external partners.


• Manage, plan, and administer a range of administrative operations and projects, including budgetary financial management, human resources, marketing and communication, resource allocation, supply chain, IT, facilities, etc.


• Independently use healthcare skills such as data analysis, financial analysis, project management principles, and strategic planning.


• Perform effectively in a fast-paced environment and thrive in a deadline-driven environment.


• Assess medium to complex situations, identifies desired improvements, works with clients to address issues and implement solutions in alignment with strategic goals.


• Understand and utilize the concepts of lean methodology.


• Develop advanced PowerPoint presentations, proficiently use Microsoft Office, and learn new software and management tools, as needed.