Healthcare Facilities Network What's the Why? A Healthcare education podcast
High Reliability, the podcast that focuses on healthcare facilities management, presents the third episode in the Abraham Lincoln Employment Series, titled What's the Why? A Healthcare education podcast.
Our guest is Jim Smith, Director of Engineering & Emergency Management at Springfield Hospital in Springfield, VT. Jim is well qualified to discuss the topic of education and healthcare management. Jim has both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees, but he joined the Navy out of high school and achieved his first healthcare facilities management job without a college degree. Jim had to convince Rutland Regional hospital to hire him for the Manager of Engineering role, a story he tells in the podcast.
Jim has an interesting perspective on the degree. He joined the Navy from high school, then transitioned into the commercial nuclear industry. He then became a Pastor with his church, a true career transition. Each stop on Jim's career journey prepared him well for his healthcare facility management roles. Topics discussed with Jim include:
- Discussing the Navy's Nuclear Power School and program (4:00);
- A career transition to Pastoral work (22:00);
- Leaving the ministry and finding a path into healthcare facilities management (32:00);
- On the need for a college degree at the management level of healthcare facilities (34:00);
- Converting life and work experience to college credits, and some encouraging words for those seeking a degree while working full-time (47:30);
- Transitioning military experience to healthcare facilities management (58:00).
Read more about the Lincoln Employment Series here.
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