Interview with Ross Employer of the Year – University of Toledo
Ross College externship and employer partner, the University of Toledo Physicians, was awarded the Ross Employer of the Year at the recent Ross College Foundation dinner and awards. The award was accepted by Heidi Hartz, Director of Ambulatory Services at the University of Toledo Physicians.
Q: How does it feel to have been awarded the Ross Employer of the Year Award for 2023?
Heidi Hartz: We are very honored to have been awarded the Ross Employer of the Year Award for 2023. We value our relationship with Ross College and we are very pleased to be recognized for our partnership in helping to develop the next generation of healthcare professionals.
I think this really is a testament to the work that the team within operations has done. Jill Grant (Ross College Alumna and University of Toledo Physicians team member) being one of them. She has been amazing with partnering with Ross and I believe also being an instructor too. We have several instructors throughout the organization that have worked with Ross College.
Q: So can you elaborate more on University of Toledo’s experience working with Ross?
HH: Yeah, it’s been excellent. The communications from career services as well as the students themselves has been very clear, direct and consistent.
Everyone’s aware in health care of the shortage with medical assistance. So it’s been very challenging. So I think having those strong partnerships with Ross College has really helped us just be able to continue in being able to provide solutions with the workforce.
With having the externs in and then being able to offer them positions. It’s a great partnership and we are very fortunate to have that with Ross.
Q: What, if anything, differentiates Ross students from those you encounter from other institutions?
HH: We have definitely noticed that Ross students have been prepared for the workforce. They have the needed clinical and administrative skills to jump into any clinical setting.
We’ve had several Ross College graduates within our organization, including some that have been promoted into leadership roles such as your alumni of the year. It’s been wonderful.
Q: What are three key things you look for in a potential candidate?
HH: So the first thing we look for is adaptability in healthcare. Things are changing constantly. It is a very fluid situation. We need someone who can adapt and move with the change. That’s who we would like on our team.
The second thing we look for is a good attitude. You can teach many skills but teaching someone to have a positive attitude is very nearly impossible. You either have it or you miss out on opportunities. We will hire someone – and we’ve done this time and time again – with very little experience and a smile and a great attitude who comes willing and ready to work. Compare that with someone that has years of experience has been a little bit jaded and you can just tell they have a poor attitude. I’d much rather hire the candidate with a great attitude right out of school.
I would say the third thing we look for is reliability. We have to know that we can count on our team. Our patients have to know that there’s a consistent face in the clinic or a voice on the phone. When one person is not dependable, it is hard for the clinic to function. We need reliable and consistent people to be able to improve the lives of our patients and impact the health care of our community.
Q: What advice would you give a current Ross student who is seeking employment in the healthcare field?
HH: This is a great question! I think you need to find an employer that matches your why. Why did you get into healthcare? Why do you want to help people? Why did you choose this field? It’s a hard field. You are dealing with patients and other departments, and sometimes outside organizations. It can sometimes be a very thankless job. So you want to ensure that your why matches what your future employer has for mission and vision. You need to be open to new ideas and be willing to think outside the box. I think that’s very important. Critical thinking skills and being a problem solver. There are so many opportunities for candidates who are willing to work hard, have a positive attitude and be willing to be flexible and patient focused. We look for these in a new hire. So I think that’s really important.
Q: Can you share a Ross student success story that you’ve experienced while at UT?
HH: Yeah. Jill Grant’s story is incredible. As someone who’s been a small part of her journey, it is very neat to see her extern as a medical assistant get hired right into the company, promoted to supervisor, then moving to practice manager, then moving to project manager, now leading our patient experience and our customer service for the organization. I mean, just her growth and the different opportunities that Jill has, it’s just amazing.