What do you do if you're a healthcare manager looking to expand your career horizons?

When opportunities to learn something new or different are offered to you, take them! Volunteer for project teams and do the work. You'll meet new people, learn new things, and broaden your perspective of the healthcare system. I've accepted jobs that I never considered before they were offered to me and they have all turned out to be the next stepping stone in my professional growth and career.

The actual heavy lifting in healthcare doesn’t happen in a board room. If you’re really passionate about making a difference in healthcare and expanding your professional horizons, you should apply to medical school- assuming you have the academic qualifications, tenacity and commitment.

Networking allows healthcare professionals facilitate continuous learning and helps in staying updated with the latest advancements, techniques, and research findings by exchanging valuable knowledge and insights. Moreover, collaborating with professionals from different backgrounds can lead to innovative solutions and improved patient outcomes. Last but not the least, networking provides access to a wide range of resources, including educational materials, training programs, funding opportunities, and specialized equipment. So keep networking and keep exploring.

Networking power is very important when building your brand. That’s the secret, building your brand. You will be surprised what you can do when you’re well connected. Over the last six years or so, I’ve spent lots of energy building my brand in the market I work in. It has resulted in lots of connections, friendships and professional relationships. This is very important when building a career. Healthcare management is a small space in the workplace and I would have never imagined that when I transitioned from the military. Don’t be afraid to build your brand and network, it will pay off in the long run.

Networking is a powerful tool that opens doors to various opportunities. Being open to new connections helps expand knowledge and grow horizontally in one's career. Though these connections may not always be identical, they can still shape skills, even as secondary learning experiences. It allows us to gain a broader perspective. Additionally, it fosters collaboration and innovation within the field.

Also look at Project Management or getting SixSigma certification. I work on the corporate side of healthcare, and those are valuable skills to have as you advance. Learning how to obtain and how to use data that is relevant to your area is another skill to learn. It is one thing to have data, but it is another to understand how to use it for the benefit of the organization

Something I always remind myself is that there is so much to learn in healthcare. Every new day presents something new or different in healthcare management. Even for positions that we’ve held for years, we don’t know everything there is to know. Healthcare is constantly evolving and changing. Continuing education is always my go-to for growth. It always leaves me with a fresh and rejuvenated outlook. It also adds to my qualifications and provides new insight.

I am a big believer in leading from the front. Don't be afraid to try new things or learn new methods. We live in a world with so much opportunity to improve and learn new skills. I love to see individuals learn new skills and think about how they can apply them to their current role.

Continous personal development is a must in the healthcare sector. It makes sure your knowledge base is not stagnant and keeps you up to date with the latest trends and applications. I think it keeps you young too.

I am a big advocate of being a life-long learner. We can become complacent and stagnate in our careers and lives when we stop learning. Change is the only constant in the healthcare field, so continuing education is crucial to stay on top of your game. If there is an opportunity for a new skill or further education, take it! This will help you stand out from the crowd and show your dedication to continuous improvement.

Career success is multifactorial- relationships, work experience, publications and achievements. Each person will follow a variable path to achieve their goals. It’s important to be ready to fill a position when it becomes available. Secondly, a “rolling rock collects no moss:” thus positional changes are advantageous as movement is viewed as enabling and open to new challenges.

Stand out from the crowd: Specialize in a specific area of healthcare management to distinguish yourself in the industry. Unlock new opportunities: Becoming an expert in healthcare informatics, policy, or finance can lead to exciting career prospects. Take action: Evaluate market demands and align your specialization with growing areas to position yourself as an invaluable asset in the healthcare industry.

"By focusing on the subject and addressing issues that are 10 years ahead, you can position yourself as the master of that time. No one can stop you from achieving mastery in the future."

Certifications and licensures are abundant in the healthcare setting. Think about the areas of healthcare that interest you the most, and consider how a certification or licensure to specialize would put you ahead of other candidates.

As a Healthcare manager seeking to expand my career horizon, I would pursue professional development opportunities such as advanced certifications, leadership training, or specialized courses in emerging healthcare areas. Networking with industry professionals and seeking mentorship can provide valuable insights and open doors to new opportunities. Additionally, exploring roles in different healthcare settings or related fields, such as healthcare consulting or administration, can broaden my skill set and offer new challenges for career growth.

Gain guidance: Seek mentorship from experienced healthcare executives for valuable career insights and guidance. Navigate complexities: A mentor can help you navigate the complexities of the healthcare industry and provide feedback on your ideas and strategies. Take action: Reach out to potential mentors aligned with your career goals to accelerate your professional growth and development.

The power of networking adds a lot of value to one’s career path especially in the way of mentoring. It’s best to begin Networking early on in your career- you never know when mentorship may become your most valuable tool, and by that time, you have the connections to foster a mentor relationship.

Definitely helpful and you can always reach to someone you don’t even to ask for their guidance. It really does work and I am an example of that.

Seek out a mentor. Someone who has the knowledge you are looking for you or the skills that you are lacking. Mentors are teachers that stay with you throughout your career.

Always good to have mentors in different levels to broaden your perspective on applications and solutions, giving you a better sense of the landscape. Listen and learn with their mistakes.

Expanding one’s work horizon in healthcare can lead to new opportunities for personal and professional growth, allowing individuals to make a broader impact on patient care and public health. Cross-Training: Healthcare professionals can undergo cross-training to acquire skills in complementary areas. For instance, a pharmacist might undergo training in clinical research or pharmaceutical sales.

While trend awareness helps you grow in healthcare, leading trends is even better. We talk about "thought leaders" a lot in society, and some in healthcare view it as "buzzword-y" for not ensconced in care delivery. So you have to have the basic experience serving in some capacity for a trend you want to start and lead to matter. But once you have that real-world experience, take time to think about how the world might be different and all the potential drivers of that change you might influence. It sounds easy, but this is the high level strategic thinking that - when its leads to visionary, quality planning and execution - is what sets true healthcare leaders apart.

Trends and patterns actually show you the path of work and what is actually needed to be acted upon. Being of part of trend and creating a new trend has a huge impact and also may lead to disruption of newer ideas and services.

Being aware of global trends that could be adapted to the Ethiopian context is crucial. This includes using mobile health technology (mHealth) to broaden access to care in remote areas or understanding how universal health coverage models are being implemented elsewhere that could be tailored for Ethiopia. Keeping abreast of such trends through international publications and forums will enable you to identify opportunities that can transform local healthcare delivery systems.

Expanding one’s work horizon in healthcare can lead to new opportunities for personal and professional growth, allowing individuals to make a broader impact on patient care and public health. Cross-Training: Healthcare professionals can undergo cross-training to acquire skills in complementary areas. For instance, a pharmacist might undergo training in clinical research or pharmaceutical sales.

Too many of us look for growth as a promotion. However, growth does not mean that you have to move up to grow. Work to expand your responsibilities, make lateral moves in other areas of your organization, or volunteer to be on various committees. All of these are strategic moves that can well position you for the promotions. I made a strategic move in my career where it would have been considered a step back. That step back though, led to multiple opportunities for promotional growth twice over.

To make any changes in your current career may turn out to be detrimental if you are responsible for important projects and initiatives within your organization. Strategic move can be having a pulse on the vision of your organization and building the portfolio.Patience is a virtue.

Networking and creating a presence, such as by using LinkedIn, should be part of your strategic moves. Creating connections is important both external and internal from your current organization.

Finding someone at work to support, encourage, and challenge you, is one of the best ways to develop your skills and reach your career goals as a healthcare manager. Most often, this type of relationship is a mentoring one. The benefits of having a mentor are widely documented. The mentor-mentee relationship can take several different forms including: peer mentoring, reverse mentorship, mentoring circles, and flash mentoring; all require commitment, effective communication, boundary setting, and respect to ensure success while nourishing the mentor- mentee relationship.

If you're a healthcare manager looking to expand your career horizon, there are a few things you can consider. First, you could explore opportunities for further education or certifications in healthcare management or related fields. This can help you gain new skills and knowledge that can open doors to different career paths. Additionally, networking with professionals in the industry and attending conferences or events can help you connect with new opportunities. Lastly, keeping an eye on job boards and healthcare organizations' websites can help you stay updated on job openings and potential career advancements.

Boost proficiency in healthcare data analytics to facilitate informed, data-centric decision-making and enhance operational efficiency. Furthermore, cultivate expertise in change management to efficiently steer teams through major organizational transitions, such as mergers, technology integrations, or process improvements.

Think about how you can use your skills in the third sector. There are so many charities which can offer a whole different lens on healthcare provision. Think of the local charities which help your organisation to thrive. Not only will you get an unique perspective on what they do, how they do it and the value they add, but they’ll benefit from any skills you can offer in terms of governance, operations, risk management etc.

As professional from developing countries’ challenges and innovations, consider contributing to research or case studies on the Ethiopian health system's growth and evolution. Publishing such work can raise your profile as an expert who understands complex healthcare environments while providing valuable content that highlights paths to successful management practices under challenging conditions. By thoughtfully implementing these steps informed by real-world experiences from Ethiopia, you stand to not only diversify your professional competencies but also position yourself as an indispensable asset to any forward-looking healthcare organization both locally and internationally.

Be open to new opportunities. I’m an experienced healthcare administrator. With 23+ years, I found a new opportunity in a healthcare area I never considered before. 4.5 years later, I’ve advanced & learned so much more. Oftentimes, we get stuck in a rut or become an “expert” & it cuts us off from learning new things. Finding challenges and being open to new experiences can launch your career in a new & ways. Always find & keep mentors. Mentors are key to having a good sounding board & cheerleader. Don’t stop at one mentor. Nothing says you can’t have more than one. Be careful of boundaries but also be careful how quickly you say no. Tina Fey described it best, in improve once an actor says no, the scene is over. Try maybe before no. GL!