Welcome back to our 2019 Summer Internship Series! In today's post, you'll meet interns who are working in administration, human resources, finance and patient access. While their roles are varied throughout our healthcare system, each intern is focused on one common goal: delivering high-quality care to patients.
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Name: Adam Dajani
School: Emory University
Major: Healthcare Management
Graduation Date: May 2020
My internship location and mentor: Broward Health Coral Springs Administration with COO Michael Leopold
Where I was born/raised: Pompano Beach
The most influential person to me: My father. He had to work incredibly hard to become a neurologist, and I always strive to emulate his work ethic.
Why I decided to study healthcare: I spent a fair amount of my childhood in a doctor’s office or hospital, and even though the clinical aspect wasn’t for me, I still have a soft spot for healthcare and want to translate the skills I do have to that setting.
What I hope to learn during my Broward Health internship: My main goal is to learn in detail how a hospital operates, but I also hope to learn both the tangible and intangible skills that make a great leader in healthcare.
A fun fact about me: I previously worked as a sports anchor.
Name: Bibi Dixon
School: Florida Atlantic University
Major: Health Administration
Graduation Date: December 2019
My internship location and mentor: Human Resources with Gary Lyew-Ayee
Where I was born/raised: I was born in Honduras and raised in Florida.
The most influential person to me: My mother is my role model because of all the sacrifices she had made in life to give me better opportunities. Even in the hardest moments she never gave up until she accomplished her goals.
Why I decided to study healthcare: I have decided to study healthcare because I think healthcare is important for everyone and everyone needs it. Being in this field gives me the opportunity to help individuals receive the help they need.
What I hope to learn during my Broward Health internship: I am interested in working in HR and this internship is the perfect opportunity for me to learn how HR impacts the whole organization and the big role this department has in helping everyone.
A fun fact about me: Even though I’m from Central America but my name is Arab and it means lady and I’ve never heard the story of how my dad came up with my name
Name: Cierra M. Gregory
School: Lynn University
Major: Psychology, with a specialization in Industry and Organizations
Graduation Date: May 11, 2019
My internship location and mentor: Human Resources Corporate with Christopher Pitts
Where I was born/raised: Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The most influential person to me: The most influential person to me growing up was my father. He was a single dad who held a steady job and worked extremely hard to reach his career goals. He served his time at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department for 32 years, working his way through the ranks to finally achieve the Assistant Chief position. When an opportunity for the Chief of Police position in Boynton Beach presented itself, he decided to apply. With his reputation preceding him the City Manager of Boynton Beach chose him out of 100+ candidates and now my father can proudly call himself the Chief of Boynton Beach Police Department. His work ethic, determination, ambitiousness, and his competitive nature have influenced me to work hard to accomplish my goals.
Why I decided to study healthcare: My interests for working in healthcare derives from my mother. She has been in the healthcare system for over 23 years and is a live-in nurse who works with elderly patients on hospice. I know that no matter what I do in the healthcare system that I will be helping to provide quality healthcare to people we serve, and that is fulfilling to know.
What I hope to learn during my Broward Health internship: This summer I hope to learn all of the different aspects of Human Resources, what each position entails and how it is beneficial to the organization. I also would like to learn specifically about how the training and development of employees as well as employee recognition can boost morale, engagement and employee satisfaction. Working with the Human Resources department I am positive that I will obtain the knowledge and gain experience in these areas.
A fun fact about me: A fun fact about me is that I plan to travel the world over the span of my life. I have already visited 2 countries and 10 states in the U.S.
Name: Christopher R. McMenamin
School: Florida Atlantic University
Major: Business Finance
Graduation Date: August 2020
My internship location and mentor: Finance intern with Onel Rodriguez (CFO, BHMC)
Where I was born/raised: I was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The most influential person to me: My biggest role model is my dad. Starting his own company and always being able to providing for everyone around him
Why I decided to study healthcare: I knew I wanted to make a career out of something in Finance but also wanted to help people and be a part of something bigger, and healthcare gives me the opportunity to not only work in a field I enjoy but also do something that benefits those around me on a much larger scale.
What I hope to learn during my Broward Health internship: I hope to learn more about corporate healthcare finances, specifically how healthcare finances is different from Finance departments in companies that are strictly focused on increasing profits.
A fun fact about me: When I’m not in school, or at work I like to spend my free time making music, and planning traveling trips for myself.
Name: Briana McLeod
School: Florida Atlantic University
Major: Health Administration
Graduation Date: Spring 2020
My internship location and mentor:Patient Access and Patient Financial Services with Romaine Layne
Where I was born/raised: I was born in Opelika, Alabama and raised in Tampa, Florida.
The most influential person to me: Both of my parents. I have the drive of being successful and making an impact on people, as well as the world just like both of my parents aspire to be in life. My mom and I share a bond where we can feel what the other person is feeling no matter what, which makes us so close. I’m the female version of my dad and not only do we look alike, but we have similar mind sets and are spiritual individuals that tell each other everything.
Why I decided to study healthcare: I’ve seen how much of an impact healthcare has on the world and I want to be a part of that impact. It’s important no matter who you are, what you do, or where you came from, to have some sort of healthcare in your life, as well as an understanding of how healthcare works. Unfortunately, not everyone does. I want to create a fair, reasonable state in healthcare where no matter what your service is, you are not just thrown bills to deal with the payments, you are given proper care regardless of your status of wealth in society to ensure individuals are living a long, healthy life. Plus, I’ve been involved with healthcare since I started at my magnet high school, Tampa Bay Technical in 2012, with my degree program being “Business Health Administration.”
What I hope to learn during my Broward Health internship: I hope to learn the fundamentals of the day-to-day operations not only in healthcare but Broward Health, while gaining the experience necessary to receive a job that will change my life for the better. I will take the skills I learned at BH and apply them from here on in the world.
A fun fact about me: I’m one with nature, as in I love being around water, going to the beach to relax and meditation. I aspire to grow an enormous garden with fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs.