Hypothesis
We believe there is an opportunity to facilitate a program for Chicago-area students who have an interest in health care. The program would introduce them to various areas of the health care industry while also promoting the development of professional skills and creating executive-level relationships. HC3 would fulfill a civic duty by providing a platform to connect health care leaders in the community with a select group of students who would benefit from a structured program offering opportunities in the health care field.
Tentative Program Overview
The program would target students from highly vulnerable Chicago neighborhoods. Criteria and selection would be done in partnership with the target school system, CPS or collegiate, depending on the final orientation of the program.
The proposed structure would be:
Multi-week period of the summer where students will participate in classroom-style learning. Instructors would be sourced from the health care and business communities, covering a range of topics in finance, administration, operations, investing, technology, policy, etc.
During the subsequent school year, a regular cadence of programming will be maintained on a bi-monthly frequency.
The program capstone will be during spring break or at the beginning of the subsequent summer, where students will visit Washington DC to engage with policy makers and other health care organizations and professionals.
Upon completion of the program or specific milestones, we would develop a recognition structure – eg. naming those that complete the program as HC3 Fellows (or some other related designation). There is additional potential to explore alumni benefits for fellows, such as ongoing mentorship and/or career advisement opportunities. Additionally, we would consider reimbursement/compensation for participation in the programming as an added benefit and incentive to the program to demonstrate the program’s value of the student’s time.
Key Considerations
In order to ensure the success of the program for the participants, business mentors and other partners, there are several key questions we need to address in the planning and execution of a successful fellowship model. We would like to discuss these questions and determine the viability of pursuing this opportunity.
Should the effort be targeted toward high school students (Juniors who are advancing to Seniors) or college level students?
Should students be compensated for their time in the summer?
Should a capstone trip to DC be part of the experience?
Who would fund the opportunities above, assuming an approximate $30-$50K annual budget?
How many students should the class comprise of?
Should the curriculum be done in concert with a local college or be affiliated with any other collegiate programs?
Should some kind of internship program be advanced in correspondence with this effort?
What communities should be targeted for student participation?
What should participation criteria consist of?
What are the appropriate policies and rules for students to adhere to during their participation?
What is the criteria for “passing” the program? What should the expectations be for attendance? Should some kind of capstone project be required?
Participants and Initial Timeline
The following organizations have committed to participating in an initial roundtable discussion on November 1, 2019 to determine general viability and to establish the parameters that would be associated with developing opportunities:
Canary Telehealth
Cigna
McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Michael Reese Trust
Radiology Partners
Third Horizon Strategies
Weber Shandwick
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