While most students in a Healthcare MBA program have considerable healthcare or managerial experience, it may have been years—and for some, decades—since they’ve written an essay or paper. As healthcare managers on the rise, they will quickly discover that strong writing and communication skills are essential to their career growth.

 

To ensure that FIU’s HCMBA students develop the critical writing and communication skills they will need, FIU offers Write-to-Learn (W2L), a unique program for graduate students enrolled in the College of Business.

 

"As future healthcare managers, our students have conversations and write documents about policies, budgets, legal, financial and patient care issues," said Mercy Bradley, director of the Healthcare MBA program at Florida International University (FIU). “From the moment they begin our program, students are being prepared to think and write concisely and clearly about complex healthcare issues.”

 

Under the guidance of Dr. Ariel Gil, assistant director of Write-to-Learn and writing coach of the program, students accepted into the HCMBA are asked to write a pre-test essay to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. Each student writes a brief academic essay on a current healthcare issue based on a video prompt, ranging from the U.S. Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby ruling to Ebola protocol and practices. Based on the assessment, Gil is able to pinpoint deficiencies, such as use of run-on sentences, sentence fragments and poor word choice.

 

“Without question, the students in the HCMBA program are experienced professionals, but it may have been years since they’ve been in a classroom, and with our diverse population, English is often a second language," said Assistant Director Gil. "Where there is an area for improvement, that student is assigned additional video prompt essays, and I work one-on-one with them, usually during the first semester.”

 

Ariel Gil has headed the Write-to-Learn program at FIU for four years, and has more than 30 years of experience in administration and teaching in higher education.

He holds a master’s degree in Teaching of English and Spanish from Columbia University and earned his Ph.D. from Barry University.

 

"English is actually the third language that I learned, after Spanish and Russian, so I have a special understanding of the unique challenges of those students whose first language is not English," said Gil. "I work closely with international students to ensure that they comprehend the nuances of writing and communicating clearly in English."

 

In addition to students who require a little extra help, any student in the HCMBA program can submit course papers or other writing assignments for feedback and assistance. "At the graduate level, we have high expectations for our students," said Gil. "In the W2L program, we review not only the grammar and syntax, but also students’ ability to support and substantiate claims, make a strong argument and follow APA style guidelines."

 

Healthcare MBA student Alain Castellat found that Write-to-Learn has paid high dividends.

“This program helped me become more aware of my weaknesses and also gave me the tools to strengthen them,” he said. “I am a more effective writer as a result of Write-to-Learn.”

 

What makes the W2L program unique is its online platform, rather than a walk-in writing center. "Students submit their papers online and the writing coach will review it within 72 hours," explained Bradley. "Through the W2L program, students gain valuable feedback and learn to be their own editor. In addition, since most of our students have full-time jobs and other responsibilities during their studies, the ability to access W2L online, when it fits their schedule, is essential."

 

Write-to-Learn is just one of the many professional development programs and courses that enhance the HCMBA experience at FIU. Presentation skills, networking workshop and team building exercises are part of the reason that FIU HCMBA graduates are among the most well-rounded healthcare managers in South Florida.