Accomplishment and Success in the Workplace

After only being in the program for a short amount of time, I wouldn’t have expected to accomplish much yet. However, I have been pleasantly surprised at all of the small daily “wins” I am experiencing in my first few weeks. They may not be huge successes if viewed from the outside, but to me, they are major steps that show me that this is truly a wonderful learning experience.  I am already getting so much out of the program on a daily basis

For example, coming into the program, I had experience with Excel; but nothing like the extent that I use it now. The other day I pulled out an old report that I had completed for my manager about a week into my first rotation. Just comparing that to the work that I am producing just a number of weeks later, it was amazing to see how much I have gained, even in a short amount of time. Every day I find myself learning something new, whether it is a faster way to complete something or a new skill that I can make a part of my normal routine. I enjoy working through issues or questions on my own, taking a lesson away from each new challenge.

Another small success is simply being able to keep up with the everyday language in conversations amongst healthcare professionals. The first few meetings I attended with my manager might as well have been conducted in Mandarin. I had little idea what all of the terms and acronyms meant. Now, when sitting around a conference table, I wouldn’t call myself an expert but I have a much better idea of what is going on.  I can mentally process the discussions, rather than drowning in a sea of jargon.

These may not seem like a big deal, but these small accomplishments are what make me feel excited to come to work in the morning and satisfied when I leave in the evening. Altogether, allowing me to become a more proficient employee and benefit from my career immensely in the long run.

By Megan McGrath, Finance Management Rotation

Organizing the Service Event at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

Last summer, I did not even submit my name to be considered for a Service or Communications Chair position at UPMC.  It was my first real internship, and I was both excited and nervous for the work to come.  We were told at Beginnings Orientation that we, as Summer Associates (SAs), were going to be given projects and work that a first year associate would be expected to complete.  When the opportunity to hold a leadership position presented itself as well, I shied away from the notion.  I was concerned that if I was selected to serve as one of the Chairs, it might take away from my work performance.

In my second year as a Finance Summer Associate, I came into the summer wanting to get even more out of my internship.  I wanted to take advantage of any opportunity that presented itself.  Needless to say, when Sammi Soriano sent out an email asking us to let her know if we would like to be considered for Service or Communications Chair, I submitted my name for both.  I was fortunate enough to be chosen as the Service Chair, and was eager to organize an event that would make an impact on the Pittsburgh community, UPMC, and my peers.

Typically, the SAs complete a service project with the FMRs for the FMR Day of Caring.  I worked with the FMR Service Representatives and worked on their Service Committee to help solicit businesses to raise money, organize a happy hour event, and execute the FMR Day of Caring with The Bradley Center.  This was a wonderful event, but I wanted to also organize a special service project specifically for the SAs.

I got straight to work brainstorming ideas, consulting the other FSAs for feedback, and decided to focus on Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.  My manager, Joe DiRenzo, connected me with the CFO of Children’s Hospital, Nick Barcellona, who put me in contact with Ann Love and Erin Werkmeister, the volunteer coordinators at Children’s.

We had originally planned an event for the 24^th, where we would briefly tour Children’s, clean books, break for lunch, and then deliver the books to patients.  Everyone was excited for the event, but the week before this event took place I received a phone call from Erin Werkmeister with a different service opportunity.  Once a week Children’s Hospital hosts a fun event for patients and their families; they have done a Candy Land event, Prom, and more.  This particular week, they were having a Summer Carnival as the event, and they were low on volunteers.  A group of 12 of the SAs were able to volunteer at the Carnival, helping set up the event, running the Carnival games, taking photos for patients, and assisting with clean up duties.

The atmosphere for the entire afternoon was incredible; it was extremely rewarding for each SA to see the impact that we were making on these patients and their families.  I am sure that each of us was moved in our own way by seeing how our presence was making a difference.  In all, I was beyond pleased that our group was able to encompass UPMC’s culture of Dignity and Respect, give back to Pittsburgh and UPMC, and I was very glad that I had the opportunity to organize the event.

By Lindsay Bernstein, Finance Summer Associate

Summer Associate Friendships

The best part about UPMC is that it stresses three very important components of the Summer Associate Program: the opportunity to perform real work which has an impact on the company, the ability to step into a leadership role, such as Communications or Service Chair, among your peers, and exposure to executives and the chance to network with them.

However, I believe there is one more component of the program which remains a hidden gem until you move through to the middle and the end of the Summer Associate Program, and that is, the ability to network with your peers and the friendships you develop from working and getting to know them.

Let me start off by providing some details about the 2013 Summer Associate Program. There were 69 Summer Associates (SA’s) total, and 18 of the SA’s were in Finance/Accounting. Of those 18, nine of us were on the 56^th floor of the US Steel Building. Working on the same floor as my peers in the US Steel Building was a tremendous opportunity for me to network and really develop personal relationships with my fellow SA’s. I am not going to give away every detail about the story because then instead of writing a blog I would be writing a short novel. You know how the experience is when you are in a new environment with new people. You have not met them before, so you are talking to them and are trying to see the type of person they are, their personality, and interests.

But I am now very happy to say I do not just have eight, but 17 people, who I consider to be some of my closest friends. We eat lunch together almost every day, with every Friday being a special day where instead of packing a lunch, we will go to a fast food location downtown. We have bi-weekly conference calls where we come together in one of the conference rooms on the floor and participate in the call. But the friendships we have are not contained strictly while we are at work. We have gotten together on the weekends, had barbeques, and gone to see the Pirates play as well.

The ability to network and make friends with other Summer Associates is not limited to just your department. I have met people in Marketing, Human Resources, and ISD who I have been exposed to and look forward to keeping in touch with in the future.

So what are you going to do now?…Finish reading this blog and go apply to become a 2014 Summer Associate with UPMC! You will have an incredible opportunity to work on real projects, gain leadership experience, meet top level executives, and make friendships for life along the way.

By Matt Michaels, Finance Summer Associate

What aspects of your education have you been most able to apply?

I have found that both the business skills I gained in college, as well as the abundance of group-centric work I completed at Duquesne University, have been the most applicable aspects of my education through my first five months at UPMC.

                The ability to walk into a new setting and understand what is occurring operationally is a testament to solid business fundamentals. During my time in school, professors stressed that my classmates and I understood why we were doing something, and when we should use that particular business skill once we left college. When I began in January, I experienced an adjustment period, but knowing how to break down a balance sheet, and understanding why journal entries were being made significantly reduced that time period. I use an aspect of my formal education each day, and believe that a strong fundamental background significantly curtails the adjustment period that comes along with a new rotation.  

                In addition to the fundamental business skills I gained in college, I feel that the large amount of group focused projects and simulations prepared me for the prevalence of group settings found at UPMC.  While at Duquesne, I participated in many group projects with a wide variety of classmates, which prepared me to successfully interact with many different personalities in the workplace. Interacting with coworkers is essential for success, and being able to fall back on previous experience has helped me quickly build vital relationships with the individuals that I work with on a daily basis.

                I credit those aspects of my education with aiding me in rapidly assimilating into ICSD, as well as quickly contributing to the sundry of financial analysis and projections produced here.

– Michael Garver, Financial Analyst, Intermediate

Describe a time you felt a sense of accomplishment or success in your work

My first rotation was in the Medicaid Department at UPMC Health Plan. A major part of the work that is completed within that department uses data that analysts pull through a program called Toad. Toad is an Oracle program which uses SQL to pull back data.

Upon first starting in the department, I saw the other analysts wiz through line after line of SQL and I was admittedly a little intimidated. I had zero experience with the program, or any SQL for that matter, and was not overly confident in my ability to pick it up quickly.

At first, it was a challenge. For me the SQL language was not an easy concept to grasp.  I had a lot of questions, but luckily my co-workers and manager were all very helpful. They took the time to explain the big concepts as well as many little nuances, and I slowly began to become more and more familiar with the program.

The first time I wrote my own piece of code and got it to run successfully I could not have been more excited. (Granted it was a very simple data pull, but I nonetheless wrote it on my own and got it to work.) This small victory was enough to keep me motivated and engaged in learning more and advancing my SQL abilities even further.

Since then, management has organized SQL training sessions for the department which have been very helpful. I have learned more advanced concepts, and I have continued to have more success in writing code. By no means do I consider myself an SQL expert, but I am proud of the success I have had and progress I have made during my time with Medicaid.  I now have a better overall understanding of how SQL based programs work, which will be valuable knowledge to take with me to other rotations. 

– Mia Bucci, Financial Analyst, Intermediate

Tell us about your mentor

Anyone who is an affiliate of the FMR program will tell you how important mentoring is. From the FMRs themselves to all of the executives, managers, and other program supporters –everyone can agree that finding and maintaining a relationship with a mentor is key to future success in your professional career.  One of the harder things to express or to explain is how to actually go about acquiring a mentor. There isn’t a guidebook or checklist that you can use to ensure you will find your mentor. As I am in my first rotation, my relationship with my mentor, Jen Hoerster, is new and is still developing. Jen has been actively helping me to develop and expand upon my network. I am fortunate to be able to say that Jen has been an advocate for me since I started my rotation in hospital division accounting. Her positive attitude and managing style is something that I personally respect and look up to, and these are characteristics that I would like to develop as I continue my career here at UPMC .  As a mentee, I am helping Jen learn how to work with another personality (as every mentee will have different needs, strengths, and weaknesses) and by doing this she is expanding her mentoring skills in the process. It is this symbiotic relationship that makes mentoring so key but so elusive at the same time. My advice is to find someone early on in your first rotation. The first few months as an FMR can be some of the most important as this is when you are learning new skills and meeting new people. Talk to your managers and discuss with them who might be a good mentor for you- someone that you look up to but will also be an advocate for you as well.

– Lauren Carlson, Financial Analyst, Intermediate

What was your initial impression of the culture at UPMC?

After only a few short weeks it has become apparent to me that the culture at UPMC is centered around a “Think Big, Act Small” mentality. UPMC is an international corporation that employs over 55,000 people worldwide. The decisions that are made by the employees at UPMC impact the communities that we serve and the patients we treat in a major way. The importance of always keeping in mind the big picture or “Thinking Big” is ingrained in the daily actions of UPMC employees.

As an FMR “Thinking Big” means not only thinking about how your actions and decisions will affect the bottom line on the financial statements, but also how your actions will affect the end users: the patients. UPMC employees strive to “Act Small” in the sense that we take pride in the work that we do and respect the work being done by others around us. A vital component of the UPMC culture is the common understanding that each employee’s actions contribute to UPMC as a whole. The major accomplishments of UPMC could never happen if not for the little things that are done, and done well, each day. The culture at UPMC has exceeded my expectations. As an employee at UPMC you are a valued member of the UPMC family and are treated as such by everyone around you.

– Nina Giovannelli, Financial Analyst, Intermediate

For another FRMs perspective on culture, read this blog post!

What was your favorite part of orientation?

I am an outsider to Pittsburgh with little to no social or familial ties in the area.  As a result, I was justifiably nervous regarding my ability to establish a group of friends in this new city.  My greatest hope lay in my yet-to-be-seen FMR class; a group of my contemporaries whom I hoped might serve not only as my colleagues, but also as my friends.

On the first day of Orientation I met the rest of the class.  We all gathered around one of the tables there, squeezing in to incorporate three more than it was meant to hold.  The event itself was a bit dry and broader in its approach than most of us would prefer; but by the end of that first day, I knew I had lucked out.  I was struck by the intelligence, motivation, and affability of each member of the class.  We spent the day laughing, learning, and getting to know one another.  This day was to be the best of my orientation experience and would lead to subsequent learning-days with my class, focused more on our specific roles and jobs.

In these next days we had the opportunity to learn about everything from Excel to Cognos.  However, the most beneficial aspect of orientation was certainly the Health 101 presentation from Jared Weiner and Neil Karls.  It gave me a deeper understanding of the industry and our role, as financial analysts, within it.

Orientation helped me in many ways:  I learned what it means to be an employee of UPMC and an FMR, I learned about my job and the systems I would be working with, and I met some great people.  It was an integral and reassuring experience for me both as a new employee and new Pittsburgher.

– Mitchell Woll, Financial Analyst, Intermediate

What did you like most about your first month as an FMR?

One of the most unique and exciting aspects of the FMR program is the value that analysts can add to such a large and successful organization right out of school.  Although we may be less experienced than many finance professionals within the industry, sharing our opinions is encouraged at UPMC and a large emphasis is placed on collaboration and innovation.

Immediately after beginning my first rotation at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, I became involved in projects that are impacting the future of health care.  For example, I have already contributed to several areas of financial analysis including budgeting, reporting, nursing and physician ad-hoc financial support, and information systems and technology. Many of the reports that I have developed were sent directly to top executive management and have influenced positive change as well as raised awareness to areas of concern within the hospital. The immediate immersion into the organization and knowledge that I have gained regarding health care finance during the first month as an FMR have strengthened my analytical skills and increased my leadership abilities.

Moreover, with an ever-changing political economy and increasing investments in technology and pharmaceuticals, finance professionals at UPMC truly have a more critical role than ever. FMRs are encouraged to propose solutions to the industry’s most difficult questions and think outside of the box. The in-depth financial analysis that we do as FMRs even within the first month can effectively reduce costs, increase the quality of patient care, and transform best practices. I really believe that this kind of learning and exposure is unique to the FMR program and is what makes the program such a beneficial way to begin my career.

– Abigail Hardt, Financial Analyst, Intermediate

What tips do you have for rising financial majors?

Throughout my senior year I experienced anxiety concerning my last year at school and my upcoming entrance into the “real world”. Whether I was worrying about studying for my numerous finance exams or preparing for my move to Pittsburgh and my new career at UPMC, it was hard to avoid being stressed out at times. Now, only a few months into the FMR program, I realize that I was stressing myself out for no apparent reason. In retrospect there are a few things I would have done differently that would have eliminated a lot of anxiety during my senior year.

Here are a few useful tips:

1.)    Have Confidence in your Abilities. You have gotten to this point, so clearly you are doing something right. It is important to get the A’s but it is more important to have a concrete understanding of the material. Your manager is not going to ask what grade you earned in your corporate finance class, but they will be interested in your ability to apply what you learned.

2.)    Prepare, Don’t Dwell. As months go by and graduation approaches, the reality of adulthood can become daunting. The best thing you can do for yourself is start planning in advance. Research apartments, find possible roommates, and make sure you have a solidified plan before finals roll around.

3.)    Enjoy! You are in a very unique stage of your life, transitioning from focusing all your energies on school to forging your career path in the real world. So make the most of the last year of college life. Enjoy your friends before graduation. Enjoy sleeping in. Most of all enjoy the ride!

– Julie Waldinger, Financial Analyst, Intermediate