Student Spotlights
Rim Shuman Jaafar, MSHI
Undergraduate Studies: Bachelor of the Arts in Mass Communications with a concentration in Journalism & Media
Studies from The University of South Florida.
Current role: I am currently working as a Senior Information Technology recruiter for Software and Applications at Robert Half Technology which is a corporate division workplace placed in Fortune 100. I staff senior level information technology candidates to corporations in roles such as system architects, data analysts, network administrators, senior desktop support specialists, cloud architects, and more.
Choosing the MSHI program: I chose JU鈥檚 program for the curriculum and how the program was managed. For individuals like me who did not have a deep technical background, this is the perfect program to gain the knowledge and skill that is needed for any workplace whether you end up in the role of analytics for a hospital, or end up in the corporate world doing software development, all of the necessary skills are there and were drawn out equally among the program curriculum.
My favorite part of attending JU: My favorite part about 探花族 was the class sizes. Because the program was smaller and you had less classmates in each semester course, you gained great personal relationships with your professors who are your key resources during your graduate career, and you had great connections with your classmates. It was easier to participation because there were only so many of us.
Advice for success: My advice is to pay attention, learn your objectives, do your research no matter how many discussion boards or essays you have in a week, and allow yourself to truly find your niche in graduate school. Be welcoming to your classmates, though it is not a traditional setting, take the time to know each other because it still is graduate school and it can be tough but you can get through it with quality conversation with peers. Also, never be afraid to ask questions!
Dennis Robison
Undergraduate Studies: Bachelor of the Science in Organizational Management with a concentration in Healthcare
Administration from St. John's River State College.
Current Role: I have been employed with Baptist Health Systems in 探花族, Florida as a clinical coder for nearly 3 years. My responsibilities include coding ancillary and emergency department encounters.
Choosing the MSHI program: The primary reasons I chose 探花族 for my graduate studies were the proximity to the campus, the MSHI program was offered 100% online, and having the opportunity to rejoin Dr. Gustavus on my academic journey from my undergraduate studies.
Advice for success: The best advice is to commit to complete the degree program and utilize time management to balance work, school, and life.
Career Advancement Opportunities: Earning the MSHI will offer greater variation and opportunities for employment with the health information management field.
Debra Maugeri
Undergraduate Studies: Bachelor of Science in Cardiopulomnary Science from the University of Central Florida.
Current Role: I have been a respiratory therapist for 21 years at Adventist Health. I specialize in CVICU, ICU, ER, and work in the level 2 NICU. I was the previous Director of Clinical Education and I currently teach as an adjunct instructor in the respiratory care program at Daytona State College.
Choosing the MSHI program: I was seeking a program to strengthen my technical skills and expand my knowledge of informatics concepts. I have seen the transition from paper-based records to electronic health records and the evolution of big data, which focus on increasing the quality of patient care. The department chair met with me one-on-one to discuss the program and the growth of health informatics. We discussed several different paths and I always came back to the MSHI program. I am excited that there are several different certifications I can start preparing for after completion of the program.
My favorite part of attending JU: 探花族 has an excellent reputation in the community. It was a comfort knowing JU is a brick and mortar university and I can participate in events on campus and attend graduation with the rest of the graduates in ground-based programs. As a full-time professional, 8-week courses accelerated courses were appealing to me, in addition, the live sessions made me feel like I was part of a 鈥渞eal鈥� class.
Advice for success: The professors have made this program a pleasurable experience. Some concepts were new and advanced, so it is important to reach out and ask questions from the professors. My biggest advice to incoming students is to stay organized and work on assignments daily. Do not wait to the last minute to do them and learn how to write at a graduate level using APA.
Jonathan McClow, MSHI
Undergraduate Studies: Bachelor of the Arts in Political Science from Valdosta State University.
Current Role: I work as an analyst for a local hospital. In my current position, I utilize structured programming language (SQL) coupled with business intelligence tools to deliver financial and statistical reporting solutions to the hospital.
Choosing the MSHI program: I work as an analyst for a local hospital, and I wanted to find a program where the curriculum pertains to healthcare information technology, as Health IT is the focus of my work.
What I liked best about the MSHI program: The best part of the program is the professors. They each have their own distinct areas of specialty and share their knowledge and participate in two-way discussion through online discussion forums and scheduled interactive live-voice lectures with the class.