Celebrating Erin

We celebrated Erin tonight. She received the Resilience Award in Organizational Leadership and Learning. This award recognizes a workforce undergraduate student who has overcome significant barriers or obstacles to achieve academic success. She graduated Cum Laude with a 3.7 grade point average and has set her sights on a 4.0 in her post-grad program starting next month. The fact we also received clear scans this week means there were more than enough reasons to have dinner at our favorite Cuban restaurant after the awards ceremony. Attached is the essay that launched her nomination for the award. It goes without saying, but I will add it anyway, we are pretty stinking proud of our girl. 

Reflection Essay

Erin Baughman

University of Louisville

LEAD 450: Healthcare Leadership Culminating Undergraduate Experience

Dr. McKinley 

17 October 21

Introduction

The purpose of this assignment is to use the program self assessment results and the Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle to reflect on competency based learning demonstrated throughout the program. The Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle asks you to apply the occupational experience that you have developed, analyze the experience by observation, synthesize abstract generalizations, and evaluate the application of those generalizations in new situations. The Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle was introduced in the first course of the Healthcare Leadership program and was used to measure academic equivalency to occupational learning. I wrote my introductory essay in August of 2020. I have experienced extensive academic, personal, and professional growth in the time elapsed between writing that essay and writing this reflection essay. 

The essay I wrote at the beginning of the Healthcare Leadership program was seventeen pages of proving my diverse experience in the healthcare field as a general dental assistant turned facial trauma and cosmetic surgery assistant. I also talked about my record breaking sales numbers and skincare education while working at a tanning salon. I included projects that I organized through my church and growing up in academic settings ranging from homeschooling to public school. Throughout this program, I have been personally, academically, and professionally humbled. I experienced what I thought to be failure and grew through it. 

Apply

The experiences that I have had in this program are vast, but two different roles have challenged me significantly. The first role I have held since beginning the Healthcare Leadership program is being a patient. In my dental assisting coursework I was always told to consider the patient’s perspective. It wasn’t until I actually became a patient that I learned how important this really is. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had to have a hysterectomy in February 2021. I had always worked full-time and at least one part-time job while a student. At the time of the diagnosis, I was terminated from my part-time job because I did not qualify for FMLA. For the first time in nine years I was unable to work or care for myself and I felt as if I had lost everything. 

The second role that I have held while completing the Healthcare Leadership program is an initiatives team member with CCAP Across The Map. CCAP is an acronym that stands for cervical cancer awareness and prevention. After a long interview process, I was brought onto the team to assist in research and curriculum development for both international and domestic projects. My role with CCAP Across The Map quickly expanded and I am now a member of both the social media team and business operatives teams with responsibilities ranging from making TikTok content to grant writing. CCAP Across The Map has provided me with the opportunity to work with individuals all over the world and understand global public health in an operational way. 

Analyze

To analyze my experience as a patient requires true reflection which is genuinely difficult as the independent, achievement driven, workaholic that I am. My battle with continuous high-grade dysplasia was not new. It had been part of my quarterly gynecologic exam and subsequent non-invasive procedure routine for almost two years. However; when the cancer diagnosis ultimately came along, I was not anymore prepared to hear it. The hysterectomy was scheduled for a week later and I am so grateful to my oncologist for putting my health first. I was unable to be alone for two weeks which required me to move in temporarily with my parents. I could not drive a car, shower without assistance, or do much of anything independently. I had five incisions across my abdomen and my long-term boyfriend determined that biological children were a non-negotiable part of his life plan. I had never felt so alone or craved so much privacy as I did in those few weeks. 

Cut open, dumped, fired, completely dependent on my parents, and recovering from major surgery. That is where I learned the most. I learned to be a patient. I gained empathy for the people I had been caring for all of these years and that’s something you cannot learn in an academic setting. Empathy comes from personal experience that I’m grateful to have come out of alive and stronger. The experience also allowed me ample time to search for some way to prevent others from experiencing cervical cancer. That is when I found myself interviewing with CCAP Across The Map.

CCAP Across The Map has provided an outlet for my passion while also showing me that I have a lot to learn about feminine healthcare on a global scale. Rather than just making a curriculum for young adults about the importance of Pap smears and HPV vaccines, I was researching the medical training and scope of midwives in countries that don’t have gynecologic doctors. Learning about cultural barriers to femenine health has been eye-opening to say the least. Another skill I am learning with CCAP Across The Map is grant writing and organizing fundraisers to build finances for international and domestic projects.                                                                               

Synthesize

The abstract concepts and generalizations that I have developed throughout the Healthcare Leadership program have primarily stemmed from my experiences as a patient and working with CCAP Across The Map. I have developed a deeper level of empathy and understanding the situations of those around me. I’ve also developed a genuine understanding of how to help those who don’t have the same resources as I do. The work that I have previously done in underserved areas could be defined as “voluntourism.” Essentially, volunteering for a week or so in an underprivileged area, and leaving. What CCAP Across The Map has shown me is the importance of setting up a sustainable base in the communities we serve in order to continue to provide education and materials long-term. 

The broad generalization that I have come to develop over my personal and educational experiences in Healthcare Leadership is that I will never know everything. I have always enjoyed learning. I crave knowledge and understanding which helps me to succeed in both my courses and my career. The new experiences that I have had in my courses, with CCAP Across The Map, and as a patient have shown me that there is no way I will ever know everything. Until you are put in certain situations, there is no way to understand them. This realization has also helped me to understand the importance of having a diverse team. It made sense to me that having people from different backgrounds working to achieve the same goal is important for creativity and overall success like the textbooks said, but I did not truly understand it until I experienced it first hand. 

Evaluate

The knowledge I have gained in my Healthcare Leadership courses cannot be understated. I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had to communicate with incredible professors and engage in relevant coursework that is absolutely applicable to my day-to-day projects at work. The coursework I have done has left me thirsting for more knowledge and ultimately encouraged me to apply for graduate school. The overall theme of what I have learned in each class is how to look at situations from the standpoint of a large organization as opposed to a small clinic. If I had to choose a particular class that really challenged and influenced me, it would be Dr. McCart’s Project Management class. I had never worked on a project of such large scale, and I enjoyed it much more than I expected. 

CCAP Across The Map has allowed me to develop a variety of skills that will be useful in my career. Working with individuals from around the world helps to broaden views and problem solving abilities. The technology skills that I have learned ranging from social media engagement to grant writing to educational content development, are all skills that will benefit me professionally in the long-term. Based on the knowledge I have gained from CCAP Across The Map, I have goals to continue to serve under resourced areas especially with focus on healthcare such as HPV vaccine education and cancer screenings. I have goals of continuing to work with CCAP Across The Map long term and plan to eventually travel on international projects. 

My experience as a patient will be something that has an effect on me for the rest of my life. As someone who generally wants to display strength and independence, my cervical cancer experience changed who I am. I want to share my story with others so that they understand the importance of screening. I am conducting my own research and planning to challenge the CDC in their new guidelines that recommend Pap smears beginning at age twenty-five. I am working with CCAP Across The Map on projects to educate the public about the importance of vaccinating against HPV and getting regular Pap smears. My experience as a patient allowed me to develop empathy for the patients that I see every day as well as providing purpose to my passion. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, I have learned so much during the Healthcare Leadership program. I have learned from incredible professors on topics that will advance my career. I have made the decision to continue my education in the Healthcare Administration graduate program and found a non-profit organization to further develop my skills and work on something that I am passionate about. The experiences that I have had outside of academics during the program have been incredibly difficult, but have helped me to mature and become a better leader. I have been humbled so much during this program but I have learned even more than I expected to. I am so grateful to be able to continue my education at University of Louisville and hope to continue my career with University of Louisville Physicians as well.