Becoming a Healthcare Leader

Campbell McCann, a rising senior at the Mount, never could have imagined where her academic journey was going to take her.

Campbell McCann ’24 expected to be a physical therapist assistant major, graduate with both her associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, and go on to work as a PTA after graduation. However, her future took a turn when, after a tough period of time, two of her professors told her that she had all the qualities of a true leader.

Campbell couldn’t see that in herself right away, but she had always been interested in the technical side of healthcare. The Leadership in Healthcare major was just getting started, and Campbell decided to see what it was like. She enrolled in classes, fell in love with her health law course, and she instantly knew that this is where she was meant to be.

“It was just something that I was always interested in, the technical side of healthcare with the business side, because there is always a business entity to healthcare.”

Campbell’s new major is a unique one: not quite healthcare, not quite business. Leadership in Healthcare does not have the hands-on training of nursing or medical imaging. At the same time, it also does not have the broad courses of study found in a business program, like business law or accounting. “There are some things that cross over but there’s more specialized classes to better understand that side of healthcare instead of just hands-on experiences,” Campbell says, and that’s part of the reason she likes it.

But she’s also excited about the possibilities for the future. “There are so many different routes you can take with it.” From healthcare administration, to government work, to working in the HR department at a hospital, Campbell says that she’s excited by the options open to her.

“I took two majors to help me gain specializations and expand my knowledge,” she says. “I have the potential to be the CEO of a hospital one day, and that’s something that’s now on the top of my bucket list!”

Campbell plans to continue her education, and says that she’s energized by being involved in such a growing field. “The Leadership in Healthcare program really allows for room to grow and to explore specific areas of interest. I think that’s really important for all of us to be able to do. It’s a developing area of study, and it’s becoming so important. It’s definitely interesting to see how hospital systems are integrating people with these degrees.”