Healthcare Careers Pathway Intern, 0.5 FTE

About Us

Washington Permanente Medical Group (WPMG) is a clinician-led, self-governed and independent multi-specialty group practice, providing care to the more than 700,000 Kaiser Permanente patients in Washington state. We work unencumbered by traditional health care obstacles and without silos; prioritizing people over profits, collaboration over ego, and driven by a singular goal: our patients’ health. At WPMG, we take care of the whole person, with a team to address the fundamental, social, and emotional needs that contribute to total health. We are clinicians motivated by the desire to make a purposeful difference in the communities we serve, and in how health care is delivered.

Summary

Kaiser Permanente-Washington Permanente Medical Group is seeking a part-time 0.5 FTE Healthcare Careers Pathway Intern to join our WPMG HQ team in Renton, Washington.

As a condition of employment, all clinicians and employees are required to verify COVID-19 vaccination status. As part of the pre-boarding process and before starting work, you will be required to verify your vaccination status, and will be provided an opportunity to apply for an accommodation based on a religious or medical reason, if needed.

General Summary

The Healthcare Careers Pathways Intern participates in building de novo program to increase the number of Washington State Underrepresented Minority Students (URM) interested in and prepared for health care careers. The position will provide internal leadership in providing a student perspective to pipeline program development and implementation. Represent WPMG’s vision to increase URM students in health careers. The position will report weekly to Ali M. Thomas, MD, MPH, Medical Director for Pipeline Programs at WPMG. The Medical Director will be responsible for ensuring efficient use of the Interns valuable time, such as by making high level contacts with organizational leaders, and availability for assistance. The below Duties and Responsibilities are flexible, based on the current progress of the Healthcare Career Pathways strategy, and the strengths and interests of the intern.

Compensation

The pay for this position is $23 per hour.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Assist Medical Director in researching student perspectives, particularly at high-school and college levels

• Map high school and college level student organizations in Puget Sound student organizations involved in college readiness, STEM, and health careers in Puget Sound area.
• Help conduct interviews and focus groups with key informants, on barriers preventing students of color from entering health careers
• Assist Medical Director in creating a SWOT analysis of the current state of pipeline programs in Puget Sound.
• As availability allows, join Medical Director in building relationships with organizations to promote students of color in STEM

Participate in KP Pipeline Strategy – which may include any of the following

• Support and further existing priority to support medical shadowing and health services research by URM students.
• As time permits, participate in meetings with collaborating organizations and internal meetings. Represent student voices in such meetings to support accountability to the practical needs of students
• Develop recommendations for designing and improving pipeline programs, such as prioritized collaborations with organizations that encourage URM students to enter health careers
• Build a list of all school district-run student programs in King and Pierce Counties that expose middle and high school URM to health careers. Focus on school districts with high percentages of URM students (e.g. Tukwila, Highline, Renton, Federal Way, Kent).
• Based on community benefit reports, build a list of Puget Sound hospital affiliated programs that expose students to health careers, and analyze their strengths/weaknesses.
• Create a reference file of KP Pipeline programs in other states. List of programs with basic information and any reports that have been produced to assess program impact.
• Complete a needs assessment for high school and college student organizations committed to promoting URM students in the health professions.
• Produce summary recommendations for how WPMG can best work within the existing ecosystem of pipeline programs

Knowledge generation

• Researching and connecting with best practices around the country
• Support presentations on pipeline development work, as time and resources capacities allow

Personal Development

• Write a personal development plan
• Meet regularly with Pipeline Medical Director on career goals

Knowledge & Skills

Knowledge: Areas of specialty or expertise (e.g., intermediate knowledge of research methodology and data collection modalities)

Skills: Abilities needed to execute job duties (e.g., advanced writing and documentation skills)

Continuous Improvement: (Required)

• Continually looks for ways to improve processes, fosters innovation and learning.
• Encourages innovation, respectfully listens to and acknowledges ideas of others.

Accountability: (Required)

Is on time and keeps commitments.

• Consistently manages assigned workload. Manages priorities effectively. Uses time efficiently.
• Engages fully in work, takes immediate and independent action when needed.
• Acknowledges mistakes and seeks help when needed.
• Sets own priorities, regularly completing work on schedule.
• Anticipates problems, proactively addresses issues.
• Focuses on solutions rather than problems.

Relationships: (Required)

• Ability to develop effective working relationships with WPMG Administrative Team Members and WPMG Clinical Leadership

• Ability to works with other members of the team in an efficient, highly productive manner
• Builds productive rapport with employees at all levels within and outside the department.
• Treats others with fairness, dignity, and respect, and possesses cultural humility.
• Accepts suggestions and criticism in a cooperative and positive manner.
• Works collaboratively with team members and others to achieve identified goals and objectives. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Establishes and maintains good working relationships with both external and internal customer.
• Interacts with others in a helpful and informative manner.
• Capable of resolving conflict.

Expertise: (Required)

Knows the priorities of the department. Knowledgeable of social barriers facing underrepresented populations of medicine and underrepresented communities. Knowledge of community organizations serving underrepresented students (preferably in WPMG service areas). Knowledge of educational challenges in serving underrepresented communities. Understanding of student organizations in healthcare careers.

• Demonstrates proficiency in the duties and responsibilities of the job.
• Shares expertise with others.
• Reviews facts and data, using sound judgment, to arrive at the most effective solution.
• Continually looks for ways to improve processes, fosters innovation and learn

Service Excellence: (Required)

• Understands and responds promptly and courteously to customer needs and expectations.
• Follows through to see if customer needs were met and keeps them informed of status.
• Timely when responding to voicemail, e-mail and interoffice communications.
• Expresses ideas clearly and accurately both orally and in writing.
• Encourages, respectfully listens to and acknowledges diverse points of view.
• Treats all customers with courtesy and respect.
• We are professionals serving professionals.

Job Specifications

EDUCATION