Leading the Pack: Elizabeth Ramsey

Elizabeth Ramsey is a 2019 Jenkins MBA alumna. Ramsey, a Director of Clinical Business Operations at UNC Health Care, says that one key element of choosing NC State for her MBA was the RTP in-person option, and excellent references from coworkers. Our professional MBA is an excellent fit for working professionals looking for face-to-face or online instruction that can accommodate busy schedules.

In the following Q & A, Ramsey goes into more detail about why she decided earning an MBA was the right fit for her, advice for prospective students, and the highlights of her student experience during her time at NC State and how COVID-19 has changed every facet of her current role.

Q: Why did you choose the NC State Jenkins MBA program for your graduate education?

A: I wanted a portion of my coursework to be in-person instead of 100% virtual, so I decided between UNC and NC State. I ended up choosing NC State because of affordability, the RTP in-person option, and excellent references from coworkers.

Q: How did your experience in the program contribute to your professional achievements and successes?

A: I worked in a clinical role at UNC Medical Center as a speech-language pathologist before deciding that I wanted a career change.  I wasn’t sure what I would end up doing with my MBA, but knew that it would give me versatility and could expose me to new opportunities either within healthcare or even in a new industry.  I had the benefit of transitioning to an operations role at the hospital while I was taking courses and the timing worked out perfectly as I was finishing my degree to move into my current position where my boss was specifically looking for a candidate with an MBA. 

Q: What advice would you give for prospective and current students who are interested in your industry/profession?

A: Take advantage of opportunities to stretch yourself and learn about topics outside of your comfort zone. Healthcare is complicated and there are countless directions you can go.  Connect with local leaders who will let you come volunteer on a project or participate in an internship to expose yourself to new departments.

Q: Could you give a brief explanation of your current line of work and how COVID-19 has impacted it? As well as how the MBA has helped prepare you navigate during these times?

A: Covid-19 has changed every facet of my job; in fact I often joke with my boss that I cannot remember what I used to do before Covid.  My day-to-day work is still about 95% consumed with Covid operations.  I work with our physician practice at UNC Medical Center, so I am involved in things like: physician redeployment to Covid inpatient and outpatient areas, outpatient recovery to Pre-Covid volumes, labor pool decisions based on financial projections, setting up our Respiratory Diagnostic Center for Covid testing, creating core analytics to define our business during Covid, improving telehealth workflows and billing opportunities, and many other things! It has been extremely rewarding, even in the most demanding times where the work feels relentless. The aspect of my MBA that probably helped the most was the McLauchlan Leadership Series to give me tangible take-aways about leading my team and presenting to leaders.