The Fellowship Experience

Program Overview

The Cone Health Administrative Fellowship Program is a dynamic, two-year postgraduate experience that provides Fellows with comprehensive exposure to core components of the Cone Health enterprise. The Fellowship offers opportunities to build and strengthen knowledge and skills through structured rotations and project work. The length of the Fellowship also allows participants to develop meaningful relationships with senior leaders, build upon foundational skills obtained through an academic program and gain significant professional experience. 

The program begins with an onboarding process during which the Fellow attends New Employee Orientation, addresses goals and objectives for the Fellowship with their preceptors, and meets with senior executives of both the administrative and medical staff. Following the onboarding process, the Fellow begins focused immersions in core areas of the organization. 

Utilizing the knowledge and competencies gained in the rotation phase, the Fellow then engages in value-added project work under the guidance of the senior executive team. While the program has been designed to meet the strategic objectives of the organization, elements of focused immersions and project work may be tailored according to the Fellow’s professional needs and interests within the finance and/or operations space. Throughout the program, the Fellow will attend strategic and operational meetings at all levels of leadership, including Board of Trustees meetings, and receive numerous networking opportunities with the Cone Health executive leadership team and other leading executives in health care. 

Preparing Knowledgeable, Transformative Leaders

The Administrative Fellowship Program offers an educational experience for both the Fellow and Cone Health, as Fellows are considered essential members of the leadership team. Cone Health values the unique talents of each Fellow and looks to them to help develop innovative ways to provide exceptional care, every day. Through the Administrative Fellowship Program, Cone Health prepares highly motivated, aspiring health care executives to be knowledgeable, transformative leaders who will move health care toward a bold new future. The goal is to create a pathway to place Fellows who are both high-performing and culturally aligned in meaningful post-Fellowship employment. 

Year One

During the first year of the program, the Fellow will complete core rotations that may include the following areas: 

  • Corporate and Operational Finance 
  • IT & Enterprise Analytics 
  • Marketing & Communications
  • Operations (Ambulatory Services, Hospitals, Physician Medical Groups, Value-based Care, etc.) 
  • People & Culture (Human Resources) 
  • Strategic Development  

The Fellow will collaborate with each rotation preceptor to develop specific learning objectives for each rotation. During rotations, the Fellow will attend meetings, shadow leaders and participate in meaningful, hands-on experiences that will help put graduate learnings into action. 

Year Two

During the second year of the program, each Fellow will transition into an interim leadership role in the organization. The Fellow will work with their preceptor and other leaders around the enterprise to identify the interim leadership opportunity. Examples of interim leadership roles held by previous and current fellows include: 

  • Director of Accountable Communities  
  • Director of Pharmacy Business Operations 
  • Executive Director of Guilford Community Care Network  
  • Systemwide Manager of Physician Product Requests 

Salary & Benefits

Administrative Fellows receive a competitive salary and the Employee Benefits Package that is available to all full-time employees of Cone Health, including medical, vision and dental coverage. Other benefits include: 

  • Annual stipend for professional and educational conferences and trainings such as the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE)
  • Membership dues for health care organizations such as ACHE and NAHSE
  • Paid annual leave 
  • Professional development opportunities including Cone Health New Leadership Experience Training Program 
  • Relocation assistance

Is employment at Cone Health guaranteed at the completion of the Fellowship?

Although it is the hope and intent of the Fellowship that a Fellow will continue working for Cone Health, there is no formal obligation from either party to either offer or accept a position post-Fellowship. Fellows typically begin discussions with preceptors and other mentors regarding post-Fellowship employment six months prior to the end of their Fellowship. The intent is to create a pathway to place Fellows who are both high performing and culturally aligned in meaningful post-Fellowship employment. Fellows have been successful in obtaining permanent roles within Cone Health.