Nine UF MHA students recently attended the 2023 ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, Illinois, with support from the North Florida ACHE Chapter this last March.
The 2023 ACHE Congress gathered over 5,000 attendees, including healthcare professionals from the nation’s leading hospitals, universities, and organizations. Among the many sessions offered to attendees, specific meetings were geared toward the benefit of young professionals and invested students.
Valentina Eslava, UF MHA Class of 2023, attended sessions which “discussed emerging trends that helped me gain new perspectives on a variety of topics”. Many of the sessions built on the foundational knowledge and experience gained from students within their university program.
“The sessions I attended were well-structured and informative, offering valuable insight into the latest healthcare trends and challenges that healthcare systems are facing during a post-pandemic transition,” said another student, Adam Roach, UF MHA Class of 2023. “I was grateful for the opportunity to meet new colleagues at HCA Healthcare [with] whom I will be working closely starting in June.”
For several of the students, it was an inaugural experience. For Eslava, it was her first time attending ACHE Congress:
“It was an honor to attend my first ACHE Congress in Chicago this past month! This leadership conference allowed me the opportunity to network with peers and learn of the experiences from many healthcare leaders. [I am] very thankful to have been able to represent the UF MHA group with my fellow classmates!”
In addition to the informative sessions and mingling with prominent professionals, the students also had the opportunity to gather with current faculty and former UF MHA alumni during the UF MHA Student, Alumni & Friends Mixer on the Tuesday night of the conference. In attendance were HSRMP faculty, Dr. Lee Revere, Dr. Keith Benson, and UF MHA students Lyzet Ignacio-Simon, Kathryn Barnhart, Brady Alexander, Adam Roach, Maria Gonzalez, Valentina Eslava, Allison Castiblanco, Alejandra Osorio, and Makenna Slack. A group of UF MHA alumni and colleagues present for ACHE Congress also joined.
The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) focuses on the advancement of healthcare leadership to greater standards of excellence. With over 76 local chapters over the span of 85 years, ACHE is the professional home to over 48,000 healthcare executives. Members of ACHE gain access to broad networks, educational resources and professional development as well as earn the FACHE designation, a fellow’s credential indicating board certification in healthcare management.