Title: SPOTLIGHT on HAS Section Leaders and Members: Bud Nicola, MD, MHSA, FACPM
Author:
Section/SPIG: Health Administration
Issue Date:
This is a new Newsletter feature beginning in this issue. In this part of the Newsletter, we will interview Health Administration Section leaders and members. Bud Nicola volunteered to be interviewed first. (Thank you, Bud!)
Our intent is to interview members as well as our leadership. If you know of a member who is both interesting and willing to be interviewed, please suggest his or her name to the Newsletter editor. If you are interested in being interviewed, please contact me. And now the interview with Bud Nicola.
Laura: Who are you and where do you work?
Bud: I am a Senior Consultant on assignment from the CDC working with the Turning Point National Program Office at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine.
Laura: How did you get into public health, especially health care administration?
Bud: When I was in medical school at the University of Oregon, I worked with a group of medical students in my third year planning and staffing a migrant health clinic in Stayton, Oregon. It stimulated my interest in organizing and delivering health care. I took a preventive medicine residency at the University of Michigan, which included a Master's degree in Health Services Administration. My first job was working for Denver Health and Hospitals in the Neighborhood Health Program doing a combination of clinical work and program evaluation - and from there I was hooked on public health.
Laura: Why do/did you volunteer to work as a HA Section leader?
Bud: Our Health Administration Section in APHA provides a real opportunity to network with other health administrators throughout the nation and to explore best practices in administration. I was interested in helping to improve the Section's relationships with other national administrative organizations for educational and networking purposes. So I volunteered to work on a "linkages" committee to begin some exploration.
Laura: Where do you see the Section going in the next two to three years?
Bud: The Health Administration section can help APHA members become better administrators by providing an excellent annual program, by sponsoring cutting-edge Institutes and educational sessions, and by providing opportunities to network with administrators from within and without APHA.
Laura: Can you share some thoughts about your chosen field of work?
Bud: It's a privilege to be able to work on health improvement and protection. We get to wear white hats and work with passionate, caring people to improve the lives of our families and neighbors. What could be better?
Laura: Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Bud.
Bud: You're welcome!