“I started my MBA studies in autumn 2017 and graduated in May 2020. I had worked for 10 years as chief physician and, after the reorganization, as director of the children’s area since 2016. I wanted to be strong in managing people and change, to be able to develop the organization’s operating models so that we would be more prepared for the future health and social services in the area of responsibility for children, where the boundaries between primary health care and specialized medical care would be lowered, and cooperation would be reorganized, utilizing the synergy of resources and the expertise already available in the area. The changes require strong leadership, updated competence, and genuine dialogue between colleagues and staff so that the core issue is realized: a child- and family-oriented approach. There was a need for leadership training and huge self-motivation.
Executive Education at the University of Vaasa has a good reputation and I knew that there are participants from several different positions and different jobs. It was interesting to get to know the “wonders of the business world and the similarities between competitive situations” when you have worked in the public sector for your age. I even got to study in my own hometown.
The modules were quite demanding and the studies included a lot of independent tasks. The close training days were rewarding. I got to know the course participants and the operation and management style of companies in the Vaasa economic area. Use the participants were already meritorious participating managers in their fields and it was interesting to note that they had exactly the same challenges: revenue, costs, personnel issues, and managing their own work. Qualified lecturers, the excellent flow of information. I received peer support from the manager’s everyday life. I also received new template tools, which I have used in my work.
I especially benefited from my studies for change management and clarifying the common direction of the organization so that it supports the current strategy of VKS and the Ostrobothnia welfare region starting in 2022
It is great that the top management of our hospital wants to invest in their employee’s career development and studies.
I especially benefited from my studies for change management and clarifying the common direction of the organization so that it supports the current strategy of VKS and the Ostrobothnia welfare region starting in 2022 (child and family-oriented), without forgetting the es-special expertise of my own region and personnel highly trained in children’s es. I gained a lot of experience in managing practice (JR work, meeting practices, finances, budgeting, meeting and listening to different people, and making solutions). Teamwork, multi-professional cooperation, and supporting each colleague’s own strengths became more important than before.”
