This paper presents a plan for reaching professional goals that I want to achieve during my Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program in Healthcare Management. In order to enhance my efforts, I have developed a Professional Development Plan (PDP). My PDP is an action plan that is based on taking responsibility for learning, setting goals, and structuring opportunities for the personal development according to my educational and career goals. The PDP discusses these goals in detail in subsequent sections of this paper. I describe each goal, my motivation for achieving it, explanation of how these goals relate to my personal values, steps I intend to take, as well as resources and timelines to reach each goal.
My first goal is to enhance my management skills and knowledge of healthcare operations. The following section describes this goal, its relevance to my values, my motivation, steps for achieving the goal, and resources to help me reach my goal, as well as timeline and milestones for accomplishing it.
I want to enhance my knowledge of healthcare operations and develop management skills via gaining in-depth knowledge of diverse business strategies and practices applicable to healthcare organizations. In particular, I would like to learn about innovations, progressive practices, and management techniques of healthcare delivery system. Within the framework of this goal, I would like to become familiar with new approaches to fiscal and business process management, corporate marketing strategies, and information systems.
I want to achieve this goal because it will add to my professional qualifications and turn me into a more capable professional equipped with the latest knowledge to help my organization compete effectively. I value professionalism and top performance and believe that reaching this goal will make me a highly effective professional and achiever.
In order to accomplish this goal, I will take the following steps: (a) study relevant sources and focus on my studies; (b) explore how I can apply theoretical knowledge to make practical decisions and (c) consult with other professionals about the application of practical recommendations and innovative approaches. Since I consider being a capable, fast learner, and avid reader my strength, these skills will help me get the most out of the DBA program and address my weaknesses by filling gaps in my management skills and professional knowledge.
The first source I would like to use is a book Healthcare Operations Management by McLaughlin and Olson since it offers many fresh ideas and recommendations for enhancing operations management in healthcare. The Internet source that I am planning to use is a website of The Institute for Healthcare Improvement that contains useful and applicable information on how to boost the effectiveness of operations management. Finally, I would like to exploit networking opportunities in order to consult with other healthcare managers with the aim to enrich my practical knowledge and look for fresh and effective approaches to managing healthcare operations.
I believe that following a timeline offers a logically sound sequence of steps required to achieve this goal. First, I need to learn new information to use it confidently and knowledgeably (November – March 2016). Second, I will learn to apply the newly gained knowledge in a practical setting (April – October 2016). Third, I will share my learning experiences with others to learn from their experiences, receive advice, and polish my performance (November 2016 – February 2017) (See Table 1).
Since the aim of the first goal is to enrich my professional knowledge and management skills during first year and a half of my studies, goals 2 and 3 will focus on learning to influence a policymaking process and making me an effective leader. Once I learn about the healthcare operation management, I must develop personal qualities and skills that would enable me to share my vision with others, motivate them to adopt new approaches, build new management patterns, and engage in a policymaking process.
Another reason for engaging in DBA program is learning how healthcare policy development and regulatory dynamics affect operations of a healthcare organization and healthcare delivery system. Since healthcare sector is guided by numerous regulations, I would like to learn how to influence those regulations and find out how to participate in the healthcare policy development in order to find solutions to the challenges that healthcare organizations face. The following sections describe this goal, explain my motivation for achieving it, describe resources, and present a timeline for measuring the progress in achieving this goal.
My goal is to learn how to be an effective participant in a policy development process on matters that affect the healthcare industry. I am motivated by the desire to exercise a healthy degree of control over the matters that directly affect me, my organization, and delivery of care and do my part for improving the health delivery system. I am a determined and accomplishment-oriented person. I prefer being in control of dynamics that affect my organization; I value skills that ensure sufficient control. Therefore, my goal relates to my personal values since achieving it will help me use my energy and drive to protect my professional interests and benefit for the maximum of an organization I work for.
In order to accomplish my goal, I intend to take the following steps: (a) study relevant sources, focus on my studies, and learn about practical ways of participating in the policymaking process in a state where I reside and work; (b) study accounts of successful and unsuccessful initiatives to change policies that affect health delivery system; (c) join or become affiliated with an organization that is involved in shaping healthcare policies and has a positive experience of influencing the policymaking process. I believe that these steps will enhance my strengths by making me a skilled and knowledgeable participant in the policymaking process.
My first source is a book Health Policymaking in the United States by Beaufort Longest. I believe this book describes well the inner processes of the policymaking process in the US and provides helpful recommendations concerning policymaking initiatives. The Internet resource that I am going to use is the article by Abood since it provides some valuable and applicable information regarding policymaking and lobbying in the healthcare sector. Another resource that I would like to use is attending a conference or a seminar held by an organization that is active in the healthcare policymaking process in order to learn about political and economic dynamics of developing and lobbying policies.
Learning new information about policymaking in healthcare (March – May 2017). Learning what it takes to launch and maintain policymaking initiative (June – August 2017). Joining or becoming affiliated with an organization involved in the policymaking process (September – November 2017) (See Table 2).
My second goal is to learn how to influence the policymaking process and healthcare and collaborate with regulatory organizations and various stakeholders in order to achieve a desired regulatory environment. In order to enhance my policymaking efforts, I need to develop my communication, leadership, and decision-making skills.
My third goal is to develop my communication, leadership, and decision-making skills. This section explains what this goal entails, why I want to achieve it, resources I am going to use, and a timeline to help me follow my plan.
I would like to improve my leadership, communication (verbal and written), analytical, critical thinking, and decision-making skills. My motivation for wanting to achieve this goal is a desire to be able to manage positive changes and stakeholder relationships successfully with the aim to maximize my professional efforts. I am an accomplishment-oriented person that values professionalism and refuses to be satisfied with anything but the best outcome. I feel that achieving this goal will help me live according to my values and strive to do my best in any situation.
In order to accomplish this goal, I will take the following steps: (a) study relevant sources; (b) put to practice skills that I am going to learn; (c) ask familiar people about how I can improve my leadership and communication skills; (d) train to develop my leadership skills. These steps will help me address my weaknesses in the areas of communication and leading others.
I will use the book Leadership: Theory and Practice by Northhouse (2012) in order to help me achieve my goal since it contains the wealth of practical advice concerning the development of leadership and communication skills. I will also use online resources of the University of Kent (n.d.) to enhance my communications skills. Lastly, I would like either to take an online leadership seminar or to attend training, workshop, or a seminar with the aim to develop my leadership potential.
Studying the book and website (June – August 2017). Putting into practice the newly learned skills (September – November 2017). Asking people who know me well about how I can improve my leadership and communication skills (December 2017). Participating in training with the aim to develop my leadership skills (January – March 2018) (See Table 3).
The third goal is to develop my communication, leadership, and decision-making skills. Steps for reaching this goal are aligned with a relevant timeline and enhanced by listed resources.
The current paper presents a Personal Development Plan for reaching three professional goals that I want to achieve during my DBA program in Healthcare Management. The PDP describes specific goals, their relevance, my motivation for achieving them, explanation of how these goals are related to my personal values, steps I intend to take to reach my goals, as well as resources and timelines for accomplishing each goal. I believe that this PDP will be a great tool to help me progress through my DBA program.
