AUPHA: What’s your educational background? Why did you choose the area(s) of study that you did and what did you do before getting into academe?
Bobrowski: I received a BSN from the University of Oregon Health Science Center and began my professional career as a surgical nurse. I eventually took a position with American Medical International as part of the start-up team for King Khalid Eye Specialty Hospital in Saudi Arabia. I also worked with the International Eye Foundation and World Health Organization (WHO) surveying the entire country to determine the main causes of eye disease and assist with development of the Kingdom’s national healthcare plan to combat and treat eye disease. It was truly a magic carpet ride. Upon returning to the US, I decided to pursue and complete an MBA at the University of Oregon and secured a rewarding position as Manager of Market Research and Business Development in a 500-bed hospital in Eugene, Oregon. I then continued my doctoral education at Syracuse University and received a Fulbright scholarship to Japan to conduct my dissertation research on the development of high-tech medical technologies. Upon graduation, I was employed in academia at the State University of New York and later served as department chair for the Department of Marketing and Management in the School of Business.
AUPHA: What is your current position and what made you choose the program you are currently appointed to?
Bobrowski: I am currently the Associate Dean of Research, Faculty Development and Graduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University. I have held positions as a faculty member, department chair, and as the executive director of the Women’s Leadership Institute. My current faculty appointment is professor of health administration. I choose this program because it integrates my research, diverse experience and skills in the fields of healthcare and business. Academics is a challenging and stimulating environment where continuous learning is integral to the workplace.
AUPHA: Tell us what's unique about your program, faculty, and students.
Bobrowski: I am extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with our Health Administration Program Director. She is exceptionally qualified, dedicated to the program, and demonstrates the utmost professionalism. In a very short period of time, she has completely transformed the program and brought many innovations to the program. She is vigilant about building a strong faculty and has been able to secure resources to increase the number of faculty and instructors. We have developed a strong relationship with the Mayo Clinic and have adopted many of their methods into our courses such as design thinking and the Mayo Clinic DABO database for benchmarking and quality improvement. We are working with an EMR technology company and building our academic capabilities in the area of health information systems to meet increasing market demands in this area. Another improvement that has been made in the curriculum is the development of a business minor as an integral part of the program. Currently all of our students graduate with a minor in business. We have secured funding from a very generous donor and are now able to offer very generous scholarships to students for international internships. This year, seven of our students participated in a very prestigious internship placement in London. It is rewarding to know that many of the best students in the college are in the Health Administration Program and they are reflective of the high quality of the program. I am very proud to announce that this year, our job placement rate, one year after graduation, is 100%.
AUPHA: Your program is currently AUPHA Certified. How has this distinction affected your program?
Bobrowski: It has been extremely helpful in so many ways. AUPHA is the network that offers incredible value for its members. It provides us with state of the art information on best academic practices and a wealth of up to date resources that are continuously updated. AUPHA provides programs the ability to benchmark against peers and aspirational institutions and provides a forum for ongoing interaction with other colleagues in the field. The conferences and programs provided by AUPHA are first-rate educational opportunities for program directors and faculty. AUPHA provides us with critical assets, giving our programs the necessary information and data needed to justify and secure extra funding for increasing the number of faculty, faculty salaries, significantly increasing the director’s position, and adding an administrative assistant to assist with certification requirements. We have been able to access information for benchmarking against other programs to secure additional funding for developing a number of initiatives that have strengthened our program.
AUPHA: What trends do you see occurring in your program and in the field?
Bobrowski: The biggest trends facing healthcare today are the rapidly changing economic environment, technology advancements and healthcare reform. Education is also facing challenges bought on by these trends in addition to decreasing enrollments due to national demographic changes. The environment is becoming increasingly competitive and it is imperative for programs to continually innovate and to stay relevant.
AUPHA: What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing your program right now?
Bobrowski: Our biggest challenge is growing and developing our faculty to meet the academic challenge to assure that our curriculum is current and relevant. We must be able to prepare students for tomorrow’s healthcare environment, one that is rapidly changing, especially in time of economic challenge and reform. There are several opportunities to develop innovate partnerships with other units and organizations, creating synergies and new possibilities for creating dynamic and flexible solutions to problems. Let me give you a concrete example of how AUPHA was instrumental in introducing us to one of our collaborators. In 2012 at AUPHA conference there was a tour of the Innovation Lab at the Mayo Clinic. We learned about the Mayo’s Transformation Conference on that tour and attended it that year. We now have a very collaborative and rewarding relationship with the Mayo Clinic.
AUPHA: Which AUPHA benefit has been the most valuable to your program?
Bobrowski: Networking with colleagues, the ability to access critical information for benchmarking with other programs and the benefits brought to members through the certification process. We have been able to use these resources to justify the need for additional resources for our program. This would not have been possible without AUPHA.
AUPHA: What do you consider your greatest accomplishment during your tenure at your current program?
Bobrowski: Working with a first rate program director and totally transforming our Health Administration Program into one of the best programs in our college. We have done this through teamwork, innovative thinking, and hard work developing strategies based upon best practices and data provided by AUPHA.
AUPHA: What might your fellow AUPHA members be surprised to know about you?
Bobrowski: I once rode an elephant bareback in Africa (ouch) and if I were to have one wish, it is that every student participates in study abroad. I truly believe it is a way to change the world.
AUPHA: If making a living/money were not a consideration, what would you be doing instead or what would you do in retirement?
Bobrowski: In general, I am very satisfied with my chosen career path and current position; it has been extremely interesting, challenging, rewarding and fulfilling. I struggle with finding enough time for many things that I enjoy and continue to wish for more hours in the day. I plan to retire in Colorado in an environment conducive to an active and healthy lifestyle where my husband and I will have easy access to skiing, hiking, mountain biking and white water rafting. An intellectually stimulating, active healthy lifestyle is my key for a happy and productive life.