The Next Healthcare Leader is a career guide designed to help students, early-career professionals, professionals looking to advance in their careers and those new to the field of healthcare administration navigate their first decade in the field with purpose, confidence, and clarity
The Next Healthcare Leader is a career guide designed to help students, early-career professionals, professionals looking to advance in their careers and those new to the field of healthcare administration navigate their first decade in the field with purpose, confidence, and clarity. Drawing from over two decades of executive leadership and academic experience, this book delivers 50 short, actionable lessons rooted in real-world mentorship, practical insight, and a value-driven approach to building a successful healthcare leadership career.Unlike dense textbooks or technical manuals, this book is conversational, reflective, and designed to meet readers where they are—often overwhelmed, uncertain, and searching for direction in a fast-changing industry. It speaks directly to the questions, missteps, and growth opportunities students and professionals face, helping them move from uncertainty to confidence as they explore, enter, and grow within the healthcare sector.The book is organized in 50 self-contained lessons across 5 broad themes: Understanding the Landscape, Building a Career Foundation, Growing as a Professional, Leading with Intention, Shaping a Career with Purpose. Each chapter can be read independently or sequentially, making the book suitable for classroom adoption, career development programming, or individual use. The book’s voice is grounded, encouraging, and honest offering not just strategies for success, but also guidance for overcoming fear, failure, and burnout.
Introduction Lesson 1: Understand the Landscape of Healthcare Leadership
Lesson 2: Explore the Different Sectors of Healthcare Lesson 3: Know Your
Purpose Lesson 4: Align Your Education with Your Goals Lesson 5: Practice
Professionalism Early Lesson 6: Start Career Conversations Now Lesson 7: Be
Thoughtful About Academic Advice Lesson 8: Join Professional Associations
Early Lesson 9: Connect with Current Leaders Lesson 10: Make the Most of Your
Internship Lesson 11: Gain Experience as Early as Possible Lesson 12:
Understand How Hiring Really Works Lesson 13: Be Open to Relocating Lesson
14: Explore Hospital Administration Career Paths Lesson 15: Be Willing to
Start Small Lesson 16: Choose the Right Organizations Lesson 17: Look for
Growth-Oriented Organizations Lesson 18: Find Mentors and Supportive
Supervisors Lesson 19: Ask for Feedback Not Just Praise Lesson 20: Avoid
Frequent Job Hopping Lesson 21: Build Your Resume, Online Profile, and
Personal Story Lesson 22: Prepare to Interview with Confidence Lesson 23:
Choose Roles That Support Your Long-Term Goals Lesson 24: Stay the Course
When It Gets Hard Lesson 25: Learn from Failure, Dont Fear It Lesson 26:
Know What It Takes Lesson 27: Choose Balance Over Burnout Lesson 28: Keep
Things Manageable Lesson 29: Be Careful When Considering a Doctorate Lesson
30: Be Positive Lesson 31: Build Relationships That Last Lesson 32: Be the
Calm at the Center of the Storm Lesson 33: Lead with Language Not Ego
Lesson 34: Make Others Successful Lesson 35: Know When to Leave Lesson 36:
Conquer Career Transitions Lesson 37: Consider a Coach Lesson 38: Craft a
Personal Leadership Philosophy Lesson 39: Handle Burnout Well Lesson 40:
Build Your Career Like a Portfolio Lesson 41: Stay Ahead of Healthcare Trends
Lesson 42: Understand AI and Digital Health Lesson 43: Navigate the
Transition from Clinician to Leader Lesson 44: Read the Culture Before You
Lead Lesson 45: Influence without Authority Lesson 46: Learn to Have Hard
Conversations Lesson 47: Manage Up Effectively Lesson 48: Think Legacy, Not
Just Ladder Lesson 49: Prepare to Pass the Baton Lesson 50: Be the Leader
Healthcare Needs Next Epilogue: The Next Step Is Yours
Matthew Bogner, DHA, MPH is an Associate Teaching Professor at Wichita State University in the College of Health Professions. He teaches in the Master of Health Administration (MHA), Master of Aging Studies, and undergraduate health management programs. He also serves as coordinator of the MHA practicum and capstone experience.
Before entering academia, Dr. Bogner served as a healthcare executive for over 20 years, including more than a decade as Chief Executive Officer of a multi-service retirement community. His leadership in long-term care earned multiple PEAK Awards from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and recognition from LeadingAge Kansas.
Dr. Bogner holds a Doctor of Health Administration from Central Michigan University and a Master of Public Health from Wichita State University. He is an active researcher, peer reviewer for The Gerontologist and Geriatric Nursing, and a textbook reviewer for Springer Publishing.
As a mentor to hundreds of students and interns, Dr. Bogner brings practical wisdom, empathy, and a student-centered voice to his writingreflecting the realities, aspirations, and anxieties of the next generation of healthcare leaders.
