Scholarship Reinforces Student's Decision to Attend VCU

When an undergraduate health economics class introduced John Hunter to the possibility of applying his economics degree to a master’s in health administration, he immediately found the perfect fit at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Allied Health Professions.

“The health administration department at VCU offered the right combination of reputation, academic course offerings and value to make the decision an easy one for me,” Hunter said.

His decision proved even better after he received the HCA Scholarship for Emerging Healthcare Leaders. Established in 2003 by the Hospital Corporation of America, the scholarship is the largest — by market value — on the MCV Campus.

“The generosity of HCA has allowed me to pursue a graduate-level education with one of the most highly regarded health care administration programs in the country,” said Hunter, who will earn his master’s degree in 2010. “The scholarship helped ensure that I was able to take advantage of the resources that the program has to offer.”

Hunter’s journey toward a health care career began with experiences as a hospital patient and continued as he shadowed administrators at Atlanta’s Emory Healthcare — the clinical arm of the Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University, where Hunter received his undergraduate degree.

“In addition, I’ve had opportunities to volunteer with local agencies supporting individuals with limited means and the inability to obtain health insurance coverage,” he said.

Gaining even more hands-on experience also led Hunter to the VCU Department of Health Administration.

“The fact that VCU is one of a few programs in the country that still requires a third-year residency component was also a deciding factor,” he said. “I believe the entire residency process is a valuable component of not only our graduate school education, but of our professional development.”

After graduation, Hunter plans to continue his career in an acute hospital setting.

“I’m particularly interested in working with organizations that are committed to the education and training of future clinicians as well as those responsible for ensuring access to care for those more vulnerable populations,” he said.

He’ll now enter the health care field with a master’s degree and an appreciation for the support that helped him get there.

“I’m grateful to HCA for their particular commitment to VCU and for the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to become an effective and transformational leader in the dynamic health care industry,” Hunter said.