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Vishaka Shivaram
Vishaka Shivaram

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was introduced to the path of healthcare in 2016 since I started my career as a dietitian upon completing my masters in Food Science and Nutrition. The experiences I had during my practice kindled my interest to explore the area of management. I decided to pursue Masters in Leadership in Healthcare Organization and graduated in 2020. At present, I am a certified project manager at a budding startup company in San Diego.

In my free time, you can find me whipping up some cupcakes, strolling at the beach, and admiring the beautiful sunsets of San Diego!

Why did you decide to get this degree?

My goals were inclined towards entering the management domain. I was looking out for a Masters program that would aid me with the transition. When I came across UCSD’S LHCO, I learned it checked all my requirements and would provide me the necessary skills to become a better leader.

What did you like best about the program?

Highly engaging classes, program flexibility, supportive staff, and hands-on training are some of the things that I liked best about the program.

What skills are you applying in your job that you learned in the program? 

The program structure is a perfect blend of qualitative and quantitative skills. My day’s work revolves around the application of core skills such as Gemba, stakeholder management, project planning, and execution. In addition, skills like negotiation, conflict management, and leadership further support me in my work.

In what way has the degree impacted your career?

The Masters Degree has positively impacted my career. It has opened multiple opportunities for me. I am working as a PMI certified project manager and help startups that focus on healthcare and biotechnology win grants. The hands-on training and the knowledge that I gained during the LHCO program have positively supported my goals.

What would you tell someone who is considering the program?

I would highly encourage them to pursue it. The program equips aspiring professionals by offering them a unique toolset that can be applied to diverse fields. Additionally, it introduces emerging areas like value-based healthcare and population health management. The faculty are helpful, the classes are interactive, and this course is backed by hands-on training, leading to a holistic learning environment.

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Todd Gilmer, PhD

Program Director, Professor, Chief, Division of Health Policy, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, UC San Diego School of Medicine

Todd Gilmer, PhD is Professor of Health Economics and Chief of the Division of Health Policy in the department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego. His research has focused on health insurance and risk adjustment with an emphasis on Medicaid, the implementation of recovery-oriented models of mental health services, and the cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve the quality of diabetes care. Todd is also the Director of The Leadership of Healthcare Organizations MAS degree program.

Robert Kaplan, PhD

Program Associate Director, Professor of Practice, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, UC San Diego School of Medicine Partner, The Torrey Pines Health Group

Robert H. Kaplan, PhD is the Associate Program Director of the MAS in The Leadership of Healthcare Organizations and Professor of Practice in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the School of Medicine, UC San Diego. Dr. Kaplan is a founder and partner with The Torrey Pines Health Group, Inc. that provides consulting to health care organizations, including strategic planning, network development and post-acute care analysis and management services. He is also founder of SeniorMetrix, Inc., based in Nashville, Tennessee which is a decision support modeling system for management of post-acute care patients.

Prior to his current duties, Dr. Kaplan served as Senior VP for TriWest Healthcare Alliance leading their internal consulting firm, the Health Plan Design and Management (HPDM) division. In this role, he was responsible for producing quarterly reports for military treatment facilities based on the purchased care and MHS data that highlighted the efficiency opportunities with the total MHS Healthcare System. His work directly resulted in stronger relationships with various elements of the Military Health System. Dr. Kaplan earned his Ph.D. and Master of Public Affairs at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, and his Bachelor of Science in Business at the University of Colorado, Boulder.