Lynda Hilliard (lyndahilliard@hotmail.com) is Principal of Hilliard Compliance Consulting in Mount Shasta, CA.
How can we solve a departmental need for assistance with any number of projects and provide a deserving student/graduate with the chance to experience firsthand what a compliance program entails? Internships! The number of collegiate programs that offer compliance-specific degrees is on the rise, and their students/graduates are looking for opportunities to get their “foot in the door” of a respected organization and potentially earn a small salary and/or educational credits. In addition, professionals from other healthcare career tracks, such as legal, nursing, and administration, may also be interested in a change and look to compliance to reinvigorate their career. How do we as managers take the reins and control this process?