The Honor of Serving Veterans

Meet Justin…

My name is Justin Peters and I am fortunate to be the Healthcare Systems Management (HSM) Trainee at the VISN (Veterans Integrated Service Network) 11 Office in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Our network provides oversight and support to seven VA Medical Centers and 29 Community Based Outpatient Clinics proudly serving Veterans in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.  The Graduate Health Administration Training Program (GHATP) provides HSMs, Administrative Residents/ Fellows, and Army-Baylor University Graduate Program candidates unparalleled opportunities to actively learn as much as possible about VA health care and VA health systems delivery. 

Moreover, I am glad to discover that I am but one of many lifelong students in a learning organization.  I have the privilege to work under senior health care executives and become familiar with a wide range of health care administration nuances to include organizational health and development, leadership and mentoring, budget and finance, establishing community partnerships, and much more.  I am truly blessed to share meaningful work with empowering leaders and colleagues who foster innovation, integrity, and teamwork.  One main take away for me over the last year has been, “if you’ve been to one VA, you’ve only been to one VA”.  Many medical centers have affiliation agreements with the nation’s top universities and faculty, yet others might be on the forefront of electronic medical records continual improvement, or discovering the DEKA prosthetic arm system. 

Clearly there are vast opportunities within VA health care.  I have been able to develop specific skill sets in key areas for which the GHATP is designed.  Consequently, I proposed and initiated a pilot program and presented it at the American College of Healthcare Executives Congress (ACHE), and to Veterans Health Administration Senior Leadership.  The pilot is called VAHealtheCampus and it utilizes multiple cutting edge technological approaches to health systems delivery, and is designed to offer primary care solutions to student Veterans on college campuses.  This is also an exportable model that can be strategically implemented across disciplines to improve access to care, especially in rural areas. 

Indeed, as an early careerist in VA health care, I have been able to work with many bright, talented, and experienced professionals from across the Nation.  My classroom experiences with Northwest Ohio Consortium for Public Health have better prepared me to become an advocate for healthier populations.  As a third generation military Veteran, I am proud to support  VHA’s mission, since as witnessed in  VA, “The Price of Freedom is Visible Here”.  Our Nation’s Veterans deserve the best care, and this is our business.  As a student Veteran, I have the honor of serving other student Veterans.  Many of them had challenging military and post-military experiences due to serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both.  I am compelled to exercise what I have learned and apply it within the largest integrated health care system in the Nation.  If you are thinking about a competitive career in health care administration and want to serve Veterans, please visit the GHATP site and apply within.

Be sure to visit www.VAcareers.va.gov to stay current on openings in your area of interest.