Jessica Simpson is the current preceptor for IU Health Design & Construction with Team & Operations Readiness. 

What is your current position (title, job function)? 

Project Manager, IU Health Design & Construction Integrated Project Delivery with a focus on Team & Operations Readiness. My role is heavily focused on the people side of ensuring Design & Construction-led projects are ready for day-one operations.

What projects are you working on / have you worked on with students?

I am currently working on the downtown Histology Lab Project with my MSHM student, Maggie Peck. Through our work, we are driven to ensure that all team members, whether IU Health or contracted, can safely and effectively work within the new lab space.  Maggie is also learning about Project Management through exposure to projects at IU Health Saxony and IU Health Arnett. We really want the experience to be broad and to be able to appreciate the nuances of regionalized system work.

What do you like about precepting?

I think my approach might be a little more hands-on and collaborative. I treat the student as if they are a colleague in the field while coaching and mentoring them to successful outcomes. I think it is easy to underestimate the student’s abilities based on age or life experiences, but what I love most about being a preceptor is that I can provide the vantage point into a complex system while nurturing individuality. I think it is important to encourage curiosity and find one’s voice. I like to normalize that there are opportunities to challenge the status quo, as long as you are driven by the greater good for everyone involved. We often don’t develop that level of confidence until well into our careers, if ever. Lastly, I love that I can learn from Maggie just as much as she can learn from me.

Why do you serve as a preceptor/mentor MSHM students?

This is my first year as a preceptor. We were interested in developing an internship program; however, when my colleague Jairus Johnson (MSHM Alumni) connected with April Grudi for guidance in support of our plan she proposed that we take part in the MSHM placement pool. Knowing the outstanding outputs associated with the program, it was a no-brainer to take advantage of the opportunity. At the end of the day, my hope is that I can share a healthcare-based experience that is a little out of the norm from what everyone thinks of when they consider a pathway into Healthcare.

Favorite Quote: 

“Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or conclude you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” —Colin Powell