Dr. Roger Poitras is the CEO of Intermed, one of the largest healthcare providers in Maine. In his 36-year work history, he has experience in multiple facets of the healthcare world – both supporting the physician enterprise and within the health system itself. His administrative experience includes finance, operations, strategic planning, and executive leadership, and he has served in various…

Autumn Straw is the Director for the Graduate Programs in Social Work in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies here at the University of New England. In this post, she talks about the importance of mentors, her experience with changing careers within the field of social work, and what skills are most important for a social work career.  Can…

Healthcare informatics influences healthcare delivery, management, and planning, with the goal of improving clinical outcomes, lowering the cost of care, and bettering the patient and provider experience. It is the interdisciplinary study of the design, development, and application of technology-based healthcare innovations. Health informatics is known by several different names. The field is also popularly referred to as clinical informatics,…

The best thing about a self-paced program is that it is self-paced. That’s also the worst thing about online learning. You’re a working professional, and odds are, you’ve worked from home before. Studying at home, just like working from home, is wonderful, convenient, and comfortable. It’s also easy to get off track. 6 strategies for success in online graduate classes…

Emily Voss has taken several prerequisite courses at UNE Online during the course of her journey to become a doctor. She is currently a small business owner and photographer and has owned her photography business for nearly 10 years. In this post, Emily talks about how she contemplated getting into the medical field and has found UNE’s courses to have…

Healthcare administration career options are plentiful for graduates of UNE’s Master of Healthcare Administration program. This post covers potential career options for MHA degree holders, earnings projections, expanding demand for MHA graduates, and options for earning your MHA at UNE Online. Healthcare administration is a rapidly growing field, and the demand for medical and health service managers remains high. The…

Seth Abdallah is a student enrolled in the prerequisite courses at UNE Online. He is currently in graduate school to earn his Master of Public Health, and is taking SPHP courses at UNE Online in order to enter a Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Here, he discusses his motivation to get his DPT, his passion for neurology, and the flexibility…

‘Meet our Team’ spotlights are just one way we like to share a little bit about the people who are dedicated to the University of New England’s Online signature student-centric experience. What do you do here at UNE Online? I am a Student Service Advisor in the Science Prerequisites for Health Professions program. What stands out to you with the…

Christine Wirsen graduated from the Master of Social Work Program in December 2020. In this post, she talks about how she got interested in Social Work, how she overcame some significant challenges, and how she is putting her MSW to work to move her career forward. Can you tell us about yourself and what encouraged you to pursue your MSW?…

Online learning can be an ideal way to pursue higher education while shuffling the many demands of life, work, and personal circumstances. Here at UNE, we offer many online learning programs, including the science and math prerequisite courses. These courses are designed for students who need prerequisite courses in order to complete their graduate school application. Beyond the convenience of…

Casey Allen Galey has served in the U.S. Army for over 18 years, and among other honors and awards is the recipient of a Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, three Bronze Star Medals, four Good Conduct Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medal, Humanitarian Assistance Award, and Combat Infantryman’s Badge. As a former 18D (Special Forces Medical Sergeant), he…

Every MPH student must complete a practice experience, but finding a practicum site can be a challenge. In this post, Dr. Titilola Balogun to discuss best practices in finding a practicum site that fits your professional goals. Begin with the end in mind The number one piece of advice when thinking about your practicum placement is to think about what…

Online communication can be complicated. In order to help students and instructors, here are a few tried-and-true tactics and tips for communicating efficiently and successfully via technology. Each instructor has their own individual preferences about the following guidelines, so when in doubt, ask your instructor about their online communication preferences. We’re all on the same team Instructors want their students…

Developing a time management plan is important because grad school is a serious time commitment, and a written time management plan or study schedule template will help you balance the demands on your time. The majority of UNE Online students have full-time jobs in addition to their coursework – so in order to fit everything in, time must be handled…

It is important to recognize that the online classroom is, in fact, a classroom, and certain behaviors are expected when you communicate with both your peers and your instructors. Writing will be your primary means of communication in your online courses. You may be assigned videos and screencast presentation projects on occasion, but these mediums will also expect you to…

Research has shown that establishing personal links through networking can give you a professional boost. Networking activities are a key tool for strengthening your position in your field and have proven to have tangibly positive career implications for participants. In this post, you will find tips for networking for success, how to build your networking skills, and how to put…

Assessment is a guarantee of quality. At the heart of it, assessment is a simple concept: It is about being able to measure the results of student learning to make sure that we are delivering on our promises of educational excellence. Recently I spoke with Dr. Richard Parent, UNE Online’s former Director of Assessment, about the role of Assessment as…

Online office hours are one of the most powerful resources in an instructor-led learning environment. This post is an overview of what to expect during office hours, why office hours are an important aspect of online graduate education, and how to prepare for a session.  We encourage you to reach out right from the beginning of your course and make…

A Certified Nutrition Specialist is an advanced nutrition professional who is proficient in science-based advanced medical nutrition therapy, education, and research. Certified Nutrition Specialists (CNS) are in demand Increased awareness of the need for proper nutrition has created an increase in demand for skilled nutrition professionals such as Certified Nutrition Specialists. A CNS not only provides care for patients with…

Tracy Hirst is the Director of Social Services at a nursing home in Maine. Here, she talks about how the UNE Online SOS field experience model has given the skills that help in her day-to-day job and has also allowed her to gain skills to advance her career. Can you tell us about yourself and what encouraged you to pursue…

Ashley Bennink is living in Spain, and working as a professor of Linguistics at the University of Oviedo in Asturias, Spain. She is taking online science prerequisite courses at UNE Online to get into Physician Assistant (PA) school, in order to eventually change professions and become a PA. Here, she talks about why she chose UNE, how her classes are…

This post covers the topic of healthcare analytics and explores questions such as ‘What is healthcare analytics?’ – ‘How does healthcare analytics improve the quality of patient outcomes?’ – ‘How does healthcare analytics improve diagnoses?’ …and more – all related to healthcare and big data.  What is healthcare analytics? Healthcare analytics transforms data into actionable insights. It is the process…

The University of New England is excited to present a brand new pathway for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) to earn their Master of Science in Applied Nutrition (MSAN) 100% online. Current RDNs will now be eligible to earn their master’s degree more quickly than the traditional pathway. Provide your RDN license, earn your MSAN more quickly This new accelerated pathway…

A successful graduate school application requires that you put your best foot forward. Here, Director of Online Admissions, Nicole Lindsay,  highlights four types of mistakes that she sees on a regular basis, and how to avoid them.  1. Don’t use personal references Think about what UNE is trying to achieve through this application process. The application committee is trying to…