By Brandi Wylie ’24
Many students concentrating on pre-medicine at Wofford College have plans of working on the clinical side of healthcare. John Harrington ’23 is exploring the administrative side as well.
Harrington, a biology major from Houston, Texas, spent Interim studying at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. He split time between the health system’s Spartanburg Medical Center and Pelham Medical Center campuses.
“I served as John’s mentor, and we created a schedule for him that included time with more than 15 leaders in our organization responsible for areas as diverse as oncological and cardiac services to environmental and food services,” says Phil Feisal, Spartanburg Medical Center’s president, who also is a Wofford adjunct professor of government and international affairs. “John was universally liked. He made an incredible and lasting impression on every staff member he encountered.”
Most of Harrington’s work during the Interim course was observational, shadowing various people within the hospital system. The coursework consisted of reflection prompts in which he would think about then write on his experiences in hospitals.
Harrington says he was able to fully see how different aspects of a hospital come together to provide the best care for patients.
“When you’re an administrator, you’re taking care of the community,” Harrington says. “I want to interact on a personal level because the doctors are interacting personally with the patients, but I also want to have a say in the administrative side and how the hospitals run. I want to have a more innovative, community-based impact.”
Clinical providers, including physicians and nurses, are often recognized as being lifesavers, but Harrington experienced how behind-the-scenes work is just as vital. He witnessed how hospital executives consistently checked in on staff working in environmental, food and transportation services to emphasize how their work saves lives.
Harrington will spend the summer studying for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in preparation for medical school. He also plans to pursue an MBA to support his interest in healthcare administration.
Harrington is a defensive back on the Wofford football team, and he volunteers with many community organizations, including Halcyon Hospice and iCAN Spartanburg, a mentorship program that pairs Wofford students with Spartanburg County high school students preparing for college.