Her Story
About Tiffany
My career in healthcare began in 1999 when I started working in direct patient care in the surgical center, where I spent about 15 years as an operating room assistant. From there, I moved into management roles, specifically in supply chain management for the perioperative department. My career continued to evolve as I took on administrative roles in the Department of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Each transition in my career was tied to my educational advancement - my undergraduate degree, my graduate degree, and eventually my doctorate. In 2017, I made a significant shift into academia, which has allowed me more flexibility and family time compared to healthcare. Today, I teach primarily at the graduate level, though I do some undergraduate teaching as well. Most of my teaching is online, which means my students are spread all over the country, and some are even deployed. Healthcare law has become my niche - it's what I've done the most work in at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and I've even written an open educational textbook for the fundamentals of healthcare law. I also teach some HR, marketing, and quality courses. My typical day isn't like a traditional teacher's because of the online format. Beyond teaching, I spend a lot of time on career counseling, resume review, and overall mentoring of my students. Mentoring is really a lifetime commitment for me - even after students graduate, they continue to call me, keep in touch, ask for letters of recommendation, and seek advice on their career paths. So my day-to-day involves not just my current students, but also touching base with students I've had throughout my career.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tiffany
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my father, who instilled a strong work ethic in me. He always used to say, 'you gotta get that piece of paper' - in other words, you need an education - because he always felt like that was what he was lacking in his life. Unfortunately, he passed away before I got the chance to graduate, so I just kept getting pieces of paper. That drive he gave me to pursue education and work hard has been the foundation of everything I've accomplished.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
When I first got into management, I had a nursing director who told me, 'you win more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.' She explained that if someone needs to take off to go see their kid in a play, they're more likely to work for you later if you need them to, if you're a little flexible. I've always carried that with me - that rather than being a dictator, it's more about being compassionate and caring for the people, being fair, and trying to work with people's lives, because everybody has a life outside of work. That was the best advice I got: you win more people with honey than you do with vinegar.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Find a female mentor. That would be my number one piece of advice. I've had male mentors in the past, and they just can't explain what the pathway looks like the way that a female mentor can. They can tell you the obstacles and barriers that females will face, but men can't do that for you. Those female mentors can be really influential in your life and can make a difference.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my personal life, family comes first, of course. Being kind and being empathetic are also very important to me. In my work, I value collaboration, though I'm also really good as an independent worker. I feel like there's no wrong answer when we're brainstorming - everybody throws things out there, and whatever sticks to the wall is kind of what we explore. I also value fairness, trustworthiness, and transparency in my professional life.
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