From 2010 MA Graduate to Office Manager: Jalisa Brown – An Alumni Profile in Success

By Professor Jonathan Howle

When 2010 Plaza College graduate Jalisa Brown was a student in my LL254 class, I knew there was something very special about her.
She was never absent; she was never late. She never missed a deadline, and even turned in her drafts early. Every assignment she submitted was of an extraordinary caliber. Not surprisingly, she earned a high ‘A’ on her portfolio. (Oh, and did I mention she was 5, 6, and 7 months pregnant throughout our course, which was held in the summer?)

As it turns out, Ms. Brown was just getting started. Since Ms. Brown was highly successful in her externship, Career Services Director Dori Rubin set her up for an interview with SUNY Downstate Hospital. In a short span of time, Ms. Brown was promoted from receptionist, to Medical Assistant, and ultimately to Orthopedic Office Manager.

Mr. Carlo Crucero, Ms. Brown’s supervisor at SUNY Downstate, was impressed with her from the beginning.

“From the first day, she picked up billing and customer service. She’d also check in patients. She worked with doctors in many locations. She showed amazing skills,” Mr. Crucero said.

Always focused and concentrating, Jalisa Brown is a true profile in alumni success.

Recently, Ms. Brown was promoted once again! Beginning in April 2012, she will now manage her own office, a brand new office at Long Island College Hospital.

“I was given more responsibility. I now manage my very own office. I deal with patients head on. I handle the registration of these patients. I verify insurance, deal with medical payments, billing and coding, handle and deposit the department’s money. I also interview possible employees and externship students,” Ms. Brown said.

Ms. Brown is very grateful to Director Rubin for connecting her with SUNY Downstate in the first place. On a daily basis, she draws upon the skills and techniques she learned in courses such as Medical Billing & Coding, Medical Terminology, and Interpersonal Communications.
Moreover, she says, “Plaza prepared me for this job from the very beginning of my journey in 2008. I was taught many skills and traits such as learning how to deal with patients with a language barrier, not to mention billing and medical procedures. I have been able to apply all these skills to my current position.”

To Plaza’s current MA students who wish to follow in Ms. Brown’s footsteps, she offers some very helpful advice.

Jalisa Brown (l.) with her supervisor Carlo Crucero. Mr. Crucero employs several Plaza College alumni at SUNY Downstate Hospital.

“MA students need to remember that when they are on externship it is time to utilize their skills as much as possible while in that office. If you know you can draw blood really well, offer to help with blood draw. And if dealing with billing is your thing, ask questions about billing. Ask as many questions as possible. This is a learning experience. Shadow the doctor when you get the chance. And make sure you learn as much as you can. The skills you learn on your externship can carry you so much further in the medical field. If you show how much you are eager to learn and how dedicated you are to your field, you might be offered a job at your externship,” Ms. Brown advised.

However, as Ms. Brown mentioned, the course LL51 (Interpersonal Communications) also taught her some valuable lessons about professionalism.

“After going on an interview, you should follow up a few days after the interview. I say this because this shows the company that you are really interested in that position. I advise everyone to send a ‘thank you’ letter or email, thanking the interviewer for their time they had to take to interview you. I did this after my interview at Downstate, and this helped me land the job!”

Quite often, the potential students show at Plaza College really indicates what is to come once they graduate.

“There is something about her. She takes initiative. Her initiative gets her places. If she sees something is wrong, she fixes it. She is very quick with instructions. She just shines,” Mr. Crucero said.

Three Plaza College alumni have found great success at SUNY Downstate: Matthew LaSalle (l.), Jalisa Brown (c.), and Christopher Noria (r.).