Whenever there’s a job opening, hiring managers always look for candidates who will provide skills and help the organization grow. But what job seekers may not realize is that they should also be looking for a company that will help them grow—both personally and professionally. That’s one way Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan stands out from the crowd. Whether it’s with an intern or a full-time employee, Blue Cross prioritizes personal growth. Just look at former intern Jennifer Addo. Addo, who graduated from the University of Michigan in 2012, interned with Blue Cross during her junior year and already had a deep interest in public health. Before even starting her internship, she had gone on trips to Ghana, where her parents are originally from, and worked in the hospitals there. After her experiences abroad and her internship, Addo’s passion for public health only grew. She is now a third-year medical student at Indiana University’s School of Medicine-Northwest and will soon begin a nine-month program to earn her Master’s in Public Health from Harvard University. Moving forward in her career, Addo hopes to improve the healthcare conditions of unsupported urban populations and bring an end to various health disparities. Addo also wants to focus on three main areas of interest: Medicare, Medicaid and women’s health issues. From there she hopes to use her public health background to address the wellness of entire communities and underserved populations like small racial/ethnic groups and people in low socioeconomic statuses. “Public health gets to be more community-based,” said Addo in an interview with Indiana University Northwest. “I can help individuals, but I can also see how I can better the health of a whole group of people together.” Wondering how else Blue Cross Blue Shield employees have advanced their careers? Check out these blogs:
- How One Blue Cross Employee Earned a College Degree While Working Full Time
- “I Couldn’t Image Working Anywhere Else!”
- Blue Care Network Employees Go Beyond the Call of Duty for One Another
Photo credit: jasleen_kaur
