School of Public Health

MHA Alumnus of the Year

August 21, 2014 • Uncategorized

SPH names Kent Palmore as MHA Alumnus of the Year:
Honored for developing student internships with Baylor Scott & White Health

Dr. Nuha Lackan with Kent Palmore, MHA Alumnus of the Year
As a Master of Health Administration (MHA) student completing his final steps toward School of Public Health (SPH) graduation in 2013, Kent Palmore interned with Baylor Scott & White Health (BS&W), Dallas, and immediately saw an opportunity to help other UNT Health Science Center (UNTHSC) MHA students find their internships.

When Palmore graduated and was hired as Outcomes Data Analyst for the Office of Patient Centeredness at BS&W, his ideas came to fruition, and as an alumnus, he has since developed and led a mutually beneficial partnership between his employer and UNTHSC.

Palmore’s brainstorming with BS&W leadership has resulted in four UNTHSC internships so far, involving graduate students in what he calls “meaningful and actionable” projects that help them sharpen their skills, focus on areas of special interest, gain hands-on health leadership experience, and work on real-world business challenges.

For his innovative work in this area, Palmore was recently named as “MHA Alumnus of the Year” by the SPH. The award was presented by Dr. Nuha Lackan, Associate Professor of Health Management and Policy, and Director of the MHA program, at a reception celebrating the program’s new accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), recognized as the standard of excellence in healthcare management education since 1968.

“I see my role as both a liaison between BS&W leadership and UNTHSC MHA interns and as an advocate for the students, to ensure they achieve what they hope to gain from their experience,” Palmore said. “It made a difference for me, and hopefully will for them as well.”