HCA alum follows passion into career in health care
Friday, November 5, 2021
Media Contact: Sara Plummer | Communications Coordinator | 918-561-1282 | sara.plummer@okstate.edu
Health care doesn’t just mean doctors and nurses, it’s a huge field that includes a vast array of responsibilities and careers.
Matthew Yelle knew from a young age he wanted to pursue a career in health care since most of his family works in that field — he just wasn’t sure where to focus since there were so many options.
“It wasn’t until I shadowed the chief operating officer of a local hospital that I set my eyes on health care administration. I love having the opportunity to assist in providing care to the public. It’s a great feeling knowing you are making a difference in people’s lives, even if it isn’t directly,” Yelle said. “Most people don’t think of administrators when they think of patient care, however the daily operations and the behind-the-scenes work help other providers and staff to administer the care needed to patients.”
Yelle, an alumnus of the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences’ School of Health Care Administration, said the HCA program exceeded all his expectations.
“From the courses to the faculty, everything was a great fit. The smaller class sizes made for a very engaged learning environment. All my professors were very involved in the learning process. They were always available for any questions or when I needed some extra time spent on certain topics,” he said.
HCA courses at OSU-CHS are offered online or in person, and Yelle originally scheduled primarily in-person courses, but COVID-19 changed that plan. And while it presented challenges, it also offered benefits.
“Having the ability to work at your own pace throughout the semester was very helpful. I think both in-person and online degree options have their own benefits and challenges, but both options here at OSU-CHS give students the best chance at success.”
After graduating in May 2021, Yelle was hired as the practice manager for the Behavioral Medicine Clinic in Tulsa. At the clinic, which is part of OSU Medicine, he works on clinic staff oversight, expenditures and overall clinic workflow.
“My HCA degree definitely prepared me for my current role in health care. From the leadership courses to the accounting and financing course work, my HCA degree gave me the foundation to succeed in my career,” Yelle said. “The HCA program did a great job providing different real-world situations the students would have to place themselves in in order to come up with a solution. This allowed me to develop my critical thinking skills as well as providing me an insight into what the real world would look like as a health care administrator.”
Since graduating, Yelle has taken part in OSU Medicine 411 talking about the HCA program and his time at OSU-CHS with high school students interested in a career in health care.
“I love being able to share my experiences with incoming students. I am grateful for the opportunity to provide some insight to assist in the transitioning process from high school to college,” he said. “OSU-CHS changed my life. The Health Care Administration program helped me achieve my dreams, and I enjoy any chance I have to give back to the program, university or perspective students.