Senior Caitlin Spicer's simple email request led to a personal interview with Cleveland Clinic President and CEO Dr. Tomislav Mihaljevic in his office at the
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| NOW THIS IS NETWORKING: Senior Caitlin Spicer and Cleveland Clinic President and CEO Dr. Tomislav Mihaljevic meet for an interview in his office at the Clinic's main campus. |
Clinic's main campus.
Caitlin reached out to Dr. Mihaljevic as a follow-up to her creative learning internship at the Clinic this summer. She is among 11 NDCL students—an all-time record—selected by the Clinic for its prestigious and competitive internship program this summer.
"My mentor encouraged me to contact Dr. Mihaljevic as part of the research for a book we're writing on the minority men's health fair sponsored by the Clinic," Caitlin explained. "I really didn't expect anything to come of it, but then his assistant contacted me to schedule an interview."
Caitlin and another intern met with Dr. Mihaljevic on August 21. Both were understandably nervous to meet with the man who leads an international healthcare system with an $8 billion annual budget and more than 50,000 employees, but Dr. Mihaljevic quickly put them at ease.
"When I was your age, people opened doors for me. I thought I would return the favor," he said.
Caitlin sees the interview and internship as important pieces in her unfolding plan for the future.
"These experiences opened my eyes to the many possibilities of careers in the medical field. I’m not sure what direction I will pursue, but it is amazing to have the opportunity to experience the options," she said.