Become a Healthcare Systems Engineering Sponsor Today! | NC State ISE

Savvy healthcare companies always want to do more with less and maximize opportunities. Whether cutting costs, streamlining processes or ramping up production to meet demand, many of these innovative companies invest in a healthcare systems engineering project to solve these challenges.

The NC State Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) Healthcare Systems Engineering Specialization Program (HSESP) is an opportunity to complete a short-term project and meet potential new employees. You can hire one or more of the students who worked on the project because they are already trained and are ready to dive in.

To help you better understand, We have provided guidelines for:

• What the process entails
• What to expect from our student team
• What we want to see from you, our sponsor
• What the schedule for the project will be
• What possible agreements are needed
• What the time commitment will be
• Exploring past projects.

What to Expect from Your Student Team

You can expect your student team to give their best effort, communicate well, and act professionally. Throughout the semester, an ISE faculty member will mentor them to ensure their success. The project will begin with the student team’s detailed project proposal.

Good communication is key to any successful project. For this reason, the student team will regularly contact you with updates. They will also provide interim reports to keep you informed about their progress.

The project will end with a final report and a presentation delivered to you by the student team. When appropriate, they may offer additional materials related to the project. The students will carry out the project and play a critical role in its success.

Their roles will vary depending on the project’s needs. In some cases, they may support a larger improvement effort. In others, they may lead a specific initiative. No matter the role, students will work as part of a team that includes hospital or health personnel.

Part of their learning experience will include working in a multidisciplinary environment. This collaboration ensures they gain valuable skills while contributing to meaningful improvements in health systems.

What We Want to See From Our Sponsors

We ask that you assign a point of contact for your student team. This contact person should communicate with the team by email, phone or video conference for about 1–2 hours each week. They should also be available to answer questions and provide guidance on project tasks and outcomes. At the end of the project, this person will evaluate the team’s performance using a grade sheet we provide.

To get started, work with us to define the project scope and desired outcomes. We recommend submitting your project 60–90 days before the semester begins. This timeline gives your team enough time to create a detailed project description. Once we receive your submission, a faculty leader will contact you to discuss the next steps.

The sponsoring organization must agree on the project scope and commit to mentoring and support as outlined in the project charter. As part of this process, your organization “gifts” $2,000 to the NC State Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. This contribution directly supports the Health Systems Engineering Program and ensures the success of your sponsored project.

Possible Agreements

Sometimes a hospital requires an agreement between their institution and NC State University. This process can take six to eight weeks. Therefore, if an agreement is necessary, it should be resolved before the start of the spring semester (typically the second week of January.) Additionally, any other approvals related to the project must be secured before the semester starts.

The Time Commitment

As a project sponsor, you can expect the student team to devote up to 150 hours each to the project. This totals 450 hours for a team of three students from the start of class to the last day. Most students have lighter class loads on Fridays but should not miss other classes or coursework. These class responsibilities may limit student travel.

Any travel, room and board costs related to the project will be covered by the Certificate Program. These costs are not the sponsor’s responsibility, the sponsoring health care institution or the student.