Despite the fact that Rob Rosenbaum, FACHE, has been in the healthcare field for more than 30 years, it wasn’t originally the career he planned.

“I got into healthcare in a funny way; while I was an undergrad biology major at Vassar College, I learned electron microscopy, but I began to get cold feet thinking about spending six years in a masters’ program to study deep sea amoeba,” he explained. “I decided to take a year off and use the skills I’d developed.”

Rosenbaum took a job as an electron microscopy histologist in the pathology department at Boston Children’s Hospital, and realized he’d found his calling.

“It was so exciting to be in an environment where everyone was there for a common purpose; we were all there for the patients, from the physicians, to the nurses, to the housekeeping staff to the guy cutting slides,” he said. “I realized that getting into this field meant more than punching a timeclock.

“Sometimes the work was heartbreaking,” he said of his role analyzing specimens to see if there were ultrastructural markers for cancer, “but I loved it.”

Rosenbaum brings this same passion to his current role as Center Manager at Miami Gardens for ChenMed, an organization that delivers concierge-style medicine to the neediest populations—moderate-to-low income seniors with complex chronic diseases.

Though only in this position for the past two months, he is excited about the possibilities.

“I’ve always worked for traditional healthcare models, so I’m thrilled to be taking part in a primary care value-based practice that only treats Medicare Advantage patients,” he said. “The company’s ambition is to become America’s leading primary care provider, and it’s exciting to be in a growing organization that’s doing such great things for patients.”

Before taking the position at ChenMed, Rosenbaum served as the vice president of operations and COO of Vassar Brothers Medical Center, and as a regional administrator at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

“Working in an acute care hospital center like Dartmouth, I faced a lot of challenges from a reimbursement perspective; for 30 years, I had to do more with less,” he said. “Now I’m part of an organization that is revolutionizing healthcare, and it’s a tremendous opportunity, especially in the middle of my career, to be learning something new and to be a part of something significant.”

Rosenbaum is also happy to have relocated to South Florida, and was especially pleased to discover that it has a strong, active ACHE chapter.

“I became a student member of ACHE when I attended the University of Michigan, and became a diplomate and later a fellow,” said the board-certified healthcare executive. “It’s always been an amazing organization for continuing education and networking, and this was especially important to me when I moved here because I didn’t know anyone professionally.”

Rosenbaum volunteered to review the organization’s bylaws and improve the board manual, which provided him access to committee chairs. “It was a great way to help the organization and meet people from all over South Florida who were active in healthcare organizations,” he said.

“At this time in my career, it’s all about networking, though it’s an absolute bonus that the group also offers incredible educational panels,” he added. “And everyone has been so supportive.”