Columbia VA Fellow Wins First Place at National Healthcare Leadership Conference

“It was a surreal experience,” Maguina said. “I was proud of myself, and mostly excited to bring back a win for the great work we do at the Columbia VA Health Care System.”

Maguina, a Graduate Healthcare Administration Fellow, recently earned first place for her presentation at the American College of Healthcare Executives Congress in Houston, Texas. The recognition placed her project among the top presentations in the nation among interns and fellows in the VA’s Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program (GHATP).

“Melissa’s first-place recognition is an outstanding achievement and reflects the culture of excellence at the Columbia VA Health Care System,” said Jeffrey Soots, Acting Executive Director/CEO. “Projects like hers demonstrate how our teams are using data, collaboration, and innovation to modernize processes, strengthen accountability, and ultimately improve the care we provide to Veterans.” 

Maguina’s presentation focused on optimizing radiology ordering practices within primary care. The project examined ways to decrease non-essential X-ray orders while reinforcing evidence-based imaging practices and strengthening provider accountability.

“Melissa’s project addresses a challenge facing radiology departments across the country — the increasing demand for imaging at a time when many systems are experiencing staffing shortages,” said Jacquette Caldwell, Chief of Radiology at the Columbia VA Health Care System. “By promoting evidence-based ordering practices and reducing unnecessary imaging, her work helps ensure Veterans receive timely care while also improving efficiency across the system. It was a pleasure working with Melissa — her professionalism, attention to detail, and dedication made this an outstanding project.”

The idea for the project emerged from recurring operational discussions.

“Seeing the challenges appear during morning report with Radiology and Community Care related to X-ray orders and consults made me realize there was an opportunity to take action,” she said.

Her presentation analyzed historical ordering patterns and introduced interventions supported by real data rather than projected outcomes.

“It was data-driven and included tangible intervention data,” Maguina said. “That helped demonstrate how changes could improve efficiency and align with the VA’s priorities.”

Several conference judges and attendees also noted how the project aligned with the department’s broader focus on modernization and standardization. The competition was part of the VA’s GHATP conference activities, where fellows from across the country present projects addressing healthcare leadership challenges.

Maguina was one of 42 fellows/interns in the 2025–2026 cohort. After submitting project abstracts and presentation recordings, competitors first underwent regional judging by medical center directors. Finalists then advanced to a national round judged by program leaders who previously completed the training program.

Ten finalists were selected to present at the national level, with only three recognized as winners. Presenting in front of 400 healthcare leaders from across the country made the experience even more meaningful at the VA Symposium.

“The atmosphere was professionally inspiring,” Maguina said. “Standing in front of my cohort, along with senior executive leaders across facilities, VISNs, and national program offices, was motivating and made me realize the potential of where my career could go one day.” Maguina credits strong collaboration across departments for the success of the project.

Leadership from radiology and primary care helped guide the initiative and ensure meaningful implementation. She also highlighted the support she received from facility leadership throughout the process.

“Leadership support played a big role in my success,” she said. “Radiology is a top priority for our Executive Leadership Team, and their support helped ensure consistency and progress.”

She also praised the work of frontline teams who continue to prioritize Veterans’ care.

“Our primary care providers and staff do amazing work and ensure our Veterans are always put first,” she said.

Before entering the training program, Maguina’s career path began in education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Florida International University and later completed a master’s degree in medical education from Nova Southeastern University.

She spent time teaching high school biology and working in corporate academics at a nonprofit healthcare organization before discovering the Graduate Healthcare Administration Training Program.

“I fell into it unexpectedly,” she said. “I wanted to expand my skillset and applied for the program.”

The one-year fellowship allows fellows and interns to rotate through multiple service lines to better understand healthcare operations.

“Rotations across different service lines are key,” Maguina said. “It’s important to understand how each department works before identifying challenges and developing solutions.”

Maguina will complete the training program in June and hopes to continue building her career in healthcare administration.

“I’m interested in strengthening my knowledge across hospital administration service lines that support the entire system,” she said.

She also believes the work she presented could extend beyond the Columbia facility.

“Many comments were made that we could scale this project nationally,” Maguina said. “I would love to be part of a regional team to implement it in the future.”

Throughout the project, she said one priority remained clear. 

“The Veterans were the center of my project,” Maguina said. “Everything I did revolved around ensuring timely access and quality of care for them.”

For more information about what’s going on at the Columbia VA medical center, clinic locations, and other services available to Veterans in and around Columbia, visit the website https://www.va.gov/columbia-south-carolina-health-care/ and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, keyword: VAColumbiaSC.