Rosa Schiro, CFO IGEA Brain, Spine, & Orthopedics
How long you've been in the role and what past jobs/experiences led up to this role:
I accidentally ended up in medical. I had been a SAHM running my husband’s business and raising my children for the last 20 years when I decided to dip my toe back into the career pool. I was working part time at an accounting firm across the street from my sons’ school and wanted to start looking for a full-time position because my boys would be starting high school soon and I wanted to stay busy. When I was initially offered the position of accounting manager at IGEA I was reluctant because I knew nothing about medical but as I someone close to me said “1+1 will always equal 2” so I took the plunge. Within a year I was promoted to Controller and last year I was also put in charge of overseeing our billing and promoted to CFO.
Number of clinical MDs, researchers, total faculty; size of Department(s) Our total on site staff is 53 FTE. We have outsourced our call center and billing. Our clinical staff consists of: 3 Neurosurgeons, 2 Endovascular Neurosurgeons, 2 Pain Doctors, 1 Ortho, 1 Neurologist, 1 Neuropsychologist, 1 Audiologist, 3 Physician Assistants and 3 Nurse Practitioners.
Your favorite parts of the job: Learning something new every day.
What you’ve struggled with or had success with during COVID this year: I was able to keep our entire staff employed during covid. Not one employee was furloughed!
How has NERVES helped you with the struggles or successes? When I first started at IGEA, one of the doctors told me to sign up for NERVES—I had no idea what NERVES was at the time. I just attended my first conference in Philadelphia! I like having a place to go for answers from people with similar situations.
Some personal info if you’d be willing to share (significant other, children, pets, hobbies, etc). My husband and I met during my junior year in college and we just celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary. We have 2 sets of twins-24 yo girls one just received her master’s in molecular biology and is applying to medical school and the other is the mother to my grandson Luca. My 18 yo boys just graduated from high school and will be attending UPitt pursuing a double major in biology and premed and the other will attend Fordham Gabelli School of Business also pursuing a double major in Finance and International Business.
Rosa, what a great story! Thanks for sharing it with the NERVES group. You have definitely had a busy life with work and TWO sets of twins!! I'm so glad to hear that your entry into the neurosurgery finance field was not only "do-able" but apparently, you are fantastic at it. Thanks for being a part of this amazing group. I look forward to seeing you on the list-serve and at upcoming meetings.