"More Guts Than Brains" — Resilience, Reinvention, and Lifelong Learning with MGMA Fellow Pat Kroken
Download MP3On this episode of the MGMA Insights Podcast, host and senior editor Daniel Williams has a wide‑ranging conversation with Pat Kroken — MGMA Fellow, healthcare communications leader, and competitive powerlifter — about resilience, career reinvention, and the unexpected paths that shape leadership in healthcare.
From books and community learning to recovering from a life‑altering injury and competing on the world stage, Pat shares stories and lessons that resonate far beyond titles or job descriptions.
From books and community learning to recovering from a life‑altering injury and competing on the world stage, Pat shares stories and lessons that resonate far beyond titles or job descriptions.
Episode Takeaways
- A lifelong love of reading can become a professional advantage — especially when paired with community discussion and shared perspectives, as seen in the MGMA Book Club.
- Careers in healthcare don’t always begin with a plan — sometimes they begin with a phone call, transferable skills, and the willingness to say yes.
- MGMA involvement at the state and national levels can accelerate learning, expand professional networks, and open leadership opportunities early in a healthcare career.
- The FACMPE provides structure, credibility, and confidence — particularly for professionals entering healthcare from other industries.
- Resilience is often learned through adversity; trusting the process can be essential when navigating injury, recovery, or major life transitions.
- Strength training and competitive powerlifting taught discipline, risk‑taking, and mental toughness that translated directly into leadership and career growth.
- Community learning — whether through book discussions or professional associations — offers insights and perspectives that individual study alone cannot provide.
- Pushing personal limits, even without a clear end goal, can unlock opportunities and capabilities you never imagined possible.
Related Resources
- Connect with Pat on LinkedIn
- USA Powerlifting (USAPL) - the organization Pat competed with
- The Resilience Factor by Karen Reivich, PhD, and Andrew Shatté, PhD
- MGMA Book Club
- FACMPE certification
- MGMA Podcast Network
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