University of Michigan Health recently expanded its reach in Southeast Michigan by acquiring Michigan Reproductive Medicine, a private infertility and reproductive endocrinology practice. Now operating as the U-M Health Center for Reproductive Medicine at Bloomfield Hills, the clinic has been successfully integrated with the university’s academic medical center.
At the heart of this transition is Jackie Main Petlicki, Administrative Manager for the Center for Reproductive Medicine and a current Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc) student at the George Washington University. In late 2025, Petlicki and her team were honored at the Michigan Medicine Strategic Priorities leadership meeting for their work on the acquisition. Petlicki credits the success to a blend of academic rigor and strong mentorship.
“Integrating a private practice into an academic setting was rewarding,” Petlicki shared. “My team provided the resources to launch the site, while my supervisor acted as a ‘beacon,’ guiding us through transitions and troubleshooting. It was a strategic investment in the growth and well-being of the overall structure to expand access and reinforce a statewide system of high quality patient-centered services to our community,” said Petlicki.
“The embodiment of leaders is being able to ebb and flow through all four leadership frames to accomplish your goals.”
Petlicki’s ability to confidently manage this complex integration was bolstered by her studies at GW. She applied various courses and several core "leadership frames"–symbolic, structural, human resources, and political–to navigate the needs of diverse stakeholders and collectively move forward on their commitment to patient access.
The GW Doctor of Health Sciences program emphasizes authentic learning, meaning that the skills, research, and projects are immediately applicable to where the student is professionally located and heading. In the Academic and Clinical Leadership in the Health Professions course, students learn how to think strategically and align goals and resources to prepare health care professionals to serve as effective providers. In the Interprofessional Collaboration in Practice course, students focus on communication and flexible leadership strategies and the impact of interprofessional practice on health delivery practices and outcomes.
Skip Gill, DSc, PT, a professor at GW, noted Petlicki’s impressive ability to apply her coursework to real-world challenges: "Jackie successfully tackled leadership hurdles within a large healthcare system by tying her acquisition experience directly into her assignments."
Petlicki earned a Master of Science in Administration concentrating in General Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelors of Science in Business Retail with a cognate in Health Promotions through the Department of Kinesiology from Michigan State University. She has taught at the University of Phoenix and managed various healthcare facilities before transitioning to the Administrative Manager at the Center for Reproductive Medicine at University of Michigan in 2018.
“In my research, I'm exploring strategies for supporting patients navigating infertility. The data is incredibly rich and reflective.”
As she nears her graduation, Petlicki is focusing her doctoral research on patient communication and support during pregnancy loss. Her current qualitative study explores best practices for healthcare providers practicing in Reproductive, Endocrinology and Infertility clinics in assisting patients through pregnancy loss during the first-trimester.
Petlicki will graduate from the GW Doctor of Health Sciences Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education program in May 2026.