Photo Courtesy: Oli Shaw
If you are interested in advancing within the healthcare field, a healthcare MBA can help you accomplish your goals. While providing you with the knowledge necessary to manage health service organizations, these programs also provide you with practical skills that will give you an edge in the field.
A Growing Trend
One of the hottest employment trends currently, people with healthcare MBAs are in high demand. Companies are currently seeking MBAs to fill key positions, and there aren’t enough qualified people currently in the field to fill the roles. Being one of the few industries expanding the workforce, you can count on finding a job in the healthcare field.
Lucrative Positions
The most lucrative positions for people with a healthcare MBA go to administrators and directors. A hospital administrator can expect to earn about $112,000 a year, and a director of program management will enjoy a healthy salary of $89,000. From practice managers to healthcare consultants, MBAs in the healthcare field will earn a healthy income while enjoying a job helping other people.
Changing Requirements
Historically, healthcare organizations looked at clinical experience first, and then they considered the business acumen of an applicant. In the era of changing healthcare, administrators are now looking at business skills first. They recognize that a person with the right business skills will be better at managing costs, controlling rising expenses and keeping the organization running in the black.
Necessary Skills
Organizations look for key skills in their managers and administrators. While clinical experience is a plus, they are really interested in people who are skilled in finance, marketing and business development. Experience in management is highly desirable, and it will give you an edge over other applicants. Healthcare systems knowledge is also required, along with experience in e-health business models.
Multi-Taskers Preferred
The face of employment is steadily changing, and more companies are now interested in people who can fill several roles and perform different jobs. The ability to change roles and even multi-task with different roles will make any candidate particularly appealing.
Earning the MBA
The best candidates for a healthcare MBA are the ones who already have practical experience. If you have several years of professional work experience, then you might qualify for an accelerated MBA program. Designed to provide you with the business acumen you might be lacking, MBA programs can be completed in as little as 18 months. With flexible scheduling and the ability to drastically increase earnings, it is an attractive choice for anyone in the healthcare field looking to take the next step in their career.
If you are passionate about the healthcare field and want to move to the next level, then a healthcare MBA could be the right choice for you. There are several programs available around the country, and several of them offer flexible schedules and the ability to earn your degree in the evenings or on weekends. The income potential is impressive, and the career possibilities are strong.
Heather Tate writes full-time for education blogs nationwide. She writes for www.businessmba.org where you can find out more about mba rankings.
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