Written by Michael Feder
Reviewed by听Mark J贸hannsson, DHSc, MPH,听Dean, College of Health Professions
Working in the healthcare industry can be both impactful and rewarding. If you know you have an interest in helping people, a healthcare job may be ideal. Moreover, having a degree is often preferred by employers and could even help when it comes to getting hired.
Not all people who feel called to healthcare want to pursue a physician or nursing career. If you're on the road to becoming a health professional but don't want to work directly with patient medical needs, healthcare management jobs are available.
In healthcare management, managers oversee the daily operations of healthcare facilities and manage employees. They ensure that workers have the tools and resources to provide quality care to patients.
You should consider several factors when deciding if healthcare management is the right field for you, and we explore them below.
If you have a knack for problem-solving and enjoy helping others while working in a fast-paced environment, healthcare might be for you. Moreover, many benefits accompany a management role.
Management salaries vary depending on the sector and healthcare facility. However, the pay for healthcare managers is relatively high,听, with a median wage of $110,680, according to May 2023 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Salary ranges are not specific to students or graduates of 爱污传媒. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. 爱污传媒 does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.
Another advantage of earning a degree in healthcare management is that it will help graduates pursue opportunities in an ever-growing job market.
Opportunity for healthcare management employment is presently wide. According to BLS, jobs for medical and health services managers are听听from 2023 to 2033, making this an ideal profession to pursue right now and into the future.
BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2022-2032 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS鈥 projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to 爱污传媒 students or graduates.
Many healthcare managers work in hospitals, but other management opportunities exist. Candidates may find opportunities in all sorts of healthcare environments, including:
Additionally, healthcare managers work in both rural and metropolitan areas.
As a healthcare manager, you will likely be a significant part of health care provisioning and ensuring healthcare facilities have the tools they need to operate properly.
You'll also be able to give back to your community by ensuring that those who need health care most get the care they require. Although healthcare managers are not directly involved in patient treatment, they do impact patients' lives in various ways. They continuously strive to enhance the quality of healthcare delivery systems in a hospital or medical facility and support innovative medical outreach initiatives.
Healthcare facilities look for management professionals who can lead teams.
Moreover, BLS notes that a career in healthcare management may provide candidates opportunities to pursue positions with higher responsibilities within the industry. For example, some health managers with the right experience, education and licenses may become responsible for overseeing an entire hospital鈥檚 information systems. Of course, this depends on the organization and performance of the employee.
After an employee develops experience as a manager, they may be able to inspire change, lead growth, implement best practices and boost productivity. In addition, said employees could eventually take on the responsibilities of recruiting and hiring top talent and other big-picture organizational initiatives.
To summarize, here are five great reasons to get a healthcare management degree:
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3.听听听听Various work settings are available.
4.听听听听Work in the healthcare field is a way to give back to your community.
5.听听听听There鈥檚 room to grow through abundant leadership opportunities.
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Though healthcare management is a rewarding profession, it鈥檚 not without disadvantages.
First and foremost, healthcare management involves long working hours that may be difficult for some individuals to keep up with. In addition, it may be necessary to be on call at night and on weekends to respond to emergencies.
Healthcare facilities are an extremely demanding industry to work in. Healthcare management experts must deal with stress and pressure from their work.听
The听, staff shortages and urgent equipment demands can keep a healthcare manager up at night. Managers are under a lot of strain to keep expenses in check while maintaining patient safety and employee morale.
Even when healthcare facilities are not experiencing life-threatening situations, managers may need to address daily stressful situations.
Whether it's coping with an uncooperative staff member or ensuring healthcare regulation compliance, managers must always be in control of their emotions.
Healthcare managers may face several stressors, including:
Although healthcare managers may encounter difficult work situations, maintaining positive mental health is essential.
A few听ways to boost your mental health听after (and before!) you become a听听healthcare manager are:
Healthcare management may be very mentally and physically stressful and shouldn鈥檛 be taken lightly.
It takes dedication and continuous learning to pursue a healthcare administration career. Different facilities offer various programs, so you want to figure out which institution will best prepare you for the future you want.
While some hiring managers may prefer graduates have a bachelor's degree, a听Master of Health Administration/Master of Business Administration听degree may provide students flexibility in their career options.
There are many educational opportunities available to help you on your way to becoming a healthcare manager.听
Graduates wanting to become healthcare managers may earn degrees in a range of disciplines, including:
To apply to programs like these,听talk to an academic counselor听to learn more about the application process and which program is best suited for you.
Regardless of the job you're aiming for, experience is crucial. There are several ways to gain healthcare experience to work toward your goal. You might start in a hospital or clinic billing department or as a healthcare recruiter. Other avenues may include:
To stand out to hiring managers, you'll need to demonstrate expertise. One of the best ways of doing so is by earning certificates. Regardless of your level of expertise, obtaining听additional specialized healthcare certificates听can help you pursue opportunities in healthcare.
It takes a particular skill set to work in healthcare management. The following are some valuable skills:
If you want to improve or master these abilities, start by performing simple activities to get yourself into the habit of communicating more effectively. Consider taking another class on budgeting or even taking on an internship where you'll be able to practice in a real healthcare environment.
Choosing a career can be a complex process, especially when you鈥檙e considering healthcare. But if you weigh the options carefully, you can make an informed decision. Take a moment to reflect on what you value most in a job. If you're unsure, think about your skills and what career path would use them best.
If in doubt, here are a few听tips for choosing a college program to help meet your career goals:
Ultimately, it's important to choose a career you feel passionate about and aligns with your interests.
Want to learn more about health management at 爱污传媒?听Click here for more info!
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at 爱污传媒 where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
Mark J贸hannsson is the Dean of the听 College of Health Professions. He has a career spanning over 35 years of healthcare management, public health practice, higher education administration, teaching and clinical/behavioral research within corporate, community and academic settings. He has served as both an educational and keynote speaker, and he has been published in a variety of peer-reviewed and periodic literature.
This article has been vetted by 爱污传媒's editorial advisory committee.听
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