With recent advancements in the health care sector, the quest for health care practitioners has ever been in high demand. So many who wish to study health administration or its sister courses many at times ask about possible careers with health administration degrees. Those who already have a degree in health administration may also be looking for ways to earn a living with it in other works of life.
The duties of a health administrator span from the daily overseeing of the affairs of the hospital or health care facility to the welfare of staff in these facilities. Many people at times, take business management to mean the same thing as health administration. This is because they assume that a business manager can effectively carry out the duties of a health administrator.
The possible careers for persons with health Administration degrees are listed in this post. Find it worthy to go through the post to equip yourself with what to expect with a degree in health administration.
Table of Contents
Overview of Health Administration Degree
Just like other degrees are conferred after a stipulated syllable, a health administration degree is conferred on scholars who have completed a course of study (required syllable) to gain the requisite knowledge and skills essential for health administration. Colleges and universities offer this degree in different categories or programs.
The health administration degree is studied at undergraduate level (Bachelors) Postgraduate levels. At each of these levels, a certain amount of coursework are expected to be completed by the student to be conferred this degree. With a degree in health management, the degree holders are basically equipped for health facilities management.
Getting a Degree in Health Administration
Getting a degree in health administration requires that the candidate first enrols in an accredited university. To enrol, you have to check out the eligibility requirements of these universities for this course. After enrolment, the student is required to complete the coursework and pass the required number of credit units.
The course work may cover courses in economics, accounting, public health, business management, organisational behaviour etc. Most medical schools in the United States offer health administration degrees.
At different study levels (that is, undergraduate or postgraduate), the cost of obtaining this degree differs. It costs less at the undergraduate level than it costs at the postgraduate level. Although, it takes longer, say 3-5 years for undergraduate studies than is required for postgraduate studies.
The importance of a post-graduate degree in health administration is unparalleled as many undergo postgraduate studies for different benefits.
Possible Careers with Health Administration Degree
Generally, the need to prevent diseases and maintain healthy practices have become as important as the treatment of these ailments. Furthermore, the need for a health administrator has not only been in demand in the public health sector but also in the private health sector.
The increasing demand for health administrators indicates the ever-increasing job opportunities for persons with a degree in health administration. In addition to his/her healthcare responsibilities, a health administrator can as well be useful in so many other sectors. These sectors are but are not limited to these:
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Human Resource (HR) Manager
Apart from facility management requirements for every health care centre, human management determines how productive an industry becomes. It is not only required to have a person who can manage the facilities in the hospital, but also important is the one who knows how to coordinate the staff for maximum output.
The human resource manager assists employees with answers to their questions and confusions. He also pays salaries and the cost of training new employees. He is the employees “go-to” man and is always handy to answer them.
The need for employment of new workers, promotion of existing workers and inculcating discipline amongst staff is essential in every industry. This will yield the desired results for the firm. For these reasons, the services of a professional in health care and employee management come to play.
A human resource manager combines the management of staff to see to their day to day wellbeing in other to effectively give out the desired output and utilisation of limited resources. A career as a human resource manager can also be achieved with a degree in health administration.
Basic Academic Qualification
Academically, a bachelor’s degree in health management/administration is required to effectively function in this capacity. A person without a Bachelor’s degree in a related field can start up with a diploma after which he continues to Master’s. Although, the experience will play a role in securing a job.
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Hospital Chief Administrative Officer
The hospital’s Chief Administrative officer superintends over the activities in the hospital. He formulates policies and determines the overall running of the hospital following laid down principles by the hospital governing council/board. He takes instruction from the board of directors and ensures that policies that will affect maximum productivity are entrenched in the hospital.
Just as the registrar in the university, the hospital’s chief administrative officer is an independent policymaker. He is responsible for delivering the best quality of patient care, hiring and retaining qualified staff. The Hospital Chief Administrative officer implements clinical procedures and policies. He is responsible for developing a relationship with other organisations, not leaving out other medical communities.
Basic Academic qualification
As the highest level in hospital administration, a master of health administration is necessary. Although, this level can be achieved with years of experience in active service through promotion for persons who started with Bachelors. A masters in health administration in hospital management gives you an insight into human resource management, clinical administration, community health.
Nevertheless, a combination of masters in health administration in hospital management and a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business administration will be an added advantage to achieve these feet.
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Clinic Supervisor
The clinic supervisor is in charge of the day-to-day running of the clinic. This is included in this list of possible careers with a health administration degree because it is an administrative duty. The hiring and training of staff are essential in clinic management. A health administration degree will get you underway in this career and also sustain you in practice.
The clinic supervisor maintains the clinic facilities, prepares staff duty schedules and organises staff meetings. A clinic administrator can suitably work in different healthcare centres such as orthopaedic hospitals or emergency care clinics. These health professionals are employed by government agencies and departments, private and public health organisations and NGOs. This means they are not short of job openings.
Basic Academic qualification
The basic academic qualification to be a clinical supervisor is a bachelor’s degree in health administration or public health. A background in business practices and principles say a diploma is also an advantage. To advance in this career, a master’s degree in business administration is necessary or in public health and other health-related courses.
It is also advisable to be part of professional regulatory bodies of this field and acquire professional certificates where necessary.
Read Also: How Do I Become a Health Consultant After Studying Health Related Programs
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Community Support Manager
Community health is quite an interesting sector of healthcare giving. It is a huge sector in the medical field and as such, the services of a community support manager is needed. Although this is in line with the essential services of a medical doctor. A community support manager helps in making workable programs to ensure good health practices in the host community.
Most NGOs employ the services of a community support manager to provide ideas. They also require them to make necessary contributions towards good and healthy practices that will improve the living standards of their host communities.
A degree in health administration will equal put one in line to gain employment as a community support manager. Community support manager is one of the possible careers with a health administration degree. Though it is not only limited to people with a degree in health administration, a degree in public health may also substitute for health administration.
Basic Academic Qualification
Employers seek graduates in the field of health administration or public health to work as community support managers. A bachelor’s in these fields before the application is essential to work as a community support manager.
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Health Insurance Adviser/Specialist
The duties of a health insurance adviser involve working as an intermediary between the patient and insurance companies/agencies. He ensures that medical schedules and hospital visits of the patient are reported to the insurance agencies accurately and timely. This career is most suitably for entry-level health professionals.
On the other hand, the health insurance adviser analyses financial records to evaluate and identify risks in patients finance and render genuine advice to the patient. The information gathered by these professionals is communicated to other health institutes if need be.
The insurance companies such as AXA MANSARD work hand in hand with these professionals to ensure that the health of their client is of utmost priority. They also help the patients find suitable hospitals that will take care of their health needs. The need for these professionals is inexhaustible.
Basic Academic Requirements
A degree in health insurance or general insurance combined with health administration is required for entry-level qualification. It is also required to get accredited by professional bodies. Professional certification from these bodies will be an added advantage in climbing the corporate ladder in career advancement.
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Government Policy Maker on Health
This is where employment in the public sector (a government agency) comes to play. A degree in Health administration gives you an employment opportunity in the government to research, make analyses and contribute to health improvement. Choosing a career in this area means you can contribute to the foundation of healthcare services.
You will also be able to make contributions to rules which will guide the provision of top-notch health care to citizens. This career will also help you ensure that proper practices are put in place for the citizens to get quality care facilities.
It is your duty as well to ensure that no part of the community within your watch is left out or marginalised in the course of healthcare delivery. A policymaker will serve as an agency through which the government will (executive and legislature) know about the recent developments in health challenges and also proffer possible solutions to these problems.
Basic Academic Qualification
A bachelor’s degree or its equivalence in any health-related field can go. But a degree in Health administration keeps the candidate above others. It will also require some years of experience and professional certification to attain this level.
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Academics
Above all, every profession requires regeneration, so the need for health education teachers are in high demand always. As the professors in this field are retiring, people have to take over from them. To take over from these professionals requires a start-up in health administration. So, a degree in health administration is a suitable ground to advance further.
Lecturers in the universities and colleges are never going to last forever, people will take over from them. This is another job opening for people with a Health Administration degree. Academics are never in lack of opportunities as so many universities and colleges emerge yearly.
Being an academic, your duties include, but are not limited to teaching to produce other professionals, supervising projects in the health sector etc. You can also be employed by NGOs and Government agencies to carry out researches on how to improve a particular health challenge.
These researches will enable you to contribute to knowledge through journal publications that will serve as a reference point in proffering solutions to related health risks. You can as well devote your time to peer journal publications. So many academic journals require academics whose expertise in health-related issues can come in handy in the curbing of deadly sicknesses and diseases.
Academic Qualification
Basically, a degree in health administration is the starting point for advancement in this field. However, to get to the zenith of your career, a master’s degree is essential and a PhD will definitely push you faster to actualise your dream. You need just a Bachelor’s or a Master’s to start up or then along the line, you can add a PhD to your qualifications.
Conclusion
Having reviewed the possible careers with a health administration degree, this post is essential to guide you in choosing the best career possible. Each of the careers stated above is a high paying career and are in high demand abroad.
Whether you already have a degree in health administration or intending to get one, this post was made to clear your doubt and guide you properly.
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