There has never been a better time to pursue a healthcare administration degree. As the “Baby Boomer” generation retires, they create a two-fold need for qualified candidates entering the field of healthcare. Retirees leave their positions wide open for the next generation of healthcare administrators and – as they age – they create a larger demand for employees in all aspects of healthcare. Whether you plan to begin your career in the field of medicine and work up to an administration position, or plan to enter the field of healthcare administration directly after obtaining a degree, your job and career outlooks are resoundingly positive.
What can you Do with a Healthcare Administration Degree?
The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Handbook projects employment rates for healthcare administrators will grow by 17% over the next eight years. This is significantly faster than the average job growth statistics for other careers. In addition to the rising Baby Boomer population, rapid technological changes put additional pressure on hospitals, doctors’ offices, and medical clinics to hire healthcare professionals with the most current and in-depth understanding of medical coding and classification software as well as electronic health record (EHR) systems technologies.
In order to have the best prospects of securing a job in the field of healthcare administration, candidates need to be educated at accredited universities offering a variety of classes designed to support well-rounded graduates. Healthcare Administrators do more than just “manage.” They are responsible for:
- All aspects of day-to-day healthcare facility management
- Keeping up (and adhering to) the latest healthcare legislation and policies
- Employee hiring/firing, creating and sticking to budgets
- Acting as public relations representatives for their healthcare facility.
That’s a tall order for any employee which is why finding the right candidates can be incredibly challenging.
Landing a Job as a Healthcare Administrator
There are several things you can do to increase your chances of landing a job directly after graduation.
- Attend an accredited college with a reputation for graduating competent and prepared graduates with a healthcare administration degree.
- Take classes with a wide subject base to show future employers you are not only a successful healthcare manager, you are astute in the areas of accounting/finance, technology, and customer relations. They need to know you can jump in and perform competently on multiple levels.
- Take advantage of any career experience opportunities your campus offers so that you can become educated in a variety of healthcare arenas. You never know whether your degree will take you to a large urban hospital or a small rural non-profit clinic. The more experience you have the better.
While nobody would say healthcare administrators have it easy, the position can provide a lifetime of both personal and professional satisfaction.
