Exploring a Career in Healthcare Administration



Graduate school is a big investment. Like any investment, you want to research your opportunities before laying out the funds. Economic studies show that investing in yourself, through pursuing a professional degree, is the best economic and "life satisfaction" investment you can make.

Prospective students are encouraged to explore the field of healthcare management before making application; learning about the field, talking with managers in the field and developing a sense of their goals. Applicants are asked in the admissions interview about their career goals. Applicants with a clear sense of career goals, and what they can contribute to the field, receive a strong recommendation. Remember, during graduate school your goals may change; however, entering graduate school with some direction will give you a basis for evaluating options.

Prospective students are encouraged to get experience in a healthcare setting. Here is a sampling of what students have done in the past:

• Admissions in a hospital emergency room
• Nursing aide in a long term care center
• Volunteer at local hospital, wheeling patients to and from surgery
• Assistant researcher at a cancer center
• Transcription support technician at a local hospital
• Intern at Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• Clinic officer manager

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