Hospital Administrator -HOW???

Parents Forum
1

<p>My nephew is interested in becoming a hospital administrator. I did not know what to tell him as far as a career path is concerned. Should he just take business courses and eventually get an MBA. Should he work specifically in healthcare or are these folks chosen from the management/finance sector. Any of you folks know how one becomes a hospital administrator and is there a clearly defined set of boxes to check?</p>

2

<p>Guide</a> to Programs Offering a Master in Health Administration (MHA), Master of Public Health (MPH), and MBA in Health Care</p>

<p>He would have to get a masters in healthcare administration to do that job. Best to work a few years in the medical field in some capacity first.</p>

3

<p>Nightingale, the university where I work (U of Minnesota) offers a graduate degree in Health Policy and Management. From their website, I found this:</p>

<p>Prospective</a> Student Information - The Association of University Programs in Health Administration</p>

4

<p>Cornell University offers an MHA in the College of Human Ecology. Human Ecology is one of the New York State divisions of Cornell so the tuition may be a bit lower for NY residents. They offer an accelerated 5 year BS/MHA. Find the link on this page: Human</a> Ecology Sloan Program-Prospective Students</p>

5

<p>I have a distant cousin who is a hospital administrator. Although, I have not been in contact in years, I know that he has a masters in hospital administration.</p>

6

<p>In my prior career, I was a hospital administrator (finance). My undergraduate work was in Health Care Studies. I designed a major that was health care economics, political science, business, organizational behavior and accounting. My graduate degree is an MBA in health administration and finance. That was 25 years ago. There are probably more succinct degrees now - I was kind of a pioneer.</p>

7

<p>Depending on the position, many are also former nurses or doctors who prefer the admin tasks over direct patient care.</p>

8

<p>I know lots of hospital administrators. Among them, there was no common pathway EXCEPT they all started with an advanced degree and then went to work in some healthcare-related profession. Some started in hospitals, some in clinics, some in non-profits, and one was a surgeon who had to quit surgery in his early fifties.</p>