Education Requirements For Healthcare Administration

By Charlie Higgins

Health care administration is a large and growing field that consists of many different types of jobs and responsibilities. In general, health care administrators oversee the functions of health care facilities and supervise the staff members who work there. They may handle specific areas of administration such as accounting, budgeting, human resources, marketing and policy analysis. Different health care administrator positions require different levels of education, though most employers prefer candidates with advanced education in the field.

Nearly all health care facilities require administrative staff members to have at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Bachelor's degrees usually take four years to complete. Having a bachelor's degree in health information management or related field, in addition to relevant work experience, can often land you an entry-level job as an administrative assistant or assistant department head, according to StateUniversity.com. However many health care administrator positions require an advanced degree. Upward mobility is difficult in this field if you only have a bachelor's degree.

A Master's degree in hospital administration, public health, business administration or similar field is highly recommended for those pursuing a career in health care administration. Candidates should make sure their program includes courses in accounting, budgeting, hospital organization, management principles, health information systems, biostatistics, epidemiology and health economics. A Master's degree in one of the aforementioned fields usually takes two to three years to complete. Most Master's programs require students to complete an internship at a local health care facility and some require an extensive research project.

Many employers like to see that applicants have additional training in health care administration, especially if their undergraduate and Master's degrees are only loosely related. Specializing in a specific area of health care administration, such as mental health hospitals, outpatient care services or nursing homes, can improve your chances of finding employment. While pursuing your undergraduate and Master's degree, seek out internships and odd jobs in the health care profession to boost your credentials. Trained nurses who also have health care administration education and experience are especially desirable for employers.

Certain skills and personal qualities can make finding a job and being successful in the profession easier. These include strong leadership qualities, excellent communication skills, keen attention to detail and strong motivational skills. Health care administrators often lead a team of doctors, nurses and other professionals, so it's important to have outstanding interpersonal skills in order to keep everyone happy and motivated.

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