With an exploding workforce and plenty of opportunity, many people with only a bachelor’s degree in a health-related field are looking to get into healthcare delivery, administration, and even public policy positions. These are all admirable pursuits, but there’s one thing that’s universal across every part of the profession: Only those with the proper education will be able to fully advance into the most managerial or administrative roles. That’s certainly true for hospital administration, which almost always requires a Master’s in Health Administration in order for candidates to be considered for the position.
Entry-Level Work: An Introduction to Contingent Employment
One of the most common ways of hiring entry-level hospital administrators is actually to hire them without an MHA, with a requirement that they obtain their master’s degree in an administrative field within a set amount of time. Typically, this is done so that the employer can pay for all or part of a promising candidate’s educational expenses. In the world of healthcare, competition for the best candidates is fierce. Paying for someone’s education ensures that they’ll stay on board, pursue the necessary skills to be proficient in the position, and grow with the company.
The obvious downside of this type of employment is that candidates who fail to pursue the required degree will soon be left out in the cold. Employers reserve the right to terminate the position of any employee who does not meet the requirements for the job in a specified amount of time, and that may relegate some individuals back to lower-ranking positions within the same company. It’s certainly not a good way to advance.
Advancement Can Be Tough Without an MHA
In addition to “advancing backwards” by being demoted from administrative positions without an MHA, many others will find themselves stagnating in an entry-level position without the proper graduate-level education. That’s because even those companies willing to take on entry-level candidates without an MHA simply won’t want to promote them to more senior positions without the degree. Even candidates who work for years with the same company, in the same position, will quickly fall behind both internal and external candidates who possess the necessary degree and therefore meet the set qualifications of higher positions.
For this reason, job applicants should be aware that they’ll probably have to get an MHA at some point in order to remain satisfied in their administrative role. Even if the degree isn’t required in any way for an entry-level role, it is almost always a prerequisite for moving up in terms of salary and responsibility.
An MHA Degree is Almost Always a Great Idea
Though it’s possible to get in on the “ground floor” of hospital administration without an MHA degree, it’s very hard for candidates to retain those positions or move up the chain of command without graduate-level education in the field. Because standards are high in the healthcare world and competition for positions is always stiff, those professionals looking to get and obtain a position, and pursue a career through various opportunities for advancement, should make it a point to enroll in an MHA program as soon as they can.
