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Are you weighing up the various options available to you in terms of your future career path? If so, you might be looking at a potential career in the healthcare industry. If working as a doctor or a nurse isn’t a path you are interested in, an alternative to consider is that of health administration. Here is everything that you need to know.
What is health administration?
Health administration refers to handling the admin and managerial side of the healthcare industry. Your roles and responsibilities will vary significantly depending on the specific healthcare setting in which you work. However, you will usually be involved in several tasks and duties such as making important decisions to allow for optimized operations within the facility, hiring, scheduling and supervising staff members, keeping a close eye on the facility’s budgets, and creating and improving various procedures and policies.
What do I need to study to get a job in health administration?
At the very minimum, you will require a bachelor’s degree to become a healthcare administrator. You can usually choose between a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree in healthcare administration. Both options will expose you to lessons encompassing healthcare ethics, quality management, marketing, and finance.
If you want to maximize your earning potential, it is recommended that you get your Masters in Health Administration online. The good news is that you can often work in conjunction with pursuing your master’s degree, thus ensuring that it is easier to make ends meet from month to month.
What does the salary for a health administration professional look like?
Healthcare administrators tend to earn very attractive salaries. The national average salary, according to PayScale.com, is $66,713. However, that can go up to $104,000 depending on experience. The amount that you earn will also be hinged on the facility where you work. Obviously, larger hospitals will pay their administrators more than smaller clinics or doctors’ rooms.
Where can a health administrator work?
You will have several different options to choose from in terms of where you work as a healthcare administrator and they are not limited to healthcare institutions. For instance, you could work at a hospital, clinic, doctors’ office, nursing home, insurance company, or even at a government agency.
What skills do you need to become a successful health administrator?
Aside from the skills that you will learn at college, there are a few others that can contribute to your success following graduation. For example, you will definitely want to work on improving your communication skills, as well as your organization skills. Enhancing your logical thinking ability will go a long way, too.
Finally, you should train yourself to function optimally under pressure. It is important for all healthcare administrators and managers to stay calm even in dire or demanding situations. Also, be aware that your job is likely to be fast paced. Adapt by finding a viable means for dealing with stress and practice prioritizing tasks.
If you are still intrigued after reading through this information, it is highly likely that you will be a great fit for a career in healthcare administration. Start investigating your college options now!
