Health care administration is a fast-growing career that requires informed, educated and innovative leaders. Here are seven reasons why an Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) degree may be a good choice for you.
Top 7 Reasons to Earn an EMHA
Earning an EMHA can lead to health care leadership positions that enable graduates to steer the future of this rapidly evolving, increasingly crucial field. Consider these reasons for pursuing an advanced degree in health administration.
1. Health Care Administration Careers Are in Demand
Health care administrators are in high demand, and as the sector changes how health care is delivered, the demand for administrators increases. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that positions for medical and health services managers will increase by 28% between 2021 and 2031. This is substantially higher than the 5% growth rate the BLS projects for all professions.
Several factors are contributing to this growth. The aging baby-boom population will lead to increased demand for patient care services and the efflux of retiring health care professionals. The rise of technology such as telehealth and electronic health records (EHRs) also drives a need for health care administrators with technology experience. Success in this new environment requires a unique set of technical skills, specialized knowledge, expert management and strategic leadership.
An EMHA degree can provide you with:
- Innovative leadership skills
- An understanding of how to provide cost-effective care
- The ability to efficiently manage resources
- Strategies for improving patient safety and quality of care
- A foundation in achieving organizational and clinical effectiveness through information systems
2. Advance Your Career with an EMHA
Education is an excellent way to strengthen your resume, differentiate yourself from your competitors and prepare yourself for new responsibilities.
The BLS states that a bachelor’s degree is the minimum education required for health care administration, while master’s degrees are common. Consider taking the next step towards your career advancement by enrolling in an EMHA degree program.
Bobby Jackson, a consultant in the medical device industry, had this to say about USC Price’s EMHA program.
“USC has done a great job of matching the program to what’s going on right now in health care reform. All of the topics from leadership, financing strategy, IT, electronic health records — the program touched on every single aspect.”
3. Increase Income with an EMHA Degree
According to the BLS, the 2021 median annual salary for medical and health services managers was $101,340. Your earning potential varies based on geographic location, the size of the organization, the scope of your leadership role, your educational attainment and the extent of your health care industry experience. An investment in your career can pay dividends for your future.
4. Fulfill Your Personal Goals
Take a minute to think about ways that an EMHA degree and career advancement can fulfill your personal goals.
- Have you always wanted to feel more confident in your decision making?
- Is leading people toward a common vision important to you?
- Are there personal ambitions you’d like to fulfill?
- In what ways could career advancement help you and your family?
- Would you like to learn from your peers as well as your professors?
Stacy Tarradath, a Los Angeles-based physician and academic hospitalist, had this to say about her EMHA experience at USC Price:
“One of the things that’s really impressed me is the diversity of qualifications and professions of the various people in my cohort. They’re all going to use this MHA in a different way, but we’re all going to impact health care in ways I never thought of before I came here.”
5. Better Understand the Health Care System
The health care industry is complex and continuously changing. Understanding the system requires a long-term strategic vantage point and an operational viewpoint. An EMHA is designed to teach you how to fluidly move between these two perspectives. At USC Price, you will have access to some of the nation’s brightest industry thought leaders and respected educators.
6. Use Your EMHA to Make a Difference
As a health care administrator, you’re in a unique position to make a difference. Your decisions will affect many employees and patients.
It’s likely you chose a career path in health care so you could help make a positive impact for others. Seeing your leadership skills, education and experience come together to improve lives can be very rewarding. USC Price’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people and their communities, here and abroad.
7. Achieve Professional and Emotional Satisfaction with an EMHA Degree
Working in health care administration can directly impact patient health. Whether you’re implementing new technologies that improve access to care or launching programs designed to improve operational efficiency, your actions can improve a facility’s effectiveness. This can be immensely satisfying, bringing a deeper meaning to your daily work.
An EMHA degree can also help you move beyond a career plateau. If you feel as though you’ve advanced as far as you can in a certain position or facility, an advanced degree can open up new paths to senior and leadership roles that offer more responsibility and independence.
Earn an EMHA Degree and Make a Difference
The health care field is evolving rapidly, and demand for leaders who can navigate these changes is high. If you are interested in being one of those leaders, earning an EMHA degree can be a crucial step. While there are many reasons to pursue an advanced health administration degree — career advancement, increased pay, professional satisfaction — the most fundamental is that it puts you in a prime position to improve patient care in a meaningful way.
USC Price’s online Executive Master of Health Administration (EMHA) degree can help prepare you to advance your career. Our program is designed to cultivate expertise in technology, economics, ethics, finance, policy and management. Learn how USC can help you learn to be a leader in the next evolution of health care.
Recommended Readings
Leadership Styles in Health Care: Approaches for Developing as an Executive Leader
Women in Health Care Leadership: Past, Present and Future
Sources:
Healthcare Weekly, “9 Health Technologies Every Executive Should Be Excited About in 2022”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical and Health Services Managers
USC Executive Master of Health Administration Online, EMHA Student Experience