Effective training and development are integral to providing optimal health care and improving patient outcomes. They can help alleviate burnout and improve employee resilience, a 2021 report by the training resource organization Training Industry found. Additionally, health care professional development can lead to optimal patient outcomes and growth in employee leadership potential, according to a 2020 report by health care publisher Wolters Kluwer.
But how do health care organizations ensure that their employees receive high-quality training? The answer for many is to employ a health care director of training and development. Individuals who direct an organization’s training and development function play a critical role in ensuring that employees’ expertise and skills are up to date and that employees can apply their knowledge when performing their responsibilities.
Individuals who are considering an online Executive Master of Health Administration program with an eye toward working in training and professional development can benefit from exploring the role of health care training and development director and what the position entails.
Health Care Director of Training and Development Job Description
Working as a training and development director in health care encompasses a number of responsibilities in a variety of settings.
The Overarching Role
The overall role of an individual who directs an organization’s training and development involves a combination of employee education, management and coaching responsibilities. The aim of this role is to develop an efficient and productive workforce comprising employees who are fully engaged in performing their responsibilities.
In the case of a director of training and development who works in health care, the position’s responsibilities could include overseeing training and development for both clinical employees and employees who work in other areas, such as business operations. For example, the individual might:
- Coordinate with a director of patient safety to develop and provide safety training programs for nurses and physicians
- Coordinate with a director of accounting to develop and provide training programs for accountants who are responsible for depreciating medical equipment or accounting for health insurance reimbursements
Individuals who manage an organization’s training and development typically supervise specialists who provide the training, but they also can be directly involved in providing training, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Potential Workplaces
Health care directors of training and development can work in any type of health care organization. For example, they work in:
- Hospitals
- Medical practices
- Residential care facilities and nursing homes
- Government agencies
- Outpatient centers
- Public health agencies and nonprofit organizations
- Laboratories
Key Responsibilities
As the BLS explains, typical responsibilities of training directors include:
- Creating budgets
- Identifying an organization’s development needs
- Crafting programs
- Assessing their success
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established standards for training quality. To meet those standards, organizations need to:
- Perform needs assessment processes to inform their training
- Incorporate specific learning objectives into their training programs
- Offer training content that is relevant and accurate
- Ensure that training includes opportunities for participants to actively engage in the training process
- Design training that is usable and accessible
- Evaluate training, and use the evaluation results to improve training
- Ensure that training provides participants with an opportunity to assess what they have learned
- Provide follow-up support to training participants
Qualifications to Become a Health Care Director of Training and Development
Becoming a training and development director for a health care organization involves meeting certain educational and experiential requirements.
Earn an Undergraduate Degree
Earning an undergraduate degree is the first step in becoming qualified for a role in training and development, according to Indeed. Completing a bachelor’s degree program in any of the following areas can set the stage for a career in training and development:
- Business administration
- Health administration
- Human resources
- Public health
- Management
- Communication
- Education
- Organizational psychology
Gain Experience in the Field
The next step is to gain experience. For example, individuals may start their careers working as training and development specialists creating or providing training opportunities. As Indeed notes, this experience enables individuals to build their skills in areas such as:
- Communication
- Public speaking
- Leadership
- Instructional design
- Coaching
Earn a Graduate Degree
Earning a master’s degree in health administration, such as an online Executive Master of Health Administration program from USC Price, can help individuals progress to manager and director roles in training and development. Graduate-level coursework affords individuals the opportunity to expand their expertise and enhance the management skills that will serve them well in a leadership position.
Consider Obtaining Relevant Certifications
Earning a certification also is a good way for individuals to expand both their skills and their credentials. Examples of relevant certifications include:
- Training Industry’s Certified Professional in Training Management (CPTM) certification
- The Association for Talent Development’s Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) certification
Health Care Director of Training and Development Salary and Job Outlook
Although the BLS doesn’t collect data specific to health care training directors, it reports that training and development managers across industries made a median annual salary of $120,130 in 2021. It also projects management positions in training and development to increase 7% between 2021 to 2031, which exceeds the 5% average growth projection for positions in all occupations.
A Rewarding Career in Health Care Training and Development
Directors of training and development in health care perform critical work that is vital to the success of their organizations and, ultimately, to the health of the patients their organizations serve. Ensuring that clinical and administrative employees have proper knowledge and skills is important to any health care organization.
If you have an interest in health care training and development, explore USC Price’s online Executive Master of Health Administration program to learn how it can help you pursue your professional goals. Offering instruction in contemporary management practices that students can apply in their professional careers, the degree program could be an important step on the career ladder. Start working toward achieving your career ambitions today.
Recommended Readings
Leadership in Health Care: How to Advance Into the Hospital C-Suite
Leadership Styles in Health Care: Approaches for Developing as an Executive Leader
MHA vs. MBA: Which Degree Is Best for Your Health Career?
Sources:
Association for Talent Development, Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD)
Indeed, “How to Become a Training and Development Manager”
Payscale, Average Training Development Director Salary
Training Industry, Certified Professional in Training Management
Training Industry, “How Changing Training Can Help Prevent Burnout in the Medical Profession”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medical and Health Services Managers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Training and Development Managers
Wolters Kluwer, “Professional Development: Three Keys to Support Nurses’ Growth”