Graduates from health administration master's programs most often go on to work for hospitals or health systems, but other sectors also attract their interest.
The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education examined placement of 2022-23 graduates from select residential, non-executive track full-time programs. The analysis found that after hospitals and systems, most graduates went to consulting firms and physician practice management positions.
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The nature of the programs that students choose may signal where they end up. Dr. Michael Thompson, an associate professor and associate chair of public health sciences at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, said the school’s primarily regional program attracts students from the greater Charlotte area, so the opportunities in the local healthcare market often shape students’ goals.
At Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, the master’s in health administration and executive management program attracts students from a variety of sectors including insurance, pharmaceuticals, finance and consulting, according to Rebecca Sale, senior director of education in the Department of Health Policy and Management. She said bringing students with different backgrounds and experience into the same classroom is one of the strengths of the program.