Terri Ramsey Beavers It’s easy to imagine healthcare runs on doctors and nurses. In reality, there are hundreds of positions within one hospital system. From clinical to technical to administrative positions, hospitals require all hands on deck to keep the ship afloat.
Behind-the-scenes staff is just as valuable as those on the frontlines. The healthcare administrator especially plays a massive role in affecting the greater system.
With the healthcare industry on the rise, there’s an increased demand for proficient healthcare administrators. When the foundation grows stronger, the operations run smoother.
If the medical profession has appealed to you before, here’s your answer. Consider how becoming a healthcare administrator would benefit your health.
Here’s how to do it.
Healthcare Administrator Requirements
Maybe you didn’t grow up wanting to be a doctor or a surgeon, but you loved observing them. Maybe you’ve found yourself applying for entry level healthcare management jobs just to be around it all. If you’re drawn to the field but don’t know how to make that a career, healthcare administration may be what you’re looking for.
If you follow these next five steps, you could be your hospital’s next best health services manager.
1. Skills
Health administration careers are for the lion-hearted. Some skills can be taught but others must be natural for you. Because healthcare administrators wear many hats, your job might look like the following:
- Scheduling
- Managing finances
- Ethical problem-solving
- Training and overseeing employees
- Record-keeping
- Facility operations
- Law compliance
- Implementing policy change
Since this job is diverse in nature, it makes sense to have the following skills: delegation, strong communication, a positive attitude, organization, diligence, resilience, and natural leadership. If this sounds like you, you’ve already passed the first test!
2. Education
Depending on your goals for healthcare administration, educational requirements will vary. That said, obtaining a bachelor’s degree is a minimum, to be followed by a master’s program.
As is true for any job application, having a strong GPA and references will help you land your desired position.
3. Experience
There are many ways to show you have healthcare experience. As part of your hospital administration degree, you’ll likely undergo an internship, fellowship, or position in the field. Other positions you’ve held demonstrating the above skills are smart to have on your resumé as well.
4. Licensure
There are different certifications that may qualify you for healthcare administration. Using your education to narrow your focus will help you achieve appropriate licensing.
5. Work Ethic
Getting hired as a healthcare administrator is not the same as becoming one. There is room to grow within yourself every day, as well as within the system. With hard work and a willingness to learn, there are vast opportunities to grow into a healthcare specialist or executive.
Hope for Healthcare
When it comes to rewarding, impactful, mission-driven jobs, a healthcare administrator is at the top of the list. If you’re a natural advocate for positive change, you’ll find that healthcare administration is more than a job; it’s a way of being.
While the healthcare industry is known for frequent burnout, having top healthcare administrators is an easy way to combat it. Guiding medical staff is the best way to help and protect fellow employees.
After all—the mission remains to keep everyone healthy.
For more on health and wellness, check out our other blog posts!