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You know OP, if possible you can aim for a dual degree (MBA/MHA or MBA/MPH) which will let you get the best of both worlds. MBA will help you learn about the business admin and marketing side for sales and consulting and you can specialize in healthcare. Firms appreciate the problem solving side of things from an MBA side. MHA is more resourceful if you’re looking to specialize purely in healthcare admin or services. But from an opportunity end if you can manage both you have a lot more freedom for projects to go for on top of healthcare (i.e. healthcare fin, health/IT). (MPHer here)
Agree here with all the comments. Get the MBA - allows for more flexibility and respect during the recruiting process. If you have a bachelors in public health, you have enough. Your MBA internships can be health care focused too. (MPH’r here and worked in both the hospital setting and consulting)
Dual! MPH here and a lot of it was fluff (though interesting fluff). Wish I had gone for the MBA/MPH.
Bowl Leader
I did my MBA/MHA dual degree from Cornell. Totally worth the time and effort.
Tell us more! What did it teach you and how did it change your role/opportunities?
Mentor
Having an MHA myself, I’d personally recommend looking at the top 10-15 MBA programs and selecting one that has a Healthcare concentration. This path would give you greater flexibility if you decide to take a slightly different path 10-15 years down the road (e.g. healthcare tech where I’m currently at). Dual degree programs are great too, although there aren’t many schools that are tops in both MBA and MHA except for a handful (Michigan, Cornell, and maybe others such as UNC, Johns Hopkins or Minnesota). One other drawback of dual programs are that you spend another year sitting in a classroom and pay another year of tuition.
I only recommend this because as health systems consolidate further and reimbursement pressure further escalates, it will hit the hospital admin side and pipeline the hardest.
Thank you for sharing!
I got my MPH in 2010 and believe the piece of paper got me out of Kaiser and into a job at Accenture. However, I am going back to get my MBA. Though I learned stuff in my MPH, it really wasn’t too relevant to the real world (you need a doctorate to really do things in public health) and I believe the MBA should open a lot more doors than the MPH ever has.
It really depends on what you want to do. I’ve struggled to get out of operations and into more strategic roles. Ive found a lot of the strategy verticals looks for MBAs. If you enjoy operations/ implementations, a MBA may not be necessary. Firms do pay more to MBAs though.
Look into the University of Minnesota
I can’t comment on the practicality of one over another but has anyone tried to do a dual program online while still working full time?
Bowl Leader
IMO anything online isn’t worth it. You don’t get the network or the same “credibility” as being on campus.
Is money a consideration? Mba is way more expensive... and you have to determine if your career down the line (the 1 u choose, not 1u have potential to do) will get u a good enough roi
OP - If your aspiration is to go into hospital administration, consider Harvard’s Master in Clinical Operations degree. Well balanced and includes a capstone at the leading hospitals systems of the country - MGH/Brigham. Excellent mentorship and adds significant repertoire. Feel free to DM if you have any questions. Best wishes!
https://postgraduateeducation.hms.harvard.edu/masters-programs/master-clinical-service-operations