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The decision to start on a career in healthcare management is a major one that requires consideration of many things. The decision to return to school to work towards a master degree in healthcare management is often more complex. The decision requires finding a program that meets the time and financial requirements of a working professional. The questions and answers that follow answer questions that potential students to CAHME Accredited Masters Programs ask or wish they would have asked.  Program Directors and former students have contributed questions and, in some cases, the answers.

If there are questions that have not been addressed it is best to call or email the specific CAHME Accredited Programs being considered and ask them. Call two or three programs!!

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Q: Why should I go into healthcare management? Are there many good jobs?

A: Healthcare management is a broad field serving one of the largest and most essential industry segments in the United States and Canada. Management is needed in the multiple aspects of the industry which include: hospitals, nursing homes, physician’s offices, pharmaceutical and device manufacturers, consulting, government and public policy, and many more.

There are many jobs but more importantly a career in healthcare management gives a person the feeling of doing good for his/her fellow man. It may seem that physicians and nurses are doing the healing but they couldn’t do their job as well without trained executives and managers.

Q. Why do I need a Master Degree?

A: Healthcare management as a profession was recognized more than fifty years ago. Even then the industry was complex. Leaders and administrators required a level of expertise and skills not normally attained at the undergraduate level. From the first CAHME Accredited Graduate Program founded in 1932 until now, the Masters degree is recognized as the essential first step toward an executive and managerial career in most healthcare organizations.

Q: What makes a CAHME Accredited Masters Program better?

A: The student who enters a CAHME Accredited Masters Program is assured a level of quality that only comes from accreditation. In order for a graduate program in healthcare management to become accredited it must submit to a rigorous examination of its purpose, the curriculum, the student experience and the success of the graduates in the competitive job market. For the program to remain a CAHME Accredited Program, the program must submit to periodic self examination followed by review of an outside panel of experts to assure the public that the program is constantly seeking to improve itself.

Q: How do I know which CAHME Accredited program is the correct one for my particular interest?

A: It is important to go to the websites of the programs in your area or those you might have heard about to read what they offer. Programs are designed to meet certain goals and those goals do vary. There are over seventy CAHME Accredited Programs to select from. Check their mission; if a list of alumni is shown, look at the jobs they hold.

Q: What CAHME Accredited Programs are offered completely on-line?

A: The CAHME Board of Directors and the CAHME Accreditation Council have determined that it is not possible for students to get exposure to key competencies such as team work, leadership and collaboration solely on an on-line basis. All CAHME Accredited Programs require some on campus, group experience while some do offer various course work on-line.

Q: What are the degree options for a career in healthcare management?

A: The degree granted by the college or university often depends on the school where the CAHME Accredited Program is housed. The predominant degrees offered by CAHME Accredited Programs are Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA); Master of Public Health (MPH); Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Public Administration (MPA). There is an opportunity with some CAHME Accredited programs to pursue dual degrees. Examples include joint JD/MHA; MD/MBA; MBA/MPH and MHA/MBA to name just a few of the options. The individual and joint degrees offered by programs are listed under Accredited Programs.

All CAHME Accredited Programs require that student do the equivalent of two years of academic work as individually defined by the university or college and offer curriculum in twelve key content areas. However, the emphasis on each of the curricular areas will differ, depending upon the degree offered.  For example, a program that offers a Master of Public Health will likely have a greater emphasis on population health indicators and community health, while a program offering a Master of Health Administration will include more content in marketing and finance.

Q: Do graduates from CAHME accredited programs get better jobs?

A:  A review of the list of CAHME Corporate Members suggests that our members support the CAHME accreditation process and the graduates from the CAHME Accredited Programs. Getting jobs and career advancement depends on many things but one key aspect of CAHME Accreditation is assuring students that the program provides career advising services to assist in securing the correct career opportunity for each student. In addition, most CAHME Accredited Programs have active alumni associations and keep track of the career progress of graduates. The alumni associations are important not only for the first job after graduation but also for career advancement.

Q: Are there CAHME accredited programs designed for working professionals?

A: Many CAHME accredited programs have “Executive” programs with curriculum specifically designed to accommodate the work schedules of the individuals already involved in the healthcare and other industries. The design of these programs varies.  Other programs may offer courses in the evenings to accommodate the working professional.  Regardless of curriculum design the student is assured that the program receives the same rigorous review as does the traditional program. All the same activities and services are available to the “Executive” student as the traditional student. Going to the website of the program of interest is the best way to determine if a certain program has the appropriate design to meet the student’s needs. (See Accredited Programs)