ACHE Message Boards

Connect with colleagues on this online forum.
Welcome to ACHE Message Boards Sign in | Join | Help
in
Home Blogs Forums

Career Guidance and Education Advice

Last post 09-25-2009, 1:24 PM by MDowney. 2 replies.
Sort Posts: Previous Next
  •  09-24-2009, 7:14 PM 9370

    Career Guidance and Education Advice

    Hello,

    I am currently a student at Ashford University, based in Clinton Iowa, pursuing a Bachelors degree in Health Care Administration. I am also a SSgt select in the United States Air Force working in a field that is not health care related. I am wondering what entry level careers would be attainable for me since I have no experience in any health care field even though I would have a degree.  I am also worried that since I am pursuing my degree online, based on my extremely busy and unpredictable schedule being in the military, that I will not be considered as knowledgeable or competitive.  Is there any advice out there?

    Thanks in advance

    Kendra

  •  09-24-2009, 8:13 PM 9372 in reply to 9370

    Re: Career Guidance and Education Advice

    Kendra, this is a tough one.  Healthcare is very competitive with respect to hiring qualified personnel 'with experience'.  You are to be commended for pursuing your degree!!!.  I think you'll have to pursue a middle management type position or a position involving data management, information systems, human resources or other primarily 'non clinical' disciplines.  In my experience it is very important to have a background in certain disciplines such as Nursing, Laboratory, Pulmonary Services, Physical Medicine, etc.  There are many avenues where your degree could be applied but it would probably be in a non-technical role.  By that I mean that you could possibly assume a role in Finance, Patient Accounting or another non-clinical area, but even in those areas, the complexity has grown such that if you have not actually done that type of work you would be at a disadvantage.

         I hope I have not discouraged you.  I would merely advise you to focus on the non-clinical career opportunities, unless you venture back to school in a specific discipline.  I hope that helps.

    Mike

  •  09-25-2009, 1:24 PM 9375 in reply to 9370

    Re: Career Guidance and Education Advice

    Hi, Kendra,

    In speaking with Reed Morton, PhD, FACHE, CISS, the director of career services at ACHE, he suggests that you consider specializing in long term care administration. By pursuing an administrator-in-training program for this specialty, you would be just as qualified as other candidates who are looking into the field.

     Here is a resource that you may find useful: http://www.longtermcareeducation.com/

     Best of luck in your job search.

     

    Megan Downey, Senior Web Editor, ACHE

View as RSS news feed in XML
Powered by Community Server, by Telligent Systems