Career Advice: From Financial Services to Healthcare Administration

[Hrmph]

Hi All,

A little background. I have been working in financial services for 10 years, the last 8 of which have been in equity trading. In 2008, I obtained my MBA specializing in Finance. For a number of reasons, I have decided to make a change, and based on extensive reading and research, I feel like Healthcare administration would be a good fit for me. I have no experience in the healthcare industry. I have begun to examine my options in terms of education in order to better qualify for this field. I am hoping that obtaining a certification in Healthcare Management, in conjunction with my MBA, will help level the playing field with those who have MHA's.

I have a few brief questions:

1. For those in the industry, is my conclusion on certifications a good one? If not, any suggestions?

2. What is the best way to get my foot in the door? Is there a particular entry level job that I might qualify for in the meantime?

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[thedb]

Hi All,

A little background. I have been working in financial services for 10 years, the last 8 of which have been in equity trading. In 2008, I obtained my MBA specializing in Finance. For a number of reasons, I have decided to make a change, and based on extensive reading and research, I feel like Healthcare administration would be a good fit for me. I have no experience in the healthcare industry. I have begun to examine my options in terms of education in order to better qualify for this field. I am hoping that obtaining a certification in Healthcare Management, in conjunction with my MBA, will help level the playing field with those who have MHA's.

I have a few brief questions:

1. For those in the industry, is my conclusion on certifications a good one? If not, any suggestions?

2. What is the best way to get my foot in the door? Is there a particular entry level job that I might qualify for in the meantime?

I can´t say if a certification will help, but it certainly wouldn´t hurt. 10 years in finance and an MBA is a pretty good start and will probably get you in the door, depending on your market. If it is of your interest, I would consider becoming a nursing home administrator. The industry is changing a lot and needs savvy managers to deal with all the financial challenges. At the same time, you get a lot more patient contact that you would get in a hospital and you also get a good feeling about healthcare in general.
Check out your state´s Long-Term Care program and see if it´s something that would interest you. If not, there´s plenty of jobs in hospitals that wmight suit you.