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MPH Or MHSA?
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Need help deciding which school
- Thread starter matchesmalone1
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what i did is i called / emailed several potential employers in the area where i am interested in working at after graduation and asked them who they'd hire if ONLY looking at school names. i went w/ the most popular vote.
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Career wise NY might sound great; however you will get a wide variety of experiences in DC as well. Think about it. You will have the government option in DC, not NY. You will also have the consulting option because any large consulting firm as a DC office. Finally, you will also have the hospital option as there are many reputable systems in the area.
I think brand name has some weight when it comes to fellowships. I received a fellowship at WashU and I went to Florida but other fellows were from Michigan and Northwestern. However, Georgetown and GW are in the upper class of MHA Programs. So I don't think you have to worry about brand name nearly as much. Not to mention, MPH degrees can be drastically different from MHA degrees. One studies healthcare management while the other studies population healthcare management. Just my thoughts. PM if you have questions.
I think brand name has some weight when it comes to fellowships. I received a fellowship at WashU and I went to Florida but other fellows were from Michigan and Northwestern. However, Georgetown and GW are in the upper class of MHA Programs. So I don't think you have to worry about brand name nearly as much. Not to mention, MPH degrees can be drastically different from MHA degrees. One studies healthcare management while the other studies population healthcare management. Just my thoughts. PM if you have questions.
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curious how you came to that conclusion
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"The Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) and the Doctor of Public Health (Dr.P.H.) are multi-disciplinary professional degrees awarded for studies in areas related to public health.
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" (1920, C.E.A. Winslow)."
Health administration or healthcare administration is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of hospitals, hospital networks, health care systems, and public health systems.
I currently work in the academic medical center at a hospital/university. I deal with current medical students wondering what the primary difference between the MPH and MHA degree might be. Although there can be overlap (some MPH programs have a health administration focus while some MHA programs have many MPH courses) the end goals are different. The MPH degree is not a hospital management degree. Much like the MHA degree is not a public health management degree. It might appear the same and there is some debate where schools simply mix the two programs into one degree. However, hospitals view them as very different.
An MPH degree is excellent for solving the community healthcare needs issues on a larger scale, obesity for example. While the MHA would not be great for that. Rather the MHA is excellent for understanding the business of healthcare and leading a healthcare organization. This is not to say that someone with an MPH could not; however it is an uphill battle. Just my thoughts along with many fellow academic administrators. Also, it depends on the healthcare organization. An MPH would be excellent for the Red Cross or a non-profit geared towards a community awareness, however an MPH is not geared towards hospital management. Which is why many MPH programs include "Healthcare Policy" as a specialization. Healthcare Policy is drastically different from Healthcare Management. Not to deter anyone, I love our MPH program and we have many successful graduates and students. However, the reality is that they are two different degrees, hence most schools have an MPH and a MHA. If they were treated the same, schools would not have both.
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" (1920, C.E.A. Winslow)."
Health administration or healthcare administration is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of hospitals, hospital networks, health care systems, and public health systems.
I currently work in the academic medical center at a hospital/university. I deal with current medical students wondering what the primary difference between the MPH and MHA degree might be. Although there can be overlap (some MPH programs have a health administration focus while some MHA programs have many MPH courses) the end goals are different. The MPH degree is not a hospital management degree. Much like the MHA degree is not a public health management degree. It might appear the same and there is some debate where schools simply mix the two programs into one degree. However, hospitals view them as very different.
An MPH degree is excellent for solving the community healthcare needs issues on a larger scale, obesity for example. While the MHA would not be great for that. Rather the MHA is excellent for understanding the business of healthcare and leading a healthcare organization. This is not to say that someone with an MPH could not; however it is an uphill battle. Just my thoughts along with many fellow academic administrators. Also, it depends on the healthcare organization. An MPH would be excellent for the Red Cross or a non-profit geared towards a community awareness, however an MPH is not geared towards hospital management. Which is why many MPH programs include "Healthcare Policy" as a specialization. Healthcare Policy is drastically different from Healthcare Management. Not to deter anyone, I love our MPH program and we have many successful graduates and students. However, the reality is that they are two different degrees, hence most schools have an MPH and a MHA. If they were treated the same, schools would not have both.
While I agree with the majority of your points, not all MPH programs are created equal and hospitals IMHO do, in fact, recognize that being the case. Take Michigan for example where there is only around a two course difference between the MPH and MHA. A lot of school will have a health management and policy track integrated together, however there are a lot which split them separately. For instance Emory, where I'll be attending this fall, has a health services management track within the HPM division and the coursework is completely different than the policy track. If you do a quick LinkedIn search for MPH HPM grads, you will see a variety of positions taken and you will see some administrators. This why a lot of ACHE listings are looking for AACSB MBAs, CAHME MHAs, OR CEPH MPH programs. Hospitals recognize the disparities and give fellowships to applicants with the skill set to do the job, not the designation. Even the military recognizes this and the US govt, check it out on usajobs.gov and you will see the same criteria.
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I believe you are absolutely right and it is all dependent on the school. However, the move is towards separating the degrees rather than combining them. The reason job postings include all three is because the MBA will get the job done, they assume you will learn the mechanics of healthcare later. The MHA is the degree that is ideal, however some programs may lack the curriculum. And, the MPH, although generally not ideal, some university programs have implemented excellent healthcare administration tracts within them. I will say this, by far, most MPH programs do not do this. Yes, Emory might and UCLA, but the vast majority do not implement the necessary courses to be a healthcare administrator.
With that being said, there are many administrators from various backgrounds without any of these degrees. A Linkedin search will certainly yield some MSW degrees working in high level hospital positions. My general point is that 90% of the time they are two distinctively different degrees. For the other 10%, no worries, the industry realizes you fit what they are looking for. Otherwise, the other 90% simply does not. With our hiring we do look at coursework and frankly some MPH coursework such as Epi and Environmental Health has little to do with being a COO of a hospital or another administrator. Just my two cents though. I agree with you but there are a lot of what ifs in this conversation. I am just speaking generally rather than the exceptions.
With that being said, there are many administrators from various backgrounds without any of these degrees. A Linkedin search will certainly yield some MSW degrees working in high level hospital positions. My general point is that 90% of the time they are two distinctively different degrees. For the other 10%, no worries, the industry realizes you fit what they are looking for. Otherwise, the other 90% simply does not. With our hiring we do look at coursework and frankly some MPH coursework such as Epi and Environmental Health has little to do with being a COO of a hospital or another administrator. Just my two cents though. I agree with you but there are a lot of what ifs in this conversation. I am just speaking generally rather than the exceptions.
While I agree with the majority of your points, not all MPH programs are created equal and hospitals IMHO do, in fact, recognize that being the case. Take Michigan for example where there is only around a two course difference between the MPH and MHA. A lot of school will have a health management and policy track integrated together, however there are a lot which split them separately. For instance Emory, where I'll be attending this fall, has a health services management track within the HPM division and the coursework is completely different than the policy track. If you do a quick LinkedIn search for MPH HPM grads, you will see a variety of positions taken and you will see some administrators. This why a lot of ACHE listings are looking for AACSB MBAs, CAHME MHAs, OR CEPH MPH programs. Hospitals recognize the disparities and give fellowships to applicants with the skill set to do the job, not the designation. Even the military recognizes this and the US govt, check it out on usajobs.gov and you will see the same criteria.
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Think about it. You will have the government option in DC, not NY
Not true. Mailman shares a building with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and a LOT of Mailman students do their practicum and/or an internship with DOH.
I go to Columbia and the focus here is very much on health management. We have a management track in the MPH HPM program whose goal is "to meet the needs of students planning careers related to the delivery of health services. The curriculum prepares students for employment in many sectors, including hospitals, community health organizations, insurers, pharmaceuticals, consulting, and health departments." It's accredited by CAHME; the classes include classes on management and organizational behavior, health care financing, governance and health care law. Check this page out: http://www.mailman.columbia.edu/aca...lth-policy/academic-programs/management-track
You can certainly go into population healthcare management if you want to, but there's definitely the option of doing hospital and clinic management if you want that.
And, the MPH, although generally not ideal, some university programs have implemented excellent healthcare administration tracts within them. I will say this, by far, most MPH programs do not do this.
What evidence do you have to support this assertion? Most MPH programs in health policy and management have a management track that focuses on financing, management and organizational behavior, and delivery of health care services.
Not true. Mailman shares a building with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and a LOT of Mailman students do their practicum and/or an internship with DOH.
I go to Columbia and the focus here is very much on health management. We have a management track in the MPH HPM program whose goal is "to meet the needs of students planning careers related to the delivery of health services. The curriculum prepares students for employment in many sectors, including hospitals, community health organizations, insurers, pharmaceuticals, consulting, and health departments." It's accredited by CAHME; the classes include classes on management and organizational behavior, health care financing, governance and health care law. Check this page out: http://www.mailman.columbia.edu/aca...lth-policy/academic-programs/management-track
You can certainly go into population healthcare management if you want to, but there's definitely the option of doing hospital and clinic management if you want that.
And, the MPH, although generally not ideal, some university programs have implemented excellent healthcare administration tracts within them. I will say this, by far, most MPH programs do not do this.
What evidence do you have to support this assertion? Most MPH programs in health policy and management have a management track that focuses on financing, management and organizational behavior, and delivery of health care services.
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I feel like people are not getting what I am saying. CAHME establishes the standards for Healthcare Administration programs, whether they be MPA, MBA, MHA, MPH, or others. The vast majority of the CAHME programs are MHA then MBA and then with a grand total of 4 MPH Degrees. Let's think about this logically. Which degree is more prevalent? MPH Degrees. My reasoning is that it is a worldwide degree. On the other hand, MHA Degrees are not. Sure India is big into them and a couple in the UK but other than that there are none.
So, if there are many MPH programs out there and only 4 are CAHME accredited (which is what 90% of hospitals look at fellowship wise) then what does that mean. It means that the vast majority of MPH programs have not implemented healthcare administration tracts. I think to survive many of them are trying to, simply because the MHA degree is becoming more popular. However, I am not sure what will happen. Maybe MPH will be the go to hospital management degree in the future. For now, along with many people I work with, it is an excellent degree but not a strict hospital administration degree.
So, if there are many MPH programs out there and only 4 are CAHME accredited (which is what 90% of hospitals look at fellowship wise) then what does that mean. It means that the vast majority of MPH programs have not implemented healthcare administration tracts. I think to survive many of them are trying to, simply because the MHA degree is becoming more popular. However, I am not sure what will happen. Maybe MPH will be the go to hospital management degree in the future. For now, along with many people I work with, it is an excellent degree but not a strict hospital administration degree.
