Would MPH make sense with my background? Please help...

[steveNYot]

Im in NYC. I was thinking of getting an LMSW to do some non clinical work but im hearing all sorts of things about social work in general. Low pay high stress. Etc.

I have 8 years of clinical experience as an EMT and patient care tech (ekg/phlebotomy) which i currently do for a psych hospital. I have an associates in liberal arts and im finishing up a medical billing and coding certificate. Im trying to get away from the clinical side of health and get into the admin/policy side. I have no desire to do RN or MD or anything like that.

I just want to do a masters and come out making something in the 50 to 60k range. I dont expect to be administrator or managerial role right when i come out of school. I wouldnt mind starting out in maybe a coordinator or patient navigator role.

Ive been thinking about MHA or MPH. I like the latter especially. Or maybe an bba with mph?

Problem is im hearing those 2 degrees are mostly for MDs and RNs. Is this true or do you think i could do well in it with the experience i already have?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[wwmmkk]

Neither degree are mostly for MDs and RNs, though of course it makes sense to combine those degrees for many people. Getting an MPH in health administration/policy might eventually be something that you are qualified for; however, as they are Masters programs, all require a bachelors degree. You might consider finding a bachelors program with a public health major, but you can apply to MPH programs with just about any major provided you meet course requirements (usually in science and statistics). Good luck!

 

[steveNYot]

Neither degree are mostly for MDs and RNs, though of course it makes sense to combine those degrees for many people. Getting an MPH in health administration/policy might eventually be something that you are qualified for; however, as they are Masters programs, all require a bachelors degree. You might consider finding a bachelors program with a public health major, but you can apply to MPH programs with just about any major provided you meet course requirements (usually in science and statistics). Good luck!

I see. Well the school im in has both a bachelors and a masters in public health. They also have a bachelors in health administration.

So you recommend me to do BAchelors in PH first then MPH or bachelors in health admin followed by MPH?

 

[wwmmkk]

Yes. Either bachelors would be fine to prepare for an MPH. You should be sure to to take a couple statistics and biology classes to meet pre-reqs, which those bachelors degrees may require anyway. An advisor at your school would be more helpful than anyone here to set you up with those.

 

[steveNYot]

Yes. Either bachelors would be fine to prepare for an MPH. You should be sure to to take a couple statistics and biology classes to meet pre-reqs, which those bachelors degrees may require anyway. An advisor at your school would be more helpful than anyone here to set you up with those.

Ok great. Yeah for my liberal arts associates degree i took math statistics/probability, anatomy & physiology part 1 and 2.

 

[steveNYot]

Yes. Either bachelors would be fine to prepare for an MPH. You should be sure to to take a couple statistics and biology classes to meet pre-reqs, which those bachelors degrees may require anyway. An advisor at your school would be more helpful than anyone here to set you up with those.

Sorry to bother you again. But what about a bachelors in business administration with concentration in accounting? Reason i ask is because i heard thats a broader choice than bachelors in healthcare admin, in case i have a hard time finding a job in health industry.

However either way my end game is MPH. Would the bachelors in healthcare admin make more sense since its rooted in healthcare?

 

[wwmmkk]

I really don't know! I'm interested in community health and epi and don't know very much about the policy/admin side of things. My guess would be that a healthcare degree would increase your admissions chances and prepare you better, and I'm sure there would be opportunities to take business classes within it if that's what interests you. I have no idea what job opportunities just the BA in health admin prepares you for, though, so if you think you'd need a break between the BA and MPH make sure you get advice from somewhere else about what you could do.