10 Best Healthcare MBA Career Opportunities

Professionals are now looking to MBAs to help them improve their career prospects within a variety of settings. One of the settings that attract a wide range of MBA students is healthcare, and there are a range of exciting opportunities available to those who have an interest in this field.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job prospects are expected to improve for professionals within the field of healthcare management. And that means more MBA grads are being recruited into the leadership ranks of hospital systems nationwide.

This basically means that those who are interested in obtaining an MBA within this field, as well as those who have already obtained their qualification will most likely be able to look forward to a bright future in this field.

1. Entrepreneurs

One of the many exciting options available to those who have an MBA in healthcare is that of an entrepreneur. These professionals are usually responsible for spotting a niche in the market where they can make money, and they will often work hand in hand with investors that will finance their ideas.

2. Hospital Administrator

Hospital administrators take on the role of leaders within hospital settings, nursing homes and outpatient centers. These professionals are responsible for taking control of the financial and human resources within the organization to ensure that they meet certain goals. If you are hired by a newly constructed trauma center, you are expected to develop an elaborate organizational structure, including creating departments and units where health care staff can provide comprehensive emergency medical services to patients suffering traumatic injuries.

3. Practice Manager

Practice managers tend to take on the role of a medical ethics manager within organizations. Their main job is to make sure that the organization is complying with the legal requirements as set out by governing bodies. These professionals might work in nursing homes or hospitals and they tend to focus a lot of their attention on strategic planning, as well as quality assurance, accreditation and hospital satisfaction, among a wide variety of other roles.

4. Health Care Consultant

A health care consultant is a professional responsible for assessing the structure of the organization, as well as suggesting ways that the organization can enhance their efficiency and regulatory compliance. In some instances, these professionals are responsible for introducing technology into the health care setting. In some cases, for example, a professional might look into automating the payment services to increase the overall efficiency of the business. These professionals often have to be quite creative in the way that they problem solve, although this will depend entirely on the specific type of position that they hold.

5. Policy Analyst

A health policy analyst is an individual who has had a lot of training in the fields of economics, policies and laws. With this sort of experience, individuals can expect to find much more lucrative positions, such as within government agencies and they provide professionals with the chance to analyze various health-related policies and to determine whether they are as efficient as possible. In some instances, this might not be the case and so they will need to come up with ways to streamline the business. Evidence of this has been seen recently in the way that attempts are being made to make healthcare more affordable.

6. Policy Researcher

The job description of a policy researcher entails that individuals work alongside health organizations that are actively working within the field of healthcare reform. These professionals will utilize their skills as researchers to look into some of the challenges faced within this industry, as well as to test certain policy reforms before they become a reality. These research positions tend to be very popular options for those who are interested in obtaining an MBA in healthcare.

7. Hospital CEO

A hospital CEO is usually the professional who is in charge of running the entire hospital. This professional will be in charge of all the departments within the hospital setting and all employees will work under this professional. This is a very highly regarded position within this sort of setting, and individuals who receive it should be experienced and knowledgeable within their field.

8. Hospital CFO

The CFO holds the lucrative position of financial head of the organization. The contributors of MHA Degree explain this role in more detail; “You are mainly charged with the task of managing all financial risks for the company. You also must handle most of the planning of finances and keeping of records. You will probably need to report the financial status of the hospital to the CEO and other upper management.”

Once again, individuals who are likely to end up with this position are usually those with a lot of experience in this field.

9. Pharmaceutical Product Manager

A pharmaceutical product manager is an individual who works within the field of pharmaceuticals and tends to not only analyze data, but to come up with promotions for the new devices and drugs being made available by these organizations.

10. Medical Practice Manager

Medical practice managers tend to earn about $81,000 and they are obviously in charge of medical practices. Their roles are somewhat similar to hospital administrators, although they accomplish the same tasks on a much smaller scale. Some of the most common tasks assigned to professionals within this field include hiring, budgets, billing, legal compliance and managing staff, among others.

Anyone looking for a career in healthcare with an MBA can expect to have a wide range of career opportunities to pick from.