This article describes why you would want to earn a master’s degree in the health sciences, as well as discusses the many job possibilities that are available. Further, the article also provides descriptions of several online degree programs where you can earn a specialized master of health science degree.
Why Earn a Masters in Health Science Degree?
If you are interested in medical and health services management, as well as related career fields, you may want to earn a master’s degree in one of the health sciences.
Medical and health service managers lead, direct and coordinate many varieties of health and medical services. They also often manage an entire medical or health facility, or may handle a specific area or department of the facility. Some who hold a master’s in the health sciences also may administer a medical practice of healthcare professionals.
Whatever your role in medical and health sciences, you will most likely need to have a good understanding of federal and state healthcare laws, regulations, and healthcare technology informatics.
Many professionals with their master’s in health sciences often work closely with doctors and surgeons, RNs and lab techs. Some of the most common types of roles these professionals work in are:
- Nursing home administrator: Responsible for managing staff, admissions, finances and care of the residents. If you are an administrator in a nursing home, you will need to have a license.
- Clinical manager: You will likely oversee a specific clinical department, such as surgery, nursing or physical therapy. Clinical managers with a health science background must set up clinical and administrative policies for their respective departments. They also are responsible for the quality of their staff’s work and must make up budgets and financial reports.
- Health information managers: This is a very important health care informatics role where you are responsible for all patient data and records. Staying current with information technology and new laws about health information systems is extremely critical to the success of any healthcare facility.
- Health educator: Provide vital information to communities about how to stay healthy and to engage in healthy lifestyles. You may help design new health education programs that reduce incidents of illness and disease.
Choosing one of these or related professions in the health sciences makes plenty of sense today. As our population continues to age and people are staying active for years longer, the healthcare industry in general is experience rapid growth in service demand.
Clearly, there is a need as well for managers and administrators with a background in health sciences to manage many growing health and medical facilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the demand for medical and health services managers will soar by 17% by 2024. The most popular places for these professionals to work are in government, hospitals, doctors’ offices and nursing and residential care facilities.
This strong demand is reflected in median pay: Government statistics state that the median wage is $94,500.
Master in Health Science – Clinical Concentration
If you want to expand your understanding of clinical science and medicine as well as public health, this track at St. Francis University online could be a good fit. You will take part in advanced clinical coursework in several areas that will provide you with skills to excel in patient care. You also will be able to stay on top of all of the latest advances in healthcare technology and regulations that affect the clinical side of health care.
Courses in the clinical speciality look at how clinicians in the healthcare system can have a positive effect on patients. You also will study complementary and alternative medicine, and will learn about the evidence that supports using it in some cases.
Your health sciences course work for this master’s program features:
- Research Methodology
- Ethical Issues in Practice
- Communication for Healthcare Professionals
- Leadership
- Clinical Residency
- Strategies in Healthcare Policy
- Diversity in Healthcare
- Health Promotion
- Introduction to Public Health
Master of Science in Health Science – Healthcare Informatics Concentration
Students in this two year, online health sciences program at Excelsior College will acquire the most vital knowledge that are related to the latest trends in information system solutions, electronic medical records, decision support and concept representation.
You also will learn how to apply modern healthcare informatics to many different healthcare settings, and will use critical thinking to improve delivery of healthcare. You also will develop skills to design, implement and evaluate new health care informatics management systems.
Some of the curriculum you will study includes the following courses:
- Data, Information and Knowledge
- Informatics and Health Care Delivery System
- System Life Cycle
- Issues in Healthcare Informatics
- Knowledge Representation
- Manage Information for Decision Support
Master of Science in Health Science – Health Education Concentration
This two year, online degree from Touro University Worldwide focuses on health education to preparing you to assume leadership roles to assess, plan and implement health education programs in communities, schools, medical facilities and job settings.
You will learn how you can help to provide solutions for community health problems by coming up with innovative educational programs that above all promote healthy lifestyles and behaviors. After you graduate, as a health educator you will collect and analyze data to determine what the community needs are in the area of health education.
For example, you may design health education plans that deal with HIV prevention, water pollution, teen pregnancy and controlling the spread of diseases in rural areas.
Master of Health Science – Health Policy Concentration
Would you like to make a positive impact in the health sciences, in particular in health policy? You should consider the online Master of Health Science degree in health policy from Boise State University. When you work in the health policy field, you have a major opportunity to affect health care on the small and large scales.
Health policy professionals usually work with private companies, nonprofits, government entities, community based groups and social service agencies to make needed health policy changes that improve the community. You also may need to work with local legislators to demonstrate how a program that you are recommending needs proper funding to eradicate a certain health problem in the area.
Some health policy professionals may work on specific laws or changes to regulations, and others may work generally on improving health and health care in a certain area. You could work for one or more of the following:
- Local, state or federal government
- Universities
- Hospitals
- Insurance companies
- Consulting and research companies
- Managed care organizations
- Private organizations involved in health policy
The health policy focus of this program will offer you an overview of the vital areas of public administration that affect and inform health policies. You also will learn how policies and decisions are made inside government agencies, and how you can influence them. Last, you will study organizational behavior theories and management in nonprofit organizations, and discover how to manage those organizations in the most efficient manner.
You can definitely find exciting, meaningful and financially rewarding work in the health sciences field with your master’s degree. What you need to do is to decide where you want to go to school and which speciality you want to focus on, and then you will be on your way to a fulfilling health industry career.
