AboutRobert H. Kieserman Expertise professor of healthcare administration with special expertise in the establishment of a private healthcare practice as well as healthcare marketing and patient relations. I am available to answer any question about medical practice management or health administration in general including health administration as a career.
Experience I have taught over 50,000 healthcare practitioners to begin a private practice and have taught another 7,000 students how to prepare for a career in healthcare administration.
Publications author of four books on the private healthcare practice available through TherapyBooks (888-516-0287)
Education/Credentials Full-time Adjunct Professor and Coordinator of the Health Administration Program of Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania
Question My best friend, recent graduate of NY Chiropractic College, and I will be purchasing the chiropractic clinic where he currently works. The goal is to have the clinic in our name(s) by the summer of 2010. As for me; I am going back to college for my degree as I recently separated from the Navy, my dilemma resides in not knowing which degree I should pursue in light of our plans.
My initial though was for a degree (four year) in business and later my MBA; then I pondered a four-year degree in Healthcare Management, I would extend this to an MBA later as well -- I have already registered for the the Healthcare degree program but won't start classes until July 08, so I do have the time to think about my decision. The business and managerial aspect of the clinic will be run by me, leaving my friend to do what he loves in chiropractic medicine.
Obviously, I need a sound understanding of business and the same is true in regards to healthcare -- which degree program would you recommend and why? This is a tough decision and I want to ensure the one I make is after gathering all available information. If for some odd reason the clinic doesn't come to fruition, I know I would enjoy a career in healthcare and managing the degree isn't wholly based upon my future plans with the clinic.
Will I be in trouble going either route? "Half a dozen one way, six in the other" sort of scenario?
Thank you for your valuable time and I look forward to your response at your convenience.
Answer For the sake of your secure future, I would suggest that you pursue an undergraduate degree in business administration or in healthcare administration. However, if you are going to go through an undergraduate program in healthcare administration, then I strongly suggest that you make sure that the program has a strong basis in business courses - accounting, finance, business law, marketing, human resources management, management information systems, etc. as well as courses in healthcare management. As the administrator of a private practice, you will need a solid background in business management. Once you complete your undergraduate degree, you can then decide which graduate program makes the most sense. The one thing I want you to keep in mind is that if you think you may not stay in healthcare management your entire career and you may, at some point, wish to move into another industry, having an undergraduate degree in business administration as opposed to healthcare administration, may better serve you. However, I have had students who pursued an undergraduate degree in healthcare admin, and then decided to pursue an MBA to give themselves more options.
