What medical training could I use with a business degree?

Question

I'm a sophomore business major, but in college I've begun to take more of an interest in biology and science. I've been considering combining my business education with something in the medical field, but I don't see anything that really relates.

I'd like to find something that I could double major/minor in that would help me get involved with the growing medical field. I've considered nursing, but it seems exclusive (ie. either you're an RN or an accountant - not both). Is there any way I could relate a business degree to the medical field?

Answer 1

"Employment of medical and health services managers is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through 2014, as the health care industry continues to expand and diversify. Job opportunities will be especially good in offices of health practitioners, general medical and surgical hospitals, home health care services, and outpatient care centers. Applicants with work experience in the health care field and strong business and management skills should have the best opportunities. Competition for jobs at the highest management levels will be keen because of the high pay and prestige.

Managers in all settings will be needed to improve quality and efficiency of health care while controlling costs, as insurance companies and Medicare demand higher levels of accountability. Managers also will be needed to computerize patient records and to ensure their security as required by law. Additional demand for managers will stem from the need to recruit workers and increase employee retention, to comply with changing regulations, to implement new technology, and to help improve the health of their communities by emphasizing preventive care.

Hospitals will continue to employ the most medical and health services managers over the 2004-14 projection period. However, the number of new jobs created is expected to increase at a slower rate in hospitals than in many other industries because of the growing utilization of clinics and other outpatient care sites. Despite relatively slow employment growth, a large number of new jobs will be created because of the industry’s large size. Medical and health services managers with experience in large facilities will enjoy the best job opportunities, as hospitals become larger and more complex.

Employment will grow fastest in practitioners’ offices and in home health care agencies. Many services previously provided in hospitals will continue to shift to these sectors, especially as medical technologies improve. Demand in medical group practice management will grow as medical group practices become larger and more complex. Managers with specialized experience in a particular field, such as reimbursement, should have good opportunities.

Medical and health services managers also will be employed by health care management companies that provide management services to hospitals and other organizations, as well as to specific departments such as emergency, information management systems, managed care contract negotiations, and physician recruiting."

This is from the article on Health Care and Medical Services Managers in the 2006-2007 issue of the U.S. Occupational Outlook Handbook. As with most occupations, there is a full analysis of the field, the working conditions, and so on at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos014.htm

If you decide to go this route, I would check with somebody in the field, but I'd think that I'd look for some combination of health care economics and the sociology of health care to round out your business degree.

It might help to look at the course offerings in a university program that offers an undergraduate (final two years) health care management degree and to see whether your adviser can help you to find equivalents available at your college or university. For example, see http://www.business.appstate.edu/departments/Management/hcm/courses1.asp

Finally, an alternative might be to complete your degree and aim at getting into a Master's program (MBA or MSc) in health care management. Two examples from first-class schools follow:

The Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania) M.B.A. in Health Services Administration: http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mbaresource/curriculum/hcmg/

Boston University offers a health services MBA (which can be taken by itself or as part of a number of dual master's programs, e.g., MBA/MS which combines the health servicdes MBA with a Master's of Science in Information Sciences or the MBA/MPH. which combines with a Master in Public Health): http://management.bu.edu/gpo/fulltime/hsm/

Good luck.

Answer 2

Nope. no job ive heard of does business and bio together. Get a med degree.