Ashford....Health Care Admin

[learflyer]

Is anyone enrolled in this program and able to clep out of any of the courses? If not clepping, how do you like this program?

[marianne202]

Hey,

I looked at this program, but I'm not sure they are RA. I know they are more expensive than the big 3 and I think the RA was the kicker. I'm doing EC's BS in Health Sciences majoring in Healthcare Management along with a few others here. You may want to look into it. I know COSC also has a similar program, but since they don't do majors, just concentrations that is the only reason I didn't go that route. I actually liked the COSC courses better as they fit my experience more closely. I also would wonder about their name recognition. I also don't know that they allow / accept CLEP / DSST exams. Just make sure you carefully weigh all your options. I will tell you that a lot of these "private" schools like Ashford tell you what you want to hear and promise you a lot, but after you pay and sign on the dotted line you find out otherwise. Spend the time to research before, including the BBB and the state board of education and attorney general in the state they operate out of. You are committing a lot of time and money and you need to make sure you will get what you pay for!

[learflyer]

I appreciate your response. I'm in the CJ program right now at EC(not enrolled but still clepping) and had a change of heart. i like healthcare but not the blood and guts so I started thinking about health management. It looks like EC is geared more towards folks who are paramedics, emt's, etc for this program. I'm NONE of these. I'm just an out of work airline pilot. I'm leaning toward health management as a career now and I see that EC is waiving the enrollment fee for this program. Probably worth a look, huh?

Edit....The EC website says that the healthcare management is a "certificate." I guess the degree would say BS health sciences or something like that? Where would the management part come in? Or is this a degree tailored to folks who already work in the Paramedic, emt fields who are furthering their education?

Oops, doesn't look like i'm eligible anyway because I need this:

Q: Who is eligible for admission into the program?
A: Admission into the baccalaureate degree program requires a minimum of 20 credit hours in a health science field, such as mortuary science, dental hygiene, nutrition, to name a few.

[perrik]

It appears that EC's Health Sciences program is similar to its Nursing program, in that it's geared towards those already in the field who need a degree for career advancement.

Since you're coming into the field from scratch and don't want to deal with the patient care side of things, your best bet is a degree in healthcare administration or business administration with a healthcare administration specialization. Finding these programs online is not easy - especially since so many online learning information sites just tout the usual for-profit places. It's a struggle to identify online programs at state or private non-profit universities, but they're out there.

I used to work in a large department of a major teaching hospital. Most of the new hires with freshly-minted BSHCA degrees came in from a particular university's mandatory internship program. As permanent employees, they generally started off as administrative assistants. Your mileage may vary, of course, but just keep in mind that the BS is no guarantee of landing a higher-level administrative position! FYI, focus on the finance courses, and even if your program doesn't require it, take a full year's worth of accounting. If you understand the financial aspect of HCA, you will greatly increase your marketability. (the two AAs with strong finance skills moved up into administrator roles quickly)

Okay, I've done some research. (I do that a lot here, but it's fun!) Here's a plan: get an associates degree or amass the credit equivalent thereof. Apply to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center's online degree program for the BS in Clinical Services Management. Click that link, then download the catalog and viewbook for more information. Tuition for the online program is a flat $250/credit hour for non-residents ($150 for Texas residents). The curriculum looks solid, and hey, you can continue on to get their MS in Clinical Practice Management.

[learflyer]

Thanks, Perrik!