Public Health & Health Administration

The Business Side of Healthcare

Nature of the Work

Public health is the science and art of creating healthy communities through education, research, and promotion of healthy lifestyles. In public health, the focus is on health promotion and disease/injury prevention; this is in contrast to the medical model of care,which focuses more heavily upon diagnosing and treating illnesses and conditions after they occur. 

Because of their "big picture" perspective, public health experts play a key role in emergency preparedness and response.* This may be why public health has become such a growing field in recent years.

To pursue a career in public health, you must hold at least a master's degree from an accredited school of public health.  There are seven different types of advanced degrees in this field:

  • Master of Public Health (MPH)
  • Master of Health Administration (MHA)
  • Master of Science (MS)
  • Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  • Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
  • Doctor of Science (ScD)

Health care is a business and, like every other business, it needs good management to keep it running smoothly. Medical and health services managers, also referred to as health care executives or health care administrators, plan, direct, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of health care. Medical and health services managers include specialists and generalists. Specialists are in charge of specific clinical departments or services, while generalists manage or help manage an entire facility or system.

The structure and financing of health care are changing rapidly. Future medical and health services managers must be prepared to deal with evolving integrated health care delivery systems, technological innovations, an increasingly complex regulatory environment, restructuring of work, and an increased focus on preventive care. They will be called on to improve efficiency in health care facilities and the quality of the health care provided. Increasingly, medical and health services managers will work in organizations in which they must optimize efficiency of a variety of related services—for example, those ranging from inpatient care to outpatient follow-up care.

For additional information about careers in Public Health or Health Administration, go directly to www.explorehealthcareers.org.

Undergraduate Preparation  

Undergraduate Preparation

Choosing a Major

IMPORTANT: Students are urged to plan their schedules with a specific major and general degree requirements at the College of Charleston in mind, in addition to meeting the allied health prerequisites. Students interested in all programs should select a major and work toward a degree at the College. If you are admitted into a program before you graduate, you have not "lost" anything, but if you stay here another year, you will be further along toward a degree. You should be aware that having a Baccalaureate degree weighs favorably in applying to many programs, even if it is not required. Plan your college curriculum as though you have two equal goals---(1st) meeting the allied health requirements and (2nd) earning a degree in a College of Charleston major. There is no "magic major" to insure admission into a program although some clearly provide a better academic preparation and match; you should select an area of inherent interest to you. See the College of Charleston catalog for the General Education Requirements. If you will be at the College during your Junior year, you must declare a College of Charleston major.

Tests and Application  

Tests and Application

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

For detailed information on the GRE, go to www.gre.org

Many graduate programs in a variety of fields require that you take the GREs. It is important to find out exactly what the requirements are for the particular program that you are applying to.

The GRE® (Graduate Record Examination) General Test measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking and analytical writing skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study. The GRE® Subject Tests gauge undergraduate achievement in eight specific fields of study and is often required for admission into a master's degree program.

Timetable  

Timetable

Design an Academic Plan

First Year

Fall Semester:

Explore various majors and declare as early as possible. As soon as you declare your major, you will be assigned an academic advisor within that department. Students preparing to enter the field of Public Health or Health Administration can choose from almost any major. Make sure to identify that you are a pre-health professions student on the major declaration form Make an appointment with your advisor to discuss professional goals and determine an academic game plan. As soon as you get settled into your classes, contact the Pre-professional Health Advisor, to make an advising appointment to discuss professional goals and discuss the necessary prerequisites, shadowing/volunteer work etc.

Spring Semester:

Meet with your academic advisor to discuss your progress. Search for shadowing and volunteer opportunities in your field of interest.

First Summer:

Shadowing/volunteer work


Second Year

Fall Semester:

Meet with your advisor to discuss your Spring schedule. Visit the Center for Student Learning and schedule a meeting with the Director to begin learning about the GRE. Continue working on your volulnteer hours.

Spring Semester:

Discuss your academic progress with your advisor and adjust your academic plan, as needed. Meet with Pre-Health Professions Advisor to make review your progress and the next phase of preparation. Explore career options and alternatives, if your GPA is not adequate or your career interests have changed. Sign up to take a free practice GRE through Kaplan.

Second Summer:

Work/volunteer to gain insight of your career choice. Explore available internship and research opportunities Get involved in the community Start researching the professional schools and visit their campus and schedule a meeting with the Director of Admissions for Allied Health.


Third Year

Fall Semester:

Meet with your advisor to discuss Spring schedule. Get organized, order review booklets and practice tests to prepare for standardized exams. Explore various professional schools and determine to which ones you will apply. Pay special attention to appllication deadlines.

Spring Semester:

Discuss your academic progress with your advisor.  Meet with the Pre-Health Professions advisor to determine if your GPA is competitive and whether or not this is the year you should apply to professional school.  (Click Here to email the Pre-Health Advisor) Collect materials needed to fill in application and start working on application essay. Apply and study for standardized admissions tests.  Check the deadlines and do not miss them. Practice, practice, practice taking the standardized admissions test. Take the standardized admissions test and request that scores be released to the College of Charleston, schools to which you are applying. Request letters of evaluation from faculty and health professionals who know you well.

Third Summer:

Continue to work/volunteer in your field of interest and community outreach projects. Organize application materials and make sure that everything is complete. Retake standardized admissions tests, if necessary.


Fourth Year

Fall Semester:

Meet with your advisor. Get a degree audit and apply for graduation. Make sure your application materials are organized and submitted within the deadlines (earlier is always better than later when submitting application materials). Prepare for interviews (if applicable) Interview and wait. Search for sources of financial aid.

Spring Semester:

Send updated transcripts directly to the professional schools to which you have applied. Sometimes it takes more than one try to get accepted. If you don't get accepted the first time, discuss options with the pre-health advisor.

Letters of Recommendation  

Letters of Recommendation

As part of the application process to various graduate programs, you will be required to provide letters of reference (usually 3). Different programs may ask for these letters to come from specific individuals, such as a science professor. Check with the schools to which you will be applying to make sure that you are satisfying their criteria. If the application is done online, there are usually recommendation forms provided. You want to make sure the appropriate forms accompany any letters that are submitted on your behalf. Not using the recommended forms can delay processing of your application.

Online Resources  

Online Resources

Please visit the resources page for links to professional organizations, educational programs and other online materials.