Best Degree For Hospital Leadership Roles?

[DelusionalEnthusiasm]

Hi Everyone,

With more PAs and NPs being directly hired by hospital systems there seems to be a lot of potential openings for Director of Advanced Practice Providers. Unfortunately a lot of these roles are being filled by DNPs. I’d like to move into a role like this but as a bachelor trained PA I need an advanced degree. 
 

I’ve been considering doing an MHA but I noticed DMSc at Rocky Mountain is almost about the same amount of time. Does anyone have any idea what hospitals would want for director type positions and moving up more into hospital leadership. Should I just go for DMSc or chose a different degree?

[DelusionalEnthusiasm]

Just for whoever stumbles across this in the future... I spent the last week reading through all of the forum posts related to this, as well as discussing job opportunities, requirements, with multiple directors in local hospitals as well as a director of talent acquisition for a hospital system. 
 

What I’ve found is that if you can, moving directly for any doctorate (DMSc, DHSc, PhD, etc. ) seems to be the move to make. None of the people I spoke to had any preference of degree or any feeling that specializing in some type of business degree was a requirement or looked highly on (MHA, MBA). Some people felt these degrees gave them some good knowledge which helped them in some projects, but overall the general feeling was that it’s not necessary because you learn what you need to know on the job. In the PA Forum these degrees were the go to many years ago but lately the posts have shifted mostly to recommending the doctorate degree. 
Speaking with HR was interesting. They basically said a doctorate in anything demonstrates the capacity to handle the job and even when pressed about not having any health administration focus or training they said it’s really not necessary. Seems a doctorate in anything would be preferred over a MHA or MBA in general. Their “ideal” candidate was a doctorate level educated individual with a history of good leadership skills, something like Chief/Lead PA or possibly involvement with hospital QI projects etc. 

Hope that helps someone in the future. Welcome others comments as well!

[rev ronin]

On 1/11/2021 at 11:01 PM, brandonhughey said:

I am currently a student in RMUoHP's DMSc Healthcare Leadership & Administration Track, as well as an MHA student at CSU global. [...] They are both relatively cheap in comparison to PA school thankfully (~16k each).

I looked at the RMUoHP website... Tuition for their DMSc looks more like $30K than $16.

[Sherijane]

Digital Fusion 04.  Thanks for this information.   I think the bonus of the doctorate is the ability to move into academics.  I have spoken with doctoral graduates who went from clinical practice to teaching in medical schools, PA programs and various undergraduate programs.  I'm just starting my DMSc and I already have been offered a teaching position in a nursing program. 

[CSCH]

On 6/23/2021 at 2:24 PM, Sherijane said:

 I'm just starting my DMSc and I already have been offered a teaching position in a nursing program. 

Very interesting. How did you find out about that kind of opportunity? How was your application for the position received? What do you teach? I would not have assumed that nursing programs would be open to non-RN faculty (unless you are/were an RN?).

[CAAdmission]

I'm still inclined to think that the most bang for your buck would come from an MBA, across hospitals and pharma.