7 answers
Alexandria
Student
Yuba City, California
2
Questions
Asked
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How does a person with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and Administration transfer into the health care industry? Will I have to go back to school in order to get my foot in the door?
I have over 12 years experience in the sales, security and client relationship in the banking and military industry. I just earned my Bachelors in Business Management and Administration from San Francisco State University and have an interest in the health care industry. I don't know where to start with my path and need guidance.
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7 answers
Jennifer Heaney
Manager
3
Answers
Dublin, County Dublin
Updated
Jennifer’s Answer
The healthcare industry is varied. However your business will support alot of different jobs unless they are specific to medicine, nursing, science, pharmacy postions etc. If you like sales pharma or medical sales good option. There is alot happening around med tech/ biotech presently and many would be based on the west coast of the US.
Zunaira Rahman
Consultant
2
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Zunaira’s Answer
Drawing from my personal journey, I hold a degree in management information systems and was specifically exploring job opportunities in the healthcare sector, but from a non-clinical angle. I was particularly interested in consulting roles and administrative positions within healthcare companies.
Greg McLeod
Customer Success
8
Answers
Flemington, New Jersey
Updated
Greg’s Answer
Business Management and Administration is a all purpose degrees used by the health care industry and every industry there is. The companies need to run by professional and all have back office functions that need those skills
Think about what part of the "health care industry" intrigues you... You may need to augment that degrees with supplimenta training and education
Think about what part of the "health care industry" intrigues you... You may need to augment that degrees with supplimenta training and education
Thank you for giving me advice.
Alexandria
Mariam Daud
Global Campaign Manager
4
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Mariam’s Answer
Transitioning into the healthcare industry with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and Administration and over 12 years of experience in sales, security, and client relations is definitely possible, and you don’t necessarily need to go back to school. Many of your business acumen and transferable skills, such as client management, operations, and leadership, can be highly valuable in healthcare, especially in hospital administration or healthcare management roles. These positions require strong organizational and communication skills, financial oversight, and experience managing teams—all areas where your business background will be useful.
You can explore roles in healthcare operations, practice management, patient experience, or healthcare consulting.
Some entry-level certifications in healthcare administration could boost your credibility without the need for another degree.
Networking within the industry by attending healthcare management seminars or joining professional associations like the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) can also open doors.
Mariam recommends the following next steps:
Thank you! This is amazing. I’ll definitely look into the entry level roles and join groups to network and connect. As far as health care certifications, which in specify would you recommend ?
Alexandria
Camille Lewis
Consultant
2
Answers
Arlington, Virginia
Updated
Camille’s Answer
Hey Alexandria, many of the skills you learn from your Business Administration degree are transferrable in healthcare. You still need to have a good understanding of management/leadership, operations, and client relations (depending on the role you get into). I have an undergraduate degree in Business Administration, and I am currently a Healthcare Analyst. From my own experience, I will emphasize that you use a lot of the skills/knowledge you built in your degree in this area, but you also need to take the time to upskill yourself in the healthcare world. For example, if you are working in the Medicare space, take the time to understand what goes into Medicare. I would also suggest that if there is a specific area of healthcare that you are interested in, reach out to people currently working in that area to learn more/see how you can get involved. What really peaked my interest, was that I was taking a class in my undergraduate program where my professor was working on healthcare data and giving us samples of it to work with in class. Once I realized I was interested, I would set up time with her to discuss the healthcare world and how I can fit my data interest in with it. Hope this helps!
Nikki Butchart
Director, Enterprise Sales
3
Answers
Buffalo, New York
Updated
Nikki’s Answer
Are you intrigued by the prospect of selling Medical Devices? This could be your golden ticket into the thriving healthcare sector. You'll have the opportunity to engage with healthcare experts, likely acquire firsthand experience in medical situations, and utilize many of the skills you've already mastered.
I am grateful you took the time to respond. I want to be in a position to engage with professionals and learn from the health care environment to grow within the company. I’m excited to look more into it and get started with my career!!!
Alexandria
Agree with Nikki, Medical sales sounds like something that would be a great fit for you! Look at companies like Johnson & Johnson, Stryker, Abbott Labs, Boston Scientific, Siemens
Brianna Bazzy
Brianna Bazzy
5
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Brianna’s Answer
Agree with Nikki, Medical sales sounds like something that would be a great fit for you! Look at companies like Johnson & Johnson, Stryker, Abbott Labs, Boston Scientific, Siemens
Thank you for the advice.
Alexandria
Healthcare has both non-clinical and clinical areas. I would focus on your business degree and how that experience combined with your overall experience is leveraged for healthcare. Also, join a few healthcare networking, groups or associations that expose you to hiring managers. Many non-clinical jobs are pertinent without a "health" degree.
Kay Kay Chan, MBA, CHC