B.S. in EMS

[Frozennoodle]

Hey guys,

I'm working on a B.S. in EMS mainly because it's the fastest route for me to earn a B.S. The degree is basically an EMS management degree that focuses on administration and operations with an administrative internship built into the program. After that, there is a 15 month long MHA program I was looking at enrolling in. Given my B.S. will be in EMS administration what do you think my chances are of working in hospital administration would be with an MHA?

Thanks.

 

[DrParasite]

if you get your RN, you will have a better change of getting a job in the hospital in administration. BSN is even better.

many BS in EMS people have goals of running an EMS agency, or are bosses in EMS and want to firm up their position.

Depending on where you work, people still look down on paramedics in administration position, and it's rare (but not unheard of) to have a degreed paramedic being given a administrative supervisory position over nurses and doctors in a hospital

 

[Carlos Danger]

I've known EMS folks who held admin positions in the hospital, but the positions were all EMS or ED related. Things like EMS coordinator, ED research coordinator, etc.

There are plenty of people with no clinical background at all who hold high-level administrative positions in healthcare, so you definitely don't need to be a nurse. Of course these jobs require a lot of lower-level experience.

I would research the job market thoroughly though, before you commit to the time and expense of a MHA. As you know healthcare is changing fast. There might be other things you can or should do to make yourself more competitive for the type of position you want.

 

[Frozennoodle]

many BS in EMS people have goals of running an EMS agency, or are bosses in EMS and want to firm up their position.

I wouldn't mind running an EMS service one day. I'm in an entry-level supervisor position at the moment but the pay is just so inadequate even for administration it makes me not want to pursue that route.

 

[Frozennoodle]

I would research the job market thoroughly though, before you commit to the time and expense of a MHA. As you know healthcare is changing fast. There might be other things you can or should do to make yourself more competitive for the type of position you want.

Do you have any particular suggestions or resources?

 

[Carlos Danger]

Do you have any particular suggestions or resources?

Not in really; I'm a worker bee and don't know much about those types of jobs or how to get them.

I would just start with generic sources....the BLS career outlook site, google searches, job boards, Linkdin, etc. just talking to one or two people who are in the kind of position you want might be invaluable.

 

[EpiEMS]

I've actually been thinking about how to use EMS as a stepping-stone to healthcare admin/finance, so this is a welcome thread!

It seems that there are options -- once appropriately credentialed (e.g. MHA, MPH, etc.) -- to run EMS-related services. I've seen a couple of folks who are paramedics with graduate degrees in EMS-related roles throughout healthcare. A good example (although an EMT, not a medic) is Ray Barishansky: he's an EMT and has an MPH -- and is the director of CT's OEMS.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

Within EMS, your looking at admin/leadership, education, or research. I have seen multiple EMS directors with MPH, MPA, or MS degrees. Outside EMS with a masters degree, there are plenty of people with non-clinical undergraduate degree's running leadership and admin stuff at the hospital. You think all the board members, and executives are RN's and Doctors? Some are, but its not the majority that I have seen. If your going on to grad school and your a paramedic, the EMS undergraduate degree is fine in my opinion. I know plenty of grad students and even doctors with complete BS(no pun intended) undergraduate degrees ranging from zoology, psychology, sociology, ect. It all depends on what you wanna do of course, but I think you would be fine, plus if your thinking about clinical work later, PA school's will gladly take your EMS undergrad so long as you fufill the pre-rec's for their programs

 

[OnceAnEMT]

The MHA is what'll get you the administration job in a hospital. Even a Bachelors for Healthcare Administration would do it.

As mentioned, it does matter what you plan to do after. Stop, PA school, medic school, RN, whatever. There are better options for the various paths. Just keep in mind that not only is a degree in EMS a very narrow degree, it is, as you said, a "fast track". That is recognized. If you're looking to do further schooling, say a professional school, just be sure to pick up all of your pre-reqs.