GROWING DEMAND OF HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION

Patients usually seek care when they have medical issues, but they encounter a system that is sometimes difficult to understand and navigate. The healthcare system needs to improve itself if it wants to provide the best care for patients, especially underprivileged ones. It is where individuals who earn degrees in MSW, MPA, and MPH come into play. Keep reading to find about the growing demand for healthcare and social education work.

Deciding to earn a master’s degree is crucial when it comes to moving forward in your career. Furthering your education will allow you to gain skills and make you well-equipped in your field and help others. Before you decide to take such a step, knowing about the degree program and what it holds is extremely necessary. Whether you want to obtain social work, public health, or demand of healthcare administration degree, there is no accurate answer to which type of healthcare-based degree is the best. 

However, you firstly need to know about the differences between each degree and the demand they have in the healthcare sector. Today, in this article, we will share the differences, similarities, and career opportunities of an MPH, MHA, and MSW programs and how they stack up against each other.

THE MASTERS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AT GLANCE:

A master of public administration is a type of degree that prepares students to serve in positions at state, municipal, and federal government and also some nongovernmental organizations. This degree focuses on teaching students the aspects of public administration, policy development, and implementation of said policies. Also, this degree program prepares students for how to deal with challenges that the administration presents. To enroll in this degree program, students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. An MPA is the public equivalent of an MBA degree, which deals more with the private sector.

The courses that students study in an MPA degree include political sciences, sociology, economics, law, and anthropology. When looking at an MPA vs. MSW, both the degree programs allow individuals to work in the public or private sector as leaders. But an MPA degree holder has more of an administrative role, while an individual with an MSW has further of a hands-on role.

CAREER OPENINGS OF AN MPA DEGREE HOLDER:

• Logistician

A logistician’s responsibility is to monitor the transfer of services or products from the starting stages to the end stages of delivery. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, logisticians earn anywhere from 45,000 dollars to 115,000 dollars annually.

• Training and Development Manager

Most companies around the world require development and training for their workforce. It is where training and development managers come into play. It is their job to train new incoming employees or existing ones, about the basic requirements of a company. They coordinate and plan and implement training programs to educate employees on the operations of a company. The average salary of a training and development manager is around 102,000 dollars per year.

WHAT DOES A MASTERS OF SOCIAL WORK HOLD FOR YOU?

Completing a master’s in social work provides various career opportunities for an individual. When studying for a master of social work, students gain skills that help them fight social injustice, protect the vulnerable, and help underprivileged people turn their life around. Individuals who want to apply for an MSW degree program must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. If you wish to work in the private sector or a public one, an MSW paves the way for various career opportunities for you in the field of medicine, psychiatric work, criminology, or child services.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES OF AN MSW DEGREE HOLDER:

• Mental Health Therapist

It is the job of a mental health therapist to conducts therapies such as general therapy, social therapy, or clinical psychology. A mental health therapist uses medical methods such as psychoanalysis, which helps their patients to overcome psychological and behavioral problems. The average salary of a mental health therapist is around 50,000 dollars per year.

• School Social Worker

A school social worker helps students from elementary and secondary school. It is the job of a school social worker to observe students in their schools and assess psychological, social, or other influences that may hinder their studies and social life. These workers usually collaborate with students’ parents and teachers to help identify what issues the child is facing, and accordingly, come up with solutions. The average salary of a social school worker is around 49,000 dollars per year.

AN INSIGHT INTO A MASTERS OF PUBLIC HEALTH DEGREE:

A master of public health degree focuses on the aspects involved in the public health sector. Individuals who study for a master of public health gain knowledge about their involvement in promoting community awareness about communicable diseases, violence prevention, injury, and other problems that affect a person’s health. Since this degree is an applied program, individuals usually engage in community-based activities. These activities may include internships, practical experience in the public health sector, or writing medical research papers.

JOB CHANCES FOR AN MPH DEGREE HOLDER:

• Healthcare Administrator

A healthcare administrator has the job of overseeing activities required to run a medical institution. They organize staff, look after inventory and resources, and delegate tasks to all personal present inside the medical institution. The average salary of a healthcare Administrator is around 65,000 dollars per year. 

• Public Health Manager

A public health manager oversees projects that help in improving the wellbeing of a community. The challenges they face are managing budgets, achieving project objectives without delay, and overcoming unexpected difficulties during the projects. The average salary of a public health manager is around 76,000 dollars per year.

THE FINAL WORDS

Whether you decide to do a Master’s in public health, social work, health administration, it is all about what you wish to achieve in the end. It all depends on the demand of healthcare and what sector you want to work in the future and how you want to help the community to get better. These three degrees have upright career progression, so you can rest assured that you will help out, in one way or another, and get paid while doing it all.