A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

New ad stalking me online... - master of science in health communication

Posted: Jul 04, 2012

assuming I already have a BA, does anyone think this would be a good alternative career choice to MT?

Not really, no. - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I do not think it is a good choice. It is a noble idea, some job that will help you make a difference communicating health advice to people, but the jobs are few and far between and I can promise that the pay won't be very good. This a public health kind of program, so there will be low funding.

I work for a huge nationwide healthcare system which has not one job available for anyone like that. Jobs may be available in the public health setting, but they will be few and far between.

I also noted that many of the programs were at diploma mills which will flood the market with graduates who have done third-rate copycat programs, lowering salaries, causing massive competition for jobs, and increasing scepticism about the worth of this job and applicants for it.

If you truly do want to do this, you should consider only major universities like Tufts and Boston University--programs that are AT a medical school.

Even then, my thinking is that this is the kind of program intended as a kind of filler program for students who did not get into medical school but need a graduate program to do while they are waiting to apply again. They will never get accepted if they do nothing, but the additional degree and grades help them. The program goals are not very much concerned with job placement, but just with supplying an additional degree. Public health schools have always been very popular with that crowd. In other words, this is less job-focused than it is get-a-degree focused.

Quite honestly, just in terms of job prospects, your best bet is an RHIA. The job market is outstanding and so are salaries. There is a huge variety of jobs and specialties. This is only going to increase with EHRs.

With your BA you can complete the postbaccalaureate certificate at the University of Toledo in a little over a year to sit for the RHIA exam. It is affordable and completely online. They give in-state rates to distance students. This is a state school, not a diploma mill.

Another good option would be the health informatics program at Western Governors University. It is also AHIMA-accredited so it leads to the RHIA. It would give you specific competencies in informatics that are highly marketable. You may be able to complete it in a few years, since you have a BA and already know much of the material from your current work. It is competency-based rather than locked into semesters, so you can do it basically as fast as you are able. The cost can be very reasonable. WGU is a real university, as well. It s not a diploma mill.

Not the OP, but that was very useful info - Thanks.

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Yes, a very thoughtful assessment. - Thank you.

[ In Reply To ..]
The program is with Boston University, not matchbook, but still something that would probably cost a fortune and not lead to much (if anything). Probably best for me to keep limping along with MT until I can collect SS in only 6 more years.

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