, 2008

SIUC Application   



The Health Care Management Program (HCM) prepares students for careers in health management or health policy. By customizing our multidisciplinary curriculum to meet your interests, your program of study can lead to a career within a health care organization, government agency or graduate study in areas such as business, law, or medicine. Our graduates are poised to enter one of the fastest growing careers in the U.S., while working in an industry with significant social impact – health and well-being.

The College

The Health Care Management Program is one of eight programs in the School of Allied Health in the Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s College of Applied Sciences and Arts (ASA). ASA takes a comprehensive approach to issues that cross the lifespan.

Health Services Career Opportunities

Many HCM graduates work in finance, marketing, human resources, and other management fields in a wide variety of healthcare settings – from hospitals and health systems, to long-term care organizations to physician group practices, to health insurance and pharmaceutical companies. HCM graduates with interests in policy find positions in state health, aging and insurance departments, federal agencies like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and private trade and research organizations. Other HCM graduates pursue graduate education in medicine, health law, public health, and business or the growing fields of health administration or health services research and policy. Experts predict continued rapid growth in employment and income in health administration.

The Undergraduate Program

The primary mission of the baccalaureate program in HCM is to provide comprehensive undergraduate education in health care management. The program seeks to provide high quality education in the theoretical and technical aspects of health care management to aspiring and practicing health care managers. The program also seeks to develop, among its students, an understanding of the complex interaction of the economic, financial, political and social factors affecting the management and delivery of health care services. SIU’s Health Care Management Program, with more than a decade of experience teaching undergraduates about health care, is a leader in health administration education. Our alumni, more than 1,500 strong, are a testament to our program’s quality.

Internship

All HCM students complete an internship, ranging from 3 to 12 credit hours, which offers practical experience in health administration or policy. Our commitment to excellence in undergraduate education has allowed us to established strong relationships with many healthcare organizations in Illinois and other states who welcome our interns. The internship allows students to apply skills and knowledge learned in class to real world situations. They complete their education with self-growth and health care as well as with a growing network of contacts to help them after graduation.

HCM Faculty

The HCM faculty offer expertise in a wide range of fields, including law, business administration, gerontology, epidemiology, and economics. Students benefit from faculty using many perspectives to examine health care, revealing the complexity of health care system. Junior/senior courses emphasize discussion, case study, presentation and contact with working health care professionals.

Course Work

HCM students complete a foundation set of courses in economics and business. Required courses for the major cover the healthcare system, health services management, health policy and medical needs. In addition to choosing among department elective courses in health finance, management, strategic planning and marketing, long-term care and others, HCM students take supporting courses from other departments that provide opportunities for exploration and specialization. For example, students can choose minors like general business, management, finance, marketing and accounting.

Honors Study

HCM participates in the University Honors Program. The program is designed to offer unique educational experiences to participating students. The program includes seminars, special sections of certain classes and independent study.

Student Services and Activities

Many HCM students are active in the Student Health Care Management Association. The organization brings health care leaders to SIU to meet students, organize special events and arrange trips to national meetings of the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE). HCM students also have opportunities to gain valuable experience through volunteer work in other-related organizations on campus and in the community.

First-year students and sophomores in ASA who have not yet officially declared their major in HCM receive academic advising from a premajor advisor, who also advises junior and senior students. The professional adviser is knowledgeable about curriculum and career issues in HCM and serves as an excellent resource for students.

Research and Industry Ties

Outstanding undergraduate students are often involved in the wide spectrum of health services research conducted by HCM faculty. Recent projects include ethics in health care organizations, HMO penetration and hospital competition impact on quality of hospital care, understanding health disparities through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and access to medical care by working poor. Through research, internships and consulting, HCM faculty maintain strong ties with the health care industry. Several faculty members have substantial work experience and continue to serve on boards, councils and committees of government agencies and healthcare organizations. These relationships provide numerous opportunities for student contacts through guest speakers and site visits.

Minority Programs

The college actively recruits minorities for all academic programs. The American Hospital Association, via Institute for Diversity in Health Management, and other organizations offer paid internships and scholarships for students from ethnically underrepresented groups.

Financial Aid

SIU awards many scholarships to undergraduate students each year; there also are grants, loans, and work-study programs for students who qualify. Many scholarships are available exclusively to students in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts. The Health Care Management Program awards a Tuition Waiver Scholarship to one or more outstanding students each year. For information on the Tuition Waiver Scholarship, contact the HCM Program Director (see below). For other scholarships information, contact the OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, WOODY HALL B, CARBONDALE, IL 62901-4626, (618) 453-4334.

To learn more about the Health Management Program, call or write:

DR. PATRICK RIVERS
PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR
HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
SCHOOL OF ALLIED HEALTH
COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES AND ARTS
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
1365 DOUGLAS DRIVE
MAIL CODE 6615
CARBONDALE, IL 62901-6615
E-mail: privers@siu.edu
Phone: (618) 453-8842
Fax: (618) 453-7020

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