For more information contact:
Email:bocchino@gwu.edu
Phone: (202) 994-5129

MSHS in the Field of Health Care Quality

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What type of job can a graduate of the Health Care Quality program obtain?
The graduate program is designed to broaden the skills of health care professionals, affording them competitive position with other applicants pursuing higher level management positions throughout the health care industry. With health care reform, we expect to see employers focusing more and more on applicants who understand the inter-relationships of health care delivery and patient outcomes.
After graduation the opportunities are varied for an individual seeking employment in the health care quality field. Below are a few examples.

• Health Quality Manager for a Health Center, Hospital, Rehabilitation Center, Skilled Nursing Facility and Nursing Home.
• Quality Assurance Consulting
• Quality Manager for any health care organization
• Health Policy work for any organization with a strategic focus on health care quality such as: NCQA, CMS, NQF, AHRQ and JACHO

2) Is their job placement help after graduation for the graduate?
Historically the GW health sciences programs, through the nature of distance education, have opened up many opportunities for employment for applicants. These opportunities come more as a result of networking with faculty and other students, rather than a specific job placement function. The program will provide access to server mailing lists for job search and recruiting needs in the field as we do in other programs.
Although, NCQA does not offer a formal job placement program, students are encouraged to review NCQA job postings for employment opportunities located at: http://www.ncqa.org/tabid/388/Default.aspx. In addition, NCQA is frequently sought out by other organizations to recommend individuals with a health care quality background for employment. Lastly, NCQA offers internship opportunities where students are exposed to health care quality, health care policy and measurement. Internships are competitive and limited. Please contact Esther Han for more information: han@ncqa.org

3) Is there flexibility while taking classes for the student?
Each student will be given a recommended program of study and encouraged to follow it. However, with all of our programs we recognize the complex nature of adults returning to school and we work to make the program flexible to meet our students’ needs. However, our students will always be held to a certain academic standard. Flexibility emerges more in terms of scheduling and completion of program requirements. Within that context, if and when necessary, students are allowed to take a single course per semester.

4) If a registered nurse wanted to switch roles, would this program lead him/her to a management position?
It would lead to an enhanced knowledge of quality improvement initiatives and the management skills necessary to implement such initiatives. For example, a RN will be able to develop, implement and evaluate quality improvement initiatives in any health care facility. Furthermore, a RN completing the degree in health care quality will be extremely marketable due to their medical and management background. This is an ideal program for nurses who wish to parlay their excellence in nursing. The health care industry values the nurse who has developed a broader health care business and quality orientation. For the interested candidate, there are two options – the MSHS and MSN.

5) Are there any scholarships or grants that the applicant can apply for?

While the program does not offer scholarship funds at this time, we are happy to direct our students to financial aid options, including the following:

ASQ’s Healthcare Division- Florence Nightingale
One annual $2,000 scholarship
http://www.asq.org/health/about/awards-health.html

Tylenol Scholarship
$250,000 in scholarship funds
http://www.tylenol.com/page.jhtml?id=tylenol/news/subptyschol.inc

U.S Department of Health & Human Services- HRSA
National Health Services Corps
http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/

Indian Health Service
http://www.ihs.gov/JobsCareerDevelop/DHPS/scholarships/