Students enrolled in OU-C’s Health Services Administration program are gaining valuable insights into their chosen professional fields and the daily operations of the health care profession during practicum experiences.
“The practicum component is an important part of the students’ academic program,” interim program coordinator Susan Shea said. “This allows the students to find the area of health care administration that most appeals to them and aligns with their career goals on a daily basis.”
Each student in the HSA program will complete a 200-hour practicum and a 400-hour internship during his/her college career.
“These types of experiences allow the students to apply concepts they learn in the classroom in a real-life situation. They also give the students more focus as they make career decisions. Health care is a broad field, and these experiences are especially beneficial in allowing students to see where their interests lie. They are able to interact with professionals in the field and have the chance to see first-hand what occurs in the field.”
Having experience is also a plus from an employers’ perspective.
“More than a luxury, practical experience is viewed more as a necessity for today’s student in the health care field,” Shea said. “Employers want to hire people who already know how to function and have more than just the knowledge they gained from a book.”
And OU-C students are gaining from the experiences.
“The practicum has been a tremendous eye-opener. I never thought about the inner workings of the hospital system, and upon enrolling in the HSA program, I assumed that I would one day begin my career with the standard front-desk receptionist position at a physician office and work my way into the position of manager. I did not realize that so many other opportunities are available,” said Angela Oyer, a Chillicothe High School graduate who is serving a practicum with Adena Health System.
“Applying what I have learned in the classroom has been exciting because, before I began observing at the hospital, I did not realize that the textbooks I have studied are so current. If I had one piece of advice for students in the HSA program who have not yet observed in a health care setting, it would be to take your studies very seriously. The textbooks explain concepts that are applied in the everyday world of health care. Many of these ideas have come to life during my observation in the real world,” Oyer added.
“The practicum has enabled me to meet a diverse group of leaders and to observe several different aspects of the running of the business. I have been able to narrow down my areas of interest, but I am still undecided as to the path I hope to take. At this point, I know that the atmosphere at Adena is exactly the type of atmosphere in which I would like to work,” Oyer said.
Chris Miller, a resident of Gallipolis, is serving his practicum at the Southeastern Ohio Medical Center in Cambridge.
“I have been able to touch various departments within the hospital and have been able to job-shadow many positions within these departments,” Miller said. “Also, I was able to get hand-on experience in the hospital and gain tangible knowledge of the everyday workings of the facility.”
The experience has helped Miller gain practical insights into the workings of the health care field.
“I have been able to learn about various aspects that were previously unknown, such as the hierarchy of administration and functional duties of each department, which I can now relate to various classroom concepts. The experience has opened up my own knowledge in order to guide my career pursuits in regards to which departments and hours I would like to work in upon graduation.”
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| Cindy Adkins |
Other HSA students gaining practicum experience recently include Amy Brown at Pike County Community Hospital in Waverly and Cindy Adkins, who completed her experience last summer at the VA Medical Center.
The HSA program leads to a bachelor’s degree and prepares students for administrative management positions in settings such as hospitals, physician practices, managed care organizations and other health delivery systems.
“For this region, it is a benefit that OU-C is developing skilled health-care professionals, particularly in regards to a quality of life issue,” Shea said. “Historically, many individuals in the health-care field have clinical experience but are lacking in management skills and training. This major offers individuals the background they need to succeed in health care administration careers with training in areas such as human relations, budgeting and personnel management.”
