Health Care Studies: A Case Study

When one thinks of a degree in Health Care Studies, many questions come to mind. The most common questions are, “what exactly is it?” and “what jobs can you get with it?”. In short, health care studies allows students to learn about health care from a more managerial point of view, such as learning about the ins and outs of the healthcare system and how to help different aspects of it run. Therefore, there are several jobs one can get with a Health Care Studies degree that correlate with the world of business. As I am about to graduate in May, I have given tremendous consideration to the many career options that exist for me and have been overwhelmed with just how many there are.
One option that I
have given a lot of thought is medical sales. Prior to last year, I never gave much thought to the world of business or sales. However, I like the idea of having a job that is flexible and allows you to travel instead of staying at a desk all day. Which medical sales allows you to do. I also like how it allows you to work with people and develop relationships with hospitals or other companies. Most importantly, I like the idea of helping people be able to get the medical supplies that they need, even if I do not see them personally.
Another career that I have dabbled with the thought of is health care management. This career requires more schooling, and the thought of it is slightly more intimidating. Nevertheless, I find it interesting to be able to ensure that a hospital is organized and runs efficiently. Before I truly start to aim for these careers, it is important that I look into what skills are required to be successful in them. Afterwards, I can see if they fit my abilities and what qualities I would need to improve or gain in order to be successful.
Data
Medical Sales According to Tengilimo, Korkmaz, and Akinci, medical sales is the craft of finding potential buyers, assisting them in purchase by providing relevant information, solving their problems, and maintaining long-term relationships with customers during the after sales period (2004). It is not hard to see that medical sales representatives are responsible for providing a good image for their company. Therefore, it is critical that the representative has a well developed skill set in order to be successful in the field. One theorized skill set is that of emotional intelligence, which is defined as an array of non-cognitive capabilities, skills, and abilities that allow individuals to cope with environmental demands and pressures (Harris, Mirabella, and Murphy, 2012).
According to Harris, Mirabella, and Murphy, emotional intelligence includes self-awareness, self-management, self-motivation, empathy, and social skills. Such areas help a representative to understand their client, develop relationships,adapt to changing environments, and gracefully handle rejection(2012). Being a representative puts one in stressful situations. Therefore, it is essential that the individual knows how to properly manage their emotions as well as being able to treat customers or coworkers with kindness and respect.
According to Tengilimonglu, Korkmaz, and Akinchi, the ability to be social in itself is a important skill, if not the most important, in medical sales since a rep has to effectively communicate with and persuade people into purchasing the product (2004). They also mention the importance of having good manners, maturity, good hygiene, dressing well, having the required education, showing determination, and being able to plan and problem solve
(2004). Health Care Management Health care management is one of the most important positions in the hospital, if not the most important. Since health care managers are responsible for running the hospital, it is critical that they have specific knowledge and skills to ensure that the hospital runs as efficiently as possible. If they do not have such skills and knowledge, the hospital may face some consequences. On top of being well versed on the healthcare system and different medical terminology, health care managers also have to be well versed in business, managerial science, and organizational behavior (Barati, Sadeghi, and Siavashi, 2016). In addition to their background knowledge, they must possess certain personality traits. In order for employees to feel comfortable going to him or her with any problems, the health care manager must be approachable and ethical. However, the manager must also know when to show authority and be assertive. In essence, the manager should be nice towards his or her employees but still be authoritative when necessary, so as to remain in control (Barati, Sadeghi, & Oskrochi). It is also important that he or she be trustworthy, be a teamplayer, actively engage employees in teamwork, and encourage them to be successful (Stempniak, 2015). In this sense, they need to have well developed leadership skills in order to properly direct individuals. Health care managers also need to have a specific type of thinking. Running a hospital is extremely complex. According to an interview of a health care manager conducted by Stempniak, in order to grasp all of the required information, prospective managers will have to use analytical thinking and be able to effectively problem solve in high stress situations (2015). In addition, the health care manager is required to be flexible and adapt to change (Pettigrew, Forman, & Pistell, 2015).