Hello! I am applying to the Master's in Healthcare Administration. The SoP requires a description of "your previous education and work experience; why you are interested in applying for admission to the MSHA program and how completion of the MSHA degree program will advance your professional goals".
Will be evaluated on "clarity of thought and written expression and the rationale for completing a graduate degree in health administration". Suggestions for revisions are welcomed. Thank you in advance!
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I was researching Elmore Kittower's murder in a California long term care facility. Kittower suffered prolong physical abuse by a nurse assistant. As I was reading several articles depicting the abuse Kittower suffered as a mentally ill patient, I became more passionate about my policy analysis. I was gathering evidence condoning the need for elder abuse prevention strategies in healthcare facilities. Engrossed in my research, I did not realize I received a text message from my mother. I nonchalantly opened the picture attachment only to see a horrific picture. It was a picture of my own grandmother, also a long-term care facility patient, with a black eye and bruised face that engulfed her entire cheek. My hands trembling, I held the picture against my computer screen which still cascaded the numerous articles covering Kittower's story.
My grandmother's facility had been understaffed the entire week of her incident. She had fallen out of her bed in the middle of the night because no assistants would help her to the restroom. Where was the quality care? What manager failed to adequately staff the facility? As a student of health science and advocate of public health, I knew this was unacceptable. Without looking back, I became obsessed with understanding the management and administration of healthcare delivery systems.
A combination of academic, fieldwork and employment experiences have manifested my interests in the management and administration of health services. As an undergraduate, I learned the fundamentals of public health through health science, education, promotion and disease prevention. I grasped the importance of health education interventions to combat the growing number of health disparities; the cultural and scientific development of disease and the dependence of public health programs on healthcare delivery systems.
With a plethora of my education focused on health education, I decided to challenge my analytical self by enrolling in Dr. ABC's Health Policy course. His extensive knowledge of public policy and community health developed my greater understanding of national, state and local efforts to assess healthcare demands beyond the scope of health education. Analysis of past Medicare legislation gave me a greater understanding of government healthcare assistance and the overall impact of government policy on healthcare. His coursework also provoked me to question the degree to which public health programs' depend on community healthcare services and the overall future of public and private healthcare services. How can we locally enhance public and private delivery systems to better serve our vulnerable populations? How will services adapt to the growing aging population? These are questions I seek to explore as I continue my education.
As a volunteer at ABC Medical Center, I gained first hand experience working in a public healthcare institution. Exposure to the professional atmosphere of the medical environment captivated me. I learned the administrative fundamentals of a healthcare facility; the strict adherence to policy, emphasis on communication and the magnitude of the patient's care. Engaging with healthcare professionals and staff members to ensure quality service to patients was an enriching experience. Discharging patients quickly became my favorite task, as I was able to listen to a patient's story about his stay in the hospital, whether satisfactory or not. Furthermore, assisting in a variety of departments, including oncology, orthopedics, and cardiology, illustrated the importance of quality work to ensure patient safety and satisfaction.
My interests in healthcare delivery systems were reverberated as a research assistant with the Chronic Pain Center. I gained invaluable science based experience executing a longitudinal study examining physical and cognitive differences among patients with or without chronic pain. I became more intrigued with the innovative approaches, such as drumming relaxation techniques, needed to address the growing complexities of health disparities such as chronic pain diseases. Through my work with the Center, I realized our innovation and ingenuity had encouraged our elderly participants to live more active lifestyles.
I amend a great amount of my business management experience to working with Director Boss. Her influence as Director of Special Programs for MY UNIVERSITY department further compelled me to extend my leadership qualities into the healthcare arena. I assisted Mrs. Boss with executing several multimillion dollar academic programs, including Summer Session, Intersession and High School Transitory programs. Mrs. Boss's flexibility to work with Deans, directors and students was truly inspiring. She has taught me the essentials of business management, ensuring stakeholders and students are satisfied in the quality of services and products.
I seek admittance to ZZ's Masters of Healthcare Administration track because there are a broad range of courses that cater to my personal interests such as health policy, quality care, administration and leadership. In addition, a Masters of Healthcare Administration from ZZ will equip me with the knowledge base as a successful leader in healthcare services.
I seek to learn the discipline of healthcare leadership through a challenging program offering a broad range of curriculum encompassing both my educational interests and career aspirations. I want to explore the innovative techniques used to address the healthcare demands of a metropolitan community. Most of all, I want to enhance my quality of leadership through education to prepare myself for a cutthroat career in healthcare administration.
My career goal is to become a director in a healthcare facility. Pursuing graduate studies in healthcare administration is the key to getting there. Graduate studies will allow me to go beyond the boundaries of undergraduate education and truly explore the extensive nature of the healthcare industry. I look forward to investigating the impact of public health interventions on delivery services; understanding industry economics and identifying sustainable delivery alternatives to address the health needs of multicultural communities such as CC. I would also like to further explore educational interests such as health policy, quality care techniques and healthcare information technology. The Masters of Healthcare Administration program at ZZ encompasses my academic interests and is the next step in achieving my career goal.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!
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